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On Doubts

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Among the most pivotal changes to my perception about God was in coming to terms with the idea that He does not always explain Himself. Nor does He get too shook up about appearances. Both aspects grated on me a bit at first, but they are true.

We were taught from an early age that Jesus, as the Son of God, paid the price for our brokenness with His own life. Without it we lack hope and the economies of eternity, life and death become quite real to us. However, when we choose to rely on Him, He does not remain a celestial gum ball machine. God becomes someone we can know, as Father God. Jesus – both God and man, becomes relatable as we observe His relationship with His Father. Anyway, that’s the gig, right?

Let’s assume you can relate to me on this level … having made those choices long ago, and having cultivated this relationship with God for decades. A lotta decades, now that I think about it. As with any relationship that starts out as acquaintances, a friendship grows and before long the two people can see one another’s humanity. The analogy breaks down a bit comparing this to a relationship with God but bear with me.

With familiarity in friendship, or a marriage, there’s so much isn’t there. Think of your best friend: there’s that time when she failed you completely. Or your spouse: He never picks up His socks. It would be great if she wouldn’t be so needy. And on we go.

Longevity in relationship with God is similar, except He’s pretty good about picking up His socks. But the fact is, God has a ‘nature’ just as we do. He has things He does, and does not do. The nuances become clear over time. Two of these I’ve pointed out, and want to discuss.

Lauritzen_berriesGod does not always explain Himself. There are so many aspects of God that we learn through Scripture, through people, and even through Creation. Isaiah 45:15 says, “Thou art a God who hides.” I love that. Haven’t you ever had the world come crumbling in on you? You’re driving down the road, mumbling to God, asking for help – pleading actually – and there’s nothing. Nada. There can be all sorts of reasons for His silence. But sometimes it’s no different than two friends driving down the road together and one is blathering and the other one is listening, engaged, but not really saying much. At other times, life can be a bit of Hide-And-Seek with God. I’ve written about this before so I won’t overdo. But He’s no different than a good parent who lets his child struggle a bit while a lesson is learned.

God is not nearly as concerned about appearances as we are. Most people want to be found as good and kind people. Most of humanity wants to be found fighting for the right cause. We’re all appalled when we’re caught up short by facts. What about God? What about all that violence in the Old Testament of the Bible? Genocide and adultery, and babies sacrificed. Yeesh. So many appalling events, when you take a step back. Isn’t He a God of love? Why would a God of love allow people to die? Entire people groups being wiped off the face of the Earth? And what about the Flood? Starting over with human kind? I mean…

And yet He is. He is a God of outrageous love.

Being in a relationship with God doesn’t always mean that all my prayers get answered, and every wound is healed. All the desires of my heart are met.

Charismatic folk, in particular, are so convinced that if we name it and claim it, or if we shout that mountain down; if we fast and prostrate ourselves before God that it will all work out nicely. Because He’s a good God, right? He loves us? He does. And He is. But we’re positive that if we obey more, or we rejoice in our suffering that He’ll come through. And He does. … but if He doesn’t come through, what then?

As the song says, “You’re a good, good Father…” What about that when the long-awaited baby dies? What about that when we didn’t get to say goodbye? Or they weren’t healed? What if her excruciatingly difficult life just shuddered to a close?

I find that we’re afraid to wrestle with the hard questions. “What if it seems like He has failed me? What then?” When the equation shakes out, and I find that I’m the one that has failed, somehow that’s okay because I’m human. I screw up. But God? How do I wrap my head around this? He’s silent sometimes.

I can attest to having walked this road fully. Completely. Utterly. We are never prepared for the shattering disappointments. I want you to know that it’s okay to doubt. As a good, good Father, He’s vast enough to field all the questions. All the hate. All the decimating emotions and patterns of thinking.

Many of you in marriages have found that grit that makes you stay with your partner. The fun stuff is over and this is the long haul. Don’t misunderstand me … there are times when we need to walk away. Forgive ourselves, and others, and just quietly close the door. However, in the relationships where you are meant to go the long haul, it really does require staying in the game. It can be that way in a relationship with God as well. When you don’t understand. When, by all appearances, things don’t look right. When you get the air sucked out of you with bad news. The disciple named Peter and his colleagues were in the same predicament. When the going was getting rough, Peter said to Jesus, “To whom, Lord, would we turn? You have the words of eternal life.”

A decades-long relationship with God isn’t about having all my prayers answered. It’s a relationship. It’s about choosing to encounter Him, and to love and be loved by Him in spite of outcomes. It’s about learning to sit with Yah – the Almighty Father – when it’s messy. Elizabeth Eliot coined the phrased, “…to carry within one’s self the unanswered question.” That is what faith is all about. Often it’s only then – when we’re encountering the Presence of God, and basking in His love – that the questions cease to roar in our ears. And we can rest in the knowledge that we are deeply, deeply loved by a God who longs for relationship with us.

2 thoughts on “On Doubts

    Sandy Cloutier said:
    February 3, 2017 at 11:16 am

    Excellent post!

