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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama wants to persuade Americans to look beyond Africa's image of hunger and disease as he hosts a first-of-its-kind meeting of leaders of nearly all of Africa's nations this week.
But as he pushes Americans to invest financially in an up-and-coming Africa, he cannot escape the continent's recent reputation for violence.
In South Sudan, there's been a spike in ethnically targeted attacks since December. In Mali, the Qaida-linked extremists who captured the northern part of the country continue to wreak havoc. And in Nigeria, the Boko Haram terrorist organization is accused of murdering thousands of people and kidnapping nearly 300 schoolgirls.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama wants to persuade Americans to look beyond Africa's image of hunger and disease as he hosts a first-of-its-kind meeting of leaders of nearly all of Africa's nations this week.
But as he pushes Americans to invest financially in an up-and-coming Africa, he cannot escape the continent's recent reputation for violence.
In South Sudan, there's been a spike in ethnically targeted attacks since December. In Mali, the Qaida-linked extremists who captured the northern part of the country continue to wreak havoc. And in Nigeria, the Boko Haram terrorist organization is accused of murdering thousands of people and kidnapping nearly 300 schoolgirls.
Peacekeeping was billed as one of a trio of main topics at the three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which concluded Wednesday, though it was largely overshadowed by economic development and the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Obama unveiled more than $33 billion in public and private economic investments in Africa, but he did not announce any major initiatives to combat ongoing threats of terrorism and the rise of extremist groups. Instead, he said the U.S. will continue to be a "reliable partner" by offering training, equipment and money to help African countries counter violence.
The United States will enter into a new $65 million program with six nations to address ongoing threats and contribute another $110 million per year to help African militaries deploy peacekeepers in response to emerging conflicts.
"A lot of the initiatives that we put forward were designed to partner so that countries first and foremost can deal with these problems within their own borders or regionally," Obama said at a closing news conference late Wednesday. "And the United States doesn't have a desire to expand and create a big footprint inside of Africa."
Jennifer Cooke, director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, said summit organizers had to incorporate security into the agenda even while the main focus of the meeting was to persuade businesses to invest in Africa.
"You can't look at Africa simply through the commercial lens," she said. "There are big challenges you can't ignore."
Yet even African leaders were torn about how much to emphasize security at the summit.
Tanzania President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has spent days trying to convince people that Africa is more safe than before and that the public should stop viewing the problem of one country as the problem of all the continent's more than 50 countries.
"When you look today at what is happening, the conflict areas in Africa, they don't compare what the situation was," Kikwete said. "So I say, unfortunately, this is the good story which is not being told."
But Tunisia President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki disagreed.
"Africa of course is much more secure than before, but we are still facing challenge, an important challenge, a matter of security, and we have to work together as Africa," he said.
On Wednesday, Obama participated in three roundtable discussions. The two focusing on economic development and strengthening democracies were open to the public, but the one on peace was not. An administration official with knowledge of the meeting but who was not authorized to speak publicly as matter of practice said the leaders were able to have a more productive discussion because the event was closed.
At least two human rights groups said they were disappointed that African activists were not included in any of the discussions Wednesday, just a day after Amnesty International released information it said could provide new evidence of war crimes in northeastern Nigeria. Shawn Gaylord, advocacy counsel for Human Rights First, a nonpartisan human rights group, said the White House missed "a momentous opportunity."
In Africa, as around the globe, Obama resists pressure to intervene militarily unless U.S. interests are at risk or Americans are threatened, placing his emphasis instead on training and supporting foreign governments or entities to tackle their own problems.
He said this week that he would like a more explicit plan for how NATO should engage with African countries and regional organizations so the U.S. is not perceived as trying to dominate the continent.
His decision to intervene in Libya in 2011 was an exception, though he only got involved after organizing an international coalition to remove Moammar Gadhafi. No U.S. troops were deployed on the ground in what Obama later called an operation that could be a "recipe for success in the future." But the country remains mired in chaos and widespread violence, including the killings of the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in 2012.
"If we're not there, people think we're neglecting them. If we're there, then they think we're militarizing a region," Obama said in a recent interview in the London-based Economist magazine. "Right now I think we got it about right. Our theory is that we very much need to partner with African countries, first and foremost, and regional African organizations."
Since 2005, the U.S. has trained almost a quarter of a million peacekeepers from 25 different African countries. Since Obama took office in 2009, it has contributed nearly $9 billion to United Nations peacekeeping operations on the continent.
In May, the president called on Congress to support a proposed $5 billion counterterrorism fund to help countries in the Middle East and North Africa that are fighting extremists, including Yemen, which is battling al-Qaida.
In private one-on-one meetings, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice addressed the issue of violence with some of the leaders, including those from Libya, this week, according to the White House.
White House officials said they want to help African governments to protect civilians, strengthen security forces that respect human rights and move away from the need for costly outside intervention. They will provide support, such as intelligence gathering, while pushing for democratic institutions and development that can serve as a counterweight to terrorism.
"The United States is not looking to militarize Africa or maintain a permanent military presence," Rice said last week. "But we are committed to helping our partners confront transnational threats to our shared security. That is why we are stepping up our efforts to train peacekeepers who are professional and effective forces who can secure the region, and by extension the global community, against terrorist threats, and against threats that derive from conflict."


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Kisai Seven is the third fan-submitted concept to become reality from the Tokyoflash Design Studio Blog. The conceptual idea for Kisai Seven was submitted in October 2010 by a reader of the blog and fan of Tokyoflash, Scott Galloway from the UK.
The concept design was voted as one of the most popular designs by fans on the blog and thanks to your votes, Kisai Seven has become reality and is now available to buy exclusively at Tokyoflash Japan.
If you have a unique idea for an original watch design, submit it to the Tokyoflash Design Challenge and there's a chance your idea will become reality too.

subset: commoncrawl


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A baby is kidnapped while the parents are just next door at a dinner party. The babysitter had cancelled and it was suggested that it wouldn't be ok to bring the baby along to the event, so…with the baby just on the other side of the wall, it would work to bring along the baby monitor and they would go check every half hour right?…what could go wrong? Well, of course mayhem does in fact ensue, with many small twists and turns to keep the reader interested along the way. It did make me think about the McCann case, a British couple whose child disappeared from a holiday home in Portugal, because unfairly often the poor grief-stricken parents themselves become suspects.
Marketed as a psychological page-turning thriller, it was not as great as the hype surrounding this book, and it was just ok for me. I happily finished it, but there was nothing very scary or remarkable about it and it was quite predictable. The characters were two dimensional stereotypes and at times annoying in their stupidity. The last thriller I read (I See You) had a far more chilling surprise ending and seemed much more realistic. A superior novel about a child kidnapping is Jacquelyn Mitchard's The Deep End of the Ocean.
I suppose as commercial fiction this book was readable enough, much like Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, but I am hungry for something more literary now. Thrillers have their place as an occasional treat (like potato chips or chocolate) but a steady diet will leave you feeling filled up with the wrong thing entirely. On to something more nutritious and edifying!


