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Words can have a profound effect. They can take someone from the depths of despair to the heights of happiness. However, in an age when communication is instantaneous, some feel that power is being lost.
Ashley Green, a native of Drumheller and daughter of Clint and Lynn Hemming, is hoping to change that.
Green has started a unique project to bring back the power of words with Love Letters to Strangers. When out and about, Green will hand strangers, for example a cashier, a small note filled with kind, affirming messages.
"Love letters are something I've loved throughout my whole life. I was introduced to them through my family, so I was inspired by them to tell people what I think of them and to inspire them. It also brings back the power of words," said Green. "Showing kindness to people and making their day better was the extra cherry on top."
Green has also started holding workshops encouraging others to start making letters of their own. She comes to Drumheller on February 28 at the Grace Lutheran Church and then will present to the DVSS Friends of Rachel Club.
There will also be a public workshop later this year on November 28.
"Everyone in the community is welcome to attend. It's about spreading anonymous love. The idea isn't to give them to friends and family, but to random people," said Hemming.
In Edmonton, the letters have been well-received.
"Most of the responses are very positive. Some people, I think, don't know how to react. I've had people run up to me and tell me their life story, give me a hug, or send me an e-mail saying how much it meant to them. It has definitely been an inspiration to keep this project moving forward and growing," said Green.
However, there has been some indifference and even outright negative responses.
"I think it's not common for people to encounter like this, so there are people who aren't fazed by this. There are a couple cynical people who didn't react well, but I hope over time they will look at the letter and have a different reaction," said Green.
Green and participants in her program are making a huge push in the days leading up to Valentine's Day to spread the love with a massive campaign.
Green, who was born and raised here, moved out of Drumheller in 2006 to pursue a BA in English and history at the University of Alberta. Now 24, she is currently working as a freelance photographer in addition to making the Love Letters.
To learn more about Love Letters to Strangers, click here.
Drumhellerite shares the love
Words can have a profound effect. They can take someone from the depths of despair to the heights of happiness. However, in an age when communication is instantaneous, some feel that power is being lost.


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SEATTLE—A former platoon leader for the soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians says the allegations are "100 percent out of character" for the man, whom he described as a model soldier who has saved other soldiers' lives.
Army Capt. Chris Alexander said Robert Bales worked as a stock trader before the Sept. 11 attacks motivated him to enlist in the Army.
"I've always admired him for that—he had a good thing going, and he dropped it to serve his country," Alexander said Saturday in a phone interview.
Bales enlisted about two months after 9/11 and had served with the 3rd Stryker Brigade based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord since Sept 11, 2002.
He became a staff sergeant in April 2008, following his second deployment in Iraq. He went to Iraq one more time before his fourth deployment, to Afghanistan.
Alexander, 32, spent three years as Bales' platoon leader, including during Bales' second deployment to Iraq. He described Bales as "one of the best guys I ever worked with."
"He always made sure his team was ready, that they were briefed on the mission, that the equipment was checked," he said. "Anything he was given to do, you never had to worry about it getting done and done well."
Alexander said he and others who served with Bales were stunned by the allegations.
Military officials say that after drinking on a southern Afghanistan base, the 38-year-old staff sergeant crept away March 11 to two slumbering villages, shooting his victims and setting many of them on fire. Eleven of those killed belonged to one family. Nine were children.
Bales was in custody Saturday at the military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., but had not yet been charged.
Alexander said that while serving with Bales, he saw no evidence that Bales had any more difficulty dealing with the stresses of battle than anyone else. If the allegations against Bales are true, "it's 100 percent out of character for him," Alexander said.
"I'm not a psychologist, but you don't go from being a solid NCO (noncommissioned officer) to this unless there are extenuating circumstances," Alexander said. "He is not some psychopath. He's an outstanding soldier who has given a lot for this country."
Alexander added Bales has distinguished himself in battle more than once.
He described one incident in which Bales' unit was driving in Mosul and Bales spotted a man aiming a rocket-propelled grenade at them. Bales shouted to warn the unit, then shot the man as he fired the RPG, causing it to sail over the unit's vehicle.
The wounded shooter fled and was later detained as he sought treatment at a hospital.
"Bales didn't let his guard down," Alexander said. "There's no doubt he saved lives that day."

subset: commoncrawl


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Here is a Question from One of Our Customers:
Can you please tell me the metaphysical meaning of Seftonite?
I must share the standard disclaimer that I am not a doctor and cannot give out medical advice. Crystals for healing should be used as a compliment to other therapies and not as a replacement for regular medical care.
Seftonite is another form ofBloodstone. Softer and more variegated with a wider range of color then bloodstone its properties are very similar to Bloodstone. Many times you will see it sold as bloodstone.
Roslyn Bohanan
Master Crystal Healer
"Privacy Statement: To help others learn, we typically post questions like yours to our online database of articles about crystal healing. We only use first names and take care to remove all last names and email addresses. If you prefer that we not post your first name or if you would prefer if we not to post your question at all, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your request for privacy."


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Tim Goettelmann, one of Major League Lacrosse's inaugural players, will suit up for the Chesapeake Bayhawks on Thursday night against the New York Lizards — the team for which he has played his entire 11-year MLL career.
Goettelmann, 35, had announced his retirement from the league in January 2012, but he confirmed he is back in a phone interview Wednesday morning.
And his nickname, "Monster," might not fit. Goettelmann has slimmed down to 205 pounds and has been training with an MMA fighter. Goettelmann took a train from New York to Annapolis on Tuesday to practice with the team.
He will be playing for Dave Cottle, his former coach at Loyola College, and sharing the attack position with John Grant Jr., his roommate at the MLL's inaugural combine.
"Thirteen years ago he coached me at Loyola. God is working in mysterious ways right now. Playing for Cottle right now, I never thought in a million years that would happen again," he said Wednesday.
Goettelmann has been itching to come back since the beginning of the season but had family obligations over weekends until now. He said Cottle and the Bayhawks expressed more interest than his former team, which is attack-heavy and has rebranded since his retirement.
"It's definitely weird and ironic that I'm playing for Chesapeake and the first game is against New York. It's going to be awkward and weird and exciting," said MLL's all-time goals leader (268) and second-most-veteran player (132 games played).
Goettelmann's stellar career on the field is matched by his charitable efforts in the community; part of the reason for his return is to keep up awareness of his charity. The multi-time New Balance Sportsman of the Year award winner established Monster's Kids, a foundation to benefit children at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center in New York.
This year, the Woodstick Alumni Game that Goettelmann organizes raised more than $28,000 for the medical center.
"I'm just happy that I have a chance, and I'm going to do my best," he said, adding he hopes to be on the team the entire year if it works out on the field.
"This is sort of a challenge. It was awesome last night [at practice]. I felt like I was drafted again. When I put on that Chesapeake helmet, I was freaked out," he said. "I can't believe I'm in this helmet right now."