    Sent from my iPhone

      Samantha Penhale responded:
      March 16, 2017 at 7:27 pm

      Thank you!

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Sagacious Himself — brevity in circumlocution: never blague — suffering genius

August 3, 2009

solving the google picasa local storage problem

Filed under: CIO — Sagacious Himself @ 4:17 am

google picasa is a storage glutton… encourage google to support adobe lightroom with web picasa

the problem:  infinite space a logical contradiction

the solution:

suggest a google analog of layers in a file… both reknowned photoshop and painter support layers.. even GIMP

consider a set: original, mod file (layers), and output file.   Incremental changes are made to google mod file and final output available online.  No need for large amounts of space

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Stranger on the Road to Emmaus

By Mark Avery — General Manager and Editor at Herald and Banner Press and Bookstore in Overland Park, Kansas.

It was Easter! The first one! Only the two men walking toward Emmaus did not know that Jesus had risen. Discouraged and near hopeless, they trudged along, wondering what had gone wrong. What should their next step be?

The only stranger
That’s when He joined them. Cleopas and his unnamed friend didn’t recognize Him. And no wonder. Apparently He was the only stranger in Jerusalem and had somehow missed the significance of the events of the previous week. As their conversation continued, this stranger butted in. The two friends couldn’t believe how little this man knew about events that has so dramatically affect their lives.

Catching this stranger up on current events, they expressed their now dashed hopes that this crucified man would have been the long-awaited Messiah. They even talked about reports of an empty grave, visions of angels, speculation about a resurrection. Makes you wonder why they didn’t investigate.

The thorough explanation

That’s when the stranger interrupted again. Surely they must have been impressed with the stranger’s knowledge of the Old Testament as He started in the Books of Moses and continued through the Scriptures giving a thorough explanation of Himself and the events recently experienced.

Finally, arriving at Emmaus, a seven-mile walk from Jerusalem, they prepared to end their journey. The stranger appeared to continue His trip until they urged Him to stop for the night. Then as they prepared to eat, the stranger took charge. Recognizing His actions, their eyes were opened.

The open eyes

This was no stranger. He was Jesus! He had walked with them. Talked to them. Now they understood. Their load had lightened. Their hearts were glad. They saw Jesus! Alive! Ministering! And just as suddenly He was gone.

The fourteen miles

Immediately they started back to Jerusalem. Despite the seven-mile hike they had just taken. Despite the lateness of the time. The seven miles back to Jerusalem were not as challenging as the seven miles to Emmaus. Their hearts were light. Their spirits excited. Their friends at Jerusalem had to be told.

Earlier reports were accurate. Jesus was alive. Death and the grave had failed. Life reigned.

Jesus lives!

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Nintendo Gameboy Advance in Pakistan

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Early Adopters Pick: March 2003. As the world's smallest video-game platform, the Game Boy Advance SP is also the first to use a built-in rechargeable battery.

Many decried the original Game Boy Advance's reflective LCD screen and its reliance on external light sources. The Game Boy Advance SP's main feature--optional backlighting--fixes this complaint nicely, but it's the wealth of other features that makes this system so surprisingly good.

At first look, you might think the SP is a sleek travel alarm clock. When closed, it's just as tall and deep as the original GBA, but only half as wide. Due to its clamshell design, the screen is always protected from everyday scratches. A small button in the center of the console turns on the backlighting element for use in low-light situations, like in a moving car.

Game Boy Advance angle diagramThe SP comes with a well-designed power adapter that recharges a built-in battery; its prongs fold in for easier storage. Our informal tests found that it takes about four hours to fully charge (you can even play it while it's plugged in and charging), and the battery lasts about 11 hours with the backlighting constantly on--your results may vary. Using the backlighting less often will conserve battery power.

With separately sold cables, you can connect the Game Boy Advance SP to other GBAs for multiplayer gaming (above) or to the Nintendo GameCube (below) to access secret levels, exchange data, or use other special features that vary from game to game.

The quality of the backlighting is very good. It's bright and clear when looking directly at it, but degraded from other angles. This is only a problem for friends who are watching the screen from over your shoulder.

But size, power, and affordability do not come without trade offs. There's no headphone jack here, though Nintendo promises an adapter. The system isn't very loud at its highest volume, and the sound can be turned down to socially acceptable levels. The L and R shoulder buttons are a fraction of the size they were on the GBA, and thus are harder to hit. Also, the reduced size of the SP is slightly less comfortable for adult hands than the GBA, but perhaps more comfortable for smaller hands. The cartridge port placement on the lower part of the console is fine for GBA games, since they are flush with the console body, but older Game Boy Color carts will stick out in a way that takes some getting used to.

Open it up and the hinge will seek out a preferred, pre-set angle (about 150 degrees), though you can open it a bit wider or narrower for your own comfort. The hinge stands up well to lateral pressure, and over all, the SP seems just as rugged as its predecessor--which has proven to be very rugged, indeed. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

  • CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory
  • Memory: 32 KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU)
  • Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
  • Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
  • Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
  • Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
  • Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks
  • Light Source: Front light integrated with LCD
  • Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
  • Weight: Approximately 5 ounces
  • Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with light off; 3 hours recharging

A completely redesigned version of the popular Game Boy Advance, this system has an illumination feature and a sleek, flip-screen design -- making it the most distinctively stylish, compact and portable Game Boy system.