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Stanek Shuts Down South Carolina
Junior right-hander throws complete game in 4-2 victory
Ryne Stanek chose one of the biggest games of his junior season to turn in one of the best performances of his career.
The junior right-hander tossed his second career complete game, striking out seven batters in nine innings to help lead the Arkansas baseball team (16-7, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) to a 4-2 win against South Carolina (18-5, 2-3) on Saturday.
"Great job by Stanek coming through for us," said head coach Dave Van Horn. "He had electric stuff. It was pretty good on a cold day when it's hard to get loose."
The win clinched a victory for Arkansas in the three-game series, with a chance to earn a sweep in the series finale on Sunday.
"I felt pretty good," said Stanek, who threw 124 pitches in the game. "I'm getting into mid-season shape, so it's good that I'm able to stretch it out and pound the zone a little bit better now."
Both of the runs the Gamecocks scored against Stanek (2-1) were unearned, dropping his earned run average to 2.35, second-best on the team.
"He didn't want to come out," Van Horn said. "We were going to pull him after eight (innings) and he said, 'Hey, I want to finish this thing.' We called back down to the bullpen and said he's going back out, and he did it."
Arkansas recorded 10 hits in the game, the fourth in a row with 10 or more hits. Brian Anderson, Jacob Mahan and Dominic Ficocello each had two hits apiece, and Mahan extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
South Carolina scored the game's first run in the fifth inning when Chase Vergason hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Grayson Greiner, who reached on a two-out error by Anderson at shortstop.
The Razorbacks answered in the sixth when Tyler Spoon lined an RBI single into left field, scoring Mahan.
Arkansas took the lead in the seventh when Dominic Ficocello scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Jacob Morris with two strikes. A throwing error by shortstop Joey Pankake allowed Morris to score later on to extend the lead to two.
"We were fortunate to score that first run," Van Horn said. "We had to gamble. We bunted with two strikes and it worked out for us."
Matt Vinson hit a one-out home run in the eighth inning, his first of the season, to put the Razorbacks ahead, 4-1. South Carolina scored a run in the bottom half, but could not come any closer.
Left-hander Randall Fant (1-0, 1.12) will start in the series finale for Arkansas Sunday at 12:30.


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FORTE Beads Rainbow Storm Bracelet Kit - Yellow Gold
Item # CB-36061905
- Handcrafted in 18-karat yellow gold.
- Detailed in precious beads.
- Hard-Stone Beads measure 3/16-in. thick and 5/16-in. in diameter.
- Bracelet lurex cord measures 1/8-in. thick, 14-in. long including the end caps that measure 7/16-in. long.
Carolina Bucci makes inspiring, distinctive jewelry designed with a reverence for craftsmanship and executed with elegance. The enitre collection is sprezzatura - effortless elegance.
Established by fourth generation fine jeweler, Carolina Bucci, the brand and its creations are interwoven with the personal stories of the designer as well as the rich heritage of the Bucci family. Every piece of fine jewelry is created in the family's workshops in the goldsmiths' quarter of Florence, where Carolina can sit side by side with craftsmen to work out how each new design can be realised. This simple, direct relationship between creative and creation is at the very heart of what Carolina Bucci stands for.
The versatile collections of the FORTE Beads, the Florentine Finish and the Lucky Bracelets allow for your own distinctive designs by threading on personalized beads and tying each piece to your preferred length. Every necklace and bracelet is a unique expression of your style today. Every piece is easy to construct and just as easy to deconstruct and start again.
Any order of $100+ receives free ground shipping at YLANG23.com.
Ship times follow the processing of your order.
All orders are shipped with signature required upon delivery to protect your purchase.
We ship FedEx insured, and offer three shipping options within the continental United States:
- Standard/Ground (5-7 day delivery)
- Second-Day Air - Free with orders $150+
- Overnight Next-Day Air (does not include Saturday delivery)
For specific information on international delivery estimates, detailed shipping rates and more click here.
Holiday Return Policy:
Gifts purchased on the website between November 22, 2018 and December 24, 2018 can be returned for a full refund until January 4, 2019. Special orders may not be cancelled or returned.
We want you to be completely happy with your purchase, but if you are not satisfied for any reason, we offer free returns on regular-priced orders over $100 within seven days of receipt in their complete original packaging and in unworn condition. Please call us toll free at 1-866-952-6423 or email firstname.lastname@example.com for a prepaid return label that will be sent to the original email address associated with the order. Merchandise will be insured to YLANG23.com. Credit will not include original shipping charges.
Special orders may not be canceled or returned. We reserve the right to not ship special occasion jewelry or to ask for a written confirmation indicating your commitment of a final sale during holiday periods.
Unfortunately, exchanges cannot be issued at this time. If you wish to purchase a different item, the original item should be returned to Ylang 23 and a new order can be placed on the website.
Ylang 23 specializes in unique and one-of-a-kind designer jewelry, and we're happy to special order pieces on your behalf.
Special orders are outside the scope of regular designer production and, therefore, must be paid in full at the time of purchase.
All special orders are final sale and may not be cancelled, returned, or exchanged.
Our knowledgeable staff is happy to answer any questions about special orders and alterations to existing stock (ring sizes, necklace lengths, etc.). Timing and pricing will vary by designer.
Please email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 1-866-YLANG23 with your questions and requests.


