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Pilot schemes will test for the human papillomavirus (HPV), which provides an early sign of an increased risk of cancer.
The virus is carried by one in four young women - most of whom will not go on to develop the disease.
However, more than 99 per cent of cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, which is usually sexually transmitted.
Doctors say that because the new tests find abnormalities at an earlier stage, most women will be able to undergo smear tests far less often, after receiving a negative result.
The announcement is likely to spark debate, because if the programme succeeds, it will also mean millions of women being told they have a virus which cannot be treated and could lead to cancer, possibly prompting them to worry about something they cannot control.
Around 25 per cent of women below the age of 30 carry the HPV virus. In most cases it is cleared naturally by the immune system, and it is found in around six per cent of women by the age of 50.
Under the current cervical screening system, women are recalled every three to five years.
If pilot schemes succeed, women who are found to be clear of the HPV virus will be tested every six to ten years instead.
Only those samples found to be positive would need to be examined under the microscope to seek out abnormal cells or cancer.
Pilot schemes in London, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Bristol and Norwich will be offered to women aged 25 to 64, the same age group targeted by the current national programme.
The plans will be unveiled at a major cancer conference – Britain Against Cancer - where Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, is expected to say that England has lagged behind other comparable countries in cancer survival league tables for too long.
For some cancers, survival rates are 10 to 15 per cent lower in England than in comparable countries like Australia, Canada and Sweden.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women under the age of 35, and in total 3,500 women are diagnosed with the disease each year.
Efforts to tackle the disease, which kills almost 1,000 women a year in the UK, have proved controversial.
Since 2008 all 12 and 13 year-old girls in England have been offered a vaccination against HPV, mainly through their schools. There was also a two-year 'catch-up' programme for 14 to 18-year-olds.
Some Christian campaigners objected, fearing it would encourage promiscuity by removing a serious health risk of unprotected sex.
Experts say that based on current uptake - with eight in ten girls accepting it - cases of cervical cancer should fall by two thirds by the time today's teenagers begin to turn 30.
Professor Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS cancer screening programmes, said the pilots aimed to establish whether HPV screening was practical and effective in achieving better outcomes for women, while minimising over-treatment and anxiety.
In recent years, there has also been growing debate over the value of some NHS screening programmes.
In October, a major review of breast screening ordered by the Department of Health found that for every life saved by screening, three patients undergo unnecessary treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or mastectomies.
Mr Hunt will also announce pilots sites for a new bowel cancer screening programme which aims to save 3,000 lives a year.
The scheme will mean those aged over 55 will be offered a one-off test to check for polyps which could become cancerous, using a technique called flexi sigmoidoscopy.
The tests allows cancers to be caught earlier, when they are more treatable. These pilots will be in Norwich, South of Tyne, St Mark's London, Surrey, West Kent and Wolverhampton.
The pilot scheme is in addition to a national system, which offers screening every two years to all mean and women in their 60s, with kits sent to their homes. People over the age of 70 can request the same tests.
Mr Hunt said: "It is simply unacceptable that our cancer survival rates lag behind that of our European neighbours. I want to make sure that our survival is among the best and NHS patients receive the best treatment available.
"The pilots of changes to the screening service that we will outline this week will help prevent cancer and catch cancer early when it is most treatable."
The Prime Minister is expected to unveil a new proposal this week to use DNA technology to tailor treatments to cancer patients and help develop new treatments and therapies.


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May 16, 2013
Endwell, NY
Michael Louis Cook, 61, of Endwell, NY, passed gracefully from this world into the next on May 16, 2013, leaving behind a legacy of love and laughter.
He will be greatly missed by his beloved wife of 22 years, Mary Ellen; his loving and adored son, Zachary and his sweet and very special daughter, Sarah. Michael was predeceased by his devoted parents, William and Ursula Cook and brothers: Arthur and William Cook. In addition to his wife and children he is survived by his dearest sisters: Janet Knight of Port Jervis, NY and Phyllis Riley of Marcellus, NY. Mike was also especially close to his wife's family: Joan Toner of Endwell, NY (mother-in-law); Maureen Toner of Somerset, NJ; James Toner of Penn Yan, NY; Kathleen Toner and Wendy Wheeler of Bonny Doon, CA; Susan (Toner) and Todd Hylton of San Diego, CA; Patricia Goudarzi of Paris, France; Thomas Toner and Marshall Pearson of Chadds Ford, PA; Timothy McFillin of Arlington, VA; and Mary McFillin of San Diego, CA. Mike also cared deeply about many of his other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Born in Cornwall, NY, Mike later lived in various parts of the country only to return to the state that he loved nine years ago. Mike often said that he loved being back "home."
Mike received a bachelor's degree from SUNY Oneonta and later completed graduate studies in education and administration from SUNY Cortland. Mike was an avid reader, which led him to pursue a long career in the field of education. Most recently, Mike was a reading teacher at Jennie F. Snapp Middle School in Endicott, NY. Mike possessed a great passion for teaching children to become better readers and to help them become invested in their own lifelong learning. He has left a profound impression on many young people.
Mike, also known as Big Mike, Mr. Mike, Mikey, and even "Dave"m was very devoted to his family and friends. Known for his fabulous and zany sense of humor, Mike also had an infectious smile that could light up a room. Always gracious and easy-going, Mike added great fun to family events and we will all remember "decorating" Mike on Christmas Eve. Mike's contagious laughter and his willingness to be the brunt of a good joke, made him great fun to be around. He loved music, dancing (many will recall his wild footwork at his wedding) and singing. Mike's flair for the dramatic made him perfectly suited for many years of performing in community theaters. He also loved boating and fishing, and to him, getting out on the water was one of life's greatest joys.
Recently Mike especially enjoyed trips with Mary Ellen and Zach to Ormond Beach, FL, dinners out (even though he was a very good cook), and simply hanging at home with the family he so loved. Also brightening his days was time spent watching Zachary study karate under the watchful eye of Master Hidy Ochiai at the Washin-ryu Dojo. Mike felt that one of the most important things he had done as a parent was to provide this opportunity for his son. He was so proud of the progress Zach was making, both in karate class and in school. Mike will be so missed by all whose lives he touched and he will be remembered always with great love and affection.
Mike's family would like to thank UHS staff, especially Dr. Frank Floyd, Geisinger Transplant Center and Lourdes Hospice Program. The family is also especially grateful to the Union-Endicott School District and the Endicott Teachers Union for their care and support. Michael L. Cook will always be remembered as a great Yankee fan, a great husband, a great father, and a good friend to everyone that cared and loved him. He will remain in our hearts always.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday at 9:30 a.m. from the Allen Memorial Home, 511-513 East Main Street, Endicott, followed by a Funeral Mass at Church of the Holy Family, Endwell, NY at 10 a.m. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City. The family will receive friends at the Allen Memorial Home, Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. A Memorial Service will also be held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton at a later date.
Contributions may be made to Hidy Ochiai's Educational Karate Program, 317 Vestal Parkway West, Vestal, NY 13850 or to a special charity of your choice.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bow relishes title-game rematchBy ALEX HALL
New Hampshire Union Leader
November 18. 2017 12:47AM
BOW — Throughout the offseason, the Bow High School football coaches kept repeating two words to their players: 16 seconds.
That was how much time remained when Plymouth Regional scored the game-winning touchdown against the Falcons in last year's NHIAA Division II championship game.
The Bobcats defeated Bow, 27-24, to capture their 24th state title. The Falcons capped their inaugural Division II season as the runner-up.
Eighth-seeded Bow (8-2) has the chance to avenge that loss today at 2:30 p.m. when it again faces the second-seeded Bobcats (10-0) for the D-II championship at the University of New Hampshire.
Falcons senior quarterback Matt Harkins has viewed the tape from last year's title game more than a few times.
"I've watched the game over and over," Harkins said before practice Tuesday at Bow High. "Everyone remembers what happened and it's just kind of a lasting image in our heads. We kind of want to change that."
Bow head coach Paul Cohen said that loss to Plymouth has motivated the Falcons since winter conditioning began last school year.
"They had played as well as they could but they still fell short and they really, truly feel that they had unfinished business against this team," Cohen said of his players. "This is our chance to show that we really can surpass them."
Bow's first opportunity for payback came Sept. 23 when it took a 3-0 record up to Plymouth. The Bobcats built an early two-touchdown lead en route to a 42-26 victory, marking their third straight win over Bow.
"It was a good wake-up call for us," Falcons senior running back Jack Corriveau said.
Following the setback, the Falcons won three of their last four-regular season games to secure the final spot in the D-II tournament. Bow then defeated two previously unbeaten teams — top-seeded Windham and fourth-seeded Hanover — on the road to advance to the title game.
As the Falcons prepare for their rematch with Plymouth, Cohen said his players recognize the mistakes they made in the regular-season meeting.
"They're aware of the fact that we did not play well and (Plymouth) certainly did that day," Cohen said. "But with everything riding on a line as it is right now and with us coming off two huge wins, I think that's something that cannot be overlooked."
Bow may find itself in a similar kind of game today to last Saturday's 19-7 semifinal win at Hanover.
The Falcons offense ran on all but six plays and scored two of its three touchdowns against the Marauders on the ground in a game that proved to be a trench battle.
Plymouth also utilized its running game to earn a 21-7 semifinal win over St. Thomas Aquinas of Dover. Bobcats senior running back Garrett Macomber rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries against the Saints. Macomber is the reigning Gatorade New Hampshire Player of the Year.
"They're a power-run team. We're a power-run team so we'll see how that goes," Corriveau said.
The Falcons will also have to take care of the football against a Plymouth defense that received three interceptions, including a pick-six, from Nolan Farina in the semifinals. Cohen said execution was going to be a point of emphasis throughout the week in practice.
"We always wanted to play Plymouth again," Corriveau said. "We didn't really know if that was going to happen but the opportunity has come and (we're) happy for the rematch."


