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Cloud AutoML
Train high-quality custom machine learning models with minimal effort and machine learning expertise.
Train custom machine learning models
Cloud AutoML is a suite of machine learning products that enables developers with limited machine learning expertise to train high-quality models specific to their business needs. It relies on Google's state-of-the-art transfer learning and neural architecture search technology.
State-of-the-art performance
Cloud AutoML leverages more than 10 years of proprietary Google Research technology to help your machine learning models achieve faster performance and more accurate predictions.
Get up and running fast
Use Cloud AutoML's simple graphical user interface to train, evaluate, improve, and deploy models based on your data. You're only a few minutes away from your own custom machine learning model.
Generate high-quality training data
Google's human labeling service can put a team of people to work annotating or cleaning your labels to make sure your models are being trained on high-quality data.
AutoML products
Create your own custom machine learning models with an easy-to-use graphical interface.
AutoML Vision
Derive insights from images in the cloud or at the edge.Learn more
AutoML Video IntelligenceBeta
Enable powerful content discovery and engaging video experiences.Learn more
AutoML Natural Language
Reveal the structure and meaning of text through machine learning.Learn more
AutoML Translation
Dynamically detect and translate between languages.Learn more
|Structured data
AutoML TablesBeta
Automatically build and deploy state-of-the-art machine learning models on structured data.Learn more
Our customers
Cloud AutoML's technology is helping us build vision models to annotate our products with Disney characters, product categories, and colors. These annotations are being integrated into our search engine to enhance the impact on Guest experience through more relevant search results, expedited discovery, and product recommendations on shopDisney.— Mike White, CTO, SVP, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
How AutoML works
Cloud AutoML features
Custom models
Train custom machine learning models that are specific to your business needs, with minimum effort and machine learning expertise.
Powered by Google's AutoML and transfer learning
Leverages Google state-of-the-art AutoML and transfer learning technology to produce high-quality models.
Fully integrated
Cloud AutoML is fully integrated with other Google Cloud services, giving you a consistent way to access the entire Google Cloud service line, including storing your training data in Cloud Storage. To generate a prediction on your trained model, simply use the existing Vision API by adding a parameter for your custom model or use AI Platform's online prediction service.
Integration with data labeling service.
If you have images but no labels yet, an in-house Google team will review your custom instructions and classify your images accordingly. You'll get high-quality training data while your data remains private. You can also use the human-labeled data seamlessly to train a custom model. Available for AutoML Vision only.
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Cloud AutoML
Start training high-quality custom ML models.
Start learning
Access how-to guides, quickstarts, and more.
A product or feature listed on this page is in beta. For more information on our product launch stages, see here.


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Fedora Language Testing Group [FLTG] is a SIG group of Fedora contributors taking care of language testing in Fedora.
Our mission is to test and review language support in Fedora and act as a bridge between translation team, i18n team and users to aid in testing languages in Fedora.
What do we do
- Test the new fedora releases for our respective languages using different test cases we have prepared.
- File the bugs and provide reference for other language maintainers/testers.
- Add new test cases based on new bugs filed and new packages.
- Prepare the ISO for testing in consultation with the release-engineering team.
- Coordinate and conduct both i18n (with the help of Fedora i18n team) and 110n test days.
- Based on the ISO selected for testing, review the test cases.
- Keep informed the l10n team about new issues, helping them to improve the testing.
- Submit the report on test days and collect feedback from testers.
Joining FLTG
IRC Channel
#fedora-fltg[?] on Freenode
Mailing Lists
- fltg list - Discussions about Language Testing activities (Need to add a description)
Meetings are held weekly on Tuesdays, 0930 UTC.
You could check FLTG Archives
Fedora Language Test Days
Fedora 18
- installation Test Day
- Fedora 17 (Fedora 17 Test Days) (Ticket discussion)
- 2012-03-07 Completed
- 2012-03-14 Completed
- 2012-04-05 Completed
- Fedora 16 (Test Days) (Ticket discussion)
- Fedora 15
- Fedora 12
Language Bug Triage
List need to create in Bugzilla 'TODO'
Fedora 18 i18n Features
Fedora 17 i18n Features to include in testing
- Gnome Input Integration ibus
- Eekboard
- A S Alam (asa)
- Jaswinder Singh (jassy)
- Ani Peter (apeter)
- Sweta Kothari (swkothar)
- Kévin Raymond (shaiton)
- Nilamdyuti Goswami (ngoswami)
- Manoj Kumar Giri (mgiri)
- Pravin Satpute (pravins)

subset: commoncrawl


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|Previous Page | Table of Contents | Index | Next Page
Partnership Distributions(p4)
Effect on partner's basis.(p4)
Effect on partnership.(p4)
Certain distributions treated as a sale or exchange.(p4)
|Substantially appreciated inventory items.(p4)
Partner's Gain or Loss(p4)
Marketable securities treated as money.(p5)
Loss on distribution.(p5)
Distribution of partner's debt.(p5)
Net precontribution gain.(p5)
|Effect on basis.(p5)
Partner's Basis for Distributed Property(p5)
Complete liquidation of partner's interest.(p5)
Partner's holding period.(p5)
Basis divided among properties.(p5)
|Allocating a basis increase.(p6)
|Allocating a basis decrease.(p6)
|Distributions before August 6, 1997.(p6)
|Partner's interest more than partnership basis.(p6)
Special adjustment to basis.(p6)
|Mandatory adjustment.(p6)
Required statement.(p6)
Marketable securities.(p7)
|Previous Page | Table of Contents | Top of Page | Index | Next Page


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The Second World War made a lasting impact in many parts of the 2 Seas area. Across the whole territory many physical remains like bunkers, fortifications and other traces can be found in the landscape. Unfortunately many of these remains were poorly documented, derelict and inaccessible to the public and there was no coherent cross-border framework of interpretation and presentation for this heritage.
Key to understanding the history of the Second World War and its material remnants is the immaterial heritage of the time. The memories and stories of eye-witnesses bring history to life for people who did not experience the war and help to understand the meaning of silent material remains.
The overall aim of the project is to ensure the preservation and improve the accessibility of the material and immaterial heritage of the Second World War in the 2 Seas region.
The physical accessibility as well as the access to information and knowledge about several important sites and events representing WWII heritage is improved. Read more about:
-The modernisation of museum presentations of the Atlantic Wall museum in Raversijde
-The creation of access paths to Fort des Dunes in Leffrinckoucke
-Developing a memorial center in and around Oranjemolen, Vlissingen
-Redesigning of Park Toorenvliedt in Middelburg as a memorial area
Surprised by the abrupt change (beginning of the war)View this theme View this theme
Coping with and try to influence the change (during the war)View this theme View this theme
reversal of the change (end of the war en after wartime)View this theme View this theme
Turn on JavaScript to display the map
The Kindertransport (German for children transport) is a rescue mission that took place during the nine months...12 Jan 1938
The World War II Heritage network brings together 10 partners with a diverse background, from museums to local...15 Oct 1939
Close to 'muZEEum' there is a windmill called Oranjemolen. In 1944 this spot was called 'Uncle Beach': this is...06 Mar 1940
Naval operation to evacuate the British and French Armies stuck in the city of Dunkirk, surrounded by the Germ...27 May 1940
Massive misinformation operation from the Allies to hide their plans for D-Day01 Dec 1943
Dunkirk was only liberated on May 9th 1945, after a 9 month long siege.15 Sep 1944
The need for transporting materiel from England to the front made Boulogne's port a strategic location.17 Sep 1944
The city was in ruin due to Operation Fortitude.25 Sep 1944