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RegVac is a System Registry cleaner consisting of 10 different tools to clean the registry of unneeded entries and stashes. This utility suite cleans your registry, history lists, recent lists and tips. It also removes 27 of the most common stashes and allows you to add more locations to clean. It finds keys and file lists that may be left over from long deleted files, and removes them. You can use one to add and remove programs, and it includes a system configuration utility.
Robo Vac is a bonus tool that with one click of the button cleans up to four sections: Classes, Software, Stash, and File Lists. Robo Scrubber can be set up to run on startup daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Some of the tools in RegVac are not available anywhere else. Novice and Expert modes. Automation. Easy to use. Registry Backup, Pack, and Restore.
- Do Spring Cleaning on your Registry - Besides the normal dirt that RegVac and other registry cleaners clean, there are thousands of dirt piles hiding which other registry cleaners don't even attempt to get. You will find them in RegVac's Stash Vac, OpenWith Editor, and AutoComplete Editor. If you want to do a complete job at cleaning your registry, RegVac is the tool to have.
- Fix Broken Software - While RegVac will not fix all broken software, reports are coming in from all over the world about how RegVac has fixed stubborn software problems.
- Novice Mode - safely cleans the Registry with one click of the button.
- Bonus Tool - Automation. One click of the button cleans up to seven sections: Classes, Stash, File Lists, Software, Bad Links, System Config, and Junk. Automation can be set up to run on startup daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
- Tool #1 - Classes Vac. Similar to RegClean, Classes Vac cleans the Classes section of the registry.
- Tool #2 - Stash Vac. The registry is littered with history lists, recent lists, and tips. This tool removes 27 of the most common stashes and allows you to add the location of more stashes.
- Tool #3 - File Lists Vac. They abound all through the registry, references to files that no longer exist. This vac finds them and removes them.
- Tool #4 - Software Vac. The largest part of the registry is the Software section. This tool searches through the Software section and finds keys that may be left over from long deleted files.
- Tool #5 - Bad Link Vac. Looks from one end of the registry to the other for references to files that do not exist on your computer. It then allows you to check and remove any of the bad entries.
- Tool #6 - Add/Remove Editor. This is actually the popular program, Add/Remove Pro. It checks your Add/Remove Programs list for programs that have already been deleted and allows you to uninstall programs, remove entries, and test entries.
- Tool #7 - System Configuration Utility. This is a neat little Windows utility otherwise known as msconfig.exe. RegVac will open it for you. One disadvantage of this utility is that it does not actually remove entries from the registry. It only disables them. RegVac will remove entries disabled by msconfig.
- Tool #8 - OpenWith Editor. Lists the extensions that are configured through the Open With… dialog box in Windows and allows you to remove them.
- Tool #9 - AutoComplete Editor. Everytime you type something in a web form, it is saved in the registry. This editor allows you to remove the ones you want to.
- Tool #10 - Junk Key Editor. Spyware and Adware love to put entries in your registry. This tool checks to see of you have any of the common ones and removes them.
- Bonus Tools - Registry Backup, Pack, and Restore. Make full backups of the registry and restore them. Remove fragmentation from the registry files with Registry Pack.
- Undo It. If you want to undo something, Undo allows you to restore all registry settings removed by RegVac. These Undo backups may also be restored outside of RegVac. The RegVac can also delete Vac Bags that are over a week old.
- Keep Windows Running Efficiently.


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Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Exploring Satire with Shrek
|9 – 12
|Estimated Time
|Four 50-minute sessions
|Lesson Author
Charleston, South Carolina
Because students are typically familiar with the characteristics of fairy tales, the movie Shrek, which satirizes fairy tale traditions, serves as an introduction to satirical techniques. Students begin by viewing a scene from the movie and examining the ways in which it departs from typical fairy tales. They are then introduced to the four techniques of satire: exaggeration, incongruity, reversal, and parody, and identify these techniques in the clip from Shrek. Students next select a fairy tale to satirize and share their finished stories with the class or small groups.
Rubric for a Narrative Writing Piece: This thorough rubric can be used to assess any piece of narrative writing.
Literary Elements Map: This online tool can be used by students to create a character map, conflict map, resolution map, or setting map, for stories they are reading or writing.
Plot Diagram: Students can use this open-ended online tool to graph the plot of any story.
Popular culture, in the form of the movie Shrek, provides an introduction to the literary techniques that are commonly used in satire. This pairing of popular culture with traditional literary instruction provides what Meg Callahan and Bronwen E. Low call "a meeting place where students and teachers can share their expertise" (52). Through their extensive research with secondary students, Callahan and Low concluded that "many students identified the use of popular culture in the classroom as a catalyst for complex thinking" (57). Callahan and Low identify popular culture as "a site where students can experience competence at the same time that the teachers provide appropriate challenges through careful support, reframing, and questioning" (57).
Further Reading
Callahan, Meg, and Bronwen E. Low. "At the Crossroads of Expertise: The Risky Business of Teaching Popular Culture." English Journal 93.3 (January 2004): 52-57.