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Carrie's love of design and making spaces beautiful, unique and organized began as a young girl and grew into an endless appreciation for the extraordinary impact even the simplest interior design element had to offer.
Carrie got her degree from The New York School of Interior Design, then worked at firms in NYC and Toronto. She then embarked on an emotional and enriching few years designing homes, hotels and various other spaces for a variety of successful television shows, including Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Nate Berkus Show, Travel Channel's Hotel Impossible, and most recently Food Network's American Diner Revival with Ty Pennington.
Carrie believes in ease, natural beauty and the remarkable power that even the smallest change in your home, or work space, can have in your life. She believes everyone can have a space that they feel comfortable in, proud of and that represents who they are. She does not believe you need deep pockets or unreasonable amounts of time to make it happen... and making it happen is her passion.
If I could impart one piece of wisdom to the DIY designer, it's that although a weekend warrior renovation is entirely possible, it's most effectively done with advance preparation. Think about the context of the project. Is it paint? Is it furniture refurbishing? Is it laying down flooring? Decide the look you want... don't wing it.
Days prior, take the measurements you need, test the paint colors in small squares on the walls of the room so that you can see the color before the big renovation day. Make sure it suits you in all angles of the room and consider the lighting at different times of day.
Figure out exactly what you need—sandpaper, drop cloth, screw driver, etc., and have those elements ready and waiting. When the sun rises on day one of your renovation, you will be very glad you are not running out at the last minute to find that blade you suddenly need or that trim brush you didn't realize was necessary.
I love color. There, I said it. But what color is to me, and how I use it, may surprise you. I love bright, bold, vivacious colors like lime green and Tiffany blue. I also love soft, sexy colors like off-white and shimmering, silvery champagne.
Dont be afraid to try color in your space! It can be just along one wall, the whole room, and also in the accessories. Use color based on how it makes you feel in the space. For me, calm, warm, and simple colors work best in my master bedroom, but I love using bold, attention-grabbing colors in my office.
Less is definitely more! The very first thing I recommend, before even thinking about a room, office or home makeover is to get rid of extra stuff. We have an astounding way of accumulating things, many of which we haven't seen or used in years.
Make four piles: Keep, Donate, Trash, and Maybe. After the first three are complete, go through the Maybe pile with a realistic vision of the new space or look you are trying to create... and decide whether some of the items in the Maybe pile are really Donate or Trash.
I can't stress enough how important life is in one's design: a plant, a tree, a vase of fresh flowers. A living element from nature can have a very calming effect in a space and keeps the mood of a room grounded, no matter how outrageous the design.
Any chance I can, I bring fresh flowers into a room not only for the beauty, but the fragrance as well. Whether it be a tall, live (no plastic please!) indoor plant, a bonsai or a bud vase of fresh peonies, you can't go wrong bringing life into a room.
Wallpaper is an incredible element to use in a room and adds instant appeal. There are so many variations of wall coverings these days that the options are endless. Using wallpaper on one wall (or all of them) can change the entire feel of a space.
If you use a photo, the photo can transport you to another place altogether. If you use a grass cloth it can give a warmth and coziness to the space regardless of the size. There are shimmering papers, graphic papers, multi-colored paper; there are vinyls that look like leather... No matter what you choose, there is art inherently injected into the space where the wall covering is applied.
Having a professional wall paper installer is certainly a treat, but as long as you understand the application instructions and follow step by step, applying wallpaper (especially from Murals Your Way) can be easy as can be.


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HideShow resource information
- Created by: gina1997
- Created on: 11-05-14 21:04
California - disaster hotspot
- Area prone to natural hazards and disasters
- Population of 40 million in 2008
- GDP per capita is $40,000
- It is the wealthiest state in the USA
- Coastal area has many urban areas e.g LA, San Francisco and San Diego
- Major tectonic hotspot
- Extreme weather brought by el nino and la nina
- The north of California is prone to wildfire as it has a lot of forest cover
- The coastal area of California is in danger of landslides
California lyes on a conservative plate boundary (San Andreas Fault). At this plate boundary the Pacific plate and the North America plate are moving in the same direction but at different speeds. The Pacific plate is morving faster than the North America plate. In order for the Pacific plate to slide past the North America plate, friction is built up and pressure must be released. When this pressure is releases the main type of hazard in California is generated which are earthquakes.
Wildfires and bushfires are common in California. As Los Angeles expands…
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Virgin Media's Chief Executive Tom Mockridge has called on the Premier League to show all 380 matches live on television, suggesting US-style regional blackouts could be used as an ideal compromise to current broadcasting rules.
The Premier League argues that keeping the 3pm blackout window on Saturday games helps to safeguard attendances in lower league football, a view widely backed by supporters groups.
But Virgin has already voiced its displeasure at the current rules.
The provider has already filed a complaint with regulator Ofcom, arguing that prices are kept artificially high by the Premier League only making 41% of matches available to broadcasters, adding that it also restricts choice for consumers.
Mockridge points to other countries such as Germany, as well as the NBA and the NFL in the US, as potential templates for broadcasting live games, with fans often able to watch all games or purchase a pass that allows them to follow their own team.
He added the current set-up was not doing enough to curb rates of inflation in the market, stating that 77% of Virgin customers now believe Sky Sports and BT Sport to be too expensive.
Mockridge insists that making all matches available live would help to put the brakes on further inflation, even if it fails to bring prices down.
He said: "Consumers are entitled to make their own choices rather than have other people make them for them.
"The Premier League argues there is a consumer benefit in limiting the number of matches. We would argue the opposite," he continued.
"I am not criticising the Premier League. Richard Scudamore has done a terrific job for them but it's up to Ofcom to act as the referee. Their primary aim is to protect the consumer. What is the consumer benefit in only showing 40% of the games on TV?"
Addressing the opposition to dropping the 3pm blackout, which has primarily been led by lower league clubs over fears it will hit attendances, Mockridge suggests giving smaller teams a greater proportion of the Premier League's television money, while also introducing technology that would stop fans, for example, in Manchester watching Manchester United instead of Bury.