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The 49th Academy Awards in 1977 ushered in a watershed year in the history of the Oscars.
That ceremony marked the first time a performer was posthumously awarded an Academy Award and a previous lead actress winner received an Oscar for original song. Foreign filmmakers — including the first female director — and performers were among the marquee nominees, while one of cinema's most influential directors failed to receive a nomination for what is now considered a landmark film.
And, finally, a tiny drama about a sad-sack underdog written and starring a struggling actor took home the top prize, beating out more artistic films that left tradition behind.


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Fuse demo will be coming to PSN and Xbox live soon
This maybe a great game, but it well sell poorly. I see no buzz or hype and nothing about the game is attention grabbing for me. I have many Insominac games but this one appears to be a pass.
I can honestly say this demo more than any other in recent past is pretty important for this games success. I mean so many gamers have commented on how generic and bland it looks. For this to be a big success they have to be able to change some of those opinions with this demo.


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This is our top-level category; looking at it another way, it is the root category.
Ideally, every other category should be a subcategory of at least one other, and every article should be in at least one category; many will fit well into two or more (e.g. location, year, and subject-matter).
The "Content" category is intended for all articles about the subject matter of the wiki, whilst "Organisation" is intended for all administrative matters. A full list of existing categories can be found at Special:Categories.
To add a new category to a page, just add
[[Category:Categoryname]] to the end of the article or existing category page.
Pages in category "Browse"
" This category lists stub articles on this wiki. A stub is a short article that can be expanded...
" This category may include pages and subcategories related to the active contributors to the...


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10 Rappers We Hope Are On Justin Timberlake's New Album
By now, we've all heard the single that's being used to segue Justin's triumphant return to music. The upscale "Suit & Tie" already features the best rapper alive, Jay-Z. Can JT's features get any more high profile? VIBE predicts 10 other rappers who may or may not be a part of Justin's vision, The 20/20 Experience.