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How Will Knowing Jesus Give Me Hope -- For Those Who Don't Believe
by Bobby Bruno
As a child of God, I realize that the subject I will be writing about in this article will make some people angry; especially those who have not given and don't feel as if they need to give their lives to Jesus. I will not apologize for anything that is written here because Jesus did not apologize to anyone who disregarded His words when He was on this planet, two-thousand years ago. As far as God is concerned, there are only two types of people walking this earth: the believers and the unbelievers; the saved and the unsaved; the sheep and the goats; the righteous and the wicked; those who love God and those who don't. The Holy Bible says a many great things about these two types of people in both the Old and the New Testaments. For example, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:4-10 / NIV).
In God's economy, you yourself decide which one of these types you are. God has a
right to take sides because it is He who created us and gave us life (Genesis 1:26-27 -- "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." NIV). God has a right to let into Heaven anyone He does or doesn't want there. God wants only those who love Him and obey him. If you think that God has an ego problem, please think again. God created us, so He has a right to tell us what He wants from us. What many do not realize is that God wants everyone in Heaven with Him when they die -- everyone. But, the problem is not with God, the problem lies squarely with us, and the decision we must make that determines whether we spend eternity with God in Heaven, or an eternity without him in Hell. God has always left the choice up to us, that's why He gave us a free will, so we could choose whichever eternity or reality we wanted to live in. If you don't believe in Hell, then don't accept Christ as your Savior to be saved from it, and take your chances. But are you willing to take that chance that there is a real Hell? Jesus gave His life and died so you wouldn't have to find out.
For those who do not know the truth about why God does not just take everyone to Heaven when they die, let me tell it to you straight -- it is because of your sin. Yes, your sin. Before you get annoyed at that comment, let me tell you with great authority that everyone sins. There is not a person on this planet that does not, and has not sinned, a great many times. The Apostle James said it best in 1 John 1:8-10 -- "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (NIV).
The difference between a believer and an unbeliever is that, when an unbeliever sins, there is no one to forgive them of that sin, since they have never given Jesus their lives. But, when a believer who has given their life to Jesus sins, we can go straight to God, ask for His forgiveness, and immediately receive it from Him. When we are forgiven, God wipes that sin away and remembers it no more (Hebrews 8:12 -- "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." NIV). With God, it is as if that sin had never happened. Still, if you have never given Jesus your life and asked Him to forgive your many sins, then by God's standards, you are still un-forgiven, and remain stained and covered by your sins.
This is why God cannot let an unbeliever into Heaven God hates sin and cannot look upon it because it is abhorrent to Him (Psalm 11:5 -- "The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates." NIV). On your own, you could never be good enough, or do enough things to get God to see you any different. It is only through the blood Jesus shed on the cross that wipes away your sins in a way that God no longer sees them. When you tell Jesus that you want to give Him your life, and then ask Him to forgive you, now, when God looks at you, He sees only Jesus, and what He did on the cross when He took upon Himself all of the sins of the world for all time. At that immediate moment, you shake off the wicked ways of the world, and now become the righteousness (in right standing with) of God.
As explained above, the wicked are people who have not accepted Jesus' death upon the cross as the substitution for their sins. When it comes to the subject of hope in a wicked (whom I will now refer to as an unbeliever) person's life, there is a lot that the Bible has to say about it. Unfortunately, for the unbeliever, it is all negative. But let's look at a few Scriptures and see if we can't find anything positive for an unbeliever to find hope in.
The hope of the wicked ends in vain.
What does "in vain" really mean? Today we mostly use the word vain to mean conceited, which the Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines as "having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements." But, vain also means: "having no real value: idle, worthless"; "marked by futility or ineffectualness: unsuccessful, useless (ex: vain efforts to escape/ futile)". Taken together, the words "in vain" mean -- to no end; without success or result; in an irreverent or blasphemous manner (ex: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain" (Deuteronomy 5:11/ NIV))" Simply put, vanity is futile and even potentially dangerous, especially when it comes to your spiritual life and position.
Proverbs 10:28 tells us that: "The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked are all in vain" (NLT). In the life of a believer, there is happiness in knowing that Jesus Christ will come back for us someday and take us into Heaven where He is for all of eternity. But in the life of those who refuse to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the Bible says that their hope will end in vain. How many of us today would put our faith in someone who never does what he says, never tells the truth, or never stops letting us know that he is greater or more superior to us? But don't we do just that every day when some of us put our faith in the Satan, letting him dictate to us that we should keep on doing things we know aren't right, or even legal? We know we shouldn't drink and drive, or text while driving, but how many of us still do it believing that we won't kill someone when the car goes off course because we aren't paying attention to driving the car and not keeping both hands on the wheel. Isn't putting your hope in your driving skills in vain when you do things like this?
But, when it comes to the future, why do so many people play games with their eternal destination? We are all going to die someday, and after we take our last breath, we are going to be alive someplace (Galatians 5:19-21 -- "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." NIV). Where that place is is to be your greatest decision. Hoping that God will let you into Heaven without your having given your life to His Son, Jesus, is in vain, and, as the definition above says, will be without success, though it will end in a result that you don't want to discover, because that result is Hell. If you refuse to choose Heaven, then you will have chosen Hell by default,
The hope of the wicked will perish.
One of the other definitions of vanity is that vanity is "marked by futility or ineffectualness: unsuccessful, useless (ex: vain efforts to escape/ futile)". Proverbs 11:7 says it very well: "When the wicked die, their hopes all perish, for they rely on their own feeble strength" (NLT). If Jesus is not your Lord and Savior when you die, you will have hoped for Heaven for nothing. You will have wasted useless time in a state of futility hoping to get to Heaven, when all you had to do before you died was to ask Jesus to be in your Lord and Savior.
Too many people believe that God will let them into Heaven simply because they are "good people". Such vanity this is! In Romans 3:10-12 it clearly exclaims to us that "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All
have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." NIV). God says that there is not one "good" person living on this earth that can gain Heaven without His intervention. There are too many people on this earth who believe that God will let them into Heaven just because they have done many good works to others in need. But
the Bible also says that "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9 / NIV). Again, this is such futility on the part of any human believing that they can tell
God who to let into Heaven. Only God gets to make that decision, as we have discussed earlier in this article.
Read the book of Ecclesiastes to see just how futile life without God is. Talk about vanity, and the uselessness of the things we recklessly put our hope in! As the verse above tells us the wicked's (unbeliever's) hope will perish when they die, because once you decide that Hell is where you want to be, and you are there, then there is no hope for ever getting into Heaven ever. Do you want to know for sure that you will be in Heaven with Jesus? Then please make the right decision right now, and tell Jesus that Heaven is where you want to be, so that the hope you have for a great future can be realized on the day you take your last breath.
