text:
The Torah Portion of Lech Lecha
Excerpted and Translated from the the Teachings of Rabbi Gershon Steinberg ztz"l
L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben Chaim ztz"l
L'ilui Neshamat R' Yochanan Yitzchak Ben Nachum z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Yaakov Ben Matisyahu HaLevi z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Michael Ben Nachman z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Zehava Bat Shlomo z"l
L'ilui Neshamat Esther Mushka Bat Yaakov HaLevi z"l
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Malka Bat Rivkah Zlata
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Deena Bat Tzion Bat Zehava
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Chaya Basha Bat Esther
L'refuat Hanefesh V'lrefuat Haguf L'Etan Naphtali Ben Zehava
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Rivkah Goldah Bat Chaya Basha
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Shimon Ben Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Simcha Pearl Bat Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Ahuva Nechama Bat Simcha Pearl
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Moshe Shlomo Ben Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Chaim Sh'muel Ben Rivkah Goldah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Avital Bat Rut
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Eliezer Yitzchak Ben Bracha Devorah
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Michael Itzhak Nesshael Ben Avital
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Naomi Chana Bat Chaya Basha
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Refael Ben Masha Etel
L'refuat Hanefesh V'lrefuat Haguf L'Fruma Freidel Bat Esther
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'Rav Daniel Reuven Ben Esther and
L'refuat Hanefesh V'l'refuat Haguf L'kol Am Yisrael V'l'geulah Hashleima Bekarov
"...Go for yourself..." (Bereisheet 12:1)
Rashi says, "for your pleasure and for your benefit". It is told about the Tzaddik (Righteous Man) Ba'al HaMaor Ainayim that he was very involved in performing the Mitzvah of Pidyon Sh'vuyim (redeeming captives). One time the Ba'al HaMaor Ainayim himself was a captive for a short time period, and it was revealed to him from Heaven that Hashem wanted him to experience for himself how it felt to be in captivity, so that he would know the greatness of the Mitzvah that he was involved in. Also with regards to Avraham, Hashem told him "Go for yourself, for your pleasure", so that when you will feel the suffering entailed by those who are traveling and the pleasure that they feel when they find a place to stay, you will know the greatness of the Mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim (hospitality -- receiving guests) that you perform.
"...Go for yourself from your land..." (Bereisheet 12:1)
The Gematria (numerical value) of the Hebrew words "Lech Lecha" (in English: "Go fo yourself") is 100. This is a hint to what Rashi says, "for your pleasure and for your benefit", since here you will not merit to have children and after 100 years there will be born to you a son. [Translator's note: the son being hinted at is Yitzchak, who was born when Avraham was 100 years old.]
"...from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house..." (Bereisheet 12:1)
It appears that is should have said this in a different order - first of all "from your father's house" and afterwards "from your birthplace" and finally after that, "from your land" (since physically a person traveling to a different country first leaves his father's house, then travels away from the local area, and finally departs from the country). But when a person leaves a place, first he forgets the country, and so it says first "from your land", after that the local area, and that is "from your birthplace", and after that his family, and that is "from your father's house" (so the order in which this phrase is written is referring not to the order in which Avraham would physically leave the place from which he originated, but rather the cognitive and emotional process of detachment from his past origins).
"...from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house..." (Bereisheet 12:1)
There is a hint here to that which is written in Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot 3:1): "Look at three things and you will not come into the hands of a sin -- know from where you came, to where you are going, and before Whom you are to give a judgment and an accounting in the future." "From your land"-- this is referring to the dust of the earth, and this is "to where you are going". "From your birthplace" -- this is referring to the origin of your birth, and this is "from where you came". "And from your father's house" -- this is referring to our Father in Heaven, and in the future you will give before Him a judgment and an accounting.
"And I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great..." (Bereisheet 12:2)
Rashi explains: "And I will make of you a great nation" is a reference to that which we say in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, "Elokei Avraham"; "I will bless you" is a reference to that which we say in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, "Elokei of Yitzchak"; "and I will make your name great" is a reference to that which we say in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, "V'Elokei Yaakov". Why don't we say "V'elokei Yisrael" instead of "V'elokei Yaakov"? This is because in the entire phrase, "...Elokei Avraham, Elokei Yitzchak, V'elokei Yaakov..." (in English: "G-d of Avraham, G-d of Yitzchak, and G-d of Yaakov") there are 26 letters, and 26 is the Gematria (Numerical Value) of the Name of Hashem. And if we were to say "Yisrael" instead of "Yaakov" there would be 27 letters. And behold, it's possible to say "Elokei Yisrael" instead of "V'elokei Yisrael", and leave off the letter "Vuv" (which is a prefix added onto a Hebrew word which means "and"), in which case there would be 26 letters but the rules of grammar would be violated. And that is hinted at by what we read in the first verse of the Haftorah: "Why do you say, Yaakov, and declare, Yisrael, my way is hidden from Hashem, and from Elokai my rule has been passed over?" (Yeshayahu 40:27). That is to say, ""Why do you say, Yaakov, and declare, Yisrael" - if instead of saying Yaakov you will say Yisrael, "my way is hidden from Hashem" - because if we say Yisrael then the hint to Hashem's name will be hidden, "and from Elokai my rule has been passed over" - if you remove the "Vuv" which is a prefix to Hebrew words indicating "and", then behold that's a violation of the rules of grammar.
"..and you will be a blessing." (Bereisheet 12:2)
Rashi says "with you they conclude", meaning that the first blessing in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer ends with the words "Magen Avraham" (in English: "Shield of Avraham"), that is, we end the blessing with the name of Avraham and not with the name of Yitzchak or Yaakov. And it is possible to explain this in another way, as follows: Avraham is the quality of Chesed (in English: kindness), as it is said "kindness to Avraham" (Micah 7:20). Yitzchak is Avodah (in English: service), for we see that he offered himself as a sacrifice. Yaakov is Torah as it is written about him "sitting in tents" (Bereisheet 25:27). And behold, it is written that "Tzion will be redeemed through justice and her penitent through Tzedakah (in English: charity)" (Yeshayah 1:27), meaning that before the coming of Mashiach there will be a lot of Chesed (kindness). And that is the explanation of Rashi's words "with you they conclude", the exile will be concluded with Avraham, that is, with the quality of Chesed (Kindness).
"And Avram went as Hashem had spoken to him..." (Bereisheet 12:4)
Avraham went because of the command of Hashem and not for his own enjoyment and benefit.
"...and the souls that they made in Charan..." (Bereisheet 12:5)
It is told in the Midrash, that one time Avraham Avinu hosted a guest who was an elderly 90 year old man. After the man finished eating and drinking, Avraham told him to cast off his idol worship, and he spoke with him for 6 hours in order to convince him and bring him close to Hashem. In the end the man took out his idol from his pocket and kissed it. Avraham said to him, "I gave you food and drink and spoke to you for 6 hours on this topic, and you still stuck to your opinion (to continue worshipping idols)", and he sent him away from his house. When the man left, the Holy One Blessed Be He said to Avraham, "I kept him alive for 90 years, because maybe he would do Teshuva (repent), and you, after only 6 hours, gave up on him". Immediately, Avraham went to look for the man, and begged him not to go now during the night when there are dangers on the road and dangerous animals, saying "Come back to me and I will give you a place to stay the night". And that is what the man did, and the next day Avraham again spoke to his heart for many hours until the man repented. From here we learn that one should never give up on any student, and even though he doesn't succeed in the beginning, he should return and try again and with the help of Hashem he will succeed, and he will see blessing and Nachat (satisfaction) from every single student.
"And it occurred, as he was about to come to Mitzrayim, he said to his wife Sarai, 'Behold, now have I known that you are a woman of fair appearance'." (Bereisheet 12:11)
The Ramban writes that Avraham Avinu inadvertently sinned a great sin when he brought his wife to the possibility of stumbling in a sin when he was afraid that they would kill him, and he should have trusted in Hashem to save him and his wife and everything that he had, for Elokim has the power to help and to save. Furthermore, his leaving the Land of Israel because of the famine, after he had previously been commanded to enter it, was also a transgression in which he sinned. For also in a famine, Elokim can save one from death. And because of this event, it was decreed upon his descendents exile in the land of Mitzrayim at the hand of Pharoah. In the place of judgment, there is the evil and the sin (see Kohelet 3:16). Maran HaGaon Rav Eleazar Menachem Man Shach ztz"l asks, from where does the Ramban know this, since we don't find it written in the Gemara or Midrash? And he explains that it is is written, "The secret of Hashem is to those who fear Him" (Tehillim 25:14). The Holy One Blessed Be He reveals secrets to those who fear Him.
"And he proceeded on his journeys..." (Bereisheet 13:3)
Rashi says that on his return, he repaid his debts. When he went to Mitzrayim, he borrowed from the lodging places that he rested at, because he didn't have money. And upon returning, since he had become wealthy, he repaid his debts. And there is an additional explanation, that the non-Jews asked him provocative questions: "You who are so attached to Hashem and rely upon Him, how is it that you are a poor person and Hashem doesn't help you?" And he answered them, "You will yet see that there will come a time that I will be very rich". And that is the explanation that on his return he repaid his debts, that is to say, that he was required to give them an answer to their questions, and he showed them that Hashem helped him.
"On his return he repaid his debts." (Rashi on Bereisheet 13:3)
When a man learns something the first time, he has questions and doesn't understand. But when he returns (i.e., reviews), it becomes more clear to him, and that is what is hinted about "on his return..." When one reviews another time, he repays his debts -- he finds an answer to his questions.
"And there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Avram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock..." (Bereisheet 13:7)
In the beginning the word used to refer to their arguing was "Reev" (in English: "quarreling"), which is a masculine word, and afterwards the word used was "M'reeva" (in English: "strife"), which is a feminine word. For the way of quarreling is that it begins with a small matter, like a male which doesn't give birth, and afterwards it is like a female, which does give birth, for the quarreling and divisiveness spread out. And this is a Mussar (Ethical) teaching, that one should not start a quarrel at all, because it is impossible to know what it will give birth to afterwards.
"And the fugitive came..." (Bereisheet 14:13)
Rashi says that this is Og, who escaped from the Flood, and his intention was that Avraham would be killed in the war and that he would marry Sarah. And in the Torah Portion of Chukat it's written that Moshe made war against Og and he was afraid of Og's merits (for having told Avraham about Lot's captivity -- even though his intentions were not good). All the moreso when a Jew does Mitvot and he has good intentions, certainly he receives a great merit.
Avraham risked his life to save Lot
The reason is that they were very similar in appearance, and in order prevent people from saying that Avraham was in captivity, he risked his life to rescue Lot so that there wouldn't be a Chillul Hashem (desecration of Hashem's name). Also, there are those that say that Avraham knew that from Lot would come out Amon and Moav, and from those nations would come out Ruth and Naama and all of the kings of the house of David, and because of that he risked his life for him.
"...I have lifted up my hand..that (I will not take) from a thread even to a shoe lace..." (Bereisheet 14:22-23)
Avraham did not want to take from the King of Sodom any payment or compensation, and it has been asked, why from Pharoah he did take gifts? And the explanation is that he wanted to hint to the King of Sodom that in the war (of the four kings versus the five kings) there was not any act based on the strength and power of his hand, but rather everything was by miraculous means from Hashem may He be blessed, and therefore he isn't entitled to any payment of a reward.
"...from a thread even to a shoe lace..." (Bereisheet 14:23)
Avraham didn't want to benefit from the King of Sodom at all. The Sages say that in the merit of "a thread", he merited Tzitzit (the fringes on the Tallit prayer shawl) and in the merit of "a shoe lace" he merited Tefillin (in English: phylacteries). The Chatam Sofer says that it is written in the Halacha that one needs to put on the right shoe first, but when it comes to tying, one ties the shoe on the left foot before the right. The reason for this is that shoes need to be tied, and the tying of the shoe hints at the Tefillin which we tie on the left and not the right. And this is hinted at by what Avraham said "even to a shoe lace", which hints at the Tefillin, for also the tying of the shoe needs to be similar to the tying of Tefillin which is on the left.
"And he took him outside ... 'Gaze, now, toward the Heavens, and count the stars..' And He said to him 'So shall your offspring be." (Bereisheet 15:5)
He hinted to him that just as the stars, although they appear very small, in truth they are larger in size by several orders of magnitude than the size of the earth; similarly Israel, even though in comparison to the other nations they appear small, in truth they are very great and important.
"And the angel of Hashem said to her, 'Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to suffer under her hand'." (Bereisheet 16:9)
Why does the verse add "under her hand"? Behold, it is sufficient for the verse to say "Return to your mistress and submit yourself to suffer". But rather, the intention of what the angel said to her, is that if it is decreed upon a person to undergo suffering, nothing can help him and no matter where he flees to he will still undergo the suffering. And that is why the angel said to Hagar, "Return to your mistress and submit yourself to suffer under her hand". It is worthwhile and preferable for you to suffer under the hand of Sarah rather than suffering someplace else.
"On that very day was Avraham circumcised, and Yishmael his son." (Bereisheet 17:26)
Rashi wrote that "on that very day" means that on the day when 99 years were filled for Avraham and 13 years were filled for Yishmael, they were circumcised. The Ramban explains that "on that very day" that he was commanded in this Mitzvah, he and all those who were born in his house, 318 men and all those purchased of his money, were circumcised. And the verse comes to tell us the great level of Avraham's fear of Hashem, and the level of all the members of his household, for all of them were alacritous to fulfill Mitzvot without delay.
The Positive Commandment of Brit Milah (Circumcision)
Someone who doesn't circumcise himself after he becomes obligated in the Mitzvot (i.e., after he reaches the age of Bar Mitzvah - 13 years old) is liable for the punishment of Koreit (spiritual excision), and his father transgresses the positive commandment after 8 days.
The Torah Portion of Lech Lecha has 126 verses. One positive commandment.Haftora: "Lama Tomar Ya'akov" (Yeshayahu 40).
We saying a blessing for those who fast on Yom Beit - Yom Hey - Yom Beit.
We say Borchi Nafshi.
May you all have a light-filled and happy Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom.
L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben R' Chaim ztz"l, Nilkach L'Bait Olamo Yud Gimmel Tishrei 5772