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We return now to Revelation chapter 18, part 3 in this look at this chapter, under the title, "Babylon is Fallen." Revelation chapter 18. As you know if you have been studying prophecy with us, we're very much aware of the fact that the Lord God Almighty will have the last word in human history. He will have the last word with sinners who blaspheme His holy name. He will have the last word with the kingdoms of this world, the kingdoms of men, as well as the kingdom of Satan. And the Bible tells us that in the end of man's day, in the end of human history and human rule on the earth, God will bring furious judgment on this world. Promises of that judgment are all throughout the Scripture in what may well be the oldest book in the Bible, for example, Job chapter 21 and verse 30 says, "For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity. They will be led forth at the day of fury."
The Psalms say in Psalm 9, "But the Lord abides forever, He has established His throne for judgment and He will judge the world." Psalm 96:13 says, "He comes to judge the earth." Isaiah the prophet said in chapter 59 verse 18, "According to their deeds, so He will repay wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies." And so it goes. The seventh chapter of Daniel. And even when you come into the New Testament, Matthew chapter 3, John the Baptist talks about the fact that God is going to come in fiery judgment. Matthew chapter 7, "There is coming a day when the Lord will judge and many who think they will escape that judgment will in fact have to go through that judgment." Matthew chapter 13, Jesus teaches what are known as the parables of the Kingdom. And in the culminating parables there are angels who gather the ungodly from around the world for burning.
Matthew 24 and 25, there is the very teaching of Jesus regarding His return and the judgment associated with it. In the book of Acts, as the early church began to grow and as the gospel was preached, the Apostle Paul said in chapter 17 verse 31 that God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world. And perhaps the most fearsome of all judgment passages is found in the second epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians where he says God is going to repay and He's going to repay when Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, and these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction. Second Peter 2:9 says, "The Lord knows how to reserve the godly, or rescue the godly, or preserve the godly from temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment."
Then, of course, you come to the book of Revelation and it is loaded with judgment. From chapter 6 all the way through chapter 19 the theme is judgment. It ends in the return of Jesus Christ, the final judgment of the earth and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom.
Now we're right at the end of this series of chapters on judgment here in chapter 18, only one more to go and that describes the return of Christ itself. We have studied judgment now for months and months and months. The powerful imagery of judgment has been given to us through visions and through words from angels, through the things that the Apostle John saw and experienced while he was on the isle of Patmos in exile.
Some of the details are clear to understand. Some of them are very difficult. There will always be a sort of mystery, a sort of clouded reality in the prophetic literature about the end and we'll never be able to understand it as fully as those who experience it, anymore than those who prophesy the coming of Christ could fully understand everything they were prophesying. In fact, even the prophets, says Peter, looked into what they were prophesying to figure out what time and what person they were speaking about. There was a certain vagueness to the Old Testament prophet in even talking about the Messiah which he couldn't see and experience, and so there's a certain mystery and a certain vagueness in what we are hearing in this prophecy for the future which we cannot see. But though there are things clear and things unclear in terms of details, the main thrust is abundantly clear, there is coming a terrible time of judgment on sinners, on the earth before and at the return of Jesus Christ when He comes to set up His Kingdom in the world.
It is not difficult to understand that these judgments will culminate during a period of seven years, the seventieth week of Daniel, if you will. And that during that seven week, the second half, or the three and a half years, forty-two months, thirteen hundred and twenty days, all of those designations for it are given, in that period the judgment will escalate. And at the end of that three and a half year period will come a period known as the day of the Lord in which the full blazing fury of God will fall on this world and then comes Christ and His Kingdom.
Now the judgments that flow through those seven years are described in a series of seals, a series of trumpets and a series of bowls...seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls, all telescoping out of each other. The seventh seal yields the seven trumpets, the seventh trumpet yields the seven bowls. And they are the culminating judgments...the final seven bowls.
From the sixth seal on we have probably the safest period or the safest place to designate the actuality of the day of the Lord. That term "the day of the Lord" is a familiar prophetic term. Both Old Testament and New Testament designate it a day when the Lord takes over and ends man's day, it's His day.
Now through chapter 16 we went with those judgments. The seals and the trumpets and the bowls, and really chapter 19 could have followed chapter 16, the last bowl judgment and Christ returns. But injected is chapter 17 and 18 to describe the condition of the world at the end that is being judged. He backs up in chapter 17 and describes the final form of world religion, and chapter 18, the final form of world government. This is the form the world is in that is being judged in the time of the end. Now remember chapter 17 described Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth which describes the final world religious system that will be destroyed by the Antichrist as he demands all the world to worship him. And so when you get into chapter 18, there is no world religion anymore except Antichrist, his power, his kingdom, his throne and his worship. So chapter 18 then describes the final world government of Antichrist in which he alone is worshiped in which he rules the world with the power of Satan and all his demons. It is this government, this world empire that will be devastated by the final judgments, the final trumpet judgments and then all the bowl judgments and then the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So in this chapter then John is giving us a final vision of the world system and the city which is its capital city, namely the city of Babylon. Now look at chapter 18 and you see there Babylon in verse 2 is mentioned, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great." Go over to verse 16, actually verse 10 first, "Woe, woe the great city Babylon, the strong city." Then verse 16, "Woe, woe the great city." Verse 18, "What city is like the great city?"
So here we have Babylon as a term to describe the final form of world empire under Antichrist, but also as a term to describe the capital city of that empire which is a rebuilt Babylon. Interestingly enough, it is in our very contemporary time that the city of Babylon has been rebuilt. It was in ruins as we know throughout history, but one very prominent figure in our world by the name of Saddam Hussein has set about to rebuild the city of Babylon. That became news to the world, you'll remember, because of the Gulf War. And when we got over there, we began to discover that Babylon was being rebuilt.
Charles Dyer has written a book called The Rise of Babylon. You might want to read it, it's a fascinating book. He starts the book by saying this, "Picture a cloudless late summer night along the banks of the gently flowing Euphrates River. Thousands of guests and dignitaries walk by torch light to the procession street leading into the city of Babylon from the north. They line the street flanked by massive walls to watch row upon row of soldiers with swords, spears, and shields, and helmets march pass on the procession street toward the Ishtar Gate. Interspersed among the ranks of soldiers are groups of musicians playing harps, horns and drums. Children carrying pomfrons(?), and runners bearing bowls of smoking incense. The crowds follow the last of the soldiers through the Ishtar Gate and into the city of Babylon for the concluding ceremony of the evening, a tribute to Ishtar, the mother goddess of Babylon."
He says, "A scene of pagan worship in the time of Daniel? No, a scene I witnessed in September of 1988 as a part of the Second International Babylon Festival held under the patronage of Saddam Hussein." He's rebuilding Babylon.
The "New York Times" international edition, October 11, 1990 says, "Under President Saddam Hussein, one of the ancient world's most legendary cities has begun to rise again. More than an archeological venture, the new Babylon is self-consciously dedicated to the idea that Nebuchadnezzar has a successor in Mr. Hussein, whose military prowess and vision will restore to Iraqis the glory their ancestors knew when all of what is now Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait and Israel was under Babylonian control."
Saddam Hussein in his passion to be the modern Nebuchadnezzar who was the original ruler of the Babylonian Empire has a desire to be what Nebuchadnezzar was. And what was Nebuchadnezzar? Well to redemptive history, Nebuchadnezzar is known as the destroyer of Israel and the conqueror of the world, and that's what Saddam Hussein desires. He is, as a part of his desire to fulfill a modern-day role of Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilding the symbol of the ancient power of Nebuchadnezzar, namely the city of Babylon. And it is, says Saddam Hussein, the symbolic center of his anticipated world empire.
As of February, 1990, over sixty million bricks had been laid in this reconstruction by Saddam Hussein. With his name inscribed on some of them, at the exact site of the ancient city. He has reconstructed the southern palace of Nebuchadnezzar, a theater, many temples, the throne room of Nebuchadnezzar, the Ishtar Gate. He plans the Hanging Gardens. In fact, he's made an offer of $1.5 million to any Iraqi who can design the Hanging Gardens.
In the Washington Post of April 9, 1991, Amy Schwartz(?) wrote, "In the next few years, Director General of Antiquities, Dr. Moyad(?) Sieid(?) predicts the government will also re-dig and refill the city moat, close the city to all traffic and maybe rebuilt the ziggurat," that's the Tower of Babel.
Babylon is being rebuilt and that is to say the least an interesting reality, isn't it? Because in the end time it is apparent that the capital city of the satanic Antichrist's empire will be a rebuilt Babylon. We're then looking at this Babylon, both as a city and as a title for this final world empire and its destruction in this chapter.
Now let me just review very briefly. The first point we gave you was judgment pronounced, and we went through that in the first three verses...judgment was pronounced..."Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great," verse 2. We talked about how systematically the Babylon system is going to be devastated. The seals will devastate it, the trumpets will devastate it, the bowl judgments will devastate it, because those judgments fall on the sea, the land, the air, the light and the population which means man power. You affect the sea, obviously you're going to affect commerce and trade. You affect the land, you're going to do the same, you're going to affect crops, you're going to devastate that empire. Then you affect the air and the light and the stars, the stellar bodies. And then you kill people, masses of people, a fourth of the world and a third of the world and the man power, that system is going to crumble. Its being dismantled systematically but it has a tremendous survival capacity because it is energized by Satan and all the demons. And it manages to struggle and struggle through that until there is a culminating and final devastation here in chapter 18.
So from judgment pronounced in verses 1 to 3, verses 4 and 5, judgment avoided. And here another voice from heaven says, "Come out of her, My people." I believe this is both a call to salvation, a call to those who are the chosen of God to come out and be spared the judgment and also a call to those who are believers who have heard the gospel and believed during that period but become enamored with the system. Get out before the wrath catches you. Get out before you die needlessly in this thing, rather than to go in to the enjoyment of the kingdom.
Now that brings us to the third point in verses 6 through 8, judgment defined...judgment defined. And we also mentioned this, judgment there is defined as the law of retaliation...Pay her back, give back double. Verse 7, "To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensually to the same degree, give her torment and mourning." And then verse 8 describes plagues, pestilence, mourning, famine, burning with fire. Judgment there then is defined. It is defined as lex talionis, the law of retaliation, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. No opportunity for repentance anymore. Babylon will be destroyed. And we saw that a lot of that is drawn out of Jeremiah chapter 51. Verse 8 says, "In one day," and that shows the instant devastation. Verse 10 calls it one hour, this great city is going to fall. Verse 19 again repeats one hour, it's been laid waste. The idea means in a very sudden devastating quick period of time.
Now remember, the seals and the trumpets and the bowls all have been going on. But this is some special wrath that hits that city. Some special plagues that consume and incinerate the city as our strong God acts in judgment. So judgment was pronounced, avoided and defined.
Now let's come to verse 9 and pick it up where we left off. Judgment lamented...judgment lamented. They wouldn't cry over their sin but they'll cry over the loss of their city. They wouldn't mourn over their iniquity, though God gave them ample opportunity and God warned them and warned them and warned them and warned them and warned them in these judgments that have been just raining down on them for all these years, they will not respond to that. But when their city goes, which is the hub and the core and sort of the center city, sort of the focal point, the brains of the world empire, then they mourn.