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April 8, 2013
Washingtonville, NY
Joseph Dominic Figliomeni of Washingtonville, NY entered into rest peacefully on Monday, April 8, 2013 at the age of 80.
He was born in Childs, PA, the son of Carlo Dominico and Rosa (Archina) Figliomeni.
He is survived by Michelle, his devoted wife of forty-six years; his sons: David and his wife, Mayette and son, Wally, of Bremerton, WA, Daniel and his wife, Patricia, and their three children: Kathryn, Anna and Luke of Downers Grove, IL and his daughter, Joanne, of Hartsdale, NY. In addition, he is survived by his brothers: Pasquale and his wife, Alice, of Wilkes-Barre, PA, also Michael, Paul and John, of Childs, PA and by his sisters: Mary Shields and husband, Robert, of Springbrook Twp., PA and Roseanne Jenkins, of Jessup, PA.
Joe proudly raised his family in Washingtonville, NY where he was an active member of St. Mary's Parish and its Nocturnal Adoration Society. His favorite activities included camping with his family in Lackawanna State Park, PA and playing cards with his brothers, sisters and friends who taught with him at Monroe- Woodbury Central School. Joe taught Language Arts to 7th and 8th grade students for 40 years. It is here where he met his wife, whom he married in 1966. Joe is best remembered by his friends and students for his wonderful sense of humor, optimism and enthusiasm for sports and cars. His gift for story telling was legendary. Even the most reluctant students responded to his coaxing, a talent that was recognized by his being named Teacher of the Year in 1978. For nearly thirty years he volunteered his time preparing students to compete in the annual BOCES Spelling Bee and was honored in 1997 for his efforts. Joe was an avid gardener who took great pride in raising tomatoes each summer. Because he had a lifelong interest in railroading, and the history of coal and iron mining, he was a member since 1976 of the Orange County Historical Society. He particularly liked reminiscing with his friends about his youthful coal mining adventures.
Visitation will be Thursday, April 11th, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the David T. Ferguson Funeral Home, 20 North St., Washingtonville, NY 10992. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 12th, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, Washingtonville, NY. Cremation will follow and be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joseph's memory to the Orange County Historical Society, Box #55, Arden, NY 10910.
Arrangements are under the care of Thomas A. Murray of the David T. Ferguson Funeral Home, 20 North St., Washingtonville, NY 10992, 845-496-9106; for further info or to leave condolences or a fond memory of Joseph for the family, please visit our website at www.davidtfergusonfh.com


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Sony Ericsson rolled out the Android 2.1 Éclair update for the Xperia X10, X10 Mini and the Mini Pro back in November last year.
Now, nearly 6 months later, AT&T and Sony Ericsson have finally started rolling out the Android 2.1 update for the AT&T branded X10's in the United States. Along with the bump in the Android OS version, X10 owners will also get 720p HD video recording, dual-touch support, increased home screens, face detection in video recording and continuous autofocus.
The Sony Ericsson Product Blog states that they couldn't be more excitedabout releasing this update to the end user. I wonder what are they so excited about. All the popular handsets from HTC and Samsung are receiving the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update, and Sony Ericsson is getting excited on releasing the obsolete Android 2.1 update for the X10.
However, X10 owners in the United States should not blame Sony Ericsson for this. AT&T is the reason behind this delay in the Android 2.1 update. Also, thanks to AT&T, X10 owners in the United States will never get the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update which Sony Ericsson will release sometime in Q3 of this year.
X10 owners in the U.S. should head over to this link to get the update for their handset.


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The pollution caused by Montreal's Formula One Grand Prix causes heart attacks, asthma, even deaths.
The pollution caused by Montreal's Formula One Grand Prix is negligible, trivial.
The former assertion comes courtesy of Daniel Green of the Société pour vaincre la pollution (SVP), while the latter is from Diane Boulet, the chemist responsible for Montreal's Réseau de surveillance de la qualité de l'air (RSQA).
Does the truth lie somewhere in between?
Laurie Schraenen, spokeswoman for Montreal's F1 event, said that "unfortunately, on our side, we don't have any technical information" about the emissions of race cars and referred questions to individual carmakers.
One of the reasons the impact is hard to quantify precisely, however, is that the toxicity of the cars' emissions is a closely guarded secret by all manufacturers.
Each car is allowed 100 kilograms of fuel for the race (like in aviation, fuel is measured by weight rather than volume). Beyond that, hard data is scarce.
"The modern fuel is only allowed tiny quantities of 'non-hydrocarbon' compounds, effectively banning the most volatile power-boosting additives," the official Formula One website states.
Racing's official body takes pains to note that the fuel the race cars use has evolved over the years to the point where it is now "surprisingly close to the composition of ordinary, commercially available petrol."
"It was not always so," the website notes. "Early Grand Prix cars ran on a fierce mixture of powerful chemicals and additives, often featuring large quantities of benzene, alcohol and aviation fuel. Indeed, some early fuels were so potent that the car's engine had to be disassembled and washed in ordinary petrol at the end of the race to prevent the mixture from corroding it!"
That's partly true, said Green — the gas used in F1 has indeed improved.
But the Grand Prix race, along with Montreal's fireworks display, are major contributors to the Montreal's "bad air days", he said.
"In the spring, you get what's known as a thermal inversion — it's colder up, it's warmer down and the bad air gets sandwiched in between, and stays," Green said.
"So when you get one of those during the GP, plus the fireworks, plus the cars (of spectators to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve), you will get a very, very bad air day that will go over the 15-minute standard for ozone, fine particulate matter and NOX — nitrous oxide."
"That's when you get your asthma and your heart attacks. Studies have been done in Montreal showing increase in emergency room admissions from respiratory distress and heart problems during bad air days."
During thermal inversions, people have died, Green added.
"I'm not using the term lightly," he said.
Green called for Directeur de santé publique de Montréal "to have enough guts" to monitor the emissions from the race in real time. Two monitoring stations are downwind from the track and could measure concentration of pollutants every 15 minutes as the race unfolds.
"That would be revolutionary."
Boulet said that real-time monitoring has not been conducted during the race because Montreal has no mobile station "to measure it. ... But (the two-hour-plus race) is a short time span, and we don't think it has much of an impact on Montrealers."
She called Green's statements "too-broad brush strokes."
Her department has a monitoring station adjoining the Décarie autoroute, and readings of various toxic emission consistently show they are below the accepted norms, Boulet said.
"I don't think a car race would surpass those norms."
Boulet agreed with Green that tires of race cars, which shred into tiny, invisible particles over the course of the race, do give off poisonous dust.
But they disagreed on their effect.
Green said that the wind carries it over the city, particularly over the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district downwind. Boulet said the effects would be confined to "the track and the spectators — very, very local. Not so much Montreal."
"Actually, the pollution the race causes comes much more from noise than from any other emissions," Boulet said. "That's what people complain about."
One stat may put things in perspective: many of the F1 drivers fly to Montreal by private jet — as does F1's billionaire boss Bernie Ecclestone and other well-heeled race aficionados. One of those flights spews in the air a multiple of the toxins emitted by all the race cars during the 305.270-kilometre race as well as all the cars driven to the track by people who attend the race.
Stéphanie Lepage, spokeswoman for Aéroports de Montréal, said that several private flights were booked to land at Mirabel and others at Dorval during Grand Prix week. But other flights were booked with FBO's — fixed-based operations, privately owned charter jet operators like Starlink and Innotech Execaire — and no public record of those exists.