The hope of the wicked is easily broken.
Have you ever put your hope in someone so much that, when they came through for you, you felt so elated that your faith and trust in them rose higher than the sky? But, when they next let you down, your faith and trust in them bottomed out? This is what happens when we hope in the wrong thing. There are very few places where your hope can rest without the fear of it being dashed against the wall of your life. We all tend to place our hope in things that can just
as easily steal that hope from us. When it comes to God, if your hope is not in Him, then your hope is fake and mostly non-existent (Job 27:8 -- "For what hope has the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?" NIV). Too many situations and problems in life can make you feel as if hope has left the planet and disaster is all you'll face because of hope's brittle way of leaving you when you most need it.
Hope is brittle here one day and gone the next. For the believer in Christ, hope's foundation is found in Jesus Christ. On His promises do we place our hopes, knowing full well that Jesus will never go back on His promises to keep us and take care of us. But, for the unbeliever, hope is brittle and can let you down at without a moment's notice. What does the Bible say about the hope of one who doesn't know God? In Job 8:13-15 we read, "That is what will happen to those who forget God; the hope of the wicked will be gone. What they hope in is easily broken; what they trust is like a spider's web. They lean on the spider's web, but it breaks. They grab it, but it does not hold up" (NCV).
What are you trusting in at this very moment -- a person; an object; sex; drugs; other things that keep you from thinking about your eternal destiny? As we all know, all of the above things will let you down, because, without God, we have no idea what we are doing and how to get away from it. As the verse above says, people without hope are grabbing at things that possibly can't help them escape their sins, temptations, and the guilt they both bring. That kind of hope cannot hold you up and crumbles at the smallest bit of doubt. Godless hope is brittle.
What are you hoping in? Earlier we discussed the kind of hope that says that God will let us into Heaven because a good God would never send anyone to Hell. Let me remind you that it is you who decides to go to Hell, because you refuse to put your hope and faith in Jesus Christ, and what He did for you on the cross. But, why would God rely on you to make the decision? Because, He gave you a free will just so you could make that decision. Because He is such a good God, He refuses to force anyone to be in Heaven if they don't want to be. Love never forces anyone to do anything they don't want to do. Place your hope and faith in Jesus and you will never have worry about where you will go when you die. The choice is up to you.
The wicked can expect God's wrath.
By now, you may be asking yourself, "But why is God mad at me? Doesn't He love me enough to want me in Heaven with Him?" The answer is: yes, He does. But, again, it is your choice. God and Jesus already did the hard work when Jesus gave up His life for us on the cross. God knew that the only way our sins could be wiped out was if His perfect, sinless Son took on all of our sins upon Himself, took them to the grave, and rose again just as spotless as before He died.
God's anger isn't with those who call on the name of Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. God is only angry at those who do not believe that He sent His Son to die for our sins. Have you ever gotten angry when someone didn't believe you when what you had to say was very, very important? Why should God be any different? What He has been telling us for the last six thousand years is that He truly loves us and wants us ALL in Heaven with Him (2 Peter 3:9 -- "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." NIV). But, humans that we are, always wanting our own way, have made it a point to push God aside to follow our own agendas. Even Jesus' fellow countrymen pushed Him away when He came to them two thousand years ago.
If you desire to be in Heaven someday, then choose to give Jesus your life. If you desire to be forever separated from Jesus, then choose to live with Satan, when he is cast in to the pit at the end of time (which is a lot sooner than you think). As Proverbs 11:23 reminds us, "The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath" (NIV). It's good to have the proper desires a great marriage, healthy children, a happy life, to name just a few. Isn't it better to know that your desires will pay off someday in such a way that they bring you nothing but joy and happiness? The right kind of joy and happiness where there is no guilt or condemnation of any kind, knowing that, in fulfilling your desires, they won't turn around and bite you back? Remember, God only stays angry at those who will not believe that Jesus Christ is His Son, and is the only way to get into Heaven.
The wicked will be destroyed.
This brings us to the most difficult thing that most people have a hard time understanding about a kind and loving God. Yes, God is kind and loving, but He is also a God of justice. When we sin we are breaking His laws. Just like getting a speeding ticket, we have to pay the penalty for doing wrong things. How many times did your parents punish you for disobeying their rules of the house? Why should God be any different? He created us, so He has a right to tell us what to do and how to live, just as your parents had the right to do since they "created" you. Sometime in the future God will finally decide that enough is enough, and it's time to call His believing children home (Revelation 22:12 -- "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." NIV). When He does, He will separate the believers from the unbelievers (Matthew 31-46 -- "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." NIV). He will create a new Heaven and a new Earth (2 Peter 3:13 -- "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." NIV) and place His believing children there to live with Him forever in Paradise (1 Peter 1:3-4 -- "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fadekept in heaven for you,." NIV). Those who had refused to accept His free gift of salvation in Christ while still alive will be relegated to the pit of Hell, where they will be separated from God forever, just as they had decided they wanted to be.
But you don't have to be counted in the numbers of those who flat out refused to give Jesus their lives before they died. You can decide today that Hell is real and that you don't want to go there when your days on earth are finally over. Think of your worst nightmare Hell is far, far worse than that. What do you have to lose, other than the Paradise that God created you for in the first place? Don't take this decision lightly -- your eternal life depends on it. Don't leave it until tomorrow, for you have no idea when you will die. You could be hit by a car, or have a heart attack in the next few minutes. Only God knows what day and time you will die (Hebrews 9:27-28 -- "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." NIV). Don't leave it up to chance. Know for sure where you will go when you die. God loves you. Jesus took upon Himself all of your sins, died and rose again for you so that you could be with Him in Heaven. I plead to Jesus for your soul. Be a believer and join God's children in Paradise at the end of time. Jesus is waiting for you, too.
I will give God the last word on this hope that only He can bring. The only kind of hope that you can trust in: "The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy (Psalm 145:20/NIV).
"Scripture Marked (NIV) taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved."
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked (NCV) is quoted from The Holy Bible, New Century Version. Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas 75039. Used by permission.
In vain. 2011. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved April 6, 2012, from http://www.merriam-webster .com/dictionary/in vain.
4,229 Words
Coming next: The Promise of Hope
Bobby Bruno was saved 15 years ago in a way that left him no doubt that Jesus wanted him to reach others with His great and abounding love. He started writing at the age of 12 and hasn't stopped since. He achieved Associates Degree in Biblical Studies from Ohio Christian University in early 2014.
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com
Thank you for sharing this information with the author, it is greatly appreciated so that they are able to follow their work.