text:
Sandra Bullock will keep Quvenzhane Wallis from getting adopted in Annie
For a woman who spent most of her career on television, when Carol Burnett took the role of Miss Hannigan in ANNIE she knocked it out of the park. A woman who is clever, funny, and has the quickest of quips fit the role of one of meanest ladies ever to grace the big screen.
Now that the movie adaptation of the broadway musical inspired by the comic strip (phew!) is getting a remake, or update so to speak it looks like Sandra Bullock might be the one to bring something new to Miss Hanningan.
If Bullock signs on she will play the sometimes tipsy, hag of a woman who runs the orphanage but hates children. Quvenzhane Wallis is already set to star as Annie, the little firl that lives under Hannigan's roof. Jamie Foxx is set to star as the modern day version of Daddy Warbucks who is now called Benjamin Stacks. Clever.
However, Bullock may not have this part just yet. Early in March the Sony had talks with the actress and she wound up passing on the role. The studio is now back at the table with Bullock to hopefully get her on board.
Production on ANNIE is said to begin this Fall with a late 2014 release.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This project is no longer listed in the FindAPhD
database and may not be available.
This studentship is one of a number of fully funded studentships available to the best UK and EU candidates available as part of the NERC DTP CENTA consortium. The award will provide tuition fees as the UK/EU rate and a stipend at the RCUK rates for a period of 3.5 years.
For more details of the CENTA consortium please see the CENTA website: www.centa.org.uk.
Applicants must meet requirements for both academic qualifications and residential eligibility: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/skills/postgrad/


text:
We give support for frequently asked questions and issues via live chat.
Our agents can help with the below and more, any issue we can't assist with we will give you the best options to get it resolved. As easy as that.
- How to activate a phone
- Compatible phones
- Coverage issue
- How to save when Roaming
- How to increase your data speed
- How to add a line
- How to get your phone repaired and warranty info
What customers are saying
@FamilyMobile @adamiller28 Love, love, love not having to worry about contracts #MaxYourTax
— Barbara Kesterson (@Demonslayer53) February 12, 2015
@FamilyMobile Great prices, great phones great plans what more could we ask for #MaxYourTax
— Lesa Moats (@lesaann98) February 12, 2015
Talk with a real person by clicking the live chat support located on the right hand side of the screen. Please note our agents don't have access to your personal records.
If our live chat is offline you can always call 877-308-9621. Tip: Enter your phone number, if you don't have one keep pressing #


text:
Last month, I wrote this Poem. I am happy to post it here, in my blog, on Valentine's Day.
Pink Angel
You are no ordinary girl,
You are indeed a Priceless Pearl.
You are an Angel, dressed in Pink,
At your view, my heartbeat sink.
When you look over my board,
My pieces tremble, in excitement.
Anytime I walk on the road,
I see your face on the pavement.
When I'm not thinking about my move,
I'm thinking of You.
Your walk radiates a patience,
Your smile twinkles with modesty.
Your mild stare accelerates my pieces,
Your glittering glare makes me resign.
Thought of You keeps me up at night,
I could not sleep or eat, until I write,
A Poem to describe your beauty and might,
For You, with anybody, I am ready to fight.
You, I want to win,
Beauty radiates from your skin,
I wish I were your next of kin,
As to not know You is in itself a sin.
I never knew myself as a Poet,
Until I met You,
My heart and brain are orchestrating a riot,
Whether to get You!
I have no questions in my mind,
You seem like a rare kind of kind,
If it's a slow game, I can grind,
You make my life go rewind.
Signing Off, Randy Alstone!
Stay Alstoned!


text:
It includes every step of how to crochet your own cute Santa.
** Discounted now until Christmas! **
This project is fun and simple to make. These Santa will be great for you to give as Christmas presents, or as something unique to brighten up your own tree.
The app contains full instructions plus plenty of photos.
It also contains tick boxes for every step, so you can record where you are up to. No more losing count of how many rows you've done!
Also included is a list of the materials and tools that you need for the project, with a picture.
As well as the steps for this design, there's also general crochet help included:
As glossary to explain any crochet terms.
Videos for six of the common techniques.
A guide to tools needed for crochet.
(There will also be a link to an online shop where you can buy a kit of all the items necessary)
The app doesn't have any annoying adverts. There is a gallery page to see the other patterns available.
There is an option in the app the keep the screen on while you're using it.
This allows you to keep your phone at your side to remind you of where you're up to. If you use this option then plugging in the phone's power will keep it on indefinitely.
Download it now!
(The app also can "install to SD card." If you need space on your phone's memory then this means it doesn't take up any space internally. It doesn't affect how the app works at all.)
You are allowed to use this product only within the laws of your country/region. SharewareOnSale and its staff are not responsible for any illegal activity. We did not develop this product; if you have an issue with this product, contact the developer. This product is offered "as is" without express or implied or any other type of warranty. The description of this product on this page is not a recommendation, endorsement, or review; it is a marketing description, written by the developer. The quality and performance of this product is without guarantee. Download or use at your own risk. If you don't feel comfortable with this product, then don't download it.


text:
Power Point Lessons
The following files are Power Point lessons from the "Artistic Song Leading" series. They can be used in conjunction with the text book or alone. The purpose is to help congregations improve the singing aspect of their worship services. It should also be used to help those who would lead singing sharpen their skills.
You will need Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer to open these files. download here
If you need a FREE copy of the text book "Artistic Song Leading" you can download it here. Artistic Song Leading
NOTE: These resources are offered free to visitors and subscribers. They are for personal or educational use only and are not for resale or commercial distribution of any kind. They are the intellectual property of the author.