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Vodafone has announced its 4G roll-out for Germany, though it seems it'll be Americans making the first 4G phone call.
Vodafone Germany will have LTE coverage in 1,000 municipalities by Christmas, and Vodafone promises a national network by the end of 2011. That will be a data network using dongles for connecting laptops, in common with other LTE roll-outs, so it seems America's metroPCS will be the first to launch a 4G phone network over which customers will make phone calls.
Long Term Evolution is the 4G standard preferred by the existing network operators and just about everyone else. There aren't any LTE handsets just yet, although the Samsung Craft has passed FCC certification and is expected to be deployed by metroPCS once its LTE network starts operation later this month.
That will give customers in Dallas and Las Vegas the chance to make voice calls over a 4G network, but we can't help wondering whether the Craft (a featurephone rather than a smartphone) is going to be able to take full advantage of the high-speed connections.
LTE is overkill for voice, and to most people 4G is about data supplied to laptops and similar. That's reflected in the tariffs announced by Vodafone Germany, which will be asking €40 a month (around £33) for 7.2Mb/s, with a 10GB cap, rising to €70 (almost £60) for 50Mb/s speed capped at 30GB. Bust the cap and you're reduced to 3G speeds until the end of the month.
That's a high price compared to ADSL, but (coverage allowing) the Vodafone offering makes home broadband redundant, so is better compared to a combination of mobile and fixed broadband.
Vodafone isn't the only network rolling out LTE in Germany, as DailyWireless points out. Telefonica has announced plans to cover Munich and Halli by the end of the year while Deutsche Telekom already has on LTE base station operating in Brandenberg, though one station does not a roll-out make.
All this action follows on from last year's auctions, when the German government sold off a whole bundle of radio spectrum for a combined price of €4.4bn. Not only does that supply operators with frequencies to operate in, but also removes the uncertainty about who will end up owning what.
This is unlike the UK, where decisions about what to do with pre-allocated radio spectrum have yet to be made. This is a prerequisite for a similarly-scaled mega-auction planned for later this year. Vodafone and O2 have the spectrum at the moment, and will be forced to give some up ahead of the auction, but will fight all the way to avoid doing that.
The incumbent operators have nothing to gain from an early auction, allowing them to leave the UK with 3G technology while rolling out the next generation elsewhere. ®