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My Friends

When Bubba moved me yet again,  I met some people who were like no other people I’d met before.

Maria was the first person I met in our new town.  Maria and Jose had been married for about a decade.  They were going through a massive marital crisis.  Jose had screwed up extensively.  Maria was on the verge of leaving him but Jose was such an excellent father and two of their four children had special needs, so she couldn’t bear to rip their father away from them.

Jose was truly repentant and sought help for his problems.  He was actively working hard to change his behavior.  I was absolutely amazed at Jose’s willingness to do whatever Maria needed of him to prove that he was working on himself.  If she had told him that every morning, he needed to stand on his head and recite Shakespeare to her, he would’ve started memorizing lines!  And he never would’ve complained or asked why or told her that her request was nuts.  He simply would’ve done it.

Maria has one of the strongest personalities I’ve ever encountered.  She takes no crap from anyone.  She doesn’t pull punches and she tells it like it is.  She is also willing to share her strength with others who haven’t found their strength yet.  Maria held me up on various occasions when I was too weak to hold myself up.  She was the first person to validate my feelings about the rapes and she held me while I sobbed my pain out right before my first counseling session.

Maria was also relatively quiet about her faith.  I knew she’d come out of fundamentalism and had a very firm faith in God.  I know she was very vocal about speaking out against patriarchy.  We discussed our faith but she was never pushy about hers and she never tried to take on a mentoring role.

Arcadia and Elrick were another couple I met.  I met Arcadia at the playground for the first time.  I’d taken Shane to play and she was there with her two girls.  We were chatting and having a nice time when we noticed that Shane was yelling at a little girl on the playground.

I mentally prepared myself for the battle I knew was to come – both with Shane and with the judgment that I was sure would be rolling off Arcadia in waves.  It was what I was used to with the friends I’d made at my last church.  I didn’t spank my children and they all believed that corporal punishment was Biblically mandated.  They blamed Shane’s anger issues on the fact that I didn’t spank him.

I calmly separated Shane from the little girl and asked him to apologize.  Since he refused to apologize, I apologized for him – modeling the appropriate behavior to him.  I took him back to where Arcadia and I were sitting and continued to try to help Shane calm down.  When it became very apparent that he was not going to calm down, I knew it was time to say our good-byes.  Where I’d prepared myself for judgment from Arcadia, I only felt love and sympathy coming from her.  It was a balm to my soul.  Here was a woman who understood what I was trying to accomplish with Shane.  Not “good” behavior, but a relationship with him – teaching him self-control, disciplining him in the way he needed to be disciplined.

Arcadia, Maria, and I started meeting on a weekly basis to allow the children to play together while we talked.  The children got along rather well.  We knew that we were going to come across disagreements and fights and we also knew that we were all on the same page as to how we would handle it.  There would be no blame games.  We would each pull our own child/ren aside and deal with the behavior they were displaying.  We would work to teach our children how to solve their own differences so that our roles could diminish as they learned how to resolve conflict as they grew.  Playdates were surprisingly peaceful for me.  At least for a little while……

….until Bubba decided I was spending too much time with my friends.

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AnnaMarie Ulrich

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Olasumbo Yusuf

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am honest single mother of 2kids 8 ;11 yers am good in cooking and taking care of the house.why am looking for a job for this job so i can pay my kids school fees and am ready to work with all my mind.

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Invasive Species Speech

Updated on November 13, 2016

According to Daniel Simberloff ,author of Invasive species: What everyone needs to know there are about 7,000 non-native species present in North America, approximately 1,000 are invasive; while native species do out number invasive species they still manage to cause billions of dollars in economic and ecological harm each year.

Have you ever encountered an invasive species? Do you know what an invasive species is? According to the book Invasive species: Threats, ecological impact and control methods: a species is considered invasive or alien when it is not native to an area, but it becomes established and causes, or is likely to cause, economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive species negatively impact people, native species, and the environment. We as a society need to be aware of invasive species and work to slow the spread of invasive species.

Invasive species have a negative impact on people. There are many invasive species that are harmful to people and their pets. For instance, the cane toad, which was introduced from South America to the United States, is poisonous. The cane toad has been responsible for the death of numerous household pets. They also present a risk to young children who try and catch them as well as adults that try to remove them. The cane toad’s poison kills in about 15 minutes depending on the dose of poison and the weight of the person or pet poisoned. If the poison gets in a person or animal’s eyes they face the risk of permanent blindness unless they get immediate medical attention. Poisoning also occurs if the poison gets in the nose, mouth, or open wound. When removing an invasive species it is always important to wear protective gear.

In addition to causing harm to people invasive species are also expensive. Invasive species removal ends up costing people large sums of money that could have been allocated to filling different needs. Removing invasive species from the Great Lakes costs an estimated $500 million annually. Jacob Hill, field and conservation biologist writes that the United States spends around $120 billion annually in control methods and in loss of environmental resources. Invasive species often present a danger toward people; however they can also present a danger towards the native species of animals.