text:
Georgina Ellis
Georgina Ellis, also known as Gina Ellis and Gina Clarke, is a fanzine editor and artist from Canada.
Georgina Ellis began publishing fanzines and producing fan art in the early 1950s in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
She began contributing to fanzines in 1953, sending her art work to Harry Calnek's fanzine Canadian Capers in Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia. She occasionally signed her surrealistic work as "Sali Dali".
One of her early fanzines was called Mimi, published in the early 1950s as a member of Canadian Amateur Fan Publishers. It included an article by Harry Calneck, and her own on-stencil artwork. In 1955 she began publishing Wendigo.
Harry Warner, Jr., writing about the 1950s, said; "In Calgary, the most notable fan was Georgina Clarke, famous far and wide for her fanzines".
She was known as "Dutch Ellis" at this time. In 1965 she married Norm Clarke, and together they moved to Aylmer, Quebec, where they began publishing fanzines together. They released a few issues from this location before moving to Ottawa, Ontario, where the majority of their zines were published, such as Honque, and Queebshots with co-editor Boyd Raeburn, a series of unrelated one shots unified by the title alone. They both remained active in the Fantasy Amateur Press Association into the 1970s, releasing their zine Descant up until that time. Georgina, her husband Norm, and Boyd Raeburn were also members of the APA 'Lilapa'.
Gina Ellis began writing for Terry Carr's Lighthouse, in whose pages she was referred to as the "Duchess of Canadian Fandom". In the mid 1970s, Susan Wood concocted a mock feud in the pages of Energumen when she decided to usurp Gina's title and elevated Gina to "Grand Duchess". She had met Boyd Raeburn who told her he didn't know where Gina had got the nickname, but assured Susan that Gina wouldn't mind. Susan wrote, "Consider yourself aggrandized by the next generation, Ma'am." Susan later paid homage to Raeburn, Ellis and Clark's Queebshots by releasing a Queebshot of her own.
During the time she was married, Georgina used the name 'Gina Clarke' but after Norm Clark died she resumed using her original name.
In February of 1979, Gina Ellis was scheduled to be a guest at the convention Wiscon 3. In 2005, it was reported in Vegas Fandom Weekly #59 that she was the President of the Pagan Federation of Canada.


text:
Sofa Beds
We can add a pullout sofa bed to almost any of our custom Sofas, Condo Sofas and Loveseats models. Sofa beds are also an option for most sectionals!
Sofa Beds are available in Twin, Full and Queen sizes. Our standard sofa bed features a 5 ½" spring coil mattress and DOES NOT have those annoying support bars like Mom's old pull out bed. We also offer a COZY MATTRESS® which is a 7" spring coil mattress with pillow topper.
Sofa beds are a great option when you have company as they are more reliable than air mattresses and more comfortable too. Our sofa beds pull out and store in a matter of seconds and are a great way to add another "bedroom" to your living space without having to add floor space.


text:
Upon an autumn day it so transpired that I, Chadders, the lowly son of a librarian's assistant, was tasked to accompany The Most Esteemed Lady Petersen on a journey of some several hundred miles. We were to travel from Leeds, a small city in the north of England, to the Scottish town of St.Andrews. Our purpose was to proclaim the message of food justice to the town's inhabitants.
The journey, undertaken by carraige, was a long but pleasant one. For the most part our spirits were high, and there was much amusing conversation and merriment. There were moments, however, in which we were afflicted somewhat by that weariness that falls upon all travelers occasionally. Nevertheless, we reached St.Andrews promptly, and in good humour.
There the weather is cold and the nights are long, and yet the streets are well lit and peopled by youngsters of an unpretentious, courteous and helpful ilk. The buildings are old, stately and grand in appearance; at the sight of them one is disposed to pine for the blessings of a forgotten time, when the activity of men was dedicated solely to the noble pursuit of knowledge, and wizards roamed freely in the local countryside. Or something like that.
We wandered for some time before being pointed in the way of our final destination- the university chaplaincy- by a friendly band of charity fundraisers. Once safely ensconced within the chaplaincy walls we met with our audience for the evening, a quiet and thoughtful group of young men and women - some drawn from the local chapter of the Student Christian Movement. Inevitably tea and biscuits were served.
Henceforth the main business of the evening was commenced. This consisted in a talk given by Lady Petersen to the group on the subject of food justice. She spoke with a remarkable eloquence and passion, displaying a thorough knowledge of the myriad and complex issues relating to the topic at hand. It was indeed most impressive and pleasurable to witness, both for myself and I suspect for the rest of the group also. At various points during the proceedings, discussions were held amongst the group, each of which was conducted with the utmost grace and civility.
Following a serving of apple crumble and ice cream, which was most well received by all, the time came for us to part company. Many kind and gracious words were exchanged amongst the group before we each made our separate ways into the night.
Who knows what will come of such a gathering? Perhaps nothing. Perhaps, on the other hand, a passion for food justice shall be kindled in the heart of one who was present. Perhaps over time this passion shall be manifested in a great many virtuous and noble deeds. In any case, I shall retain a memory of an evening spent in good conversation, with pleasant company, in most agreeable and comfortable surroundings. That memory in itself, I believe, is a thing to cherish.


text:
Wearsider David Bolt heads to the National Championships in good spirits after landing his first indoor County Champion of Champions title.
The first of the season's finals went under the radar this week as the singles final was played at Darlington.
Originally planned for today, the final was brought forward and Bolt cruised to a 21-4 win over Shildon's Billy Maddison, securing South Shields' third County Champion of Champions title.
The remaining finals take place tomorrow at Hartlepool. Stanley's Brett Arkley and John Thurlbeck take on Aycliffe's Dave Quickmire and Barry Attwood in the pairs at 10am.
There is a double header at 2pm, featuring the triples final between Billy Maddison (Shildon) and David Quickmire (Aycliffe) and the fours clash of Brett Arkley (Stanley) and Brian Poulter (Gateshead).
The National Championships get underway at Melton Mowbray today.
A full week of action will see 12 national titles decided.
The fours opens proceedings today. Local hopes lie with the South Shields quartet of Phil Dixon, Mal Peach, Gary Farquhar and David Bolt, who face Westlecot's Neil Smith in the last 16.
The tie of the round is the clash of Andy Thomson (Cyphers) and Stephen Farish (Cumbria).
The Ladies' fours is also on today, with the Durham quartet of Sandra Hind, Faye Slinn, Eileen Horan and Anne Bernard taking on Lincoln's Penny Strong in their last 16 tie.
On Monday, Hartlepool's Carl Higgins, Marc Squirrell and Paul Hartley face Bedford Borough's Wayne Bailey in the triples. Then, on Wednesday Higgins and Hartley face Adur's David Hubbard in the pairs' last 16.
The blue riband event, the singles, gets underway on Friday, with Hartlepool's Glenn Skipp meeting Bedford Borough's Russell Thompson.
There is no local interest in the Ladies' pairs or triples, however Hartlepool's Lauren Mosley faces Lincoln's Penny Strong in the singles.
Four team events conclude the week.
In the Under-25 double fours, Devon face Lincolnshire, while Lincoln meet Palmerston in the Ladies' Vivienne Trophy final.
The Over-60s Inter-County final will feature Kent and Norfolk, and the same two counties meet in the final of the Ladies' Atherley Trophy.
England's men won the Home International Series title for a third successive year in Belfast last weekend.
As has been the norm in recent years, the series was decided by the auld enemy clash against Scotland.
England ran out 118-112 winners to compete their title hat-trick and seal a 37th Hilton Trophy success.
South Shields' David Bolt played third to Jamie Chestney and the rink was unbeaten in their three matches. Overall, England only had three losing rinks out of the 18 played.
The final round of Inter-County League fixtures take place next weekend.
The curtain on 35 years of competing in the league finally falls on Sunderland as they face South Shields in their final fixture.
Sunderland team – at Houghton: R Usher, W Roberts, R Jobling, F Froud; E Downes, P Thomson, M Davis, P Thomson; At South Shields: G Brown, M Carr, TW Todd, S Angus; A Grimes, P Brickle, J Jones, P Dixon
Houghton end their campaign against Durham, with the team still to be selected.
Houghton's Joe Sutherland, Freddie Fletcher and Foster Johnson ran out 21-15 winners over Durham in Week 10 of the Seniors Premier League at Gateshead.
The win was Houghton's fourth out of 10. The final round of fixtures takes place at Ferryhill in April with leaders Gateshead A needing a point against Ferryhill A to take the title. Houghton's final fixture is against Gateshead B.
Latest table: Gateshead A played 8 pts 14, Stanley A 7-10, Darlington B 8-10, Houghton 8-8, Durham 8-8, Ferryhill A 7-8, Darlington A 7-6, Gateshead B 7-6, Ferryhill B 8-4, Stanley B 8-2
The Seniors Inter-Club League's end-of-season play-offs are taking place.
Durham B defeated Shildon 3-2 to reach the last four and will meet either Darlington A or B in Tuesday's semi-final at Darlington (12.30pm).
Hartlepool A beat South Shields in the other half of the draw and next meet The Parks or Houghton A.
The final will be at Darlington on Wednesday (12.30pm).
The Durham County Seniors maintained their unbeaten record to secure the Midlands League title with a 151-101 win over Nottingham at York.
The 18-4 points return saw Durham leapfrog Yorkshire at the top of the table to take the title by five points.
Final table: Durham 94, Yorkshire 89, Nottinghamshire 59, Warwickshire 44, Lincolnshire 32, Leicestershire 10
The latter stages of the Houghton club competition dates have been confirmed.
Singles quarter-finals – Tuesday, April 6 (6.30pm): P Thomson (jnr) v S Tindale, B Henderson (snr) v S.Patterson, Pat Thomson v J Sutherland, E McKeown v P Thomson (snr)
Pairs semi-finals – Monday, April 10 (6.30pm): TW Todd v AJ Dunn, W Piggott v T Burt
Triples semi-finals – Friday, April 7 (6.30pm): S Patterson v D Todner, W Piggott v AJ Dunn
Fours semi-finals – Friday, April 7 (6.30pm): D Sim v S Kempster, R Johnson v B Henderson
Over-60s singles – Wednesday, April 5 (10.30am): P Thomson v R Jobling, F Froud v MWright
Pairs semi-finals – Sunday, April 9 (10am): F Froud v AJ Dunn, W Piggott v P Brickle
Triples semi-finals – Monday, April 10 (10.30am): W Piggott v TW Todd, F Froud v AJ Dunn
Fours semi-finals – Saturday, April 8 (10.30am): W Piggott v R Johnson, F Froud v TW Todd
Ladies singles final – to be confirmed: N Stephenson v E Faith
Pairs semi-finals – Friday, March 24 (2.30pm): S Moody v N .Stephenson, E Faith v M Eggleston
Triples final – Friday, March 31 (2.30pm): E Faith v N Stephenson
Mixed pairs semi-finals – Thursday, April 6 (2.30pm): E Faith v B Robson, F Phythian v J Watt
As the outdoor season is now less than a month away, the Bowls Durham County competition draws have taken place.
The old six districts have now been reorganised into four areas.
Locally, Houghton Dairy Lane, Hylton Colliery and Washington Glebe have moved into Area 2 alongside the majority of the Sunderland-based clubs.
Seaham, Dawdon and Hetton Workmen's have moved into Area 4, which will see a bit of travelling as they are in with Hartlepool & Stockton clubs.
The other change will see all the ties played on a set night, with the County finals played at Silksworth on Sunday, July 30.
There is a Grindon League meeting on Wednesday (6.45pm) at Grindon Mill.