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A Parade of Everyday Addicts
- Dr. David B. Hawkins Author, Breaking Everyday Addictions
- 2008 16 Sep
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is an excerpt from Breaking Everyday Addictions by Dr. David B. Hawkins (Harvest House, 2008).
I did it to myself. It wasn't society…it wasn't a pusher, it wasn't being blind or being black or being poor. It was all my doing.
Ray Charles
I'm an addict. Most of us are.
There, I've said it. Wanting to write about addictions for a long time, I finally received the green light from my publisher.
My publishing team sat around the conference table sipping Cokes, lattes, and bottled water, listening to my sales pitch. Finally, Elisa, one of the editors, asked quizzically, "Can a book about addictions really sell?"
"I'm not sure," I replied, glancing around the room at the concerned faces. "But I do know this: We're a nation of addicts, and it seems like we ought to be talking about it. We pretend that addictions only happen to other people. That's not true."
"There's an image out there," Elisa said, "that if you admit to having problems with an addiction, people will think you're like drug addicts. The kind who steal to support their habit and have lost their teeth, their health, their kids, and their home. They're in such denial about the whole issue that they wouldn't want help if you offered it."
Several team members nodded in agreement.
Kirk, from sales, got up and poured himself another cup of coffee.
"We've drawn this imaginary line," I added. "It's them, the addicts, and us, the normal ones."
"So," Donna from acquisitions said, "is something wrong with that kind of thinking?" Just then her cell phone rang. "I'm sorry," she said, taking a moment to check the caller before turning her phone off. "I thought I turned this thing off."
"There's a lot wrong with that kind of thinking," I continued. "I want to talk about everyday addictions. The kind that affect each of us. I'm not pointing any fingers, but I like my lattes every day. I like to tell myself coffee's just a passion. But to be honest, I'd have a hard time living without it."
"Sounds familiar," Kirk added, smiling.
"I've also struggled with work addiction, but I like to tell myself I'm just a hard worker. I still carry my Palm with me wherever I go, and my laptop is always within reach.
"Donna smiled anxiously. "You're hitting close to home," she said.
"There are the addicts that sit next to us in church or work in the cubicle next to ours. They live next door, and their kids play with our kids. We're afraid to talk about these addictions because we fear being seen as stereotypical drug addicts."
"I'm still not sure I'm getting it," Kirk said impatiently, glancing down at his watch. "Either you're an addict or you're not, and if you are, your life is probably out of control. I'm still not sure about the market for this kind of book."
"It's not a black-or-white problem," I said. "These are everyday addicts, people who still function and work and shop where we work and shop. People like you and me."
"I'm surprised we're struggling so much with this concept," said Donna. "Of course there are everyday addictions. I'll admit that I'm an Internet junkie, and my husband would be smiling if he were here listening to this conversation. It's not a joke, though I've got to admit I've never thought of it as an addiction."
"You're slowly coming out of denial," I said smiling. "This is good. We're making progress in our group therapy session today."
Everyone laughed.
"I think I'm beginning to understand," Kirk added. "However, I'm still not sure people want to hear this message."
"Of course they don't want to hear the message," I said. "That's precisely why we're obligated to send it. Someone has to come out of denial long enough to consider the possibility that we've all got addictive traits and symptoms. Many of us are card-carrying addicts even though we go to church every week and hold down full-time jobs. We're addicted to everyday things like coffee, cell phones, Coke, and shopping."
By now, the team was starting to get it: Everyday addicts are everywhere, and we shouldn't be too quick to exclude ourselves.
"This is also the perfect opportunity," I continued, "to show people how everyday addictions, habits, and compulsions hamper our freedom to be all that God wants us to be. That's really the point of the book. Addictions nail us to our particular drug of choice and limit our freedom. God brings freedom to our lives."
"You know," Kirk said thoughtfully, "the more I think about this, the more excited I get. Christians need to be talking about addictions. We have answers to issues of addiction and bondage. We have power from our relationship in Christ—true freedom."
"Yes," I said, "and I want to offer hope and help to the hard-core addict, the soft-core addict, and the everyday addict. I want to bring our faith to bear on these issues."
Perhaps you can relate. You go to work every day. You've got kids and a home, and you hold down a full-time job. Yet you struggle with compulsive behaviors common to many others. That's why this book is for you. Together we'll learn about addictions—we'll talk about something most of us try to avoid. And we'll discover answers and see what Scripture has to say on the matter.
In the Next Pew
Picture yourself in a church. The sanctuary is full. Standing in front of a 300-member church, I give the following instructions:
"I want everyone to stand and close your eyes. I'm going to list a number of common problems. Sit down if one rings true for you.
"If you've struggled with compulsive eating, anorexia, bulimia, the use of laxatives for weight loss, or excessive fears about body image, please sit down.
"Anyone who's struggled with compulsive drinking, illicit substances, or overuse of prescription medications, please sit down.
"If you've struggled with compulsive gambling, spending, or shopping, please sit down. That includes compulsive garage sale and e-Bay shopping." Nervous giggles are heard as more people sit down.
"Anyone who's struggled with sexual addiction, including serial affairs, serial dating, pornography, or compulsive masturbation, please sit down.
"Everyone who's struggled with work addiction, please sit down. This includes compulsively checking your e-mail, obsessively scanning the Internet for your favorite daily blog, and issues with power and control at work.
"Anyone who's struggled with compulsive television or movie viewing, please sit down.
"Everyone who's struggled with compulsive exercise addiction or competition addiction, please sit down.
"If you've struggled from the ravages of seeking approval from others, please sit down. This includes problems with codependency."
The remaining 12 people were noticeably anxious, shifting positions and fidgeting. They had their eyes closed, but they'd heard their fellow worshippers dropping out in droves. Now they wondered whether they were addiction free or if I was ready to point one out that fit them.
"Now, those who struggle with compulsive worry, perfectionism, and religious addictions, please sit down."
"Okay," I say. "Open your eyes."
Someone yells out, "I can't believe it!"
One man and one woman are still standing.
"Those still standing, please sit down," I say. "We don't know everyone's story, but what is clearly apparent is that the vast majority of us face common, everyday addictions. We're all in this boat together. Thankfully, we can experience freedom from addictions, and the first powerful step is coming out of the silent and secretive shadows of shame and into the light of grace, surrender, and acceptance."
The Conspiracy of Silence
I've always wanted to conduct this kind of exercise. I believe it would do much to end the shame we have about our compulsive and addictive behaviors. What relief people would feel as they looked around and realized that everyone struggles with some addiction or compulsion. What a relief to know and admit that all of us are flawed and in need of God's grace and tender care as well as the care of a supportive group of people who are struggling with the same issues.
But what about our imaginary scene of those two people left standing? Were they really free from addictive or compulsive thinking or behavior? I doubt it. I suspect they were caught in the throes of denial (Don't Even Notice I Am Lying). For many people, coming clean with their problems is difficult. Many in our world won't jump on the bandwagon to admit their problems, but this need not stop us from being open and honest about our problems.
We're caught up in an amazing conspiracy of silence. We want to see the world neatly divided into those with addictions and those without. We don't acknowledge that those who claim to be free from addictions merely appear normal and refuse to talk about their addictive and compulsive behaviors. This leaves them to suffer alone in shame. It also focuses even more attention on those who clearly struggle with addictions. This dichotomy is completely false. If we are honest, willing to shed the heavy cloak of denial, we notice addicts everywhere—even in our own home.
Only in recent years have we begun to offer legitimate treatment for some of the obvious addictions, such as alcohol and drug abuse. We even endorse such programs in our churches. However, we still don't recognize the myriad other addictions, let alone help people deal with them.
Defining Addiction
The bottom line is that we're all addicted to something. Although we have been taught to think of addict as a dirty word, it is an apt description for all of us relatively normal people.
Let's consider several aspects of everyday addictions.
First, an addiction is a compulsive physical and psychological dependence on habit-forming substances, like nicotine, alcohol, or drugs, or on processes, such as shopping, eating, or sex. The substances give us a physiological high. Meanwhile, "process addictions," where we engage compulsively in activities such as gambling, viewing pornography, video gaming, or shopping, also change our mood.
Second, we continue to engage in these mood-altering activities in spite of obvious negative consequences. We know that smoking is bad for our health, but we can't seem to stop. We know that staying at the slot machines well past our determined curfew or beyond our self-imposed spending limit is destructive, but we can't seem to pull ourselves away. We know that eating more than we need is detrimental to our health, but that doesn't stop us.
Third, we often need more and more of the substance or behavior to get the desired high. In other words, our tolerance increases. We continue eating well beyond satiation. We spend more than we can afford, hoping to regain a good feeling. We continue to gamble in order to win back what we have lost or to hit "the big one." We continue to drink until we literally cannot drink any more. And the more we drink, the more we need to drink to gain the desired effect.
Fourth, we lie about and deny our behavior because we are ashamed. Inside, we know our lives are out of control. We know someone will be displeased with our actions, and so, in an attempt to avoid negative consequences, we lie about them. We hide our alcohol use from others; we hide the new clothes we purchased and tell our mates that we bought them months ago; we are dishonest about our frequency of gambling and the losses we've incurred; we're dishonest about the hours we spend working. This deception, of course, only compounds our problems.
Finally, we allow our lives to become unmanageable. At some point the wheels fall off the cart. Our mates say they can no longer tolerate our drinking. Our bosses fire us because of our repeated failure to get work done on time after the late-night poker parties. We hide in shame because of the 50 extra pounds we carry. We're so tied to our cell phones that we begin to annoy our spouse, our friends, and even ourselves. We're out of control. We've given up the power of our lives to a substance or behavior. We've lost our ability to make healthy choices.
Having lost control of your life, you're still stuck in denial. You still believe you can fly under the radar. You still have your job, your spouse, your home, your bank account, and your faith. You're feeling a bit smug because you believe you're still in complete control of your life. You're certain you would have been one of those left standing when the roll was called.
Not so fast.
Is it possible that addiction and compulsion have struck your life as well, but you've anesthetized yourself so you don't feel the pain? Are you vaguely aware of feeling distanced from others because of your particular compulsion or addiction? Do you feel stifled in your personal and spiritual growth? Do you feel hidden shame and guilt? Might you be harboring hidden problems you've never called addictions?
Consider these common scenarios:
Sheryl has had yo-yo weight problems her entire life. Now 40, she's tried every gimmick diet and attended countless weight-loss programs, but she exceeds her ideal weight by 75 pounds. She's learned to accommodate her problem. Although she hates being heavy, she's rationalized the problem and works overtime to tell herself that she must be comfortable in her own skin. She's anesthetized herself to the pain of her eating addiction and continues to gain more weight each year. Her health is in jeopardy, her self-esteem has been damaged, and her marriage suffers. Still, she's quit calling her weight a problem because admitting the truth simply causes too much pain.
Jed is a 30-year-old workaholic, a Microsoft engineer who averages 60 hours a week. Like many of his coworkers, he carries a "CrackBerry" (BlackBerry) on his hip as a badge of admission into the hardworking, upwardly mobile society. He's well-rewarded for his work and rarely thinks about the hours he puts in. His wife works equally hard as a financial analyst, and only rarely does either of them mention the possibility of slowing down. They have silently agreed not to talk about their problem. They're anesthetized to the pain that comes from having too little time for friendships, leisure activities, and quality time with their children. They're tired and irritable, and the luster is wearing off their marriage—but still they continue to push forward as if nothing were wrong.
Carl is a gambler. He can be found nightly at a local casino. He insists that he rarely spends more than what he can afford, though he acknowledges that he hides the true amount of his losses from his wife. She doesn't confront him. In fact, she often joins him. Both are in their late forties and know their retirement monies are paying for blackjack and slots, but neither wants to change. Their working lives are boring, their marriage is boring, and the casino offers them a respite from the pain. They've anesthetized themselves to the problem by denying that it exists.
Kathy is a 35-year-old mother of three who spends much of her time worrying about her depressed mother. Her mother calls her daily and complains about her life. The oldest of four children, Kathy has always been "the responsible one." She knows she cannot "fix" her mother, but she feels compelled to keep trying, to the detriment of her own well-being. She alternates between feeling exhausted, angry, hurt, sad, and discouraged when obsessing about her mother. Secretly, she also feels powerful, needed, and important when attempting to control her mother's moods. She's addicted to this codependent and destructive relationship.