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A last-minute compromise between the House and Senate will almost certainly restore minimum social security benefits to 3 million Americans before Congress closes shop for Christmas, Monitor correspondent Julia Malone reports.
Under a plan worked out by a conference Dec. 14, everyone who qualifies by Jan. 1 will continue to receive the $122-a-month benefit. Recipients, most of them older women, had been in danger of losing the minimum benefit next March unless Congress acted.
''No more Scrooge,'' quipped US Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (D) of Missouri. The House and Senate are expected to approve the compromise within the next two days.
A new tax on sick pay would offset most of the cost of the minimum benefit. Except for nuns, anyone qualifying after Jan. 1 would not be entitled to the benefit.


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They never give the exact steps for DRIVERS. I can't given the low details in your post but will try.
In short. Install Windows ME just like they tell you then...
Install in this order:
1. Motherboard CHIPSET DRIVER PACKAGE.
2. At this point the ethernet card driver. if you are guessing which network card you have or are trying to use the UPDATE DRIVER button then you need to learn how to do the OLD FASHIONED way of downloading the right driver and installing them.
3. Now the sound and video drivers and we're usually done.
Got a PC with pirated windowns XP. I thought I would put Windows ME I had. After I formated hard drive and installed Windows ME the issues began. I can not get onto the interent anymore. I having PCI adapter issues. Tried to get updated drivers however stating len100txv5.sys file can not be found. I have two differnet PCI devices to use.
1st: I tried Linksys EtherFast 10/100 Lan Card model # LE100TX ver 5.1 along with the setup cd. Still wont work
2nd.: I tried 2.4 GHz Linksys Wireless B PCI Adapter model # WMP11 along with the setup cd. Stil wont work.
I followed the installation instructions and tried to download what I thought were the correct drivers however still no success. When installed LED light is green. I have interent access through my wireless notebook. Have high speed cable internet connected through Motorola modem and belkin wireless G router.
Any insight would be great. Thanks


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It helps to restrict framing, printing and copying page contents by disabling the right click, drag and copy.
Attention Please!
Read All Documentation before use this extension.
This award winning plugin helps to restrict framing site, printing and copying page contents by disabling the right click, drag and copy functions.
The plugin is compatible with newer versions of Joomla. Older versions of this plugin for Joomla 1.5-3.1 are available on the Github.com.
2.0.0. Major changes in copying and dragging. Also some minor changes: print screen, user group, language file and label/description of parameters.
1.8.2. Minor bug at usergroup option has been fixed in J3.x version only.
1.8.1. Tag search is improved. And default value of parameter for Anti PrintScreen changed to disabled.
1.8.0. Multilingual ready for admin panel.
1.7.1. Usergroup bug has been fixed in J2.5 and J3.x version only.
1.7. "Disallow for Images" option has been added in anti right click function. And new functionalities (Anti Print and Printscreen) has been added.
1.6. Anti drag functionality has been added in anti select function for image and link. And a tag, it disables image toolbar of IE, has been added in anti copy function.
1.5. "Except Opera" option has been added in anti select and copy function.
1.4. Anti framing tool has been added. Usergroup bug has been fixed in J2.5 version only.
1.3. Joomla event has been changed.
1.2. Code optimization.
1.1. Usergroup option has been added in J2.5 version only.
1.0. Initial release.
Well adapted to Joomla Platform.Read More
Registered to Joomla! Extensions Directory.Read More
Professional Help, Extended Update, Priority Response, Custom Development.Read More
Our website is an online magazine and we were searching for the best way to implement online subscription and limit our articles for readers who are not our subscribers. We found the best solution for these two thing, and that is JExtBOX Login to Read More plugin.
I use this plugin first time, but i really happy. Developer responds in one day, and make a new release, thanks for that.
Wow! I was concerned at first when I saw that this was a commercial plug-in. Frankly, I had been looking for a very specific feature within a Joomla YouTube Plugin - I was looking for something that I could use to implement "modest branding" within a YouTube player embedded within an "Article Anywhere" placement.
I use this extension for more then a year now and I'm very satisfied. Articles are automatically archived after three months and automatically the 'special article' indication is removed after two months. Hopefully it will be made ready for Joomla 3.0 as soon as possible!
Best Selling, Most Downloaded, & Author's Choise
This module displays the number of guests including Simulated (additional) Visitors and logged-in users.Read More
This package manages your articles automatically or manually: Archive, Move to Another Category, Change AccessRead More
It displays status (Just added, Modified, Featured, Archived, Popular and Most Hit) sign before article.Read More
This plugin adds social share buttons to an article, making it easy for your visitors to submit your articles.Read More
This plugin displays custom message or module, when not logged in user visit an article and K2 item.Read More
This module shows collapsed and animated expandable list of articles by years and months.Read More


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Vinny was amazing! Wowing guests left and right, and doing it all with charm, grace, and an incredible sense of humor.
Vinny is a very talented and amazing mentalist! He impressed the guests at our poker fundraising event at Cipriani Wall Street. He was professional, easy to work and the guests were in awe of his work!
Vinny is an outstanding Mentalist and Mind Reader. His passion for what he does should be an example for how everyone should go about living out his or her dreams.