text:
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Hellcat: What Could Be
(Editor's Note: Images 1 and 2 are illustrations while 3-9 show the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT.)
Earlier this year, at the 2014 New York Auto Show, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles tapped Dodge to showcase an all-new 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine. The Hellcat, as this new engine quickly became known as, first debuted in the redesigned 2015 Dodge Challenger followed by an appearance in the all-new 2015 Dodge Charger later on in the year. Unlike new vehicles, new engines don't always receive the recognition it deserves. Not the Hellcat though.
The all-new Hellcat V8 engine is the most powerful engine Chrysler has ever produced for a street legal vehicle. It produces 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque with a price tag just under $64,000. For the sake of comparison, the next closest vehicle in terms of power is the BMW M5, and that starts at $78,000 while shorting you at least 132 horsepower. We've already seen Dodge shoehorn the Hellcat engine into the Challenger and Charger but what about the other products in SRT's portfolio - the Chrysler 300 SRT and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT? While the future remains cloudy with the 300, Fiat-Chrysler has gone ahead and trademarked the name "Trackhawk," playing off of the "Trailhawk" name seen on the new Jeep Cherokee, which has subsequently sparked speculation of a Hellcat-equipped Grand Cherokee SRT.
Also: The Class of 2015 -- New Vehicles Ready to Roll
The images above are illustrations of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT with a 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 engine under the hood. It shares similar styling cues with the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT that is currently on sale. This mock-up, however, sports the Hellcat badging on the front fenders and tailgate while the hood features a few more air vents like the other Hellcat-equipped models. And like the Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat, the proposed Grand Cherokee SRT Hellcat has a wide, lower grille designed to chug air.
Currently, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is only offered with the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine which is rated at 475 horsepower. It's no slouch in its own right but offering the Hellcat in SRT's most robust (and popular) model only seems natural. If Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat-Chrysler, gives the green light to mate the Hellcat V8 engine with the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, it will be interesting to see what happens to the "Trackhawk" name. A few things could happen with it, including seeing the Trackhawk name tethered to the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine in the Grand Cherokee lineup. Like in the Challenger and Charger portfolio, the Hellcat and its 707 horsepower would then become the top available Grand Cherokee offering. Another rumor that's gained steam regarding the Trackhawk trademark includes a high-output Cherokee with that drivetrain also serving under the next-generation Dodge Journey and possibly even as motivation for the upcoming Dodge Dart SRT.
It's interesting to see what could be when it comes to the Hellcat engine and other possible landing spots. One thing is for sure though - the addition of the Hellcat to the ever-popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT seems destined for success.
More Jeep news...
Quick Take: 2014 Jeep Wrangler Willys Wheeler
2015 Jeep Cherokee and Chrysler 200 share standard start/stop
2015 Jeep Renegade rocks in Geneva debut
Popular at KBB.com


text:
Looks like the software folks from Redmond, Washington are chasing down a problem in Windows 7 that has some laptop owners wondering if the latest version of Windows is draining their devices' battery.
It appears that several laptop users on the TechNet forums are experiencing lower charging capacity and shortened battery lives once they upgraded to the new operating system. One frustrated TechNet Forum poster DanLee81 explains:
My battery is less than ONE year old, and now it only holds a charge for less than one hour. It used to be two hours on average battery life, but a couple weeks ago, Windows 7 decided that 28% battery life remaining = 0%. It went from 28% to 0% in the matter of minutes, then windows hibernated. Ever since then I can only charge to 72% battery and at that charge percentage, the battery will only last 30 min.
In a communication from Microsoft, the company has said it is looking into the battery problem. A spokesperson said:
We are investigating this issue in conjunction with our hardware partners, which appears to be related to system firmware. We are working with our partners to determine the root cause and will update the forum with information and guidance as it becomes available.
Hopefully Microsoft will come up with a solution to this issue very soon. Certainly there are TechNet forum users very anxious to see what Microsoft has to say such as DanLee81. He expressed in a later post:
Good job Microsoft, you just cost me (and almost all windows 7 laptop owners) their battery!! Now what are you going to do!!?
Read more at TechNet Forums, found via CNET.


text:
Located 2 km from the Carosello Ski Folgaria lifts, Longanorbait is an intimate property with a relaxing garden and sun terrace. It offers Alpine-style rooms with Dolomite views and an LCD TV. Rooms at the family-run Longanorbait B&B are decorated with natural wood furnishings. Each comes with a fridge and private bathroom. A daily continental breakfast is provided in the dining room. Folgaria has a number of restaurants serving Trentino cuisine. Trento is 27 km from the property. Lake Garda is ...a 45-minute drive away.Read more
|Località Carpeneda 34


text:
Southwestern food is an indigenous regional cuisine.
It has evolved over a long period of time, and has been
molded and shaped by a variety of influences,
including Native American, Hispanic, Mexican, Tex-Mex,
and the neighboring Cajun and Creole cuisines.
It is characterized by straightforward cooking techniques
and defined by bold, strong flavors.
---- Mark Miller, author
Coyote Cafe cookbook, 1989
I'm sure that battles and turf wars have been waged over how to prepare some of New Mexico's better known food specialties:
I've even had disputes with people over how to prepare a good pot of rice to go along with New Mexico cuisine (I always prepare mine with short grain rice, adding oregano, cumin, pinon nuts, salt, and green chile powder).
I love cooking for people, but when New Mexico fare is on the stove, there is bound to be discussion, analysis, critique, and at times, downright criticism. This might include a comment such as "... here is how I would do it ..." to "... my mother/grandmother always ..." or "... I can't believe that some people ..."
Curiously, this isn't always fueled by Native New Mexicans. Rather, there is something about making local cuisine that just stirs things up ..... more than any discussion of religion or politics can ever do. Now surely, this is not unique to New Mexican cooking, but this level of dialog never arose when I was cooking for friends and guests in California.
My word, the Official State Question, adopted by the New Mexico state legislature in 1999 is "Red or Green," referring to the mixed preference people feel over whether red or green chile is better. This issue is so important that this is the first question diners are asked when they order a meal (I will point out that I have an opinion about which is better---red or green---but like many food matters, it's best to keep opinions to oneself).
Food in the political sphere of New Mexico doesn't end with chile. The official state cookie---seriously, do all states have one---is the biscochito (adopted by the New Mexico Legislature in 1989). Chile, along with frijoles (beans, folks), was adopted as one of New Mexico's two official state vegetables in 1965.
Is it that our legislature has nothing better to do with their time than discuss food? Hardly. Food in New Mexico is big business. During the months of June and July, New Mexico supplies more than 50% of onions consumed in the United States. New Mexico is the oldest wine making region in the country, as the first grapevines were planted here in in 1629 in Senecu, a Piro Indian pueblo south of Socorro. Wine was such a popular beverage, that by 1884, New Mexico was fifth in the nation in its production. Even now, New Mexico now has 42 wineries, producing almost 700,000 gallons of wine per year.
A peculiarly New Mexican product----shipped to countries throughout the world----is the pinon nut. Native to the foothills of rough lands, the pinon crop in good years---the trees bear heavily only once every four or five years---has a monetary value running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And don't even get me started on pecans. Though they are native to the Mississippi River Valley, pecans arrived in New Mexico around the turn of the 20th century. Small pecan acreages are found in Quay, Curry, DeBaca, and Valencia Counties, but the New Mexico pecan industry is largely centered in the southern counties. 70% of the industry is in the Mesilla Valley and you can't go more than 10 feet in Mesilla or Dona Ana without running into an orchard.
Add to the above our production of olives, balsamic vinegar, chiles, cotton, garlic, apples and a myriad of vegetables----in a state with comparatively low volumes of surface water---and you can see why food is so important to the New Mexico economy and lifestyle.
But enough of that. How do you actually prepare and eat the foods that make up New Mexico history and lifestyle? Well, we're back to differences of opinion, but most cooks agree that it all starts with the chile.
Chiles crave warm, dry weather and warm soil. Enter New mexico; especially southern New Mexico. What oranges are to Florida; potatoes to Idaho; flamenco to Spain; pasta to Italy; ships to sea .... oh, you get it. New Mexicans love chile and it plays a huge part here, be it consumed, dried and hung on a gate, adorned on a mug, or served with just about anything you can think of eating (yes, even pancakes).
According to USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, New Mexico accounts for more than 37 percent of the chile grown in the U.S. Admitedly, the industry is in steep decline---which is sad, and the reasons complex---but 77% to 3/4 of consumers surveyed say that New Mexico-grown chile is better than chile grown in other regions. And they're right (see, I told you there is a lot of opinion surrounding foods of New Mexico).
Chile's (did you notice the spelling) arrive on the scene in New Mexico by mid-August. The aroma of roasting chile dominates in New Mexico until at least mid-November. If you talk to anyone in New Mexico, they are convinced they know which orchard produces the best chile; who can roast them better than anyone else; and which types can be successfully frozen, versus consumed immediately.
Aside from the ritual of roasting chile, they are readily available in most grocery stores in New Mexico, year-round. After November, most of those chiles come from Mexico, but if bought before February, they can still be plump and flavorful.
If you're buying green chile at the store or farmers market, my advice for preparation is as follows:
Have I really focused so much on chile thus far? That's New Mexico for you. We can talk chile all day long, for many days in a row.
But hey! There are so many other ingredients that go into New Mexico cooking. Where to go next? Ah, how about Posole! Stay tuned for the recipe and photos.