I could go on, telling story after story of addictive and compulsive behavior that hasn't yet reached a crisis point. This parade of addictions is with us every day in every walk of life. We anesthetize our pain with our substance or behavior of choice, secretly hoping we'll never have to face the power of our problems.
A Parade of Addictions
In case I haven't convinced you yet that we're a parade of addicts, let's make a list of everyday addictions. Let's take a look at the activities and substances that can hook us. Let's look at the ways we can lose our souls to the powers of these addictions, relinquishing our ability to choose what is best for us along the way. Here are some everyday addictions:
drugs, alcohol, and gambling
food, caffeine, and sugar
sex and pornography
work and perfectionism
codependency, approval, and worry
spending, shopping, and coupon-clipping
television, video, and video-gaming
exercise and sports
love, romance, and romance novels
money, accumulation, and success
e-mail, Internet, and chat rooms
cell phones
power and anger
The list could go on and on. I suspect you have recognized my point: Virtually anything can become a compulsion and qualify as an everyday addiction.
Humans are prone to addiction and compulsive behaviors. What begins as a benign activity, such as buying something on the Internet, can gradually become addictive. For some people, innocuous and infrequent spending soon becomes obsessive—they do it more and more, hiding their behaviors from others. For others, random outings to the casino become an infatuation with the neon lights and the glimmer of winning something big. They move from infrequent outings to an obsessive attachment to the activity, cloaking their behavior in secrecy and denial. For others, the occasional dinner party and single glass of wine slips easily into two or three glasses of wine nightly. Soon they're hooked!
Society as Addict
Why can we so easily be hooked? Why are we self-controlled in one area of our lives and completely unable to set limits in another?
Anne Wilson Schaef has an interesting perspective on the matter. Schaef, author of When Society Becomes an Addict, says the addictions we can see are only the tip of the iceberg and that society itself reinforces addictions by ignoring their presence. She believes that no one has only one addiction. Instead, we all have multiple addictions, characterized by self-centeredness, dishonesty, preoccupation with control, abnormal thinking processes, repressed feelings, and ethical deterioration. She asserts that our society not only encourages addictions but sees them as normal. As someone recovers from one addiction, another is likely to surface.
Is this why we smile when we mention addiction to caffeine, nicotine, food, cell phones, and e-mail? Schaef's theory makes sense. Few people are screaming about the rampant obesity in our society. Few are carping about our addictive interest in television, movies, or movie stars, or the tremendous negative influence these have on us. Few even decry the moral deterioration caused by pornography. Like television and the movies, these are considered "victimless" problems.
Everyday addictions, however, are not innocuous problems. Though they are everyday, they bring serious trouble. They are addictions, whether large or small, accepted or treated with contempt. The excuse that "the rest of society is doing it" doesn't make a behavior less harmful.
This is serious stuff that affects each of us. It may not be pleasant to talk about, but the truth will set us free.
No Longer Choosing
Addictions are particularly debilitating because they undermine our power to choose. Although we certainly make the decision to take the first drag on a cigarette and perhaps even the second or third, we quickly become hooked.
We choose to pull the first lever of the slot machine, but very quickly those "one-arm bandits" are choosing us. Our choice becomes a compulsion, and we can't say no.
For years we've considered the addict weak willed, as though he belongs to some lower class. Meanwhile, those from the upper class who succumb to an addiction have been whisked away to some posh, private facility for rehab. We still maintain a similar view of addictions. We believe we cannot become addicted if we are spiritual enough, powerful enough, strong enough, or smart enough. With enough willpower, we will be safe.
Wrong. It's not a matter of willpower. You have willpower to not take the first drink, the first puff on a cigarette, or your first peek at pornography. But once you take that first step, choice quickly begins to disappear.
Because we believe that only the weak become addicted, we naively think we can dabble with substances and other activities without getting hooked. Listen to the words of one man who shared his situation with me recently.
"I couldn't believe how quickly I got hooked on pornography. One day an image popped up on my computer. No one was home, and I looked at it for a while. Once I viewed it, I was aroused and hit on some links to other sites. I'm not even sure how it happened, but within weeks I was racing home in the middle of the day to spend time on pornographic websites. I'd still be doing it today if my wife hadn't caught me. I feel humiliated and embarrassed, not to mention the fact that my productivity at work began to decline."
Not surprisingly, his wife was furious with him. She accused him of being sick, weak willed, and twisted. But he was actually none of the above. He was addicted, that's all. Not weak willed, not twisted, not sick. Addicted.
Some people will surely accuse me of letting this man off the hook. But I'm not letting him off the hook—he's clearly on it. He's hooked all right, by his addiction. Some people will continue to label him, but he and I know he is a good man with morals, values, and strong convictions. He simply gave in to temptation and then, because of his makeup, became addicted.
The Pleasure Principle
Sigmund Freud discovered another important principle that is absolutely apropos to our discussion on addictions. Freud said that we are all inclined to seek immediate gratification through pleasure and to avoid pain. Scott Peck, in his book The Road Less Traveled, talks about avoiding problems:
Fearing the pain involved, almost all of us, to a greater or lesser degree, attempt to avoid problems. We procrastinate, hoping they will go away. We ignore them, forget them, pretend they do not exist. We even take drugs to assist us in ignoring them, so that by deadening ourselves to the pain we can forget the problems that cause the pain. We attempt to skirt around problems rather than meet them head on. Seeking pleasure and avoiding pain is nothing new. Solomon wrote about the meaninglessness of pleasures:
And what does pleasure accomplish? I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives…I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure…Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:2-3,10-11).
The wisest man of his time tells us that seeking pleasure is common—and, in many ways, fruitless. We seek it, but it does not give us what we ultimately need, which is to find our purpose and meaning in God. It is a temporary relief from pain.
We all want to avoid pain, and seeking relief from our everyday struggles leads to our everyday addictions. Seeking relief from our problems leads us to the very substances and activities that alter our brain chemistry and have us running back for more regardless of the negative consequences.
Brain Damaged
I'm being serious when I say that we're all brain damaged.
Addictions have been clearly linked to certain chemicals released in the brain, thus leading us to seek certain forms of relief again and again. Because we're all part of the mass of everyday addicts, we're all, by definition, a bit brain damaged.
An illicit drug is taken the first time by choice to relieve depression or stress or for recreational purposes. We become involved in an activity because it is enjoyable. Soon, however, our ability to choose is weakened. Why? Because repeated drug use or certain repetitive and compulsive activities disrupt well-balanced systems in the brain. Repeated use of marijuana, cocaine, or alcohol causes a surge in levels of a brain chemical called dopamine, resulting in a feeling of pleasure. (And remember, we're all suckers for pleasure.) The brain remembers this feeling of pleasure and wants to repeat it, thus creating a dependency that can soon become an addiction.
Brain researchers have discovered that particular activities can trigger the release of our own feel-good drugs called endorphins. Although these natural pain-relieving neurotransmitters make us feel good, we can also become addicted to them. Thus, when addicted gamblers or shoppers are satisfying their cravings, endorphins are produced and released within the brain, creating a high and reinforcing the people's positive associations with the activity. As with illicit drugs, consistently engaging in addictive activities is also believed to cause excessive stimulation and leads eventually to tolerance and dependence.
Addictive substances and behaviors also affect regions of the brain that help us control our desires and emotions. The resulting lack of control leads addicted people to compulsively pursue substances or activities even when these substances or behaviors are no longer intrinsically rewarding.
Gerald May, in his wonderful book Addiction and Grace, helps us understand how all of this applies to our commonplace, everyday addictions. "The same kind of cellular dynamics apply to nonsubstance addictions. If we had been talking about addiction to money, power, images of ourselves or of God, we could have said much the same about what happens to our nerve cells."
May goes on to offer us a very practical example of how little habits can become addictive.
Consider a very minor addiction, one that seems to harbor no special destructiveness. Let us say that I have established a routine of having a cup of coffee and reading the paper before starting the day. I enjoy the quiet, undemanding quality of this time and would be loathe to call it an addiction. But, I have been engaging in this little routine for years, and the cells of my brain have become adapted to it. They are used to the whole sequence of the time: the gentle slowness of waking up, the familiarity of my favorite chair, the gradual stimulation of the reading, the friendly jolt of the coffee's caffeine playing out its own little addiction fix, the sounds of the house waking up all around me. All the countless sensations and behaviors of this time become mutually associated in patterned sequences of synapses, with billions of cells having become adapted to certain amounts of neurotransmitters in certain ways at certain times.
Were this pattern to become disrupted, May would feel the irritability and shakiness associated with withdrawal symptoms. Although his symptoms would be far less severe than those of alcoholics coming off binges or drug addicts coming down from their drug of choice, a vast number of brain cells would still be involved.
Such is also the case for our everyday addictions. We feel out of sorts when we lose our cell phone or are unable to check our e-mail for a few days or perhaps even a few hours. We feel disconcerted if we cannot indulge in our nightly glass of wine or weekend shopping trip.
We're uncomfortable if our television goes on the blink and we're left having to converse with one another.
The Truth Will Set You Free
Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). Just before saying this, however, He said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." Jesus connects freedom to being disciples. He offers a path out of the bondage of addictions—the path of discipleship.
We know this principle, yet we remain reluctant truth seekers. We remain unwilling disciples, choosing instead to believe that we can find our own way out of the wilderness. We've gone hundreds of years without openly talking about addiction—the proverbial elephant in the room. Why talk about it now? Haven't we been doing just fine letting the beast roam freely as long as it's not affecting anyone? Haven't we done fine on our own?
Let's get this straight: Elephants don't roam freely without affecting people. They poop; they smell; they bump into things, crowd our living spaces, and generally wreak havoc. In future chapters, we'll talk about the effect the elephant in the room has on our ability to function. Furthermore, we are not doing so well winging it on our own. We're employing massive denial when we claim that elephants are nothing more than a nuisance and that we can manage our lives just fine, thank you.
Why talk about it now? Because we've been introduced to concepts such as codependency and boundaries and have a hunch that the problem is larger than we believed, so perhaps we're ready to hear more about it.
We're also developing addictions at faster and faster rates. Methamphetamine abuse has exploded in recent years, as have e-mail, cell phone, and Internet addictions. You can almost hear the clanging of balls and chains as we meander through life. We're not free—we live in an addicted society, and our addictions are increasing.
Finally, we're talking about it now because it's time to break free from everyday addictions. It's time to look in the mirror and determine whether we've become enslaved to some addictive substance or activity. Whether your everyday addiction is debilitating methamphetamine abuse or a more socially acceptable addiction to e-mail, these behaviors and substances have the power to enslave us.
As we travel together through this book, I invite you to consider the possibility that all of us are encumbered with everyday addictions that control us. All of us desperately need freedom from substances or activities that restrict us to a particular way of behaving. We yearn for a free life.
Addiction Does Not Discriminate
Addiction doesn't just happen to the derelict. Addiction is not simply a problem for the emaciated heroin addict. Addiction isn't relegated to back alleys.
We have to understand that we have found the addict, and the addict is us. You and me. Our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. Our best friends and our worst enemies. Everyday addictions are commonplace, testing the rich and famous as well as the middle-class suburbanites. Everyday addictions attack those who are poor in faith and rich in faith.
The truth of the matter is that no one is a cookie-cutter addict—we come in all sizes and shapes. We're a mishmash of cocaine addicts, cell phone addicts, food addicts, and gambling addicts. We overspend, overwork, shop too much, and become entangled in sexual sins. We're addicted to innumerable drugs and activities that create a wide range of everyday addicts.
So we have many different kinds of addicts, and many are Christians. They come in all faiths, ages, shapes, sizes, and economic backgrounds. We'd like to think we're insulated from these problems, but this simply isn't true. In fact, as many addicts are inside the church as outside.
I'm pushing for us to get comfortable with the notion. The first step is to nod your head and sit down!
Copyright © 2008 by Dr. David Hawkins
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon
Used by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.