Let's look at the lament, verse 9. "And the kings of the earth who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her...that is with Babylon...will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning." First of all, we meet leaders, the kings of the earth. You remember now, there's one world empire and the Antichrist is ruling and Babylon is the heart and soul and capital city and core and brains of that world empire. And every other ruler and every other demagogue and every other leader in the world is somehow connected and wired in to that system and dependent upon it. You remember there were ten kings, they were especially identified very likely for regions of the earth that would be divided up. And under them there would be other rulers. And when they see the capital city of Antichrist's empire burning, they really can begin to feel that they are losing this battle.
As long as Babylon was still intact and the brains were still there and the center, the focal point was still in operation, maybe they thought there was a possibility of triumph. But when the city begins to burn and they begin to see the smoke of her burning, then they weep and lament. This means the destruction of the capital of Antichrist's world government, it strikes a fatal blow at the very head. It chops off the head, the control center of the whole world economy and is, in fact, a symbol of the fall of the world.
Now notice how these kings are described. They are described as those who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her. That is also the way they were described back in chapter 17 verse 2...having committed acts of immorality and become drunk with the wine of her immorality. That's the way they were described in verse 3 of chapter 18, the kings of the earth committing acts of immorality with her and the merchants of the earth becoming rich by the wealth of her sensuality.
It is looking at Babylon like a prostitute with whom the rulers of the world have committed their immorality and lived sensuously. They have literally tied all their passions into this system. So when she burns, they lose their harlot, they lose their lover. They will weep...literally to sob and lament, to pound the chest over her when they see the smoke of her burning.
It isn't the first time God ever did this. He did it to Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain. He did it to Tyre and He did it to Edom. And He's going to do it in a greater way to Babylon. And when they see...and how will they see? Easy enough, they can watch it on CNN, simple enough. They'll see and all over the world they'll weep.
Verse 10, "Standing at a distance." They don't want to get near it because of the fear of her torment. This indicates, now mark it, that this is the city. If the Babylon that was burning was the whole world, you couldn't stand at a distance from it, right? So it's geographically located. And that's another reason why it is reasonable to understand that the city goes before the system is totally wiped out in the return of Jesus Christ. The city burns and as it burns they realize this is a preview of what is to come.
Back in chapter 16 verse 19, the seventh bowl and Babylon the great was remembered before God to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. And every island fled away and the mountains were not found. Listen, that's...that's not the city, that's when the whole system goes because that's the reshaping of the whole globe. So this happens somewhere before that seventh bowl which is the last judgment and then Christ comes. It's that judgment that occurs, for example, you'll back in verse 16 at the time of Armageddon.
So this is the destruction of the city at some point before the destruction of the whole world. They stand at a distance because they don't want to get close, lest they get caught in this torment. In fact, it well could be that those that are standing at a distance, follow this, are kings and their armies on their way to...where? Armageddon. And they stay away from Babylon. They're still there watching and standing as the city burns.
Then that may be part of the motivation for them to go to Armageddon. They're led there by demons. There's going to be a great coming together. Perhaps they think it's going to be a last effort to rescue the world and they wind up, as you well know, warring with each other and destroyed by the coming of Christ.
So this city destruction in chapter 18 really comes before the destruction of the seventh bowl that I pointed out in chapter 16. So all the rulers say, "Woe, woe the great city Babylon, the strong city, it has survived." Why do they call it a strong city? Well it's still around. After six seals have fallen, the seventh seal was opened, the six trumpets blew and all the horrifying judgments that came out of that, the seventh trumpet was blown, the six seals, or at least five of those..bowls rather, five bowls have been poured out and this place is still surviving. This is a strong city. This is well fortified and well protected, but in one hour your judgment has come. And the kings and rulers of the world whose economies and whose life was dependent upon that, who had put all their passions and all their hopes and all their ambitions and all their dreams for survival into that one city, into that brain trust, now are disillusioned and disappointed and they are sobbing and pounding their chests, as the city is destroyed.
The second weeping group is in verse 11. And this is the businessmen. They're a part of this deal, too. And the merchants, or businessmen of the earth, weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore. The salesmen all go bizerk cause nobody buys anything. And so they begin to join the weeping and they weep and mourn over her. It's purely monetary. They can't meet their quota. They can't sell their stuff. They're really upset because business has gone bad. Talk about materialistic, they don't seem to be weeping and lamenting over their souls. They're weeping and lamenting over their wallets. And John lists twenty-eight categories of stuff. Frankly there's nothing here to cry about...fourteen in verse 12 and fourteen in verse 13. And I'm not going to take you through a word study of every one of these, but I'll make a comment.
By the way, it's a similar list to Ezekiel 27 verses 12 to 22 where over half of these same things also occur. These were typical items of business interchange and exchange in the ancient world. And, of course, John is seeing into the future but he's seeing into the future from a perspective that is comprehensible to him, goods familiar to him which are representative of the kind of things that will be bought and sold in the future, if not in some cases the same things.
For example, verse 12..."Gold," we understand that, that's still a major issue and a major commodity. "Silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen," that, by the way, that term linen most likely refers to a costly Egyptian cotton. And if you're in to cotton, you know that even to this day the finest cotton still comes from Egypt. "Purple and silk," by the way, silk was so expensive that it was banned by Tiberius Caesar. "And scarlet," some kind of colored garment. "And every kind of citron wood." That word "citron" ought to give you a little idea. It's a north African wood that came from a citrus tree and it was valued primarily because of its color. It used to be used for inlay on doors and pieces of furniture. And very costly things like ivory, special kinds of costly wood, bronze, iron, marble and everything that those things constructed. That's furniture. Every article made from those things with their woods and inlaid woods and bronze and iron and marble. This is the economy of the world.
Now you know what this tells us? That in spite...get this now...in spite of the seal judgments and the trumpet judgments, and the bowl judgments, up to now it's business as usual. It's amazing. Now that will tell you something about human ingenuity, won't it? In a collapsing world, crops being destroyed, seas being destroyed, fresh water being destroyed, they're making it. And they're still doing business somewhere along the line. I mean, it's got to be having a hard time surviving, but human ingenuity is quite remarkable. I mean, they're still moving this stuff around the globe.
Verse 13, "Cinnamon," that's perhaps different than what we know as cinnamon, a different...perhaps a different kind of spice. He mentions...oh by the way, whatever this cinnamon is, there's a mention of cinnamon in Exodus 30 verse 23 to be used in holy oil. Proverbs 7:17 says that it was used for perfuming the harlot's bed. And the Romans used whatever this was for cosmetics.
Spice is a fragrant plant used for perfume, also used for the hair. It was made from a shrub found in India and Africa. And then he mentions perfume, obvious. Frankincense, that's a gum rosin that was used for fragrance, came from south Arabia. And wine and olive oil, we understand. And fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and cargoes of horses and chariots.
Are you ready for this? That's a word that means four-wheel wagons. Probably Ford Explorers.
And then it adds, "Slaves and human lives." My, selling human beings. You'd think the world was through doing that, wouldn't you? Nobody is buying their slaves anymore. It may be that it's talking about the employment issue. Nobody is hiring. But it seems more than that. It seems that one of the ways this Antichrist's system is going to survive in the end is by slave labor. It wouldn't be hard to accomplish in a satanically controlled dictatorship, would it? It would either be work or...what?...die.
The heart of all of this is in Babylon. Donald Grey Barnhouse commented on this by writing, "It's very interesting to note the union of the merchants and the kings in the wailing over the destruction of Babylon. In ancient times, government and business were not united as they are now. Kings ruled apart from the bourgeois, who carried on the business of the world. Business began to move into government at the time of the French Revolution and the upheaval in industry that followed the invention of the steam engine and the growth of modern commerce put the merchants into the government as never before where they stand today alongside the politicians and with common interests. It is to be noted that the wailing is for the luxuries of humanity, no necessities are mentioned."
Interesting, business and government coming together. Well we're seeing that right now, aren't we? That's the way it will be in the end. They'll be totally dependent on each other. And here they are weeping and mourning not for something that is necessary but for something that is a luxury.
Verse 14, "And the fruit you long for has gone from you." All the possessions, all the luxuries, all the wealth for which you lusted...that's the word...has gone from you. You're stripped of it. God bankrupts the system. Once Babylon is destroyed, it's probably a computer center, too. Once that whole banking center of the world is destroyed, everything begins to disintegrate because you know by that time that everything is going to be done through some kind of worldwide computerization, right? It's not going to be a cash world. And when the brains go down, the whole thing goes down. And all the things that people lust for are going to be taken from them.
He says in verse 14, "All things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them." Gone, and gone how long? Forever. And like the kings and the merchants watch and weep, so will the rest of the world. Verse 15, "The merchants of these things who became rich from her will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning." There the merchants join the kings and they stay at a distance. And they start their weeping now, and may I say to you, they will never stop weeping because they'll weep forever and ever and ever in a place where there is endless weeping and gnashing of teeth. Because their passions can't be satisfied anymore, they'll weep and they'll weep that way in hell forever because their passions can't be satisfied.
So the leaders and the merchants weep. And they have the same dirge, verse 16 saying, "Woe, woe the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls," that's all they can think about is all their stuff. And you keep thinking, don't you, about the words of Jesus, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?" It's all they live for.
They have heard the gospel preached by a hundred and forty-four thousand Jewish evangelists. They've heard the gospel preached by two witnesses who rose from the dead. They've heard the gospel preached by Jews and Gentiles who came to faith during this period. They've heard the gospel preached by angels flying through the heaven. They have heard the gospel preached, clearly they have felt the judgment of God, the heat of His fury. They have tasted of the things of the day of the Lord. They know what is ahead. They have all of that experience and still they are utterly and totally consumed with those things which will perish and have no thought for their eternal souls. This is where the world is going, friends, to a kind of materialism that is almost inconceivable. And they weep and lament.
In verse 17, over all the fine linen and purple and scarlet and all that stuff, "For in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste." Now it must have been also that...follow this...that Babylon as a city was the distribution center for the world. Now that does make sense. Do you know that Babylon, don't you, is at the center of the world, at least the center of the world when God created the world and created the first inhabitable place in the world, He created the Garden of Eden and He put in it man and woman and that was the heart, that was right there where He wanted them, that was the special place. And that is in that fertile crescent where the city of Babylon will be in the future. And it's the hub of the world. Asia to the east and Europe to the west and Africa to the south, the great masses of world population right there. The great powerful labor forces of the world, right there. Seas all over the place. A river, place of access, and when that place is destroyed, all of the wealth stored there to be disseminated around the world is destroyed.
And this is reminiscent of James chapter 5. You might want to jot that down. "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you, your riches have rotted, your garments have become moth-eaten, your gold and your silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure. Behold the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields and which has been withheld by you cries out against you and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth. You have led a life of wanton pleasure. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter."
Boy, that certainly could be descriptive of those folks living in that time in the end. Matthew 16:26, "What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul." Now this requiem, this funeral dirge is going to have another group join, not just leaders and business men but here come some more folks. The distributors...the distributors in verse 17, "And every ship master and every passenger and sailor and as many as make their living by the sea stood at a distance." You see, moving the stuff around the globe is dependent upon ocean travel. You can't move all that stuff by air because it takes great massive ships to move oil and the tremendous dependence of oil worldwide for industry that we know today depends upon shipping, as you well know. And it takes shipping to move these huge goods and these huge volumes of goods. And every ship master and every passenger and sailor whose involved in the selling and the distribution of those goods, whose involved in the care of those ships, who operates in any function in that distribution process stand at a distance also. They want to stay away. And they watch.