text:
While her younger sister was holed up with baby North West, Kourtney Kardashian enjoyed what looks like a lovely beach day over the weekend with her two adorable children, Mason and Penelope. Mason frolicked in the ocean while wearing a tiny swimsuit. Penelope relaxed in the shade in an elaborate floral headpiece. It looked like one of those days you just don't want to end. But the most adorable aspect of the outing was Kourtney and her ridiculously cute beach outfit. Mama looked hot. And let's be honest, that's no easy feat when there's sand and a blazing hot sun involved. In fact, I, too, went to the beach over the weekend, and my attempt at being stylish wound up looking more like sweaty raccoon. It was awesome.
So how did Kourtney do it?
Money. Just kidding. Kind of. I mean, money does make looking good much easier than no money, but looking good at the beach can be done, budget-style. Here are a few tips:
1. Try tube mascara instead of waterproof. I learned the hard way over the weekend that "waterproof" doesn't always mean "sweat-proof". Tube mascara, on the other hand, basically requires a chisel to get off. So try that instead. You'll be able to spend hours baking in the sun or swimming in the ocean and there will be nary a black runny line in sight.
2. Invest in a cute neutral swimsuit coverup. Sure, Target has a million and one cute beach coverups, but it's okay to spend more than $15 on one. After all, you'll probably live in it this summer. Find a coverup you really love, and go for it. But word to the wise: Neutral, solid coverups wind up looking most chic. I mean, look at Kourtney.
3. Defrizz your hair. If you're one of those women who has naturally frizz-free hair, you can skip this tip. Also, I hate you. For the rest of us, we need to seriously defrizz before going to the beach. Water = humidity. Humidity = frizz. If you want to look beach chic, try smoothing a few drops of Frizz Ease into damp hair before heading out the door. No need to blow dry and flat iron, as your hair will probably wind up getting wet, but a little smoothing can go a long way when you're spending the day at the beach.
And have fun! That's the chicest look of all.
How do you look chic at the beach?
Image via Splash


text:
It managed to make it into space but not quite orbit. Still a hell of an acheivement for their first flight of a new rocket. With any luck that problem will be fixed shortly and their second launch will be properly orbital. Letting little NZ joing the club of orbital launch facilities.
One of the parts I find really neat is how their resource consent allows them to legally launch up to 120 times a year. Though they're only aiming for 50 times a year to begin with.
Anyways, who knows, maybe in a few decades NZ will contain a whole set of launch facilities into orbit. Taking advantage of the benefits being in the middle of nowhere gives us. *crosses fingers*
https://rocketlabusa.com/latest/rocket- ... o-space-2/
Rocket Lab broke new ground today when its Electron rocket reached space at 16:23 NZST.
Electron lifted-off at 16:20 NZST from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. It was the first orbital-class rocket launched from from a private launch site in the world.
"It has been an incredible day and I'm immensely proud of our talented team," said Peter Beck, CEO and founder of Rocket Lab. "We're one of a few companies to ever develop a rocket from scratch and we did it in under four years. We've worked tirelessly to get to this point. We've developed everything in house, built the world's first private orbital launch range, and we've done it with a small team.
"It was a great flight. We had a great first stage burn, stage separation, second stage ignition and fairing separation. We didn't quite reach orbit and we'll be investigating why, however reaching space in our first test puts us in an incredibly strong position to accelerate the commercial phase of our programme, deliver our customers to orbit and make space open for business," says Beck.
Over the coming weeks, Rocket Lab's engineers in Los Angeles and Auckland, New Zealand will work through the 25,000 data channels that were collected during. The results will inform measures taken to optimize the vehicle.
"We have learnt so much through this test launch and will learn even more in the weeks to come. We're committed to making space accessible and this is a phenomenal milestone in that journey. The applications doing this will open up are endless. Known applications include improved weather reporting, Internet from space, natural disaster prediction, up-to-date maritime data as well as search and rescue services," says Beck.
Today's launch was the first of three test flights scheduled for this year. Rocket Lab will target getting to orbit on the second test and look to maximize the payload the rocket can carry.
At full production, Rocket Lab expects to launch more than 50 times a year, and is regulated to launch up to 120 times a year. In comparison, there were 22 launches last year from the United States, and 82 internationally.
Rocket Lab's commercial phase will see Electron fly already-signed customers including NASA, Spire, Planet, Moon Express and Spaceflight.


text:
A July poll?
It appears increasingly likely the country will go to the polls on 2 July after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull brought forward the Budget and recalled Parliament to debate controversial industrial laws.
A week after pushing through Senate voting reforms, Mr Turnbull announced the Federal Budget would be delivered on 3 May, a week ahead of schedule, and Parliament would resume on 18 April so the Senate could debate legislation to reinstate the Australian Building Control Commission.
By bringing forward the Budget, the Prime Minister has created room to call an early July election if, as is expected, the Government fails to muster the support in the Senate it needs to pass the ABCC Bill.
The Government needs the support of six crossbench Senators to have the legislation become law, but just two have indicated they would back it. Three have said they will oppose it, and three others are uncommitted.
If the Bill is rejected, it would give Mr Turnbull a trigger to call a double dissolution election, which the Government hopes – thanks to the Senate voting reforms – would wipe out many of the minor party and independent Senators and deliver it a working majority in the upper house.
If the Government goes ahead with a 2 July poll, it means the AMA National Conference will take place in the thick of the election campaign, providing an opportunity to boost health and health funding as an election issue.
Adrian Rollins


text:
Could Labour's love be lost in Mansfield after 94 years?
It has been 94 years since a party other than Labour has succeeded in returning a Member of Parliament for Mansfield. But after a strong vote for Brexit and with the Conservatives and UKIP circling, could it change hands in June?
David Spencer is in many ways a traditional Mansfield voter.
The 80-year-old retired plasterer is solidly working class and more concerned with local issues than any Westminster politicking.
"I am a Labour voter," he said. "I'm a working man, and it's the only party for me."
Fred, a former engineering apprentice who worked in the pits before moving into teaching, has also supported Labour for decades.
His long allegiance however changed when he backed UKIP in 2010. He voted for the party again two years ago, but now plans to back the Conservatives.
"Brexit has absolutely been the biggest issue here, which is why I'm going [to vote] Tory - I think they think will sort out the hardest Brexit," the 79-year-old said.
"They would vote for a goat if it was Labour here before, but it's not going to happen now."
Fred is not the only voter to have had a change of heart in the Nottinghamshire town.
Thousands of once guaranteed Labour voters switched during the last two elections, slashing a majority of 11,365 in 2005 by more than half to 5,315 in 2015.
In another message to politicians, 70.9% of voters were clear on Brexit, making it known they wanted to leave the EU.
With such a resounding result, and with Labour struggling in the opinion polls, the seat has since been targeted by the Tories as well as UKIP.
But can they overturn nearly a century of party dominance and wrestle the seat from Labour's control for the first time since 1923?
Mansfield has long been considered a safe seat, a place where callow Conservative candidates feared to tread.
Current Father of the House and Rushcliffe MP Ken Clarke failed twice in his bid to represent Mansfield, losing to Labour's Bernard Taylor and Don Concannon by nearly 20,000 in 1964 and 1966.
He recalled being "practically chased from a garden" by an anti-Tory voter who made reference to Winston Churchill's role in sending boy soldiers to the Turkish coast during World War One.
"I was knocking on doors and saw [a man who] shouted at me he wouldn't speak to a man from the same party as 'the butcher of Gallipoli'," Mr Clarke said.
"I did shout over my shoulder that Churchill was a Liberal at the time, but I don't know if he heard me."
Though Mr Clarke's loss was heavy, the Tories considered keeping Labour's majority in Mansfield below 20,000 a success given its staunch hold.
"There was a Conservative presence in the town, but you did have some people who whispered that they were going to vote Tory - they didn't want the neighbours to know," said Mr Clarke.
"I was the first candidate anyone could remember who was from Nottinghamshire and wasn't an Old Etonian."
That Mr Clarke was unable to sway Labour voters is of no surprise to Mia James, who moved to Mansfield from The Netherlands in 1963.
Now 75, she is backing the Conservatives, something she said was barely heard of in the 1960s.
She said: "It was absolutely a Labour town when I came - people didn't talk about politics much, but most people voted the same way."
Whereas other neighbouring constituencies have moved with the political climates of the day and changed hands on occasion, Mansfield has held out.
The closest challenge came in 1987, when a weak Labour party was swatted aside nationally by Margaret Thatcher's triumphant Tories.
In Mansfield, not only was the town still reeling from the 1984 Miners' Strike, but stalwart MP Concannon, who had held the seat since 1966, stood down.
His successor Sir Alan Meale - who was proposed as a candidate by the National Union of Mineworkers - squeaked home with a wafer-thin majority of 56, a drop in support he said reflected the fractious politics of the day.
"When I came here, it was as bad as it has ever been, and the country was totally and absolutely divided," he said of the seat he will defend in June.
"Families were split, and [some relatives] still won't speak to each other."
From that close shave, Labour went on to regain strength in the town, winning by margins of at least 11,000 from 1992 to 2005.
It has since dwindled, something independent candidate Philip Shields believes is part of a wider disillusionment in Mansfield.
"People are just fed up of all politicians," he said. "It's not just Labour, it's all of them, they just say one thing and do another."
Sid Pepper, UKIP's candidate at the coming election, previously avoided voting in elections because he "didn't see the point".
The 67-year-old said his disenchantment with politics shows how Labour has become disconnected from residents.
"When you get that sort of longevity you get that sort of complacency, people think they don't need to do anything," he said.
Conservative candidate, 27-year-old Ben Bradley, thinks others his age have lost their tribal links to Labour.
"Maybe it has been the case before [people voting Labour], but times have changed, demographics have changed, and today the Labour party has changed," he said.
"It has been a Labour town here, I can't argue with the results over all that time. But the majority has been shrinking over the last few elections and things have moved on."
It is undeniable that the political balance in Mansfield has been shaken over the years.
The question is come June, will Labour inch even closer to a century in power in the town? Will the Conservatives be boosted by pro-Brexit sentiment, or could UKIP split that vote?
Anita Prabhakar, the Liberal Democrat candidate, hopes young people will help her cause and see a liberal party return to power in the town for the first time since 1922.
"When nothing happens in things like the economy and education, that can be a reason for [people wanting] changes," she said.
"Young people especially want to bring more changes."
For once, Mitchell Eaton, 27, and Alistair Johnson, 24, intend to use their vote rather than spoil their ballots as they have in previous elections.
They intend to back the party traditionally supported by their families.
"Basically I think they're [Labour] the only ones planning on doing something positive," said Mr Eaton.
"My dad's never really taken much interest in politics and would be happy to get rid of it all, but he's still going to vote Labour. We're a working class family."
Mr Johnson even wishes the party will reach that milestone number.
"I hope Labour can get to 100 years."