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The fastest ride at Ferrari's just-opened Abu Dhabi theme park looks like an F1 car and for excellent reason: it pulls 4.8 g's on launch. Here's video of Ferrari's F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa riding it.
The ride is called Formula Rossa and it uses a hydraulic launch system—the same technology used to get fighter jets off the deck of aircraft carriers—to accelerate the train to 150 mph in 4.9 seconds. That's four times the g's produced by a Bugatti Veyron under full acceleration and is enough to give even seasoned Formula One drivers face warps.
Which is somewhat frightening: over the course of their careers, Formula One drivers evolve massive necks to keeps their heads from flying off their torsos in the faster corners (or use them to crack walnuts, as Fernando Alonso has shown).
Regular humans, and you can check this with the help of a mirror, do not possess such necks. Which brings a dilemma of sorts. I'll have to ride this thing if I ever find myself in Abu Dhabi again. But how, in my new state of existence as a headless zombie, will I wear my hats again?


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We Adore Our Sponsors
We are grateful to our sponsors, the companies who partner with us each and every day to connect women to their community. These companies understand the value of StyleBlueprint's positive voice which reaches out to our readers, over 3.5 million in the last year, to uplift and brighten their day through StyleBlueprint's award-winning editorial. Our loyal sponsors allow us to grow and thrive and we are proud to showcase them and their ideals on StyleBlueprint. When we say "we adore our sponsors" (you'll see that above our sponsor ads in our articles), we truly do and ask you to support them, too, as they are all true leaders in our community.


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Archdiocese of Kenya
The Holy Archdiocese of Kenya is a diocese in eastern Africa under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. Prior to its formation in 2001, the archdiocese was part of the Archdiocese of Irinoupolis.
Today, the Orthodox community of Kenya is the most numerous on the African continent, and consists of about a million parishioners out of an overall population of 35 million in the country. The Kenyan Archdiocese of the Alexandrian Patriarchate has about 200 churches, dozens of church parochial schools and a seminary in Riruta.[1]
Ruling Bishops
- George (Gathuna) (1973 — 1979)
- Irenaeus (Talambekos) 1994 — 1996
- Petros (Giakoumelos) (1996 — 1997)
- Seraphim (Kykkotis) (1997 — 2001)
- Makarios (Tillyrides) (2001 — Present)
See also
- ↑ Orthodox churches in Kenya are dedicated to Russian saints. Interfax-Religion. 21 April 2010, 12:32.
External Links
- Makarios (Tillyrides) of Kenya. The Origin of Orthodoxy in East Africa. Orthodox Research Institute.
- Amos Masaba Akunda. Orthodox Christian dialogue with Banyore culture. Th.D.Thesis. University of South Africa, June 2010. 334 pages.
- "Orthodox Christianity came to the Banyore people of western Kenya in 1942...I shall examine the relation between Orthodox Christianity and Banyore culture, and show how Orthodox Christianity, in dialogue with the Banyore people, became indigenised in Bunyore culture. Thus Orthodox Christians in Bunyore do not see Orthodoxy as something foreign, but as something that has become part of their own culture."
- Peter Lemieux. Kenya's Orthodox Miracle. CNEWA. Vol 34:5 (September), 2008.
- From The Heart Of Africa: An interview with Fr. Phillip Gatari, an Orthodox priest from Kenya. December 8, 2012.
- Journey to Orthodoxy. Orthodox Church in Kenya Destroyed. Orthodox Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. January 17, 2008.
Categories > Church History
Categories > Church History > Canon Law > Ecclesiology > Jurisdictions > Dioceses
Categories > Church History > Canon Law > Ecclesiology > Jurisdictions > Dioceses > Alexandria Patriarchate Dioceses
Categories > Places > Orthodoxy by country > Orthodoxy in Africa