In verse 18, "And they were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning saying, `What city is like the great city?'" Woe, woe...same response...if the city can't survive, nothing can survive cause there's nothing like the city. This is the strongest city there is on the face of the earth and it's going up in smoke. Back in chapter 13 verse 4, you know, when they were all enamored with the Antichrist, they said, "Who is like the beast? And who is able to wage war with him?" And now they say, "But what is like the city?" We have the strongest in the beast, we have the strongest in the city of Babylon and there goes Babylon.
And then in a typical ancient expression of grief, John sees these mourners do what many had done in a time of grief. Verse 18, "Standing at a distance they were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning saying, `What city is like the great city?' And they threw dust on their heads." That's an ancient expression of grief. You can read about it in Job 2:12, Lamentations 2:10, a sign of terrible grief and pain and agony was just to throw dirt all over yourself. And they were crying out, here they are weeping, sobbing and beating their breasts like everybody else...woe, woe, the great city in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth. The universal pain, universal grief but what is clearly missing? Repentance, right? It's not "woe is me," it's woe, woe, the great city. Woe is my bank account. Woe, woe the great...you know, I tell you, we're not far from this kind of stuff. Our culture, every single week gets more materialistic and more preoccupied with the economy.
I really get weary of that stuff. We're breeding people for this mentality. All their hopes and dreams were built on the Babylon economy, on it being stronger than God. It won't be and the pain of their loss causes this reaction.
In one hour she's been laid waste. This was the city, the great city. No city like the great city and it went down in one hour. Not literally sixty minutes, but in one great hour of immediate judgment. Judgment lamented.
There's another view, number five, judgment enjoyed. Enjoyed? Enjoyed. Verse 20, "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets because God has pronounced judgment for you against her." Wow. The angel speaks again, the same angel who started speaking back in verse 4, and the angel says, "Rejoice over her, O heaven." And he's talking to all of those who are in heaven. We met them, didn't we, earlier in chapters 4 and 5? Four living creatures, twenty-four elders, angels, glorified saints, martyred Tribulation saints. Rejoice, you saints, and apostles, and prophets, you missionaries, you preachers who got martyred and are pictured back in chapter 6 verse 9 to 11, and all you saints, all of you rejoice because God has pronounced judgment against her for you.
He promised vindication. He promised retribution. He promised vengeance for you. This is for you. The time of your pain is over. The time of your enduring this is over. For you He pronounced this judgment. Get happy, heaven, get happy.
You say, "Well how can they rejoice when these people are going to be damned to hell?" They can rejoice because righteousness triumphs, because Christ is exalted, because the kingdom comes and the people damned to hell with all their power and all their will and all the expression of their heart made their choice against every conceivable warning. This is the rejoicing that heaven waits for, beloved, even today, when sin is crushed, when sinners are destroyed, when the cursed earth is burned and a restored earth is made and Jesus comes and sets up His Kingdom and peace and righteousness reign.
And if you're a Christian you understand that because the Lord has endured humiliation long enough, and so have His people. And righteousness and justice and truth and purity have had enough abuse.
Then there's a sixth point, judgment completed...judgment completed, verse 21, "And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone." Millstone generally was a solid piece of rock, one foot in diameter, one foot, I should say, in width, five feet in diameter, used to grind grain. The strong angel is told to pick up a millstone. You'll also meet a strong angel in chapter 5 and chapter 10.
Now there's an interesting passage of Scripture, we're going to finish in just a moment, but I want you to go to Jeremiah 51 for a moment because it sets up this particular portion. Jeremiah 51, I'm just going to read verses 61 to 64. "Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, `As soon as you come to Babylon then see that you read all these words aloud, and say, "Thou, O Lord, has promised concerning this place to cut it off."'" When you get to Babylon, you give this prophecy, God's going to cut this place off. "So that there will be nothing dwelling in it, neither...whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation, and it will come about as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates and say, `Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I'm going to bring upon her and they will become exhausted.'" Obliterated, wiped out.
When you go to Babylon, make this prophecy, Babylon is going to be wiped out. And to demonstrate it, take a stone, throw it in the middle of the Euphrates, and that's just how Babylon is going to sink down. Seraiah was a prince who accompanied Zedekiah into Babylon. And he is told after reading Jeremiah's prophecies to take the stone and throw it in the river and demonstrate the sinking of Babylon.
And I really think that that's a very good explanation of this particular text in Revelation, you can turn back to it. Verse 21 again, "An angel took the stone like a great millstone, threw it in the sea. Thus will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, will not be found any longer, like a rock at the bottom of the sea, can't find it."
We would conclude then that the prophecy of Jeremiah has never been fulfilled yet, right? Because this ties right back to that prophecy which then speaks that there should be a rebuilding of Babylon. Many people wondered if that could ever happen. Here you are alive and it's happened.
I don't...I don't know every detail of the future and what God's going to do, but this seems to me a reasonable understanding of this Scripture. It is a violent throwing down, quick destruction, final, complete, never to be found again.
Then verse 22, when that happens, "The sound of harpists and musicians and flute players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer." By the way, Babylon now is not an inhabited city yet, it is a ceremonial city where musicals are put on, theater, celebrations. Music is a part of it, a great part of it now and will continue to be in the future as it is in any great city. People need to be entertained. You can imagine that there will be a premium on entertainers during the Great Tribulation, can't you? Can't you imagine that people will want to laugh and find a party to go to and a way to escape and the party will be over. And then verse 22 says, "No craftsmen of any craft will be found in you any longer, and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer." No more entertainment, no more industry, no music, no industry, no mill...no grain, no food, no nothing.
People that escaped to the outside will find nothing left. Obviously the people in it will go down with it. Verse 23, "And the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer." By the way, the world's been dark. The world's been dark since the fifth bowl, chapter 16 verse 10, so the city had to be lighted another way than daylight. And the light, whatever the light of the lamp that lit the city was is gone. And then this interesting note, "The voice of the bridegroom and the bride will not be heard in you any longer." The primary usage of the rebuilt city of Babylon is as a wedding city, and it could be an allusion to that, although I think it's perhaps more likely just saying that the normal things of life stop.
Can you imagine...can you imagine dating during the Great Tribulation? Can you imagine proposing to some girl and saying, "I'd like to take you for my wife and live with you and find a little cottage with a picket fence and raise a little family?" I mean, but life goes on. But not anymore.
Then there is a final point. A seventh point, is that right? Judgment justified...judgment justified. Why all this? "For your merchants were the great men of the earth because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery and in her was found the blood of the prophets and of the saints and of all who had been slain on the earth." You know why the judgment was justified? Because the whole world went materialistic, first of all, corrupt leadership and the whole world was deceived by that corruption.
So what have you got? Corrupt leadership, worldwide sorcery and deception, and the massacre of the saints...God says that's enough...that's enough. In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who had been slain in the earth. Not only had corrupt leaders not only deceived people, but the whole system was murderous against the saints, slaughtering them.
Look at verse 2 of chapter 19. In verse 1, "Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to God," this is heaven singing the praises of judgment, "because His judgments are true and righteous for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her." This Babylon system is going to be the killer of the prophets, the preachers and the saints.
Where is the world headed? It's headed to this. It's headed to judgment. And when judgment falls, it falls, first of all, on the city and then as we read in chapter 16, on the whole world system as God totally restructures the earth, every island disappears, the mountains are flattened out, hundred-pound hailstones crush the life out of people. And Jesus comes, destroys the armies of the world at Armageddon and sets up His eternal Kingdom. That's where it's going.
Listen to this, with the words of Jesus, Luke 12, this is a fitting conclusion. He told them a parable saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive, and he began reasoning to himself saying, `What shall I do since I have no place to store my crops?' And he said, `This is what I'll do, I'll tear down my barns and build larger ones and there I'll store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul...Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come, take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, `You fool, this very night your soul is required of you and now who will own what you have prepared?' Then Jesus said, `So is the man who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.'"
What a fool, a world of fools perishes.
Father, we are so over-awed by this scene. And we understand where history is moving, where our world is going. While there is time, while there is opportunity, make us faithful to proclaim Your saving gospel. Lord, help us to reach out to those who perish. Help us not to be caught up in the materialistic preoccupations of this culture. I pray for anyone in this place who is building bigger barns and eating and drinking and being merry, gathering treasure to himself or herself and is not rich toward you, who is a fool and to whom you say, "You fool, tonight I'm going to require your life." In a sudden hour, like Babylon, it can all be gone.
Lord, may we be rich toward You and may our treasure be in heaven. We thank You for the gift of our Savior in whose name we pray. Amen.
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Now, it definitely doesn't hurt their chances, but to say the division is locked up is a bit presumptuous.
The Dodgers moved back into first place on Wednesday after a 9-3 win against the Pirates. The Nationals helped out the Dodgers by downing 'Frisco 6-4 earlier in the day.
The new lineup seems to be getting the hang of things. New additions Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino are already paying dividends. Ramirez is hitting .308/.382/.436 in 20 games. He also has 21 RBI and 13 runs scored in that time. Victorino, as the leadoff hitter, is hitting .298/.344/.439 with 11 runs scored in 13 games.
Ramirez and Victorino are picking up for Andre Ethier, who's hitting just .257/.304/.311 since Ramirez was acquired on July 25. He has just four extra base hits -- all doubles -- in that time and has just two home runs since June 10.
The Dodgers also have one of the best No. 8 hitters in all of baseball in A.J. Ellis. Far be it from me to figure out why a guy who has a .392 on-base percentage bats that low in the lineup. If anything, it gives the Dodgers a legitimate threat at the bottom of the lineup, even if he does strike out a bit much for my liking (23 percent).
Oh, and there's always that Matt Kemp fella.
Losing Cabrera is a big blow for the Giants. He was hitting .346 while leading the majors in hits. He had been a Godsend for the Giants, which acquired him in the winter for Jonathan Sanchez. However, it's a quite difficult to overcome the loss of a No. 3 hitter, even if he isn't a traditional No. 3 hitter.
The Giants still have Buster Posey, the struggling Hunter Pence and the hobbling Pablo Sandoval. There are a few legitimate hitters remaining. And trio of Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong is going to keep the Giants close. But it's going to be awfully tough for the Giants to make the playoffs.
Despite all that, the Dodgers simply cannot sit back and not take advantage of the situation. Frankly, Wednesday should be the last day this season they are not in sole possession of first place. With their additions and the Giants' loss, the Dodgers should use the opportunity to build their lead in the division. That's what playoff-bound teams do. That's what budding elite teams do. That's what the Dodgers are right now. They need to prove it to themselves and the rest of baseball.
Minor League notes
- Yasiel Puig is 3-for-7 with three stolen bases in his first two California League games.
- Joc Pederson hit a walk-off RBI single on Wednesday. He finished 2-for-5 and is hitting a robust .350/.448/.650 line with 12 home runs since July 1.
- Rubby De La Rosa had a nice outing with the Arizona League Dodgers on Tuesday: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K. He's far too advanced for the league, but it's nice to see him throwing. In fact, Ken Rosenthal tweeted and said he averaged 97 MPH on his fastball during his 42-pitch outing.
- The Lookouts are three games ahead of the Jackson Generals (Mariners) for the second-half division title. If they make the playoffs, it'll be partly due to a filthy bullpen of Steve Ames, Eric Eadington, Red Patterson, Steven Rodriguez and Javier Solano. That's about as good as it gets.