Jacob Hill states that “Invasive species are the second largest cause of species extinctions in the United States”. For instance, the Burmese pythons that now live in the Florida everglades; have been responsible for the death of numerous threatened and endangered bird species that are native to the everglades. If the Burmese pythons continue to hunt the native threatened and endangered bird species it is likely that some of those species will go extinct.

Some invasive species have been known to alter habitats to fit their needs; these changes often make the habitat unsuitable for native species. For instance, beavers when relocated to South America multiplied until they numbered in the hundreds of thousands. The beavers then built dams in drainage ditches of grasslands. Native species were often found dead in these ditches after they fell in not expecting a sudden habitat change and could not get out. Invasive species are often dangerous towards native species. In addition to having a negative impact on native species, invasive species also impact the environment.

There are many invasive species that threaten not only people and native species, but also the environment. The kudzu vine was introduced from Japan in the 19th century as an ornamental plant. However the plant was distributed across the Southeastern United States as a means of erosion control and as a food source for grazing animals. The kudzu vine quickly became known as “the vine that ate the South” because of its ability to overgrow entire forests preventing sunlight from reaching the trees. The lack of sunlight combined with the weight of the vines on trees has caused the death of many forests in the Southeastern United States.

Some invasive species change the environment they live in to fit their needs. For instance the beavers from South America destroyed whole sections of forest to the point where they look like they have been hit with a bulldozer. The beavers have created ponds that flood sections of forest and these bodies of water have in turn altered the nutrient cycle in the environment. The negative impact of invasive species on the environment affects everyone.

Everyone can help prevent the negative impact of invasive species. You can fight invasive species by turning unwanted pets over to an animal shelter, through educating those around you about invasive species, only growing native plants in gardens, and becoming a field observer with the Outsmart Invasive Species app. According to Charles Bargeron, creator of the app, the app allows you to submit photos and data on invasive species that you locate to the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. The data provided allows the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health to better combat the threat of invasive species. In conclusion while native species do out number invasive species they still manages to cost the United States billions of dollars every year and harm people, native species, and the environment.

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20 Tips for Teachers while Handling Students with Low Vision in Regular Classrooms

Updated on December 22, 2015

Facilitating mainstreaming of children with low vision

With the integrated education proliferation in schools, the number of children with low vision has increasingly been benefiting from regular schooling. Each low vision child has different residual vision and way of seeing. It is the duty of the teacher to address to the individual needs of each student to enable him/her to use residual functional vision and get maximum benefits out of regular class room teaching.

Are needs of children with Low Vision different?

Being the primary learning modality for most of the children, our traditional education strategies are based on vision. However, educational goals of the visually impaired students are the same as those of their sighted counterparts. Partial loss of vision will necessitate some adjustments in the regular classrooms and additional inputs by the teachers to compensate that loss and help them achieve the same level of learning. In order to accomplish the goals of social competence, effective communication, employability and self-independence, it is imperative to support the low vision children by providing them with congenial learning atmosphere in the regular classrooms, suitable assistive devices and aids and individualised instructions by the teachers.

Classroom with large sized desks
Classroom with large sized desks | Source
Desks accommodating Books
Desks accommodating Books | Source

Tips for Seating Arrangements

1. A low vision child may not feel comfortable with the seats used in regular schools. The student should have a desk with provisions to adjust height and angle of surface.

2. In case it is not possible to provide such a seat a reading stand may be fixed on the top of the desk. This may be an inexpensive alternative and serve the purpose of an adjustable seat.

3. As far as possible low vision children may be positioned in the front row. This seating arrangement may ensure availability of the teacher and the board at a closer distance.

4. Size of the desk is also important. Normally, children with low vision may have large print books or even Braille books which are quite voluminous. Additional space may be required for items like Braillewriter, magnifiers or some other material as per requirement. Suitable area should be available on the desk top and for storage of these items.

Well illuminated Classroom
Well illuminated Classroom | Source

Tips for Illumination

5. Most of the students with low vision may require increased light, but it may vary from student to student and medical record may help in deciding the needs of each student. The working surface may be as per requirements of the student and glaring must be minimized. Even a tablecloth can be helpful in reducing the shine on the table top. Some of the students may require more light and providing them a table lamp could be one option.

6. Hand preference has to be kept in mind while deciding the direction of light. Light should come from the above and over the right shoulder for the right-handed children. And it should come over the left shoulder for the left-handed children.

7. Children who are very sensitive to light may be positioned in area with reduced light. Wearing tinted glasses is also one of the options to reduce light sensitivity. This helps to avoid visual fatigue.

8. In addition to proper lighting a good visual environment with colour contrasts can be conducive to comfortable eye-work conditions in the classrooms.