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Medicine Hat winning rat battle
The City of Medicine Hat says it seems to be winning its war against rats after dozens were found in a local landfill this summer.
The infestation was discovered last month, but the city's waste manager says they haven't come across any dead rats since Aug. 30.
Ed Jollymore says poison and other measures are working well.
"It's a little too early just yet to be too jubilant and to do a happy dance, but it is certainly making us feel very confident that using the approach that we did and the protocol and the bait and keeping the rats really comfortable for the time that they were feeding was the right choice," he said.
Jollymore says there is still a lot of work to do before the city can claim victory.
"The population is dying off but we need to continue to monitor very closely as some rats will become bait-wise and they'll avoid the bait, or you know there could be new litters that have been born and are still developing," he said.
Jollymore says in a couple of weeks crews will dig through the landfill to see if there are other colonies.


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Welcome to Student Finance
Student Refund and Payment Plan Services Moving to TouchNet
Beginning July 1, 2016, Lansing Community College will change vendors supporting student refund and payment plan services to TouchNet. Students will now receive enhanced integrated services including direct deposit of student refunds and real-time payment plans. ALL STUDENTS will be required to sign into their Self Service Page and re-select their preference for how their refunds are received. Students may keep their BankMobile accounts, but these will become a traditional ACH transaction rather than the direct deposit account as it currently operates.
Select your Refund Preference with TouchNet. Follow These user guides for assistance.
- Direct Deposit to Existing Bank Account, Direct Deposit Video Tutorial
- Discover Cashback Checking Account
Two TouchNet ATM's using the Discover network are at the following locations:
- West Campus - To the right of the Service Center
- Downtown Campus, Gannon Building - Outside the Student Commons located near the vending machines
As the new ATM's are part of the "All Point" ATM Network, students choosing to continue to use their BankMobile account to receive their refunds and use their Debit Cards will not incur a foreign ATM service charge.
Please contact the Student Finance Office at 483-1272 Option 3 or email@example.com.
Spring 2018 Semester Important Dates
Oct 2: Spring Semester Registration Begins
*This is the earliest your refund will be available in your account. Login to view your specific disbursement dates.
Summer 2018 Semester Important Dates
Apr 1: Summer FAFSA Priority Submit Date
*This is the earliest your refund will be available in your account. Login to view your specific disbursement dates.
Fall 2018 Semester Important Dates
Aug 9: Book Voucher Begins
*This is the earliest your refund will be available in your account. Login to view your specific disbursement dates.
Tuition Rates & Fees
Tuition rates vary depending on a specific course, a student's residency status, or a senior citizen status. Both tuition rates and fees and are determined by the LCC Board of Trustees. Please visit Tuition & Fees to view the current rates and more information on how your tuition is assessed.
Payment Information
Tuition and fee payments may be made in full, or set up in increments through an installment payment plan. Students may enroll in one of multiple payment plan options through their Self Service Account using the TouchNet Student Account Center.
Students not paying tuition and fees in full, who receive financial aid, or receive assistance through a third party will need to establish a Deferred Payment Plan. Those receiving assistance through a Third Party (not financial aid) will need to submit an authorization form to the Student Finance Office. See the Payments page to find which payment date affects you.
Student eRefunds PLUS
All LCC refunds are issued electronically via ACH, for students age 18 and over. Students can choose their refund preference. Please visit our Refunds page for more information.
Student Finance Office
Gannon Building
2nd Floor - StarZone
Phone: (517) 483-1272 option 3
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday: 8am - 6pm
Friday: 8am - 4pm
Additional contact information »


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Parvovirus symptoms in humans are age-dependent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children experience headache, low-grade fever, runny nose and tiredness, followed in a week by a bright red rash on the cheeks and later on the body. Adults experience more severe flu-like symptoms, a rash on the body and joint tenderness.
In children, parvovirus infection presents as fifth disease, named because of its numerical order in the classification of childhood illnesses with rash symptoms, such as measles and scarlet fever, or as slapped-cheek disease because of the bright red rash that emerges on the child's cheeks, according to the CDC. The symptoms, which may include a lacy, red, body rash, can last up to three weeks, after which the child develops immunity to future infection. However, some children do not experience any symptoms at all.
In addition to experiencing more flu-like symptoms and a rash on the body, but not generally on the face, about half of adults infected with parvovirus, particularly women, experience polyarthropathy syndrome or joint pain and swelling, particularly in their hands, feet or knees. This temporary arthritis can last up to three weeks, although 10 percent of those with joint tenderness may develop long-term arthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis, which lasts for months, states MedicineNet.


text: I'd measure them first, see how much is actually left on them, probably very little if they need machining. If there is a fair bit there, then get them machined, clean the hub up with a wire wheel/brush and give it a lick of high temp black paint. They don't need anything more than that.


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University at Buffalo
Department of
Art & Design
Art History
Visual Studies
Now Hiring a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Photography
November 15, 2016 by: Natalie Fleming
The Department of Art at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (UB) is seeking a professionally active photography-based artist with a strong exhibition record and growing national reputation to teach photography at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This is a tenure track, assistant professor position with full benefits and salary commensurate with experience. In addition to teaching 2 courses per semester the candidate is expected to mentor graduate students, to head the photography concentration, and to share in departmental and university governance. UB is a tier 1 research institution with generous opportunities for funding research and travel to present work.
The successful candidate will have the vision and innovation to guide the photography curriculum into the future with a multidisciplinary approach that integrates photography into the overall undergraduate and graduate studio art program. He or she may also be called upon to teach an occasional theory course or courses such as senior thesis, foundations or general education seminar.
Application review will begin in early December and continue until the position is filled.
UB is an AA/EOE and welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
To apply or for more information: Employment Opportunities at UB


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More from the new book "CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed", not to be confused with the long forgotten Colby Classic "CCCP: Colby's Cock Cums Periodically". For whatever reason it wasn't a big seller. I guess thats what happens when you make porn with a top-heavy bureaucracy.
I'm not a big fan of the cold, but buildings like this are hard to pass up. (HINT HINT, another great gift idea for Colby's imminent un-birthday).