text:
|Don't ask to ask, just ask
Comment on
|( #3333=superdoc: print w/replies, xml )
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Thanks for the info. If the problem demonstrated by your snippet there is the one that is causing Text::CSV to fail on the real data of interest, then it would seem that you have to impose "proper handling" of the BOM yourself. Delete it from the input before passing the data to Text::CSV.
Since U+FEFF is (a) unlikely to be present anywhere else besides the beginning of the input file and (b) interpreted as a "zero width non-breaking space" if it were to be found anywhere else in the file (i.e., it lacks any linguistic semantics whatsoever), it should suffice to just delete it - here's a version of your snippet that doesn't produce an error:
I suppose it's kind of sad that you need to do that for Text::CSV to work, but at least it works.
In reply to Re^3: Best Way To Parse Concordance DAT File Using Modern Perl?
by graff


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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Wladimir Klitschko will defend his four heavyweight titles against Francesco Pianeta in May.
Klitschko's management says the fight will take place on May 4 in Mannhein, Germany. Klitschko holds the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO heavyweight belts.
The 28-year-old Pianeta was born in Italy but has lived in Germany since he was 6.
Pianeta (28-0-1, 15 KOs) was briefly Klitschko's sparring partner last year. Klitschko is 59-3 with 51 KOs.


text: My doctor suggested that I need to start solids for my 4 month old because he is eating every hour and he is big (16lbs 8 oz). My 4 older kids nursed every hour the first year too and never really took solid food until around the first birthday. I was ecstatic thinking that a little rice cereal would spread out feedings, but then I started doubting the logic. So my question is, do you think solids really would help my baby go longer between feedings?


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Family vacations on a budget
Travelling with kids doesn't have to break the bank! Check out these tips to have a fun and budget-friendly family vacation.
By: Esther Medina
1. Look for hotel freebies when traveling. We stay at hotels that don't nickel and dime you and offer freebies such as breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking.
2. Find free entertainment. We look for free activities, including hiking and visiting attractions during discounted or free days. We also stay at hotels with pools for free entertainment. Ninety percent of Best Western hotels have pools.
3. Leave at the right time. If your children nap, depart for your road trip just before they're ready to fall asleep, and you might buy yourself a few hours of bliss in the car. This can also work on long flights, especially red eyes.
4. Leave the SUV at home and lighten your load. We drive an economy car that gets great gas mileage and we pack light. Carrying 100 pounds in the trunk reduces fuel efficiency by 1 to 2 percent.
5. Think about food costs. We have lots of picnics. We order a pizza or pick up some sandwiches and take them to a park. At restaurants where entrees are huge, we order one for two people to split. We also drink only water from our reusable water bottles. No bottled water for this family.
6. Make your kids carry their own luggage. Even a 4-year-old can roll a small suitcase on wheels through an airport. There's no reason that mom and dad should have to schlep their little one's stuff. You'll save your back and teach your kids some responsibility.
7. Load up on money-saving apps. The "CheapGas" app for smartphones advises you when you're close to low-priced gas stations. The AAA mobile app can also let you know if there are any discounts that you are eligible for.
8. Ditch the electronics. During our family vacations, we ditch the DVD player, video games and electronics. We focus on spending time together as a family. The kids read, draw and experience the trip for entertainment. We listen to Books on Tape in the car.
9. Buy travel journals. Your kids can fill them with postcards, ticket stubs, and brochures, and they can keep themselves busy writing down their memories from the trip.
10. Find time to run around. If you're on a road trip, stop every two hours, even if it's to just let the kids chase each other around the car. Plane delayed? Nearly every airport has a children's play area--go find it.
When traveling for the holidays, these are also helpful tips to make the journey jolly and budget friendly.
- Save money by traveling on a holiday. Flights cost less on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Additionally, airports tend to be less crowded and you can get great service.
- Book your travel early for better rates. You are probably going to get the best rate booking eight to 10 weeks in advance.
- Maximize your rewards. The holidays are a great time to cash in your rewards, and not just for travel. A Best Western 2011 survey found that more than half of Americans are casual users of their loyalty programs, only checking their points a few times a year and rarely cashing in their points. Points can be a great way to buy all your holiday gifts, with loyalty programs now offering everything from kitchen appliances and golf accessories, to gift cards for major retailers and restaurants.
- Pack your patience. Whether on the road, at the airport or even the train station, more people means more congestion, which means you are likely waiting longer than normal. A good book, playlist or simply packing your iPad may keep your nerves in check.
- Lose the layovers. Though direct flights might not be a budget saver, they can be a hassle saver. Avoid stopovers, especially in airports such as Denver, Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis where weather delays are common. If a connection is necessary, fly through a Southern hub such as Dallas, Charlotte, or Phoenix, where you can at least eliminate the possibility of weather being a problem.
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Crystal Defenders Ad Blurbs (Wii)
Published by
Developed by
Also For
ESRB Rating
Critic Score
100 point score based on reviews from various critics.
User Score
5 point score based on user ratings.
Advertising Blurbswww.xbox.com:
Crystal Defenders is a strategy game in which players deploy jobs from FINAL FANTASY Tactics A2 to fend off encroaching enemy hordes. Players can enjoy over 300 stages of action in one of three different game versions. W1will teach game basics. W2 introduces Power Crystals which allow for deeper, more detailed strategies. The complex maps of W3 will challenge even the most seasoned players.
Contributed by havoc of smeg (22285) on Jan 14, 2012.
Deploy your troops using a wealth of complex strategies to protect your crystals from a horde of snarling monsters.
- Featuring characters in a variety of familiar FINAL FANTASY classes such as Soldier and Black Mage
- Position your troops carefully to take advantage of their individual strengths and weaknesses
- Contains an abundance of stages, each with a variety of different map layouts, enemies and difficulty levels
Contributed by havoc of smeg (22285) on Dec 02, 2010.
Protect your party's crystals from encroaching monster hordes in Crystal Defenders, a defensive strategy game featuring characters from Final Fantasy Tactics A2. Deploy your various units in strategic locations to prevent the enemy from escaping the area with your crystals.
- Favorite characters: Popular characters such as Black Mages and Soldiers are used from Final Fantasy Tactics A2. Use them to protect your crystals.
- Tons of gameplay: Over 300 stages of action are included with three different game versions. Try W1 to learn game basics, W2 where Power Crystals are introduced for deeper, more detailed strategies, and W3 that features complex maps and fierce monsters to challenge even the most seasoned players.
- Fun and intuitive: The simple, multi-faceted game system is easy for a novice to pick up, and hard for a veteran to put down.
Contributed by havoc of smeg (22285) on Sep 09, 2010.