Chalkboard looking cluttered with glare in the middle - Not suitable for children with low vision
Chalkboard looking cluttered with glare in the middle - Not suitable for children with low vision | Source
Children using a chalkboard in a classroom
Children using a chalkboard in a classroom | Source
Overhead Projector
Overhead Projector | Source
Teaching Science - Aquarium
Teaching Science - Aquarium | Source
Teaching Science - Sound and Musical Instruments
Teaching Science - Sound and Musical Instruments | Source

About Chalkboards/ Projectors

9. A slate board with gray-green colour, in place of usual black, would be a good choice to reduce glare. Soft white chalk would offer more contrast on these boards.

10. Maximum contrast is available when the board is kept clean. Normally, use of aerated rubber erasers minimises the amount of dust on chalk boards.

11. Limited amount of information should be written on the boards. The board should be free of clutter with large and clear information on it and preferably be on the eye level of the children.

12. Using overhead projector will have an added advantage of writing in large letter size or projecting the letters in larger size. Also certain words can be highlighted or presented in different colours.

Display Arrangements

13. Many educational aids are displayed in modern class rooms. The displays can be away from the windows so that glare does not strain the child.

14. The items displayed should be touchable and colourful. Contrasting combinations like purple on yellow or yellow on black, green or blue.

15. Children can enjoy viewing such items from close when displayed at eye level, easily approachable and uncluttered.

Large Print Section of the Library
Large Print Section of the Library | Source
Audio Story Book
Audio Story Book | Source
Electric circuit -  A concrete model
Electric circuit - A concrete model | Source

On Teaching Issues

16. Students with low vision may require different educational material like large print books, audio books and special exercise books which may not always be readily available. These need to be ordered or prepared in advance. Teachers need to do advance planning. Modern e-learning gadgets with suitable provisions of magnification and adjusting contrast may be encouraged.

17. Gesturing and other visual clues in the classroom may not be registered by the low vision students properly. It is important to speak while writing on boards or communicating.

18. In a regular classroom the major channels of learning are visual and auditory. Kinaesthetic and tactile experiences must also be encouraged by exposing low vision children to concrete every day life objects to the extent possible.

19. In view of some limitations imposed by low vision, suitable modifications may be required in certain activities like science practical and physical education or sports to improve participation by such children.

20. Similarly, adjustments in time limits, quantum of work and freedom of mobility to different corners of the classroom including board must be provided to make the student to feel at ease with classmates.

Enlighten me about your viewpoint on Mainstreaming

Do you think children wth low vision can benefit from instructions in regular classrooms?

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Mainstreaming children with disabilities (including children with low vision) has been tried out successfully in many advanced countries. However, certain reservations about its success are still voiced in many parts of the world. Apart from other factors, the training of teachers handling such children is considered to be of paramount importance. If special needs of the low vision children are not addressed properly, it may sometimes prove be a frustrating experience.

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  • sukkran profile image

    Mohideen Basha 3 years ago from TRICHY, TAMIL NADU, INDIA.

    thanks for your useful tips. nicely done

  • srsddn profile image

    srsddn 3 years ago from Dehra Dun, India

    sukkran, Thanks for stopping by. I am glad you liked the tips. Sometimes it is only slight adjustment in the classroom which can make a lot of difference in mainstreaming low vision children. Have a nice day!

  • Vellur profile image

    Nithya Venkat 2 years ago from Dubai

    Great tips for handling students with low vision in a classroom. If the children are not able to see and understand concepts that are taught then the child may lose interest and find the whole experience frustrating. Great hub,voted up.

  • srsddn profile image

    srsddn 2 years ago from Dehra Dun, India

    Thanks for visiting, Vellur. It is important to provide suitable conditions for every student in an integrated classroom. A few adjustments can make the learning easier for children with low vision. Have a nice time!

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You Have Arrived As a Teacher...

Updated on October 27, 2011

From someone who worked as a P.E. teacher, an after school teacher, a tutor, and a coach for roughly twenty years

When you enter the profession thinking you're going to have a three month summer vacation just like when you were a kid, but you don't because you're teaching summer school due to the need to pay bills and the rent.

When you buy paper, pencils, and other supplies from your own money because your students can't afford them.

When you're up late on a nightly basis grading papers and tests and making lesson plans.

When you find yourself keeping a stash of food in a classroom closet because every so often some of your kids don't have breakfast due to their families' lack of money.

When you stay after school, giving extra help to those who you know need it.

When you're on school grounds well into the evening due to Open House and Back-To-School Night.

When you're praying that nobody has ran off every time you count heads on field trips.

When students give you every excuse in the book as to why they didn't do their homework, when in fact they were just too damn lazy to do it.

When you find yourself quite annoyed on Pupil Free days, due to the kids getting the day off while you are forced to waste your time at in-service sessions with people who don't know what they are talking about - I always hated those days.

When you're on the phone with parents every night because their kids are failing math or have disrespectful mouths.

When kids curse you out and call you vile names in class.

When a kid flips you off when you tell him to get back on task.

When you're breaking up brawls in your classroom.

When you're calling the school police because a student threatens you with bodily harm.

When a student throws a chair at you and gets off scott-free when, during his expulsion hearing, his mom pleads in tears to the school board - incredibly enough, a colleague of mine has actually had that happen to her.

When you send a student to the principal's office for the first time.