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Wire-wrapped genuine turquoise orbs fill in a sterling silver circle on these stunning earrings that measure 0.6 inches in diameter and hang on sterling silver hooks.
Meet the Artisans
WorldFinds is a member of the Fair Trade Federation. They regularly travel to connect with our artisan groups in India, Indonesia, and Nepal, and each time it is evident how Fair Trade practices have changed their lives – they have been able to hire more women artisans, improve educational programs and send their girls to school, and expand healthcare initiatives. They continue to be the heart and soul of WorldFinds business.
WorldFinds mission is to create positive change, build hope, and design beautiful, sustainable products for a better world. It's a business using fashion and design to combat poverty.


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Gregg and I attended the Value Investor Congress in Vegas last week. I downloaded a couple of books to read on the flights. Let me just say that we highly recommend the book and is one of the best investment books I have read in years. The book is not a "how to analyze a company" book, nor does it have any "magic formulas". The main goal of the book is to show "how to think and how to deal with the psychological influences that interfere with investment thinking." There are lots of investment books that talk about traits of successful investors and characteristics of stocks that perform well over time, but there are few books that deal will the other side of the investment equation, dealing with emotion in real time. This website is an attempt to do that by showing investors what we are thinking at the time we are building the portfolio. The book uses quotes from previous shareholder letters he wrote and expands on them. Other well-known investors such as Joel Greenblatt, Paul Johnson and Seth Klarman also make comments throughout the book.
There are some very good behavioral finance books written by James Montier and Michael J. Mauboussin that address many of the issues that keep investors from maximizing their potential. Each chapter in the book is "The Most Important Thing" in investing. As it turns out, Marks comes up with 21 "most important things." I am not going to list all of them or discuss all of them here. But I think a few of the "more important" of the "most important" things are:
The idea of "Second-Level Thinking"
Marks distinguishes between first and second-level thinking. First-level thinking is simplistic and superficial and needs an opinion about the future. An example of first-level thinking was "the outlook for the company is favorable, meaning the stock will go up." We see this type of thinking far too often on most popular investment websites. Second-level thinking is" deep, complex and convoluted." First-level thinkers look for magic formulas and easy answers and think very linearly. Second-level thinkers are thinking about multiple concepts and scenarios. Since first-level thinkers think the same way, they will generally reach the same conclusions, which by definition means average results. He explains that superior results are extremely difficult to achieve, but many first-level thinkers believe they will achieve those results will simple strategies and analysis. As he points out at the end of the first chapter, "but the good news is that the prevalence of first-level thinkers increases the returns available to second-level thinkers."
The future is unknowable and unpredictable and improbable outcomes happen all the time.
Marks talks about how successful investors acknowledge that the future is unknowable and unpredictable and do not over emphasize using models or assuming specific growth rates or anticipating certain macro events. All of this type of thinking creates what we like to call, the "illusion of control." It gives investors a way to deal with the inherent uncertainty of investing. This is one of the hardest things for investors to accept. The idea that no matter how good your analytical skills are (which need to be good as a basic requirement to be successful), the outcome of that analysis is totally out of your control once you make an investment. There are too many unknowns and unknowable unknowns will impact your investment to really be able to have a high degree of confidence that your desired outcome will happen in the time frame in which you want it to. And that is one of the ironies of successful investing. You have to have a high degree of confidence to act in a way that is against conventional wisdom, while at the same time accepting the fact that you really don't know anything about the future you are so confident will occur.
The importance of "Value" in value investing.
Marks gives several examples of how value investing differs from growth investing. Aside from the obvious attention to absolute "cheapness" vs. relative "cheapness" and growth of earnings or sales, he believes the main difference between the two styles is that "growth investing is about the future, whereas value investing emphasizes current-say conditions but can't escape dealing with the future." Other examples are that he believes that "growth investing is betting on a company's performance that may or many not occur, while value investing is based primarily on analysis of the company's current worth." Simply put, value investing is buying stocks believing that the "current value is high relative to the current price", while growth investors believe the "current value will grow fast enough in the future to produce substantial appreciation." This is something Graham and other value investors understand. That it is much easier to analyze the past and present than predict the future, so they emphasize balance sheet and cash flow analysis over making lots of assumptions about the future.
Dealing with "risk"
We agree completely with his idea that risk is not volatility, which is what academics have believed for years. As he points out, since most risk is unknown or unknowable, therefore unmeasurable, academics took the convenient way out and chose to measure something that was measurable, volatility, and used it to fit the definition of risk. Marks, as do we, believe that volatility is maybe the least relevant risk of all types of risks. He uses the example that he has never heard anyone say. "I won't buy it, because its price might show big fluctuations." The real risk he says is the permanent loss of capital, a risk most value investor think about the most. But if much risk is "subjective, hidden and unquantifiable", what is an investor to do? It breaks down to making a judgement call based on two things a) the stability and dependability of the value and b) the relationship between price and value. Marks also points out that since risk is non quantifiable and subjective, it can't be measured in retrospect any more than it can a priori. The discussions about risk are humbling. Investing is all about the future and attempting to minimize risk of loss, yet risk exists only in the future and its impossible to know the future. It is also impossible to know after the fact what the real risks were. Risk can't be modeled, most "worst-case scenarios" aren't negative enough and most people overestimate their ability to gauge risk. I will save his suggestions on dealing with all this for those who read the book. I will say that a large degree of fear of risk and low valuations by definition need to be present to allow for the possibility to achieve superior investment results.
The rest of the book talks about the concepts of contrarianism, the role luck plays in determining investment outcomes, being patient and having reasonable expectations.
The book is loaded with insightful quotes and ideas. Here are just a few to give you a sense for what to expect.
- "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."
- "To achieve superior investment results, you have to hold non-consensus views regarding value, and they have to be accurate. That's not easy."
- "Good times teach only bad lessons."
- The first test in looking at an idea is "and who doesn't know that?"
- "Leverage doesn't make anything a better investment or increase the probability of gains. It merely magnifies whatever gains or losses may materialize."
- "Risk means more things can happen than will happen."
- "The relation between different kinds of investments and the risk of loss is entirely too indefinite and too variable with changing conditions to permit sound mathematical formulation."
- "Investing consists of exactly one thing: dealing with the future. Yet it is clearly impossible to "know" anything about the future."
- "Think in terms of a range of outcomes, not single scenarios."
- "Loss is what happens when risk meets adversity."
- "The necessary condition for the existence of bargains is that perception has to be considerably worse than reality."
Every investor at almost any level will get something out of this book and is a great refresher for older types like us.
Here is another review on Guru Focus link.