text:
Hot stench of raw, dead, rotten
fowl. Tongue lolls against my bare
neck. Gutteral growl, teeth glisten,
drip with blood and entrails.
Bloodied claws dig through my torn
tshirt . Such a weight upon me –
I stagger, stooped but determined
to take the weight of my inner ferocity.
*** ***
Copyright © 2017 Hannah Edge. All rights reserved.


text:
Charles Wilson, top brain surgeon, dies at 88
Charles Wilson, a pioneering and virtuosic San Francisco neurosurgeon who used operating rooms like stages, sometimes performing as many as eight surgeries a day, all while building a leading brain tumor research center, died Feb. 24 in Greenbrae, California. He was 88.
His wife, Frances Petrocelli, said he had been living in a skilled nursing facility and had recently developed a heart problem.
During more than 30 years at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center, Wilson worked on parallel tracks: in the operating room and in his research center, where he and colleagues sought to advance the treatment of glioblastomas and other tumors.
Dr. Alex Valadka, chairman of neurosurgery at Virginia Commonwealth University, compared Wilson to the renowned cardiovascular surgeon Michael E. DeBakey, who turned Baylor College of Medicine in Houston into a major center for heart surgery and research.
"Through a work ethic that would kill almost anyone, Wilson built academic, training and research programs," Valadka, who is also president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, said in a telephone interview. "And then there was his clinical work. He was technically excellent. He set the bar."
Wilson sometimes worked in three operating rooms simultaneously: Residents would surgically open and prepare patients for his arrival, and he would then enter to seal an aneurysm or remove a tumor before moving on to the next case.
"He never spent much more than 30 or 60 minutes on each case, and we were left to close the case and make sure everything was OK," Dr. Mitchel Berger, a former resident who is chairman of UCSF's neurosurgical department, said in an interview. "It was unorthodox, but it worked. He demanded excellence and we gave him excellence."
They also gave him silence. He allowed no music, no ringing phones and no idle chatter. Scrub nurses were expected to anticipate his requests.
"He would manage any break of silence with a stern look," said Dr. Brian Andrews, a neurosurgeon who was one of Wilson's residents and also his biographer, with the book "Cherokee Surgeon" (2011). (Wilson was one-eighth Cherokee.)
Wilson became world renowned for excising pituitary tumors through the sinus in a surgery called transsphenoidal resection. He had embraced the procedure, which had been done for decades, after being displeased with results that UCSF surgeons had achieved using another technique.
"He was a visionary in how he built a multidisciplinary approach to studying brain cancer, linking basic science and clinical research together," Dr. Susan Chang, director of the division of neuro-oncology at UCSF, said in an interview. "He was able to set up an infrastructure to test new therapies on tumors and spare patients the side effects of treatments."


text:
Before You Start
New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation, a program that is required for all first-year students, will help you prepare for your transition into college life as well as the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead—intellectually, emotionally, academically, and socially.
Summer Start
Summer Start assists new freshmen with the transition from high school to college through five weeks of college courses and campus involvement during Summer Session II. Summer Start works closely with each college to ensure students will be enrolled in academic courses towards their specific major to get them on the accelerated path to graduation. In addition to up to eight credit hours of university coursework, many optional social, academic, leadership, and service programs are planned throughout the week and on weekends. Summer Start will provide a strong introduction to the culture of NC State and a jump start on your academic degree requirements. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to get ahead with a smaller community of your peers.
Common Reading Program
The NC State Common Reading initiative strives to create a common educational and interactive experience for incoming undergraduate students, introducing them to the University's institutional and academic values and expectations. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson is NC State's 2016 Common Reading Program selection.
An account of a novice lawyer's entry into the criminal justice system, Just Mercy chronicles the case of Walter McMillian, a young man sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he did not commit. The case drew the author into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.
First Year Inquiry (FYI) in Prague
FYI in Prague, hosted at the NC State Prague Institute, is a 2 week program that merges the high impact experiences of a first year inquiry course and study abroad. Students earn 3 GEP credits that count towards their degree before the start of their first semester on campus. Students will be immersed in inquiry-guided learning, utilizing the historic and beautiful city of Prague as their classroom.
GLBT Symposium
The GLBT Symposium is a half-day welcome and community-building experience designed to provide incoming students with information about the GLBT Center, annual events, and ways to get involved. Students will learn about GLBT student organizations on campus, opportunities to volunteer through the GLBT Center, and GLBT resources in the local community. Incoming students will get a chance to connect with each other and hear from returning students about what it's like to be GLBT at NC State. This annual event is a great way for students to make new friends, enjoy free food, and have some fun. Lunch will be provided.
The 2017 GLBT Symposium will be held on Saturday, August 12 from 12:00pm – 4:00pm.
Symposium for Multicultural Scholars
The purpose of the Symposium is to maximize the academic success of incoming African American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American/Indigenous first-year students by providing information about opportunities that enhance your academic experience and knowledge of campus resources, multicultural faculty and staff, cultural heritage, networking, and other strategies for success. The Symposium fosters a sense of community and provides a foundation to ensure academic success on our college campus.
The 2017 Symposium for Multicultural Scholars will be held on Wednesday, August 9th – Friday, August 11th.
Wolfpack Bound
Wolfpack Bound, a program offered by University Recreation for incoming students, provides an outdoor adventure trip complement to the traditional NC State new student orientation. By participating in a 5-day Wolfpack Bound trip, students will meet other incoming first-year students, create connections with faculty and staff, and learn outdoor skills in the natural beauty of North Carolina (either backpacking in the mountains or sea kayaking on the coast in the Outer Banks).
Students will be challenged both physically and mentally in a supportive environment, while developing leadership skills, and lasting relationships. All trips are beginner-friendly and no outdoor experience is required! Your registration fee covers transportation, food, equipment, and experienced leadership by University Recreation Outdoor Adventures staff.
Student Veteran Summit
The Student Veteran Summit is here to help student veterans and dependents connect with each other and the campus community while learning about the resources and opportunities that exist at NC State that contribute to your success as a student.
(Click here for more information and to register)
Wolfpack Welcome Week
Wolfpack Welcome Week marks the beginning of every fall semester with a series of events that allow new students to start building their community at NC State. Students will have the opportunity to explore campus involvement, get acclimated to academic life at NC State, and meet lots of other members of the Class of 2021! Mark your calendar for #NCStateWWW on August 11-19, 2017, and visit the website for a comprehensive schedule.
While You are Here
New Student Job Fair
Like the idea and convenience of an on-campus job, but not sure where to start? This event brings together a variety of campus employers so that you can find the position that fits you best!
Common Reading Program – Ongoing Events
Continue to engage with the Common Reading Program 2017 selection, Between the World and Me, throughout the year with a variety of programs and events at the University. This Calendar of Events will be updated with details for new events as they are confirmed.
Pack Connections Groups
Entering a university alongside more than 4,000 new classmates can be overwhelming. Pack Connections groups are a new way for you to make NC State feel like home, meet more people, and get involved on campus in a smaller, tight-knit community! Each group led by an upper division students will meet once a week on campus for dinner during the fall semester and attend some of NC State's and Raleigh's signature events and traditions.
More information about participating for the 2017-2018 school year coming soon!
I am #NCState21
I am #NCState21 is a collaborative Instagram account showcasing the uniquely original NC State Class of 2021! This project serves to not only chronicle the first-year transition to the University, but to celebrate what makes NC State such an innovative and creative place to call … home.
Out-of-State Student Labor Day Excursion
If you are on campus during the Labor Day holiday weekend, join New Student Programs for a trip to Falls Lake State Park. The trip will include a 4-hour kayaking and paddle board tour, lunch, and an opportunity to get to know other new students.
First-Year Alternative Service Break Trip
Join New Student Programs and the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics, and Public Service (CSLEPS) for an Alternative Service Break (ASB) trip to the North Carolina mountains! A team of new students will have the opportunity to engage in service around the environmental, economic, and sociopolitical issues surrounding Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, NC during Fall Break (October 5-8, 2017).
Multicultural Student Affairs Peer Mentor Program
The goal of the Peer Mentor Program is to aid in the academic, emotional, and socio-cultural adjustment of mentees to college life at North Carolina State University. The peer mentoring relationship is designed to foster a network of support for culturally diverse first year students (mentees). Mentors serve as peer support personnel for mentees and share program goals and responsibilities aimed at ensuring the retention of student participants.
First Year Inquiry Courses
The First Year Inquiry program offers incoming students small classes (under 20 students) that promote critical and creative thinking skills. The small size means lots of discussions and close student-student and student-Instructor communication. All instructors use active-learning pedagogies that promote student participation through inquiry-guided learning [not boring lectures!] Instructors also support and assist students in making the transition from high school to university-level thinking.
Dinner Discussions
Enjoy casual conversation around some of today's most relevant issues, and share your thoughts at New Student Dinner Discussions. Dinner will be provided at no cost to participants. Each discussion will be guided by an NC State faculty member, and open to a small group of students.
First Finals
At the end of the fall semester, New Student Programs hosts First Finals to help students clear their heads and take a break before tests begin. Students can enjoy karaoke, crafts, and yummy treats with their fellow classmates!
Winter Welcome Week
Winter Welcome Week marks the beginning of the spring semester with a series of events that allow new and returning students to begin or continue building their community at NC State. Students will have the opportunity to explore campus involvement, build academic skills, and meet new people!