When you catch a kid copying off someone's test paper during an exam.

When the parents of your worst students, the thugs, the gang-bangers, and the stoners who of course don't want to learn because they're stupid, live in an Egyptian river - "the Nile" - and blame you for their failures.

When you get sent disciplinary memos for not wearing hard sole shoes or a button-down shirt and tie.

When after twenty years of top-notch, award-winning service, your school fires you after one bad evaluation - someone told me of that actually happening.

When you're marking off the days in anticipation of all the school vacations and the last day of school.

When a straight-F student whom you've worked with all year improves by leaps and bounds and gets A's and B's - a perfect example of hard work paying off.

When you get cards, candies and presents during classroom parties every Valentine's Day, the day before Christmas break, and on the last day of school.

When students who were once yours come back to visit years later, with you marveling at how much they've grown.

When you're teaching the children of students you once had, which freaks you out.

When a student gets a crush on you.

When you get so-called "Teacher's Pets", who always help you out with various things - not that there's anything wrong with that.

When you're told by your class, or by individual kids, that you're their favorite teacher.

When you celebrate with your students when they get their college acceptance letters, especially - come on, be honest - when they get accepted to your alma mater; I always feel ecstatic when I hear that an ex-student of mine got into UCLA, I admit it.

When your students wear that cap and gown at graduation, and you feel pride with the knowledge that you are one of the reasons they're getting that diploma.

When you realize that despite all the problems and troubles - bad kids, low pay - it's all worthwhile because you're making a difference in young people's lives on a daily basis, which is very satisfying.

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      Husky1970 5 years ago

      Well, Dhart, I can clearly tell you are a true teacher with many experiences. Voted up and beautiful for touching all the bases in conveying what being a teacher means.

    • jean2011 profile image

      jean2011 5 years ago from Canada

      You have said it well Dhart. As a teacher I can truly endorse what you have written. Indeed, teaching is a great profession because when all is said and done, the important thing is you are making a difference in students' lives every day. Thank you for sharing, I have voted this hub awesome and beautiful.

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My List Of Top Country Artists Yesterday and Today - These Singers Who Have Made a Difference In My Life

Updated on November 25, 2012

Favorite Country Artists

My Favorite Country Artists

I love country music and have ever since I can remember. I have fond memories of listening to the local country station as a very young child with my parents and grandparents. I like all music – and listen to a variety of genres, but I always come back to country music and its stories….so many of them are real life…

The following is a list of my top country performers. I know that they are not EVERYONE’S favorites – but they are mine! (These are in no particular order – they are all awesome in their own ways!)

Garth Brooks – Garth is one of my all-time favorites. I can listen to him all day long and never get tired of him. I started listening to him when he first came out and still listen to him today. I wish that he would come back out of retirement and make some new songs. I know that he is waiting until his daughters are grown to come back, but it can’t happen soon enough for me. I have many favorites that he sings, but I think my most favorite is “Standing Outside The Fire” mostly because of the video that goes along. It happens to feature a Special Olympian – and this is one of my favorite causes.

George Jones – My mom introduced me to George Jones when I was small. Even with all of the personal problems this man had, he was an awesome singer. He had many wonderful songs that he sang alone, and many that he sang with other singers, including wife, Tammy Wynette. There are many of his songs that I love, but my favorite is “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

Tammy Wynette – Tammy had a string of wonderful songs. She sang lots of strong woman songs that made her a favorite among women. She also sang many songs with her husband, George Jones. One favorite that the couple sang together was “Golden Ring.” As for my favorite Tammy Wynette song, it would have to be “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.”

Loretta Lynn – The Queen of Country music and the Coal Miner’s Daughter had many awesome songs. She always reminded me of my mother. Her background was very similar to my mom’s and she was one of my mother’s favorite singers. Loretta has had a long and successful career in music, singing about what she knew best. She had many hit songs, but my favorite was always “Fist City.”

Johnny Cash – Johnny Cash belongs on any and all top country lists. He is the king of country music and is the reason many of the country singers of today are singing. He has had a huge influence on the genre and most people in the business. It seems that Johnny Cash was always a part of my life and I don’t remember a time of my life that his music was not in my home. He sings everything from good old fashioned country to gospel and early rock. I have always admired the man, his struggles and his family life. He wasn’t perfect, but he tried. I have two favorites from him, “A Boy Named Sue,” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”

Hank Williams – Hank Williams started singing in the roadhouses around his home. When he was twenty-three he signed his first singing contract. He was one of the great original country singers that was popular in the very early days. His songs were thoughtful and full of heart. My favorite song from him is “You’re Cheatin’ Heart” among many others. This short paragraph does not do the man justice – I could write whole books about him and it still wouldn’t be able to show the real man and his music.

Hank Williams, Jr. – Following in the footsteps of his famous father, Hank Jr. is best known for his outlaw country sound. Until recently his song “All My Rowdy Friends” has been a staple of Monday Night Football. In my opinion, “A Country Boy Can Survive” is his best work.