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What can I do?
Know the indicators and red flags!
Labor Trafficking indicators
Call the Nebraska Adult & Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline 1-800-652-1999 or Local Law Enforcement to report suspicious activities that may look like trafficking situations.
Children and Family Services
Ivy Bloom301 Centennial Mall SouthP.O. Box 95026Lincoln, NE 68509-5026 402-471-9160
Documents in PDF format require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader,
which can be downloaded for free from Adobe Systems, Inc.


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Call (860) 859-2606 to get this deal
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National Snow & Ice - December 2008
The two satellite-derived images above show the daily snow cover across North America (left map) and the Northern Hemisphere (right map) throughout December 2008. The maps help illustrate the snow coverage expanding southward from the Canadian Provinces into the U.S. By the end of December, 37.9 percent of the country was covered by snow compared to 26.8 percent one month prior. Based on a NOAA-supported analysis by Rutgers University climatologists of NOAA satellite observations of snow cover extent, 6.8 million square miles (17.6 million square kilometers) of North America were covered by snow in December 2008, which is 0.4 million square miles (1.0 million square kilometers) above the 1966-2008 average. It was the seventh largest extent of snow cover for North America compared with 42 previous Decembers. The snow events that occurred in Louisiana and Las Vegas, described below, are visible in the animated loop.
During the month of December more than 2,000 daily snowfall records were broken across the U.S. The record snowfalls were the result of several winter storms that wreaked havoc along the western seaboard and across the Plains, Great Lakes and the Northeast. The more noteworthy snow events took place in the Desert Southwest, the Upper Midwest, the Northeast, southeast Texas, and southwestern Louisiana.
On December 11th, southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas experienced a rare accumulating snowfall. The event was caused by an upper level low pressure system that interacted with widespread rainfall lingering from a previous event. The snow lasted for a few hours and was accompanied by thunder and lightning. Snow totals ranged from a trace up to six inches. On the following day in the Northeast, the same storm coated trees and wires with ice, causing an estimated 1.4 million customers to lose power. The damage from the storm was so severe that President Bush declared a state of emergency across much of the New England area. It was reported that at least 2 deaths were a direct result of the storm.
On December 17th, the mountains of Southern California saw as much as 30 inches of snow while the Las Vegas, Nevada airport reported a new daily record of 3.6 inches. It was the most snow for Las Vegas during any month since 7.5 inches fell in January 1979. More than 200 daily snowfall records were set on the 17th. Most of these records were located in the states of Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. The active weather pattern allowed for strong weather systems to continuously track across the middle of the country, where record snow events began to occur on an every-other-day basis. More than 200 additional records were set on the 18th and 19th, when the same system that brought snow to Las Vegas moved northeast into the Great Plains. The snow totals from this system were generally in the range of six to ten inches.
These continuous snowfall events during December broke historical monthly records in many locations across the Upper Midwest. La Crosse, Wisconsin had their snowiest December on record as 32.7 inches fell. This also ranked as their fourth snowiest month on record. A December record of 45.6 inches of snow fell in Green Bay, Wisconsin, topping their previous record of 36.4 inches which was set in 1887. Madison, Wisconsin also experienced their snowiest December on record with 40.4 inches. Several locations in North Dakota received record amounts of snow in December, some of which were all-time monthly records. In Bismarck, the National Weather Service office recorded an all-time monthly snowfall record of 33.3 inches. Grand Forks received a record 30.1 inches of snow for the month, which was also their second snowiest month on record. Fargo also recorded an all-time record snowfall amount in any month with 33.5 inches. Additional events in the Upper Midwest brought the December snowfall totals to over 60 inches in some areas.
In the northwestern U.S., Portland, Oregon experienced their snowiest December with 18.9 inches recorded at the airport. This monthly total was their second snowiest month ever on record, bested only by the 41 inches that fell in January 1950. Spokane, Washington also set a December record with 46.2 inches of snow. The old record of 42.7 inches was set in 1996. To view additional records for the month, please visit NCDC's U.S. Records page.


text: I am willing to pay anyone that can fix this my site is HTML: http://greengoods2go.com My problem is haveing compatability with internet explorer verison 7. I need this corrected. I will pay to do it. Does anyone thing they can help me? Thanks First off I want the half the work done and then Ill py you the first half. Ill pay you the second half upon completion, sound far? Thnaks !fatjack EDIT: he cyklotrial thanks for the reminder, I appreciate it!