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Kegerator Ensures Your Life Will Never Run Out of Beer
Hate running our of beer? Have $6,500 to spare? The BrewCave Walk-In Beer Cooler & Kegerator from KegWorks has shelves for over 30 cases of beer and four kegs. Suck our suds regular fridges!
KegWorks guarantees "igloo-cold" freezing with every panel (and the optional floor) having four inches of insulation sandwiched between inner and outer metal skins. The modular shelf system also means the space doubles as the world's largest kegerator.
KegWorks bills this monstrosity as "a piece of heaven" because owners can walk into a personal beer cooler. We couldn't agree more. Well, we could, but we're already drunk. Although the BrewCave comes in individual panels, assembly is easy, and according to the manufacturers is "a cross between a miracle and another miracle."
A miracle and another miracle? Only if it includes women to hang out and drink. Women in our homes would definitely be a miracle.
[Via Geekologie]


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Join us right here anytime!
Our hope is that you will come be a part of all that God is doing here at Grace Hills Church. We know that Jesus came to give us an abundant life and that is our hope for you: that you would experience real life found only in Jesus. Experiencing abundant life comes from exploring the Bible. Get exploring by listening to this week's message or search our archive of messages by series, speaker, or topic.
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Mike Johnson - September 1, 2013
Falling Upward
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Join us this Sunday in our courtyard at 9:15am for our Outdoor Worship Service. Shade will be provided and social distancing parameters will be in place. You can also catch the live steam of our service on our YouTube channel - just click on the YouTube link below.
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"We're not going to play the loser's game," David Rolfe, chief investment officer of St. Louis-based Wedgewood Partners, said upon being named an SMA Managers of the Year in April 2011. "Instead of trying to time the markets and getting sucked into short-term volatility, we take a long-term view and let the markets work for us. Too many of our competitors try to do otherwise, and we refuse to play that game. That, quite simply, is our investing philosophy. "
Fast forward a year and some change, and not much is different. That adherence to their philosophy in good markets and bad is one reason for Rolfe's success, and why he's now celebrating his 20th year with Wedgewood.
"I stared with $10 million to $15 million in assets under management," he recalled at the 2012 Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago on Thursday. "Today we have $1.7 billion in AUM."
The firm was founded by president Anthony Guerrerio in 1988, a few years before Rolfe joined. Its respect for index investing and investing as business owners "has led us to two aspects of our approach that are quite different than our competitors. To outperform an index, we believe that our portfolios must be constructed as different from an index as possible. Thinking and acting like business owners reduces our interest to those few businesses which are superior. Both of these views lead to our focused (concentrated) approach."
"So far, our philosophy has worked through complete business cycles," he said. "We don't believe we have an informational advantage. We look for 20 good portfolio finds where the valuations make sense. In this way, clients don't have to sacrifice growth to get value and vice versa."
As for the current situation in Europe, economic issues here in the U.S. and everything else that's happening, Rolfe wasn't all that concerned, at least not from an investment standpoint.
"As the market climbs that classic wall of worry, it represents opportunity," he said, "especially for a concentrated portfolio like ours."
And concentrated it is, with only 20 companies allowed at any one time, a number which only 2% of all money managers are able to claim, he said.
"We're not reinventing the wheel, and we're certainly not going to add another stock to the portfolio just to satisfy some analyst. If we want to add a name then that forces a sale of an underperforming position. That's what keeps us disciplined."
He mentioned the philosophy of the legendary investor and Vanguard founder John Bogle that simplicity is key, because "the fewer decisions you make means any one decision is that much more impactful. And every one of our stocks has a high-impact focus. Over the 20 years that I've been here, we've had maybe 100 companies in the portfolio."
Rolfe admitted that a possible "Achilles heel" to such a concentrated portfolio is that it's "always one day away from an earnings disappointment." But if he's done his homework, he added, he won't be surprised.


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In an email response to my EMR and HIPAA post on HIE Waste, Edward Fotsch, M.D. and CEO of PDR Network offered these insights into the state and some history of Health Information Exchanges:
The fundamental question for HIEs is two-fold: 1) what is their purpose and 2) who benefits and will pay for them- the latter is a question of revenue model not grant funding which always runs out sooner or later. Relevant facts include:
1. HIEs are not a new concept. I was around when Community Health Information Networks; or CHINs (The 'C' in CHIN stands for communism where we all do the right thing because it's for the good of the order) came and went. Then RHIOs came and went. Now HIEs. What these have in common is grant funding but generally no business model.
2. The idea of providers paying for the opportunity to share their patient ('read "Client") information with competitors is novel I must admit. But in the old days when I was seeing patients, when you sold your practice you largely sold your charts. It was the charts as much as anything else that kept patients coming to the new doctor after the sale- 'it still works this way for many dentists. Now docs are supposed to pay for the privilege of having their charts opened to competitors? Now I know that the hospital execs all salute this flag when the discussion of HIEs occurs at the rubber chicken dinners. But when I was on the exec committee at a community based hospital we spent time trying to compete with, not empower, competing hospitals. You may say that is not right- but that's a fact.
3. HIEs I've seen that have any hope serve a specific business purpose and often exist within an economic entity. Kaiser has a large HIE- they just don't call it that.
4. Data exchange between competitors has worked in many venues- the obvious example is ATMs where competing banks collaborate. BUT this occurs because customers demand it. Unless or until patients/consumers begin to select healthcare providers who participate in some level (i.e. CCD-level sharing at least) of basic patient information exchange (i.e. refusing to go to providers who hand them a clipboard), the HIE concept is massively challenged. 'Though it's always fun right up until the grant funding runs out.


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Click here for upcoming webinars, courtesy of Geneawebinars.
Heard the buzz about the new Flip-Pal scanner? See my review, here, or click on the ad, below, to go directly to their website.
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Related items which may be of Interest


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LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco has lost his appeal against a 12-year ban for blood doping.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it dismissed Ricco's appeal against the ban imposed by the Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping body.
CAS says arbitrator Ulrich Haas "considered that the arguments of the rider were unfounded."
Haas ruled that Ricco "failed to demonstrate a lack of impartiality" by the Italian tribunal.
CAS says Ricco "had to be admitted to hospital urgently after he transfused his own blood" in February 2011.
The ban runs until April 2024.
Ricco was previously banned for doping at the 2008 Tour de France.


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I was very pleased to get this news! The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has partnered with Benjamin Moore on a collection of 144 new colors– " Based on original pigments developed more than 250 years ago, Colonial Williamsburg's curators have re-created this rich, authentic palette." TREND MEETS TRADITION.
Take a look at a few of these colors, used in really fresh new settings— not your mother's (or grandmother's house)!
So, I'm seeing some old favorites here but the palette has most definitely been "refreshed". I'm loving it!
The color I'm "dying to try"? Definitely "Greenhow Vermillion".
There are some great reds in the collection!
Am looking forward to getting some of these colors up soon…stay tuned! For more background on the Collection..watch here:
all images via Benjamin Moore