Kenny Rogers – This Kenny started out as a member of The First Edition before becoming a star in his own right. “The Gambler” and “Coward of the County” were big hits for him in the 1980’s. He paired up with some big stars, most notably Dolly Parton. My favorite song that Kenny sang was “Lucille.”

Taylor Swift – Although fairly new to the music scene, Taylor has made quite a showing in country music. She started young and has been steadily on the rise. She has had many number one hits already in her short career. She has been a favorite of the younger set, as well as others who love her old fashioned sound. She has written most of her own songs. The song, “Love Story” is my favorite.

Dolly Parton – Dolly is probably best known now for her amusement park Dollywood. She is also in a new movie premiering soon in the theaters. She had many number one hits in the 1960’s and 1970’s – some with Porter Wagoner. In the 1980’s she had a string of hits, some with Kenny Rogers. She also starred in some movies in the ‘80’s. Two of her songs were my favorites “Coat of Many Colors” and “Me and Little Andy.”

Reba McIntire – Reba has been around a long time with hit after hit – more than 20 top tens in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. There are so many great songs that she has done. Although she had so many great songs, she often had to fight her record label to get them to promote her songs. She eventually found the right label and has since prospered. “Fancy” is my favorite Reba song.

Kris Kristofferson – Kris is another songwriter/singer. He has written as many hit songs for others as for himself. He started writing in the 1960’s and wrote many favorite songs, including “Me and Bobby McGee” for Roger Miller and “Sunday Morning Coming Down” for Johnny Cash. In the 1970’s he added acting to his resume acting in such films as “A Star is Born” with Barbra Streisand. My favorite Kris Kristofferson song has to be “Me and Bobby McGee.”

Glen Campbell – I first began listening to Glen Campbell when I was about eight years old. My dad had won an eight track player and ten eight tracks to go along.(Boy – am I dating myself!) One was a Glen Campbell eight track. We were living in California at the time, halfway across the country from our hometown of Wichita, Kansas. One of the tracks was “Wichita Lineman” and I loved Glen from that moment on. “Wichita Lineman” was and is my favorite song that Glen Campbell sings.

Gene Autry – My mother introduced me to this “Singing Cowboy” when I was a very small child. I can remember getting up early on Saturday mornings to watch the old movies that he starred in. I couldn’t wait to see what adventure he was going on next. While most kids loved and admired Roy Evans, Gene Autry was always my favorite “singing cowboy.” My favorite song from him is “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Of course, there are many other great songs from this great man.

Kenny Chesney – I first started listening to Kenny Chesney when I heard about his legal troubles with Tim McGraw, another of my favorites. He wasn’t a favorite, though, until my daughter dragged me to a concert of his. His performance impressed me so much that I started listening to more of his CD’s and today he is among my top favorites. My favorite song from him is “There Goes My Life.”

Tim McGraw – Tim is the son of baseball great Tug McGraw. He began his career in the early 1990’s. One of his biggest claims to fame is his marriage to fellow superstar, Faith Hill. They have performed together many times, and married after they toured together with Faith as the opening act for Tim. My favorite Tim song is “Don’t Take the Girl.”

Toby Keith - If you love country music, you have at least heard of Toby Keith. If not for the infamous fight with The Dixie Chicks, then for his many tours to the Middle East to perform for the troops. He sings such wonderful songs as “Red, White and Blue (The Angry American Song)” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” My favorite song from him is “Who’s That Man.”

Once again, this is my list of favorite country singers. There are many more that are not on this list. I could write for days on other stars, so I guess it’s time for me to end this! Hope you enjoyed my list!

Country Music Lives!

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    • ytsenoh profile image

      Cathy 5 years ago from Louisiana, Idaho, Kauai, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri

      I like the way you added your notes to each of your favorite singers. I love music, but have not loved all country music. That being said, though, I did spend about one year listening to country music to get to know it and the artists. One I do like that is so emotionally telling is "The Highway Song." Are you familiar with that one? Great song. I do also like Willie Nelson. I did like the way Garth's songs are so upbeat. Thanks for your hub.

    • justateacher profile image

      LaDena Campbell 5 years ago from Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Near Oz...

      ytsenoh- Thank you for your comments! I am familiar with "The Highway Song." It is a great song!

    • American View profile image

      American View 5 years ago from Plano, Texas

      What a great list of artists. THere music will stand for generations to hear and enjoy.

    • Leaderofmany profile image

      Leaderofmany 5 years ago from Back Home in Indiana

      You have a list of some good ole country music. I would have put most of them together on a list myself. I wonder in some of the younger generation even knows some of the names. I went to the Grand Ole Opry this last winter and it was filled with old, old names.

    • justateacher profile image

      LaDena Campbell 5 years ago from Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Near Oz...

      Leader - I would love to go to the Grand Ole Opry! It is on my bucket list! And I bet you are right - many of the younger generation would not know many of them. Thanks for reading!

    • Frank Atanacio profile image

      Frank Atanacio 5 years ago from Shelton

      I don't follow country music.. but maybe Im missing something..thanks for this share.. oh yeah and as for that list congrats you are way up on the lisT.. they really butchered my name-- and that's one of my pet peeves..LOL but thanks for the heads up

    • justateacher profile image

      LaDena Campbell 5 years ago from Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Near Oz...