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The woman was sitting on a gurney in the emergency room, and I was facing her, typing. I had just written about her abdominal pain when she posed a question I'd never been asked before: "May I take a look at what you're writing?"
At the time, I was a fourth-year medical resident in Boston. In our ER, doctors routinely typed visit notes, placed orders and checked past records while we were in patients' rooms. To maintain at least some eye contact, we faced our patients, with the computer between us.
But there was no reason why we couldn't be on the same side of the computer screen. I sat down next to her and showed her what I was typing. She began pointing out changes. She'd said that her pain had started three weeks ago, not last week. Her chart mentioned alcohol abuse in the past; she admitted that she was under a lot of stress and had returned to heavy drinking a couple of months ago.
As we talked, her diagnosis — inflammation of the pancreas from alcohol use — became clear, and I wondered why I'd never shown patients their records before. In medical school, we learn that medical records exist so that doctors can communicate with other doctors. No one told us about the benefits they could bring when shared with patients.
In fact, before the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a federal law enacted in 1996, patients generally had to sue to see their records. HIPAA, as that mouthful is abbreviated, affirmed that patients have a right to their medical information. But the process for obtaining records was often so cumbersome that few patients tried to access them.
In 2010, Tom Delbanco, an internist, and Jan Walker, a nurse and researcher, started an experiment called OpenNotes that let patients read what their primary care providers write about them. They hypothesized that giving patients access to notes would allow them to become more engaged in their care.
Many doctors resisted the idea. Wouldn't open medical records inhibit what they wrote about sensitive issues, such as substance abuse? What if patients misunderstood the notes? Would that lead to more lawsuits? And what would patients do with all the information anyway?
After the first year, the results were striking: 80 percent of patients who saw their records reported better understanding of their medical condition and said they were in better control of their health. Two-thirds reported that they were better at sticking with their prescriptions. Ninety-nine percent of the patients wanted OpenNotes to continue, and no doctor withdrew from the pilot. Instead, they shared anecdotes like mine. When patients see their records, there's more trust and more accuracy.
That day in the Boston ER was a turning point for me. Since I started sharing notes with my patients, they have made dozens of valuable corrections and changes, such as adding medication allergies and telling me when a previous medical problem has been resolved. We come up with treatment plans together. And when patients leave, they receive a copy of my detailed instructions. The medical record becomes a collaborative tool for patients, not just a record of what we doctors do to patients.
The OpenNotes experiment has become something of a movement, spreading to hospitals, health systems and doctors' offices across the country. The Mayo Clinic, Geisinger Health System and Veterans Affairs are among the adopters so far. (The OpenNotes project has received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which also provides financial support to NPR.)
But there are new controversies arising. Should patients receiving mental health services obtain full access to therapy records, or should there be limits to open records? What happens if patients want to share their records on social media? Will such "crowdsourcing" harm the doctor-patient relationship? What if patients want to develop their own record and videotape their medical encounter? Are doctors obligated to comply?
Delbanco tells me that he considers OpenNotes to be "like a new medication." Just like any new treatment, it will come with unexpected side effects. In the meantime, patients and doctors don't need to wait for the formal OpenNotes program to come to town. Patients can ask their doctors directly to look at their records. Doctors can try sharing them with patients, in real time, as I do now. It's changed my practice, and fundamentally transformed my understanding of whom the medical record ultimately belongs to: the patient.
Wen is an attending physician and director of patient-centered care research in the Department of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University. She is the author of "When Doctors Don't Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Care," and founder of Who's My Doctor, a project to encourage transparency in medicine. On Twitter: DrLeanaWen
Dr. Leana Wen was taking notes in the ER on a patient suffering from abdominal pain the first time it happened. The patient asked to see her notes. And Wen thought, well, why not? In a post on NPR's The Shots blog, Dr. Wen called that moment a turning point in her medical career. I spoke with her about the practice of doctors showing patients their notes, and why she has been doing it ever since.
DR. LEANA WEN: It helped me greatly in thinking about what this record is actually for. And I believe that it helped her, too, because it helped her think through her diagnosis with me and to come up with her treatment plan together - something that we hadn't done in the past.
WERTHEIMER: Now there was an attempt to sort of formalize this practice by a couple of medical people in 2010. They attempted to create a program called OpenNotes. Some doctors were a little bit weary of it. Why? I mean, what's the problem with doing that?
WEN: Medicine is very old-fashioned in a lot of ways. And even 20 years ago, patients had to literally sue the hospital to get access to their medical records. And so doctors aren't used to this concept. Some doctors said, well, maybe it will decrease patient trust in me if they see what I'm writing about them. Other doctors thought what if they sue me? Now they know exactly what I'm doing. So there's a lot of fear because they just don't know what to expect.
WERTHEIMER: Well, so what happened to the program? How did it go?
WEN: Amazingly well - 80 percent of patients who participated said that it increased their understanding of their medical condition. Two thirds of patients said that it increased their compliance with medications which I find to be astounding because increasing compliance is something that's incredibly hard to do. And none of the doctors who participated said that they wanted to withdraw from the program.
WERTHEIMER: Now OpenNotes has spread since 2010. The Mayo Clinic and the VA have adopted it. But there are still issues, are there not?
WEN: Dr. Delbanco, whom I interviewed for this piece, mentioned that OpenNotes, just like any new medication or any new treatment, will have unexpected side effects. And some of these things would include - what happens if the note is shared with a patient, and they want to post it on Facebook or Twitter? What will crowdsourcing do in terms of doctor-patient trust? And also what would happen if the patient wants to now record their medical encounter by smartphone and then post it everywhere? Does the doctor have a right to privacy as well? And what if the doctor says no? So there are all kinds of new issues that are coming up. But just because they're new issues doesn't mean that it's something we should turn back the clock and not try.
WERTHEIMER: Is there any kind of pushback coming?
WEN: So far OpenNotes has been tried primarily in the outpatient primary care setting where there is already an established relationship between the patient and their doctor. One could say that that is the easiest place, perhaps, to try something like this. This is not yet been tried in the ER setting - not yet been tried, as far as I know, in the inpatient setting where the patient is hospitalized. And I can imagine these settings being a little more problematic because these are acute settings where there's not that established relationship.
I do think that there could be an age component involved as well - that younger doctors like myself, perhaps, are more open to this idea because we're more comfortable with the electronic records, electronic sharing. But this is something that I would encourage every doctor to try. And patients, too, can ask their doctor. Your doctor may not say yes, but maybe they might.
WERTHEIMER: You can read Dr. Leana Wen's piece on The Shots blog on npr.org. Dr. Wen, thank you very much for joining us.
WEN: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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HARMAN'S Crown Audio Enhances Class-Leading Value and Performance, With XTi 2 Series Amplifiers For Portable PA
: Crown
FRANKFURT, Germany — Resetting the standards for portable sound amplification, HARMAN's Crown Audio today introduced the XTi 2 Series of amplifiers. Offering increased control, an enhanced feature set and a sleeker design, the XTi 2 Series amplifiers bring together features and performance never before available in an amplifier designed for portable PA applications. Providing a complete suite of integrated speaker processing, the new XTi amplifiers eliminate the need for external crossovers, limiters, and EQs, immediately saving rack space and money.
Offering increased amplifier functionality, users now have Advanced Thermal Control giving them the ability to tailor the fan performance to their specific application. XTi 2 also increases the amount of presets a user can save and recall from 20 to 30. Enhancing power management, a new status section on the amplifier allows for the monitoring of power supply temperature and AC line voltage making troubleshooting even easier
"Crown's proven reputation in the portable sound market for building amplifiers that provide the highest level of value and performance is unparalled. The new XTi 2 series pushes the industry threshold and redefines the feature set that users can and should come to expect from portable PA amplifiers," stated Andy Flint, Marketing Manager for Crown.
XTi 2 amplifiers are also fully compatible with HiQnet™ Band Manager™ software. The free-of-charge application provides a sleek redesigned function-driven interface, which has been re-skinned to simplify system setup and management while enabling audio professionals, musicians, and engineers to configure and control a rack of Crown XTi and now XTi 2 series amplifiers.
The amplifiers now feature integrated rack handles and an enhanced cast front panel that is more durable. The XTi 2 1002, 2002, and 4002 weigh 18.5lbs and the XTi6002 weighs in at 24lbs with MAP prices ranging from $499-$1999.
HARMAN HiQnet™ is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. HARMAN HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across Harman's Professional Division and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, HARMAN Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,800 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.5 billion for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.