text:
The New York Times will start charging readers a subscription fee to access some of it's content, effective immediately in Canada and starting on March 28 in the US and globally. Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., publisher of The New York Times, said:
Our decision to begin charging for digital access will result in another source of revenue, strengthening our ability to continue to invest in the journalism and digital innovation on which our readers have come to depend. This move will enhance The Times's position as a source of trustworthy news, information and high-quality opinion for many years to come.
Here's a breakdown of the new digital subscription model.
- All users of NYTimes.com are able to enjoy 20 articles at no charge each month (including slideshows, videos and other forms of content). Beyond 20 articles and for open access to the site, users will be asked to become digital subscribers.
- On The Times's smartphone and tablet applications, the Top News section will remain free. To delve deeper into the apps' other sections, users will be asked to become digital subscribers.
- The Times is offering three digital subscription packages that allow users to choose the devices on which they want to access Times content. NYTimes.com will be included as part of any subscription.
- All New York Times home delivery newspaper subscribers receive free, unlimited access to NYTimes.com and the full content on all of The Times's applications.
- Readers who come to Times articles through links from search, blogs and social media will be able to access those individual articles, even if they have reached their reading limit. For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to Times articles.
- The homepage at NYTimes.com and all section fronts will remain free to browse for all users at all times.
Access to The Times' iPhone app runs $15 every 4 weeks, the iPad app costs $20 every 4 weeks, and a subscription to both devices is whopping $35 every 4 weeks. In keeping with Apple's new subscription policy, The New York Times will begin using in-app purchase by June 30.
Anyone planning on signing up?


text:
Novo Nordisk Research Center Indianapolis, Inc. (NNRCII) was established in late 2015 when Novo Nordisk acquired Calibrium and MB2, two private companies co-founded by Dr. Richard DiMarchi that were focused on developing protein-based products for diabetes and obesity. Today, NNRCII is the home of an elite research team to further the success of Dr. DiMarchi's work in union with Novo Nordisk's global research efforts.
NNRCII is focused on early discovery projects within the diabetes and obesity areas. Our scientists apply cutting edge technologies to bring molecules to market. Right now, that means identifying protein-based therapies for obesity and prevention of diabetes, and diabetes treatment.


text:
I added a carrot before blended, but needs something...looking for suggestions to enhance, sweeten a bit, would a brandy do? or sherry, or another spice?
I would add Boiled Apple Cider Syrup or a bit of Maple Syrup along with a pinch of sea salt to bring that sweetness out. Good luck!
I usually find that winter squash soups lean to the side of sweetness, certainly pumpkin is sweeter than carrot so I see the carrot as adding flavor and depth but not sweetness here. I would not add the liquor for sweetness, you'd have to add so much it would be overwhelming. Same with nutmeg...it won't really make it s sweet, just give a hint but I don't think it would go with the smoked paprika. So my suggestions are to use apple cider as part of the cooking liquid, or adding a diced apple with the squash when you are cooking it.
Sunchowder's suggestions are excellent for adjusting the soup now that you've made it.


text:
'Rosa Our Rosa', a new commentary by Mumia Abu-Jamal read by Goldie (Mumia's daughter) and Frances Goldin. You can also watch the video at http://prisonradio.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/rosa-our-rosa-by-mumia-read-by-goldie-and-frances-goldin/
"We gather today over 140 years after the birthday of Rosa Luxemburg – The brilliant thinker, writer, activist and revolutionary who's memory still burns bright around the world."
Prison and government officials are trying to censor and silence Mumia Abu-Jamal. We stand with the many Americans who believe that there is tremendous value in his voice being heard. We will fight to make sure that both his voice and his body are free. For updates on Mumia's current condition go to www.prisonradio.org
Prison Radio


text:
Archive for the 'Digging Deeper' Category
Good news for Columbia's homeless: Catholic Charities of the Midlands will open a free shower and laundry facility downtown Monday, March 7, right across the street from the city's bus transit center. As you can imagine, sometimes a hot shower and clean clothes can make all the difference when you're on the streets.
It's filling a need. There are no coin laundries in downtown Columbia, and few opportunities to take a free shower, so a lot of people end up taking "bird baths" in a bathroom sink at places like the Richland County Public Library.
Chuck Waters, a homeless man who's part of the Homeless Helping Homeless advocacy group, told me that once the Winter Shelter closes April 1, "you're not going to have a place to shower unless you use a hose or go to the river."
The facility, called Clean of Heart, will only be able to serve about 30 people a week to start, and you'll have to sign up in advance at Catholic Charities, but, in the words of one of the organizers, "It's 30 more than right now have access."
Read the rest in an article I wrote for the Carolina Reporter.
The local Fox affiliate had me on the air recently for a talk show about homelessness in the Midlands. You can watch it here (I show up around the 18-minute mark).
So what else is new?
- Remember when I asked Columbia's churches and charities if they'd be willing to open a free laundry service? Well, I got a call from Mary Gohean at Catholic Charities of the Midlands, and she said they've been working on putting a laundry and shower facility for the homeless in a building across from the central bus stop on Laurel Street. Great location, great idea. It opens March 7, and they still need a few fifth-Friday-of-the-month volunteers.
- Construction is still underway for the Transitions Center, a new-school homeless shelter at the old Salvation Army site that will include year-round beds and recovery programs. They've set the completion date for April, but then there's the matter —sound familiar? — of funding and staffing it.
- Every couple of years, states have to conduct a homeless count to determine how much federal money they get for certain programs. That was this year, and I tagged along as a volunteer to see how exactly it works. In South Carolina, it works like a census, which makes sense when you're downtown and can divide the land along a grid. My team, however, was assigned to rural Lexington County — all of it. While there are probably more homeless people downtown, it seems like we're missing a lot of people out in the woods this way. More thoughts on that later.
- I've done a so-so job of keeping up with my homeless friends who watched out for me on the streets. Ernest and Dawn spent their summer up north, working for a traveling carnival. They're back now, but they've had some problems, including a couple of hospital visits for Dawn's seizures. All they can get is ER treatment; what they really need is to see a specialist. Big John and I still see each other fairly regularly through a Monday-night homeless ministry; he's still roughing it outside and keeping his wits (and his wit) about him. As for Tommy, it's been a long time since we've seen each other. I've heard he had some hard times this past year, but I'll wait until I've finally found him before I go into any detail.
- Some homeless people have started an advocacy and service group called Homeless Helping Homeless. They started out meeting at the future site of the Nickelodeon Theatre on Main Street, but I've been told they're now meeting at Sidney Park CME Church on Blanding Street on Mondays at 6 p.m. They do things like pick up trash downtown and attend meetings of homeless service providers. I've met a couple of the members, and they're a refreshingly honest bunch.
That's all for now. I've been doing a lot more reporting than this, but it's for a long-term freelance magazine piece about the changing definition of homelessness. I'll let you know when someone publishes it.
Among my glaring character flaws: I'm terrible at keeping up with friends.
Matt and I made some close friends during our three days on the streets, and I want to do a better job than usual of not losing track of them. This post is about that.
Ernest, Dawn, Tommy, and John were our indispensable Sherpa guides. They showed us where to sleep, taught us how to walk and talk and argue, and introduced us to kind souls while steering us clear of the crooks and mouthwash drinkers.
I'm hard-pressed to think of a time when I've been more dependent on someone for safety. Maybe that's why homeless people are often so choosy with their friends: Befriend the wrong person and you're endangering yourself. Friendships among homeless people seem to be less based on common interests and more based on the idea that a person will protect and stick up for you, maybe even lay down his life for you.
I sat down with Tommy for dinner Monday night, and he got all emotional with me, talking about the serendipity of our paths having crossed and the firmness of his conviction that we would always be linked. It was the sort of conversation that men rarely share, and when we shook hands goodbye, I knew it was something sacred.
The next evening, I got a call from Ernest, who had me on speakerphone so I could hear Dawn as she thrashed him in a game of rummy.
Back on March 31, the day before the Winter Shelter closed, I gave the two of them a ride to the Greyhound station and sent them on their way with a bag full of sandwiches and apples and a calling card — all the things I thought my mom would have handed me. Ernest had secured jobs for both of them, along with a friend, in a traveling carnival based out of Indiana. As we pulled into the parking lot, someone was singing Leonard Cohen on the radio:
"Love is not a victory march;
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah."
It was a tough departure for Dawn, and while some of this had to do with the fact that she'd never left the state before, it was mainly because she was leaving her children behind.
Dawn's got three kids, and she knows that no court will award her custody while she's homeless. The plan is to save up her money until the carnival ends in October and then come back to collect her children. She said she hopes they'll understand one day why she has to do this.
As for Tommy and John, they cleared out of their downtown sleeping spots once the Winter Shelter closed, hoping to avoid confrontations by setting up camp in the woods. So far so good, but tensions are high. John's been talking about some bad blood among their group of friends, and Tommy, a recovering alcoholic, has decided he can't be around his longtime friends who drink liquor every night.
Still, Tommy was in higher spirits Monday night than I'd ever seen him. He'd spent some considerable time sitting by the river alone, playing his guitar and watching the water pass, and he spoke euphorically about Heaven and the promise that all things will be made new. I could tell he'd been praying a lot, and he said he'd been praying for me.
Tommy talked plans: He wants to start a homeless Bible study, and he said he's got around 25 people interested in it on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday nights. He asked me to see if any college ministries wanted to help out.
He told me that, once he finally gets things straight with Veterans Affairs and receives his five years' worth of checks in arrears, he'll put most of the money in the bank, buy some good boots and a tent, and hike the Appalachian Trail, living off the land and the kindness of strangers. Upon returning, he'll find a place of his own and continue the job hunt.
I asked if I could tag along once again, and he said that would be fine.
Columbia's Winter Shelter closed for the spring Thursday morning, sending hundreds of the city's homeless back outside at nights.
"250 people are headed nowhere," said Billy, a 56-year-old homeless man who'd been staying at the Winter Shelter. The shelter's exact capacity is 240, but the fact remains: Living arrangements are up in the air.
Billy, who withheld his last name, listed the same potential sleeping spots as many others facing the same predicament: parking garages, abandoned houses, the woods. If there is an unoccupied nook or cranny downtown, odds are the homeless scoped it out Thursday night.
Cooperative Ministries Executive Director David Kunz, whose organization helps fund the Winter Shelter, said there will not be enough beds in other area shelters to absorb the 240 homeless who left Thursday morning.
"The good majority of them will be sleeping outside," Kunz said.
This happens every year. The shelter won't reopen until October, so downtown residents and business owners will have an increased number of outdoor neighbors throughout the warmer months.
Steve Rowland, owner of Drake's Duck-In on Main Street, said his problems are about to multiply: panhandling during lunch hours, drunken confrontations with customers, defecation and urination in front of his store at night. He's owned the restaurant for 40 years, and he says he knows people who have been homeless that entire time and made no attempts at getting jobs.
"I didn't inherit the responsibility for these irresponsible people," Rowland said. Every morning, he has police escort his manager into the store in case someone is sleeping on the front porch again.
Dorothy Thompson, who runs T.O. Thompson Jewelry Repair with her husband Harold, said she's more concerned about prisoners being let off at a nearby bus stop than about the homeless, whom she sees as mostly harmless and in need. Still, she said she had to put up a chain-link fence last summer to keep people from sleeping on the stairs behind the store.
Is it safe to go downtown at night? Columbia Police Chief Tandy Carter said that only 2 or 3 percent of Columbia's homeless are criminals, and that they tend to commit more property crimes — specifically auto break-ins — than violent crimes.
"Homelessness is a public health concern, not a police concern," Carter said. "The enforcement end, to us, is not as important as trying to line them up with the right services."
What if the Winter Shelter were kept open year-round? Certainly, some people would get complacent and learn to call it home.
But for the ones who are still trying, a shelter is a chance to save money. Here's a common scenario: A man stays in the Oliver Gospel Mission's transient dorm for 30 days, at which point shelter policy dictates he has to leave for 14 days so his bed can be offered to someone else. For those first 30 days, he has no housing costs and can save his money toward more permanent living arrangements.
For the 14 days outside the mission, though, he can either live on the streets for free — and run the risk of being robbed in his sleep or arrested for urban camping — or he can check into a hotel room. He chooses the hotel.
Say the man pays $40 a night at the hotel. Over 14 days, that costs him $560. In other words, he's paying a month's worth of apartment rent for half a month in a hotel. So much for savings.
When it comes to nighttime on the streets, one thing is different this year: the Clean and Safety Team. Funded by private donations and a special tax on downtown businesses, these goldenrod-clad guards patrol the downtown area. Their job is broad-ranging, but part of it is to move homeless people along when they're caught sleeping downtown.
Until recently, the yellowshirts (as they are nicknamed) would call it quits around 11:30 p.m. Homeless people knew this, and they waited until then to lie down.
Now, the yellowshirts have a third shift that goes late into the night. There are two ways to look at this:
- The streets will be safer at night. Daniel Long, the team's homeless outreach coordinator, called the yellowshirts "the eyes and ears of law enforcement" and said they've helped solve several crimes downtown with the cooperation of the homeless.
- Things might get ugly at night. For some, like my homeless friend Tommy Capps, the late-night shift means it's hard to get any sleep. When I stayed outside with him one night, we got to sleep around 11:30 p.m. and woke up at 4 a.m. For a few days after the night shift began, Tommy got almost no sleep.
Tommy has expressed concern about the volatile mix of persistent yellowshirts and tired, frustrated street sleepers. Tommy is himself non-confrontational and carries no weapons, but all it would take is one belligerent homeless person to turn things awry.
"One of them could make 20 of us look bad," Tommy said.