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Reform Club ~ Club Governance
Five members of the Club, of long experience and seniority, act as Trustees in whom the property of the Club is vested.
General Committee
The affairs of the Club are managed by a General Committee of fifteen members, five of whom are elected each December. At the Annual General Meeting in May the Committee presents to the membership its report and the accounts for the preceding year.
Library Committee
Responsibility for the administration of the Library is entrusted to the Library Committee.
Particular aspects of Club management fall to more detailed scrutiny by sub-committees, drawn from the General Committee.
Club Governance is described more fully in the Rules and Regulations of the Club, copies of which are available to members.
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A long time ago I wrote that I felt that director Wilson Yip was probably the best thing to ever happen to Donnie Yen's career.
First teaming up in 2005 for the cop drama/action flick SPL, the 2 would end up collaborating on 5 consecutive films.
With the sole exception of the somewhat lackluster Dragon Tiger Gate, all of said films were of stellar quality; easily ranking as some of the best in Mr. Yen's career.
While Yen's incredible longevity allowed him to effectively outlast the majority of his contemporaries, namely Jet Li and Jackie Chan; and his innovative fighting performance and choreography skills certainly put him ahead of the pack, this writer would argue that Wilson Yip's cinematographic skills and eye for detail had just as much to do with his rise to prominence as any of the aforementioned factoids.
That being said, it's now 2011; and while he's been detached from Wilson Yip ever since the production of Ip Man 2, Donnie Yen is still the reigning king of Hong Kong screen fighters.
So, why am I not happy?
I'm just about as big a Donnie Yen fan as you'll ever meet, but truth be told; as much as I like the man's work, like most screen fighters he's made an alarming number of shitty movies.
In fact, if you don't count Blade 2; a movie he choreographed by held maybe 5 minutes of screen time in, I don't think I've genuinely liked a non-Wilson Yip Donnie Yen movie since Shanghai Affairs back in '98, and even that kind of sucked.
Sadly, now that Yen doesn't seem to have any projects lined up with Wilson Yip in the foreseeable future; I'm left feeling like things are going to go back to the way they were, with Donnie Yen steadily churning out crap movies with decent fights.
Despite an astoundingly well cut trailer for it's U.S. release, make no mistake Legend of the Fist: Return of Chen Zhen, Yen's first film of the "Post Yip Era"; is most assuredly hot garbage.
I own a Hong Kong blu ray of Legend of the Fist, and while Yen's physical performance was actually pretty amazing, as detailed here; the movie itself was one of the most boring kung fu movies I've seen in a long time.
At present, Mr. Yen has a handful of movies on his plate, most notably a mysterious Peter Chan film called Swordsmen, and 2 other films titled The Lost Bladesman and The Monkey King.
I've purposely decided to forego any mention of the most recent All's Well, Ends Well, as while it does in fact include Donnie Yen in it's cast; no force on Earth could make me see it as a "Donnie Yen film."
Anyway, The Lost Bladesman sees Donnie Yen taking on the role of famed Chinese general and folk hero Guan Yu in a wuxia film.
Trailers for this one have been popping up pretty regularly as of late, with most of the footage doing little to light a fire in my pants.
Sure, it has Donnie Yen.
Sure he's hitting people while sporting a pimp beard and guan dao.
Even so, the production values seem a little below standard, and the cinematography and choreography seem about on par with the mediocrity of Yen's own 14 Blades.
For those that may be unaware, any film that draws comparisons to 14 Blades has it's work cut out for it in terms of not sucking.
That leaves 2012's The Monkey King as the one Yen movie to bear the weight of making up for the past couple of years of "meh."
While it's certainly far off in terms of being released, in all honesty; The Monkey King actually seems like it might be worth the wait.
No footage exists as of yet, but given that the story is a retelling of the Journey to the West, essentially the Chinese myth of myths; and given the incredible assortment of talent involved in the production, I've got a good feeling about it.
Sure, it'll probably be CGI'd to shit and make Donnie Yen look like a complete goof ball; but the art style of the poster and Cheang Pou Soi's involvement as director will likely make up for it.
Seriously man, if the same Cheang Pou Soi that made Dog Bite Dog and Shamo shows up for this one, we're in for one helluva' ride.
Despite all the pessimism of everything mentioned above, let it be known; I remain hopeful for Donnie Yen's career.
In many ways, I think my "disappointment" in some of his recent projects spawns from my general lack of enthusiasm for mainland China productions as compared to Hong Kong ones.
Wuxia works when it works, but for the most part it's not what you'd call my favorite genre.
Whatever the future holds for Mr. Yen, I only hope that whatever crappy or mediocre productions he's involved in continue to be the fault of writers and directors as opposed to Donnie Yen himself…
Filed under: Kung Fu, Movies, Uncategorized, 14 Blades, 2, 2011, All's Well Ends Well, Bio Zombie, Blade, Captain Jack Sparrow, Cheang Pou Soi, Dog Bite Dog, Donnie Yen, Dragon Tiger Gate, Fighting, films, guan dao, Guan Yu, Ip Man, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Journey to the West, kung fu, Legend of the Fist, martial arts, Movies, Pirates of the Caribbean, Return of Chen Zhen, Shamo, SPL, Swordsmen, The Lost Bladesman, The Monkey King, Twins Effect, Wilson Yip, Wu Cheng En, wuxia


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I have been baking my cake. Check it out!
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John Curran: Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks: Fifty Years of Mysteries in the Making - Includes Two Unpublished Poirot Stories
David Roberts: Sweet Sorrow (Lord Edward Corinth & Verity Brown)
Alexander Larman: The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication
Helen McCarthy: Double Lives: A History of Working Motherhood
John Bude: The Cheltenham Square Murder (British Library Crime Classics)


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N.Y. gun law lacks cop exemption
New York's new gun control law, passed after a quick legislative deal in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, reportedly neglected to exempt the state's active and retired officers from having high-capacity magazines larger than seven rounds — less than half the number that most of the state's law-enforcement officers have.
State officials are looking to amend the law in the 60-day window allowed to make changes, according to WABC-TV.
( PHOTOS: Politicians speak out on gun control)
It's a glitch in a bill that has received strong praise from gun control advocates and earned Gov. Andrew Cuomo praise for his effectiveness in quickly getting a new law passed while Washington officials lock horns over new federal proposals.
"No police officer possessing [an] ammunition clip with more than seven bullets is in violation of the law or guilty of any crime, period," said Matthew Wing, a spokesman for Cuomo. The law has not yet taken effect.