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Emmanuel College (EC) Residence Hall rooms are equipped with an Ethernet Network Connection which grants your computer access to the Campus Network (EC Network), and the Internet. The Residence Hall Network is a part of the EC Network and its governance, therefore, is subject to all laws, rules, and policies that govern the entire EC Network. Student use of this connection is a privilege and any use violating the terms of this agreement will result in the suspension, or termination, of this privilege and may result in other disciplinary actions. The following policies are designed to help protect our customers, as well as the Internet in general, from inappropriate or illegal activities.
General Violations
Impersonation: Alteration of any header information (known as spoofing) with the intention of misleading or impersonating other users, or systems, is prohibited.
Unauthorized Use: Attempts to gain access to any other computer system, without the consent of the owner of that system, are prohibited.
Commercial or Business Use: Using the EC Network for commercial or business purposes is prohibited.
Copyright Infringement: Using the EC Network to distribute copyrighted material without the permission of the author is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, the use or distribution of items such as web art, registered names, software applications, and music.
Harmful Use: Activity adversely affecting the ability of other people, or systems to use the EC Network, the Internet or other connected networks is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, any action, or attempted action, resulting in the denial of service to other networks, systems, or individuals.
Excessive Bandwidth Use: Using excessive bandwidth, as determined by the EC Director of Information Systems, which adversely affects use of the EC Network, the Internet, or any other connected network, is prohibited.
Unsolicited Mass E-mail: Using the EC Network as a means of distributing unsolicited mass e-mail is prohibited.
Introduction of Non-Authorized Equipment: Introduction of any networking equipment onto the EC Network is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, items such as hubs, switches, bridges, routers, and access servers. Non-authorized equipment is subject to confiscation and disposal at the discretion of the DIS.
Important Notices
No Expectation of Privacy: Users are advised that any traffic sent across the EC Network should be considered public. There are three primary reasons that network data must be considered public. First, as with any use of networks, there is the potential for hackers illegally gaining access, thus compromising data integrity. Second, the EC Network and the data traversing the network may be subject to the State Open Records act. Third, proper network maintenance requires EC personnel to monitor the network. Users are advised that monitoring requires EC personnel to view data transmitted across the network. Emmanuel College will cooperate with appropriate legal authorities in investigating claims of illegal activity. In addition, EC staff will report to appropriate legal authorities, any illegal action brought to our attention during the routine monitoring, or maintenance, of the EC Network.
Systems Security: Your system, when attached to the EC Network, will be vulnerable to attacks from anywhere on the Internet. It is your responsibility to properly secure your system. Failure to do so may result in damage to your system, and/or the suspension of networking services, until you demonstrate to the CIS that the security problem has been resolved. It is imperative that you maintain a current anti-virus program that is active anytime your computer is operational.
Network Security Scanning: To assist users with detection of vulnerabilities to attacks, the CIS will run random security scans of connected systems. The purpose of these scans is to assess the vulnerability of systems to attack, not to view network content.
Networking Systems Maintenance: Occasionally, maintenance is required on various components of the EC Network systems. EC reserves the right to preempt use of the network for maintenance whenever necessary. However, the DIS will make every effort to provide users with appropriate notice, and will perform maintenance at off-peak hours whenever possible.
Legal Liability: Emmanuel College shall not be held legally responsible, or liable, for any damage caused to computer systems by connection to the EC Network, power source, recommendations or actions of support personnel, or faulty documentation. Users should access network resources, documentation materials, and advice from support personnel with discretion.
Failure to Comply: Emmanuel College reserves the right to disconnect - without prior notice - any connection violating the terms of this document, the Acceptable Use Policies, the Information Systems Student Policies manual, or the "Georgia Computer Systems Protection Act Of 1991, Amended 1996" . Any violations of these policies will be handled through EC Student Life disciplinary actions and/or Legal Authorities. If you are disconnected for any reason any money collected is NONREFUNDABLE.


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This is now the third open thread on synthetic cannabinoids, following on from the JWH-018 Toxicology article and the first Synthetic Cannabinoid Discussion thread.
Not that there are any points, but bonus points for backing up what you say with peer reviewed research. Please keep the discussion scientific. You can talk about dodgy vendors if you must, especially if there's a bad batch going round, but please don't link to them or turn this into a customer support thread. If you want to talk about individual smoking mixtures, please do so Here.
Ok, go:.


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New Homes by CalAtlantic Homes
Ryland and Standard Pacific are now one company, CalAtlantic Homes.
With a shared vision of unique new home design, outstanding quality and an unwavering commitment to true customer service, Ryland and Standard Pacific are joining forces as CalAtlantic Homes. Together, we are better than ever with a combined 100 years of experience and expertise building new homes across the United States.
At CalAtlantic Homes we are proud to build what you cherish most of all. Home.
Learn more! Visit CalAtlantic Homes


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Heath Ceramics
The ferry ride to the seaside town of Sausalito is a must for many visitors, but what makes it even more appealing for shoppers is the promise of Heath Ceramics at the end. One of foremost makers of contemporary ceramics in the United States, its workshop is housed in a modernist studio. Rows of colourful, neatly stacked crockery, pottery, glassware and accessories, as well as tiles, make it a delight to browse, and factory tours are offered. It also has stores in the city.
400 Gate Five Road, Sausalito
+1 415 361 5552+1 415 361 5552


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The Carroll News and our sister papers in the region work to serve the needs of consumers in the area. Matching businesses with local residents is important to us as we showcase the specials offered by local businesses, display inventory, and share information about services provided. From health care to automotive, from equipment sales to retail gifts and clothing… we are the connection for you. Advertising is available within the pages of our newspapers, online through our interactive websites, in monthly special sections, as well as quarterly and annual specialty products.
Our New Media Programs:
The Carroll News has many products to help you reach out to our community through a variety of broad reaching programs like banner ads, and contests, to more targeted options like QR codes, email, and mobile. Our business directory services can be used as a website for your business, a mobile extension of your existing site, and/or as a tool to drive more customers to your site through SEO. We are always looking at ways to harness new technologies to help you find new ways to reach your customers.
Print Advertising:
Marketing your business through the pages of The Carroll News works. Matching your print advertisements with online opportunities is a combination for success. Ask us about our special programs that offer discounted rates for our contract customers. Sponsor ads are also available for programs related to schools, sports and communities.
Insert Opportunities:
Preprinted inserts and we-prints are excellent ways to share your information with our readers. Cost-efficient pricing is available, and quotes can be provided for direct mail as well as we-print projects.
Placing Retail Ads:
To place ROP ads, inserts, online advertisements or other retail print products, contact our advertising department:
Advertising Sales Representative:
Lindsay Compton
Placing Classified Ads:
To place automotive, real estate, personal property, employment or other classified ads, please contact our classified department:
Classified Sales Representatives:
Susan Carpenter
The Carroll News – Fridays at 5 p.m.
Additional deadlines available by calling your advertising representative


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Indian stocks outperform in markets after Modi win
HONG KONG (AP) — Indian stocks jumped Friday as preliminary results from national elections indicated the opposition had won a landslide victory. Other global markets were subdued at the end of a fairly volatile week.
Indian stocks have been rising since voting in the world's most populous democracy got underway six weeks ago. Investors have been anticipating a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies.
Narendra Modi, the party's candidate for prime minister, has campaigned on a pledge to revive economic growth amid widespread dissatisfaction with the ruling Congress party after a decade in power.
The Sensex stock index in Mumbai surged 6.1 percent at one stage before paring gains to close 0.9 percent higher.
"The BJP victory is likely to herald a revival in India's economic fortunes, with the potential to boost Indian GDP growth back over 8 percent by 2017," said Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific Chief Economist at IHS Global Insight.
Elsewhere, the mood was far more subdued as the week closed out with a whimper following broad-based losses on Thursday in the wake of soft economic data out of Europe and the U.S.
In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed 0.2 percent higher at 6,855.81 while Germany's DAX fell 0.3 percent to 9,629.10. The CAC-40 in France ended 0.3 percent higher at 4,456.28.
In the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average was flat at 16,450 while the broader S&P 500 index rose 0.1 percent to 1,872.
"The week is heading towards a quiet finish in the U.S., which was almost inevitable following the heavy selling of the preceding two days," said Chris Beauchamp, market analyst at IG.
Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock shed 1.4 percent to close at 14,096.59 while South Korea's Kospi rose 0.2 percent to 2,013.44. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.1 percent to 22,712.91.
The mood was similarly subdued in currency markets, with the euro down 0.1 percent at $1.3706 and the dollar flat at 101.50 yen.


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No single visit to Chester Zoo is ever the same. The constantly-evolving animal life of the UK's number one Zoo, close to Chester, is set in 110 acres of award-winning gardens. There are plenty of great places for food and drink too.
Read more about: Chester Zoo, Chester
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Taking on the challenge of a new course is one of the pleasures of golf.
Read more about: Golf
Take to the track at speed and in safety with a range of superb driving activities across three of our venues - Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Bedford Autodrome.
Read more about: Oulton Park Race Circuit
Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel, Golf & Spa
Try Quasar Elite™, a game of wit and cunning.
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Set in the heart of 1,000 acres of Capability Brown Parkland, this magnificent 17th century house at Weston Park is famous for welcoming visitors.
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Read more about: The Mount – Charles Darwin Birthplace
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Visit the replica Roman villa situated here at Wroxeter which was constructed in 2011 for the Channel 4 television program called Rome Wasn't Built in a Day.
Read more about: Wroxeter Roman City
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Visit the stunning medieval fortress of the Welsh marches for the perfect day out. With award winning gardens, daily tours and plenty of family events there really is something for everyone.
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MySQL Customer: Amarok
"[MySQL] is both embeddable and can run standalone on the local or a separate machine (yes, this is not supported yet in A2, but it will be). It is fast and robust for large collections. It is well understood by the development team. And most of all, it is a single-backend solution that fills all of our needs."
Jeff Mitchell, Amarok Developer and Blogger