text:
Sterling Silver Protection Bracelets
10 items
10 items
By Victoria
I put it on immediately and haven't taken it off since. I wear it on my left wrist along with my watch when at work as a nurse. I feel safe, loved and protected. The bracelet is feminine but substantial. I wear it in the shower and bath. It looks lovely and I am so happy to have purchased it.
"I want you to feel happy and enjoy my jewelry as much as I do."


text:
Rob Zombie's Lords of Salem Trailer
Rob Zombie and Megadeth were playing a concert this weekend and Zombie premiered the trailer for his upcoming film, The Lords of Salem. It's about a DJ that unlocks some kind of portal to bring witches back to the town of Salem. The plot sounded suspect, but after watching this painfully bootlegged cell phone video of the trailer (brought by way of BloodyDisgusting.com), it's looks pretty badass. Tons of demonic imagery, this joint looks straight up evil.


text:
Loading in 2 Seconds...
Loading in 2 Seconds...
Integrating Lecture, Laboratory, and Literature using Case Studies . Ann T.S. Taylor Chemistry Department Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN 47933. What are your non-content course goals?. The Context: Che 361. Required course for Chemistry majors Most Chem minors also take the course
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Ann T.S. Taylor
Chemistry Department
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
A Case Study on Genetically Modified Foods which integrates laboratory, lecture, and literature
Students should be able to:
The Setup Story
Read three papers, then answer questions such as:
Better pest management
Increase yield
Reduce pesticide use
More flexibility
Only profitable when infestation cost is greater than tech cost
Unknown effect on soil ecology
Development of "superweeds"Economic impact of GM crops
Do an experiment related to the issue!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


text:
But snow seems to arrive even later than last year. We've actually planned to shoot these photos in Davos or similar locations, but there was just no snow in this typical winter destinations. The weather forecast for Christmas looks like we're getting a green holiday – again.
Snow doesn't seem to make it through, even if the temperature range has been between -5 and +5 degrees Celcius during these days. It's the high-pressure region we're in – it's way too warm on 1000 meters above sea level. Strolling through the streets and looking for the Christmas presents is still a hard thing to do. Not only because of the cold temperatures outside and the very high ones inside the malls and little shops but also because of the amount of people. I guess I'll never see that many people in the streets of Zurich than during the weekends before Christmas except during high season in summer.
The only difference: the people are not that stressed in the summer time. Now they are. Everyone is rushing through the shops, looking for sales and still so many seem to be annoyed while doing it. Why? Sure, if you're planning your shopping trip for Christmas too spontaneous on December 23, you can get a bit stressed. But I think there's no reason in having a bad mood while doing it. Some people decided not to give any presents for Christmas. This may sound a bit hard. But I guess it's better giving nothing than giving it under a bad mood, just weird circumstances or let's say just because you think you have to.
Anyway, for me it's a really nice feeling coming home after a day like this. Knowing that you've had some nice ideas for your beloved ones, and then just enjoying the rest of the day at home in my cozy loungewear and preparing the different gifts for Christmas Eve.
Lounge- and Nightwear: CALIDA
Take care & write you soon…


text:
Trek have brought their experience to bear on the 1.1, producing an excellent budget-priced racer. Its short wheelbase makes it a fast, fun bike to ride and even with an aluminium rather than carbon fibre fork, it's a far from harsh ride.
- Frame: Trek Alpha Aluminium frame and aluminium fork in a good looking glossy finish. Has mudguard eyelets and clearance, and mounts for a rear rack increase versatility (8/10)
- Handling: The short wheelbase and light weight make this a nimble beast with fast but not twitchy handling (8/10)
- Equipment: Shimano 2300 combined with an FSA Tempo compact chainset and loads of solid, functional kit from Trek-owned Bontrager (7/10)
- Wheels: Bontrager tyres, Bonty-approved rims and 23mm tyres form a fairly lightweight wheelset for the price (8/10)
The Trek 1.1 has American pedigree and Far Eastern manufacturing skills behind it, with the chassis sporting a 'Designed in Waterloo, Wisconsin' label and the large welds typical of Taiwanese frames, with a bold, bright, tough-looking paintjob. Trek clearly have confidence in their products too, as the 1.1 comes with a lifetime guarantee.
There's no carbon fork, with aluminium doing the job instead – and a very good one too. Though Lance Armstrong's name is closely associated with Trek, the 1.1 isn't purely a race machine. It comes with 23mm tyres, but there's room to fit wider rubber or a set of mudguards. There are also mounts for a rear rack and eyelets for front and rear 'guards, adding to its year-long, all-rounder status.
The components are mainly Shimano 2300 and Bontrager. Levers and both mechs are Shimano, with Bonty in charge of handlebar and tape, stem, seatpost and tyres. The chainset is FSA's compact Tempo, a 50/34T setup paired with a Sun Race 12-25 cassette. The resulting 37-113in range might be a little narrow for some.
Less keen climbers or those returning to cycling might appreciate a lower bottom gear for tackling severe climbs more comfortably, while the top gear won't please power pedallers. It's a pity that a triple isn't offered as an option. The Trek has quite a short wheelbase which contributes to some sharp handling, though some toe overlap could result.
Neither the fork nor the seatpost is carbon, but we still found this a comfortable ride. It's quite compact, which helps take the sting out of poorer road surfaces, and this combined with its decent weight means it's one you could tackle sportives on. The wheels are conventional 32-spoke designs with Bontrager semi-deep section rims, paired with 23mm Bontrager tyres, which we liked.
It's hard to see how you could significantly improve the Trek 1.1. True, a carbon fork would be nice and trim a little more weight, but this is so well designed that you don't really notice its absence. And some might prefer a wider gear range. But it's well made, looks great, and you can see why the 1.1 has proved so popular. It might not make you the new Lance Armstrong, but you'll have no reason not to get out and ride.