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Johnny Longboats Grill is an ocean-side staple restaurant in Riviera Beach, FL. Specializing in fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, this eatery is named after Johnny Longboat, a poor fisherman from Pleasant City, who helped families in crisis after one of the biggest hurricanes in Palm Beach County history. Legend has it that in 1928, after discovering the hurricane had blown out the bridge to Palm Beach Island, Johnny worked tirelessly through the day and night to help transport stranded families back to the mainland as well as bring fresh food and water to those who were still left stuck. Johnny Longboat has become a hero of the area after saving so many families that day, that we are proud to have our restaurant named for him.
Inspired by his story and like Johnny Longboat, we strive to provide families living and visiting Palm Beach County with fresh food and refreshments. Through our extensive menu of seafood fare we are able to help our community to a wonderful meal with great atmosphere. We offer breakfast, lunch dinner and week night happy hours, all featuring delicious, fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico.
Our breakfast menu, which is served 7am until 11am Monday through Friday, and 7am until 12noon on Saturdays and Sundays, features our house specialty omelets. As well as omelets, we also have our menu of Longboat Specials to delight your tastebuds. And what breakfast would be complete without drink specials? From bloody marys, screwdrivers and mimosas we have everything you need to make your beach side brunch the tastiest ever.
Our lunch and dinner menus feature fresh oysters and clams daily from the Gulf of Mexico. Order by the half dozen or bakers dozen to fill up on your favorite half shell fare. We also have great appetizers to start your meal. From crab and conch fritters to seared ahi tuna, we have something for every taste bud. With lobster rolls sandwiches, dolphin ruebens and shrimp watermelon salads, you will be able to find something here to delight while enjoying your day on the sand.
Understanding that not everybody loves seafood quite as much as we do, Johnny Longboats Grill offers salads, sandwiches and burgers as well. We also have a children's menu and our kitchen makes fresh desserts daily. Bring your kids and don't forget to take home a dessert for yourself or to share! We take pride in having selection for every eater looking to dine right on the ocean.
Though known for our food and spectacular location, we know that people, hot on the beach, are looking for a refreshing drink as well. We are always eager to talk about our exciting happy hours and tasty drink specials. From $0.50 watermelon shots to Patron margaritas, we have a drink special for every day of the week. Come check them out at our Happy Hours, hosted every Monday through Friday from 3:00-5:00 P.M.
While grabbing a tasty drink special, you'll be able to join our friends in enjoying some of our favorite appetizers and dancing. We have live music on Wednesday nights. Starting at 8 P.M. you can hear some of your favorite songs by local artists playing acoustic guitars and singing. We also invite you to check out our Events page to see when we have other live music coming up. We love to create an atmosphere that encourages people to get together and have a great time over a delicious meal, and music is a huge part of that to us.
While visiting Johnny Longboats Grill don't forget to check out our outdoor seating. Right on the beach you will be greeted by one of our wonderful waiters who will bring you menus and drinks right there in the sunshine. Any of our numerous menu options is available in our outdoor seating area to be enjoyed while still working on your tan. We even have an outdoor bar called the Tiki Bar, where you can get a little shade and refuel before hitting the ocean waves again.
We are excited to offer wine, beer, cocktails and frozen drinks both at our Tiki Bar and inside the restaurant. We have margaritas, strawberry daiquiris, rum runners, Pina coladas, frozen mojitos and more. Our frozen drinks are a generous 14 oz but can be megasized to 42oz for those hot summer days. We offer a good selection of beers both in the bottle and on tap. We also have white, red, rose and sparkling wines by the glass or bottle.
While we love to see new faces at Johnny Longboats Grill, we know that sometimes schedules are tight. That is why we offer dine-in, carry-out and delivery options. We accept reservations though we always welcome walk-in patrons as well. We want you to enjoy our food and that's why we have made it so accessible for those looking to spend an hour or two making friends at the bar as well as those just needing to take a quick bite home to a hungry family.
Johnny Longboats Grill is also proud to announce that we offer catering services! Whether you are hosting the next poker night with the guys, helping with your school's next fundraiser or setting up an office lunch, we would love to help with the food. We love being able to bring our tasty ocean fares to as many new people as we can meet. Contact us now so we can talk about which fresh entrees will be at your next gathering. From mussels and shrimp to oyster po'boys, we can help make your next party one your friends and family won't soon forget!
Johnny Longboats Grill and the Tiki Bar are located right on the beach in Riviera Beach, Florida on Singer Island. Our address is 2401 North Ocean Drive. Please stop in for a bite to eat and introduce yourself to our friendly staff who are always excited and ready to see a new face around the restaurant!
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Torrington: Resurrected Northwest Conn. Manufacturer's Coalition hopes to link educators, industry
TORRINGTON >> The newly resurrected Manufacturer's Coalition met at the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning to discuss the important connection between local educators and the manufacturing industry in the Northwest corner.
Lewis Chappel, director of operations at Becton Dickinson & Company, led the meeting, which focused on creating links between the industry and schools, but also between each other.
"I think we need to reach out to each other and see what we each do," said Chappel. "I would encourage each of us to tour each other's facilities, so that if we come across someone and they don't fit in our company we can say they would be great at Dymax and send them that way."
The coalition agreed that working together would be the key to strengthening the industry and remind people that manufacturing is not dead in Connecticut.
"We have to stay out in front of educators," said Chappel.
That's where the majority of the coalition's focus lies. The three main objectives of the group are: "Create pathways for individuals to find gainful employment in the manufacturing industry, raise awareness of the viable employment opportunities in the NW Hills manufacturing community, and create alignment between Secondary, High School and Advanced Education."
The coalition wants to get in front of students who are unsure about their future early and often.
"Kids start to make up their minds about what they want to do in the seventh and eighth grades," said Bob Axon, principal at the Oliver Wolcott Technical School. "We need to get into those middle schools."
The coalition brainstormed about creating a Manufacturer's Day where middle and high school students, along with their parents, would get the opportunity to learn about what each major manufacturer in the region does.
Chappel challenged each company representative present, which included Lance Boynton from Dymax, to come up with ideas about explaining to children what their companies do in an exciting way.
JoAnn Ryan, Chamber president, stressed the importance of having an interactive activity; something the children can take away.
For BD, Chappel talked about possibly having the children assemble syringes as an activity. The company would then be able to show the kids how many syringes the company manufactured in that same time. According to their website, BD is a world leader in "high-quality, clinically proven prefillable parenteral drug delivery systems."
This Manufacturer's Day is still in the infant stages, but the coalition talked about hosting the first event at Oliver Wolcott aimed at ninth graders. Axon said that would be the most beneficial group because students go through an exploratory period before they make a decision about which trade to pursue.
The coalition talked about the potential of the event moving from school to school to give all interested students an opportunity to meet with manufacturing companies.
Leona LeJeune, coordinator of workforce programs at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, was also in attendance. She suggested several ways for companies to connect with college students including guaranteeing interviews with students who complete the school's Pre-Manufacturing Certificate.
Currently, the course has 12 students, and LeJeune commented that an interview would be a great "carrot." It would be an incentive for both students currently enrolled and for future students of the program. It would be mutually beneficial because the companies could potentially find good employees and NCCC could get more students, said LeJeune.
One way that the NCCC is trying to align themselves with the manufacturing industry is through the National Science Foundation Grant. According to LeJeune, two professors at NCCC, Sharon Gusky, Biology professor, and Tara Jo Holmberg, Biology associate professor, are applying for the grant, which, if approved, will strengthen the pathway for students through school and into the workforce.
LeJeune also asked the manufacturing companies to provide NCCC with updated job descriptions so that the college can better understand what the companies are looking for and they more adequately prepare their students.
The Manufacturer's Coalition walked away from the meeting with lots of ideas about solidifying the lines of communication between educators and employers. Overall, they are very excited that there is a positive conversation about manufacturing out there.
Reach Kate Hartman at 860-489-3121, ext. 343.