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A series of significant May earthquakes and their aftershocks are being examined by seismologists, who say Alaska is markedly above its usual rate of earthquakes for the month. Alaska Earthquake Center seismologist Natalia Ruppert said Alaska typically experiences a "background level" of 35,000 earthquakes each year, plus any significant earthquakes and their aftershocks.
The center typically sees about 3,000 quakes statewide in a month — but May has been well ahead of that pace, Ruppert said. "Right now, with the aftershocks, we recorded close to the monthly average in just the first 10 days," Ruppert said. The catalog of May temblors as of Wednesday included at least three larger than a 6, seven larger than a 5 and 50 larger than a 4 on the Richter scale, according to an overview compiled by the earthquake center's Ian Dickson. READ MORE


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Ah the Christmas baking that has gone on at my house this month. You people would think I am crazy if you saw it all! My the women in my husband's family do a cookie exchange so that we can have a huge variety of cookies without as much work, but that still means a lot of baking on my part. I did 5 different cookie recipes. Today I am sharing a favorite…of my husband and his family. I admit that it's not one that I eat, but that's because I am a chocolate snob and only eat chocolate. I am told that this cookie is AMAZING! Here's a Glazed Cinnamon Spice Christmas Cookie for you!
It's a spice cookie (cinnamon, molasses, cloves, that sort of thing) with a icing glaze on the top.
They are very soft and chewy too.
Let's make some!
Glazed Cinnamon Spice Cookies:
- 1/4 C shortening
- 3/4 C margarine
- 2 C sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 C molasses
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 T cinnamon
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4-4 1/2 C flour
- cinnamon sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix shortening and margarine. Add sugar and mix the ingredients together. Add eggs and molasses and mix again. Add spices and flour and mix until thoroughly combined. Dough should be just wet enough to still roll into a ball.
Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar until it is coated. Place on greased baking sheet (or better yet, use a Silpat mat).
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookie starts to crack.
While cookie bakes, make the glaze. Drizzle glaze on the cookies while they are still warm.
Glaze Recipe:
- 2 T margarine
- 1/4 C water
- 2 C powdered sugar (add more as needed)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix until thoroughly combined. Drizzle on cookies.
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Basketball Betting
Sports Betting Section
2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Basketball Preview
Last year, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (15- 16 overall, 5- 11 ACC) did not make a post-season appearance after tying for 10th in the ACC. Dino Gaudio (68- 124 overall in seven years) starts his first season as the Deacons head coach. Gaudio, a long time Wake Forest assistant, replaces Skip Prosser, who died of a heart attack in July. For Gaudio this season is about holding this young and inexperienced team together both on and off the court.
Wake Forest found itself outplayed in just about every area last season. They saw opponents outscore them 76.4 PPG to 73.8 PPG and outshoot them .468 to .455 which contributed to the NCAA point spreads. They were 12th in the ACC in scoring defense and turnovers.
Wake Forest's top scorer and rebounder, center Kyle Visser (17.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG), is gone and that leaves a big and short hole in the frontcourt. Wake's starting center will be David Weaver (2.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 52.8 FG%). Although athletic, Weaver has seen little playing time and will need to mature and develop quickly. Look for forward Jamie Skeen (7.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 43.3 FG%) to kick-up his game a notch or two. Small forward L.D. Williams (8.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 47.4 FG%) was an amazing force in his first year—blocking shots, smashing in dunks and hitting from downtown. He should be even better this season.
Sophomore Ishmael Smith (8.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG, 42.9 FG%) is a true point guard. He led the conference in assists but also turned the ball over too many times in his first year. Look for the speedy Smith to refine his game this season. The shooting guard position was problematic last season. Shooting guard Harvey Hale (8.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 35.5 FG%) proved to be a good defender but a poor shooter. Freshman Gary Clark, a fine shooter, will compete for the starting position.
The last time Wake Forest was in the post- season was 2005. With the death of Prosser and a talented but inexperienced team, Gaudio will have his hands full. Because they don't have a whole lot of rebounding power, pushing the ball up the court and finding the open man will both be important for this club to succeed in the conference tournaments.
2007-08 NCAA Basketball Previews
Here are the 6 major conferences as well as a mid major preview for the 2007 season.
To return to the Maddux's Main NCAA hoops preview page click
here. Also check us out for 2008
March Madness Coverage.
07-08 Conference Previews
College Basketball Predictions from Maddux Sports!


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A career at Clavister offers great opportunities for professional and personal development. We would love to welcome you to the Clavister family. Please find below our open positions.
|Open Application
|Competitive Analyst
|Örnsköldsvik or Stockholm
|Channel / Account Manager
If there are currently no open positions, or if you do not find a position that suits you, you are always welcome to send an open application to us. At Clavister, we are always on the look-out for new talented and competent people.
We are also interested in offering thesis projects to students, primarily in the Research and Development team.
Please do not hesitate to send in an Open Application using the following form if you are interested in working for Clavister. Describe what kind of position you are interested in and attach your resumé including previous employments, educations etc, preferably also a personal application letter. We are looking forward to meet you!


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Whole house reverse osmosis system is the need of time owing to the rising water crisis. When it is for your whole family then check out that what you require in the water system. An apt investment is a necessity which should be kept in mind in order to get the right RO system for your house.
Have a look on the tips to buy the perfect RO system:
• Check the quality of water which you need and it is recommended that first consult an expert who will guide you in buying the best system
• Types of systems are there and only after delving deeper should you decide about the one you want in your house
• It is preferable to buy the systems which are equipped with the apt equipment
With the availability of manganese, tannin, sulfur, iron and high hardness, you need to get them removed properly from water so that it becomes fit for consumption. Check if you have the following:
• Water softener
• Iron filter
• Carbon filter
• Anti-scalant system
These are the features which are required to provide you an apt service of water purification process.
RO system makes the water quite acidic and needs a correction of pH with the help of the filters that have the calcite. You should always invest in the high quality systems which are durable instead of going for the products which offer not so good ones. Major brands have come up with these systems thus making it worthy to buy one for your home.
Ro systems help in doing away with the contaminants like nitrate, PCB, arsenic and TCE and many people have been recommending the usage of these systems so that you don't have to compromise with your health. But compare and research well to invest in the best system for you.