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Birdsboro hotels and motels with Free/Complimentary breakfast are listed below along with more detailed breakfast information provided by the hotel if available. Search for cheap and discount rates at Birdsboro, PA hotels with continental breakfast options. We list the best Birdsboro Pennsylvania hotel and motel rooms with breakfast built into the rate.
How should we direct your call?


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Happily, the eyesore is gone. Unhappily, it will not be vaporized, shoved into the Thames, flash-frozen and shattered by mallets, coated in fox blood and torn apart by famished hounds, shot into the sun, or melted down into a fine paste suitable for insulation.
In 2011, Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed installed a statue of Michael Jackson at Craven Cottage. Why? Jackson wasn't a Fulham fan, appeared (but did not perform) at just one match. The answer is that Jackson was Fayed's friend, and Fayed has too much money. So up the statue went, to the consternation of Fulham fans and the derision of everyone else.
This summer, Fayed sold the team to Shad Khan, owner of the Jaguars. Naturally, the very first questions upon taking over were about what he was going to do with that fucking statue. Khan was politic, saying "We have to preserve and respect history, but we have to move forward. I'll reflect on it and listen to the fans." Fayed was his usual self:
"Michael Jackson will stay. He can't go, he is here. It is part of the deal, it is history, it is listed. You can't change otherwise I will come and take your mustache in public."
Khan has listened to the fans, and they hate it. In a terse statement, a team spokesperson said, "the statue is not part of the Riverside development of the stadium and will be returned to the former chairman in due course." Fayed will truck it out of the borough and give it a place of honor at one of his many other properties, where it can be gazed upon without embarrassing a 134-year-old team.
The only person upset about this? Joe Posnanski, who truly believes that given another five years, the statue would have become a timeless part of Fulham tradition.


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Other name(s):
aminoacetic acid
Unsubstantiated claims
Please note that this section reports on claims that have NOT yet been substantiated through scientific studies.
There is conflicting evidence that taking glycine orally in addition to conventional treatment seems to reduce negative symptoms of schizophrenia in patients who are resistant to monotherapy with conventional antipsychotics.
Applying a cream containing glycine, l-cysteine, and dl-threonine seems to reduce pain and slightly improve healing of leg ulcers.
Taking glycine sublingually may have neuroprotective effects if started within six hours after the onset of acute ischemic stroke. In addition, it is thought to be useful in treating depression, hyperactivity, and malnutrition associated with drug addiction.
Recommended intake
Amino acids (AAs), such as glycine, are available as individual AAs or in proprietary AA combinations, as well as part of multi-vitamin formulas, proteins, and food supplements. The forms include tablets, fluids, and powders. However, adequate protein in the diet should provide a sufficient source of all amino acids.
There are no conditions that increase the nutritional requirements for glycine.
Side effects, toxicity, and interactions
The use of a single amino acid supplement may lead to a negative nitrogen balance, decreasing the metabolic efficiency and increasing the workload of the kidneys. In children, taking single amino acid supplements may also harmfully affect growth parameters.
Excessive glycine in the body has been linked to seizure disorders and developmental delays in children.
Always avoid taking individual amino acids in high dosage for prolonged periods.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use glycine supplements.
Additional information
Click here for a list of reputable websites with general information on


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A recipe for a soft lemon cookie with blueberries.
Source: Hot Polka Dot, although I made one important change.
Yield: nearly 4 dozen cookies
I really try to avoid Costco. I deliberately did not renew my membership because the stupid place costs me way too much money. There are only a few things that I really need to get there, and everything else is a better deal somewhere else, so I just don't go. Once in a while, I mooch off my mother, or my mother-in-law, and get them to take me there, so I can get the frozen meatballs I love (no, I don't make them from scratch, sorry to disappoint!) and the giant bag of shredded cheddar cheese, and the mega-pack of toilet paper. Have you ever noticed that almost everyone at Costco is buying toilet paper? I have. These are the kinds of things I think about. Welcome to my world.
At any rate, my last trip to Costco netted me a huge box of fresh blueberries, among about $200 worth of other things.
I've gotten so I really enjoy having fresh berries in the house. I've bought strawberries several times recently, and I am always sad when they are gone. Blueberries are a little tougher to eat plain, but they are really fun to bake with. So, you can imagine my disgust when the business of life overwhelmed me, and I realized my blueberries were an entire week old! Tragedy. I dubbed Saturday "Blueberry Day" and got down to baking.
First on the agenda, blueberry muffins. I made a double batch. Hopefully they will last longer than one day.
Next, Lemon Blueberry cookies. With a small break for a small nap. Well, it's Saturday, after all!
Last, Blueberry syrup for our pancakes and waffles. YUM. It was a good day.
These cookie mixed up pretty well, and I was glad to finally use the lemon that had also been in my fridge for several days. The dough has to chill for a little while before baking, at least 20-30 minutes. (Enter nap.)
These will look prettiest if you handle the dough gently and roll them into balls with your hands. I found that my cookie scoop had a tendency to slice the berries and create some strangely-shaped and oozing cookies. They just require some tenderness.
The original recipe called for a dot of cream cheese in the center of each cookie, but after I tried one, I decided I didn't love the cream cheese center. So I just left it out. I figured I could easily come up with something else to do with the cream cheese… very easily! Plus, I think the cookies are fabulous enough without the cream cheese center.
The citrus flavor with the fresh berries makes this cookie very fresh, and perfect for spring. Which is what I was hoping for when I chose it. However, the day I made them, there was 4 inches of snow on the ground, so it was only spring inside the house!
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Add lemon zest and juice, and eggs, and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients, and mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in blueberries.
- Chill dough for about 30 minutes or more. Roll gently into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-14 minutes.
If you enjoy these, you might also enjoy:
Black and Blueberry Sandwich Cookies from Bittersweet
Lemon Ricotta Cookies from Jen's Favorite Cookies
Raspberry Blueberry Cream Tart from Get Off Your Butt and Bake


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Dude, honestly, if you're asking these questions, you need to re-evaluate whether you'll be able to pull this off.-Thom
A quick look at the code shows that ZWave.cpp seems to implement the "DCE" interface needed by LinuxMCE, while ZWApi.cpp implements the Z-Wave primitives and actual interface to the USB device (via a serial library).So it seems quite probable that these two pieces could be split, and thus avoiding reinvention, as well as the need to provide a lot of support infrastructure that may not be needed by simpler projects.
Hari how can I also test it on Fedora? Any special do any special packages need to be installed? Anything needs to be compiled? Is there a wiki page with instructions?


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We want to attract the very best people, and we want our employees to enjoy long and rewarding careers with us. This means building a high-performance culture that encourages people to thrive and succeed.
At Tetra Pak, every employee plays their part in delivering our strategy. Our investments in leadership and technical competencies – from recruitment to retirement – are therefore investments in the success of our business because they support productive careers with us.
We take a proactive approach to our future talent - the next generation of Tetra Pak employees. This is more important than ever as our industry faces future skills shortages in science, technology, engineering and maths. We're tackling the skills gap where it starts: with young people.
Do you want to know more?
About Tetra Pak
Together with our customers we make food safe and available, everywhere. Since the start in 1951 we have taken pride in providing the best possible processing and packaging solutions for food.
Tetra Pak is one of three companies in the Tetra Laval Group – a private group that started in Sweden. The other two companies are DeLaval and Sidel. Tetra Laval is headquartered in Switzerland.