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Keynes and others may have referred to gold as a barbarous relic, but many investors continue to track it. In early January, we warned that gold appeared to be breaking out of a short-term bottoming pattern.
It had taken out a three-month downtrend line, which we suggested was part of a triangle pattern. Gold also traced out a double bottom pattern. The triangle pattern pointed to a move toward $1110 and the double bottom projected to around $1135. The yellow metal poked through $1157 today and remains near it highs in late turnover.
We did not anticipate the macro considerations that drove it; gold has surpassed these targets. In the larger scheme of things, gold is still bouncing along its trough. Most of the technical indicators we look are still constructive. Our concern is that gold is trading above its upper Bollinger Band (~$1148), the Great Graphic, created on Bloomberg, shows a longer-term bar chart of gold. We drew in a trendline. It comes in just below $.1200, which also corresponds to the high from last October. It is our next objective.


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"Weekend warriors" have a special opportunity to get informed and motivated for the all-important steps that are necessary in the event of a sudden home or property evacuation. The Estes Valley Library is partnering with Simplicity Organizing to host "Emergency Preparedness for Evacuations" this Saturday, May 11 at 8:30 a.m. Professional planner Shellie Tressell will address the essentials for staying prepared in the event of a sudden evacuation, from assembling core financial and medical documents to identifying "grab-and-go" items like medications, family photos, and heirlooms. The 45-minute session will also offer insights in how to conduct a home inventory and how to assess for fire risks.
Saturday's workshop is based on a similar workshop developed following the evacuation emergencies in Estes Park last June, and is part of the library's ongoing efforts as a vital community information resource. These workshops are made possible through a grant from the Friends of the Estes Valley Library.
To ensure seating, attendees are encouraged to register through the online calendar at estesvalleylibrary.org
For those unable to attend this Saturday, the workshop will be repeated twice more this season. Spaces are also open for the workshop on Wednesday, May 22 at 12 p.m. and on Saturday, June 15 at 9 a.m.
To inquire about these workshops, contact the library at (970) 586-8116.


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With a coastline stretching along the Indian Ocean, raging rivers that offer adventures galore, a well-preserved African culture and heritage, colonial architecture, and tasty cuisine, Mozambique is a diverse and interesting destination. Discover the highlights with a cheap and comfortable TAP Air Portugal flight to Mozambique, connecting you with ten airports around the country.
Some of Mozambique's top attractions and activities include:
Be prepared for an early start when catching transportation – buses and chapas (minivans) typically leave early! Don't forget to negotiate fares for taxis. Blending African and Portuguese influences, the local cuisine is unique. Dishes to try include matapa and paozinho. Whenever you fly, book your flights to Mozambique with TAP today!


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How Low Can Facebook Go?
Aug 3, 2012 9:07 AM PT
It is hard to remember that only a few months ago, the market was greedily speculating about how high Facebook's stock might go. Fast-forward to one IPO debacle, several negative research reports, the departure of several top executives, and a lukewarm earnings report, and the question is now fearfully being asked in reverse. How low can Facebook go?
It's a valid question -- the stock is now hovering around US$21 per share -- a significant drop from its $38 IPO price. That's up from Thursday afternoon, though, when it slipped to $19.84.
A Wide and Scary Range
As to the stock's eventual settling point, speculation ranges across the board from $15 per share to possibly $14 per share to maybe as low as $10 per share. Below that is highly unlikely, said Eric Steiman, portfolio manager at ES Capital Advisors and a Covestor model manager.
Approximately $5 per share of the stock price represents the cash Facebook has on hand, he said. Facebook's brand and its user base are worth at least four or five dollars per unit. Clearly, though, the company was never worth $38 per share.
Furthermore, Facebook is suffering from a social media industry stigma on Wall Street, Steiman told the E-Commerce Times. "Much of the industry is rethinking how they view these companies and instead are now focusing on how much money they bring in."
The stock could go as low as $10, said Kris Tuttle, who manages Covestor's Soundview Technology Model and holds Facebook.
The route he took to arrive at that number is the $10 billion in cash Facebook has, which generates $1 billion year in cash flow.
Also, Facebook has two billion shares outstanding, noted Tuttle.
"So in terms of 'how low can it go,' it would be surprising for the stock to trade at cash, which is $5 per share. They are adding about $0.50 per share in cash each year, so I'd say that it makes prices below $10 unsustainable," he told the E-Commerce Times.
"There have been times when stocks trade at these low valuations," continued Tuttle. "About 10 years ago, EMC actually traded at book value and was generating $400 million in free cash flow per share. It was a momentous investment opportunity. Facebook isn't there yet, but it's worth thinking about."
Disdaining Investors
Many of Facebook's woes are self-inflicted, Tuttle pointed out.
"What FB got wrong with the IPO was the disdain it showed for investors," he said. "Large investment funds build relationships with the companies that they own. Ironically, Facebook management didn't get this at all as a public company."
Some of this ground can be made up, however, suggested Tuttle. Facebook could, for example, book a non-deal road show for the top two or three managers and visit the top 25 investment funds in the world to update them on the strategy, answer their questions "and make it clear that they will be working for them over the next 10 years to deliver value. Also that they will be visiting them once or twice a year to update them in person -- and take their phone calls."
Outreach Not Enough?
It may be that such outreach is not enough for Facebook to regain the trust of the investment community.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the stock is flirting with single digits," Andreas Scherer, managing partner with Salto Partners, told the E-Commerce Times. "Facebook needs to show that it has a sustainable and growing revenue generation machine that can be scaled up. Absent of that, investors will be increasingly impatient with the company."
The good news is that Facebook investors were -- and still are -- intrigued by the potential upside that the company has, Scherer said. "However, the risks and uncertainty associated with its business model are now dominating the public discussion."


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FY Ended 30 June 2019 Annual Report
To promote and enhance the health and wellbeing of the people of Omeo and district.
1.To provide services that promote health and wellbeing for the community
2. To deliver safe, best practice care and services to the community.
3. To effectively recruit, retain and build a quality workforce.
4. To provide services that are financially sustainable.
5. To review capital assets and infrastructure requirements
6.To actively promote partnerships and engage with the community
7.To strengthen governance, performance, transparency and accountability
8.To promote the use of available technologies