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NOTICE: This opinion is subject to motions for rehearing under Rule 22 as well as formal revision before publication in the New Hampshire Reports. Readers are requested to notify the Clerk/Reporter, Supreme Court of New Hampshire, Supreme Court Building, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, of any errors in order that corrections may be made before the opinion goes to press. Opinions are available on the Internet by 9:00 a.m. on the morning of their release. The direct address of the court's home page is: http://www.state.nh.us/courts/supreme.htm
No. 96-514
April 21, 1997
Chamberlain & Shemitz, of Manchester (Michael R. Chamberlain on the brief and orally), for the plaintiff.
Seufert Professional Association, of Franklin (William J. Schultz on the brief and orally), for the defendant.
BRODERICK, J. The defendant, Christopher J. Seufert, appeals a Superior Court (Sullivan, J.) order granting the plaintiff's domestic violence petition. We reverse.
In June 1996, the plaintiff, Mary E. Seufert, filed a domestic violence petition in superior court. She alleged that the defendant, her husband at the time, had hit her son and demonstrated other outbursts of anger such that she was afraid for her safety and the safety of her children. The superior court entered an ex parte temporary restraining order and set a hearing for early July 1996.
Following the hearing, the superior court found that "the plaintiff has not established that defendant has abused" her. The court stated that the defendant had "never threatened or harmed [the plaintiff] and there's no basis for any claim of abuse of the plaintiff by the defendant." The court did, however, find that the defendant had struck the plaintiff's son, and ruled that this constituted domestic abuse. Accordingly, the court issued an order barring contact between the defendant and the plaintiff or her son. This appeal followed.
The defendant argues that the trial court erred in granting the plaintiff relief in the absence of any finding that the defendant had abused her. As we find this argument persuasive, we need not address the remainder of the defendant's arguments. See Dartmouth Motor Sales, Inc. v. Wilcox, 128 N.H. 526, 531, 517 A.2d 804, 808 (1986).
Under this State's domestic violence act, a court may grant relief "[u]pon a showing of abuse of the plaintiff by a preponderance of the evidence." RSA 173-B:4, I (1994 & Supp. 1996). "Abuse" is defined by the statute as the occurrence of one or more of several enumerated acts "between family or household members or current or former sexual or intimate partners." RSA 173-B:1, I (1994). "Family or household members" are defined to include spouses, ex-spouses, persons cohabitating with each other, and "[p]arents and other persons related by consanguinity or affinity other than minor children who reside with the defendant." RSA 173-B:1, II (1994) (emphasis added).
As a minor child who was residing with the defendant at the time of the incident, the plaintiff's son is specifically excluded from the class protected by the statute, and therefore, the defendant's acts against the son cannot, in and of themselves, constitute "abuse" under the domestic violence statute. While striking a child may be actionable under other statutory provisions, see, e.g., RSA ch. 169-C (1994 & Supp. 1996) (Child Protection Act); but see RSA 627:6, I (1996) (parent justified in using reasonable force for discipline), the present action was brought solely under the domestic violence statute. Similarly, while the abuse of a child could arguably "place another in fear of imminent bodily injury," RSA 173-B:1, I(b), thereby providing the foundation for a viable domestic violence petition, the court in the present case found that the defendant had not abused the plaintiff in any way. The defendant's abuse of the plaintiff's son cannot substitute for the abuse required by the statutory scheme, as the statute expressly excludes the plaintiff's son from the scope of its coverage. See RSA 173-B:1, II. As the trial court found that the defendant had not abused the plaintiff, the plaintiff failed to carry her statutory burden, see RSA 173-B:4, and her petition should have been denied.
All concurred.


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<<< << -- 3 -- Malcolm Miller ESPECIALLY DRAMATIC
The world première of John McCabe's Symphony on a Pavane highlighted a distinctively individual colourful if conservative musical personality in a work which was enjoyable both in its lighter qualities and deeper cultural resonances. If its genial brightness is far from the angst ridden depths of Sheriff's work, it shares with that piece a reinterpretation of Renaissance music, as it is an essay on Byrd's Fifth Pavane and Galliard from My Lady Neville's Book, a work familiar to McCabe in his other career as a concert pianist. The Byrd provides motivic and harmonic material for the whole symphony, particularly in the extensive development of a main motif, a strident 'scotch snap' idea which is relentlessly worked in the first of four linked sections which represent 'movements', cleverly linked through cinematic dissolving, including most evocatively the very end, a poetic dissolution into silence.
The atmospheric effects of film music also pervaded some of the textures, such as the brash opening in which the whole orchestra bursts into action, and textures where there is a plentiful use made of percussion including roto toms and celeste. From the fanfare angularity of the first subject idea, the rich basses provide a connecting tissue to the lyrical second subject in woodwind, mainly memorable as a colour. If there are echoes of Malcolm Arnold in the first two movements which display frenetic energy, in the third, the expressive heart of the work, it is the English pastoralism of Britten and Tippett, that comes to the fore, with beguiling solos for woodwind including the mellow bass oboe. There are some refreshing textures as in the last section, a Berlioz like galloping figure in the basses. The highpoint of the work after the poetic slow movement is the final section in which the Byrd appears, elusively as in Sheriff's work, a dream-like recollection of a past which somehow provides an anchor for the present.
The syncopated optimism of McCabe's new symphony elided well with Bernstein's jazzy vigour in his Chichester Psalms, here given a powerful account with the LPO Choir in excellent form and clear diction, the asymmetric metrical patterns alive and alert with sparkle. Especially poignant was the second movement, The Lord is my shepherd, projected in pure toned and immaculate Hebrew by the treble Christopher Sladdin, a promising chorister from St Paul's Cathedral. Here the percussive interjections of the choir and orchestra were especially dramatic. The impassioned orchestral prologue to the last movement was matched by the joyous singing and poignant a capella conclusion, the orchestral harmonic halo and trumpet intoning of the very Coplandesque cadence, framing the surprising tonal twists of the final choral cadence. The silence that followed attested to the powerful impression made by this work, masterly in its ability to balance contemporary elements and popular appeal which have made it a staple of the choral canon.