      Yeah - it surprised me to see my name so high on the list...didn't expect that at all! Sorry they butchered your name, tho!

    • alocsin profile image

      alocsin 5 years ago from Orange County, CA

      Thank you for this list. I'll have to go and listen to some of the unfamiliar ones. Voting this Up and Interesting.

    • justateacher profile image

      LaDena Campbell 5 years ago from Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Near Oz...

      alocsin - thank you for your kind comments! Do check them all out - they are awesome!

    • KF Raizor profile image

      KF Raizor 5 years ago

      Great hub. One correction, though: Hank Williams was neither "one of the original country singers" nor was his career "in the very early days" of country music. Recorded country music goes back to 1922, and acts like the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills, Vernon Dalhart, Patsy Montana, the Delmore Brothers, and even Gene Autry (who was a member of the WLS National Barn Dance in the mid-1930s) had hits before Hank was out of elementary school.

    • epigramman profile image

      epigramman 5 years ago

      ....I am sorry I missed this one the first time around as I really do love country music - and this labor of love by you will be posted to my Facebook page with a direct link back here - I have started a new group on Facebook called LET'S JUST TALK MUSIC OR CINEMA - it's on my homepage on FB as a link and my name is Colin Stewart with the same profile photo as here - I would love to see you drop by and join if you're so inclined especially with your world class taste in country music - lake erie time 9:25pm and sending warm wishes to you with good energy too

    • justateacher profile image

      LaDena Campbell 5 years ago from Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Near Oz...

      Epi - I will stop by your facebook! Thank you for your kind comments!

    • justateacher profile image

      LaDena Campbell 5 years ago from Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Near Oz...

      KF - thank you for the corrections and the great info!

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Sicario Paints a Grim Picture of the Drug War in this Country

Updated on April 1, 2016

The new war on druge
The new war on druge | Source

Sicario:R” (1 h. 39 min.)

Starring: Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber, Jon Bernthal

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

The Set-Up

Kate Macer (Blunt) is a cop in Phoenix who leads a kidnap response unit for the FBI. As the film kicks off, Kate’s team is performing a raid on a known drug den in nearby Chandler, only things go horribly wrong when they inadvertently uncover a bomb that kills a couple of her agents. A closer examination of the home finds dozens of bodies stuffed in the walls of the house that they just raided. From there, Kate is recruited to work on a special-ops team led by Matt Graver (Brolin) of the CIA. Graver is part of a unit that is on special assignment for the Department of Defense that is hunting down the drug dealers that were occupying the house Macer’s unit just raided.

Sicario on Blu-ray & DVD/Digital-HD

Sicario [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD]
Sicario [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD]

In Mexico, SICARIO means hitman.In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent [Emily Blunt] is enlisted by an elite government task force official (Josh Brolin) to aid in the escalating war against drugs.Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past (Benicio Del Toro), the team sets out on a clandestine journey forcing Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive.

The Story

After the raid goes south (when an outbuilding detonates killing her fellow agents) Macer and her second-in-command are pulled into a meeting with their superiors as well as a group of CIA agents, including Matt Graver (Brolin) who has a somewhat less than legal methodology of approaching and dealing with drug dealers. Macer is informed that her presence is requested to join an inter-agency task force to help cripple the cartel by partnering up with a Delta Force team of commandos so as to take down the cartel by entering Mexico and extraditing of its main players that had been captured by the Mexican authorities, Guillermo Díaz (Edgar Arreola) who is second in command of the cartel subordinate only to his brother Manuel Díaz (Bernardo Saracino), the nominal head of the cartel.

Sicario Trailer

Everything goes South

It is Graver’s intent to eviscerating the cartel by decimating the inner workings of the organization by using Guillermo, to get to his brother, and bring down the drug lord Fausto Alarcón (Julio Cedillo). Against her better judgment (and with serious reservations) Kate does agree to the assignment because she convinces herself that the team’s mission will be more effective in ending the drug trade in the U.S. than the piecemeal work that she had been previously doing with the kidnap response unit. According to her supervisors Macer was tapped for the assignment due to her knowledge of tactical procedures. At first, the team’s mission appears to be above board, but as she gets drawn deeper and deeper into the mission, Macer begins to worry about not only the mission’s objectives, but its practices as well.

The War on Drugs just got dirty
The War on Drugs just got dirty | Source

The Darkness of it all

One of the individuals on their team is a mysterious Hispanic man who is introduces as Alejandro (Del Toro), Macer doesn’t fully trust Alejandro as she he seems dark, brooding, and potentially damaged goods. As stated the deeper Macer gets involved in the team’s inner workings comes to believe that they are not quite they appear to be. In fact, she perceives that many of the actions conducted by the team are not quite above board or legal — despite the end goal being as she knows it to be. Still largely in the dark and only given information on a need-to-know basis, against her better judgment, Macer decided to stay with the team if only to discover all that she is not told while still believing in the end goal. She may have changing or at least mixed emotions as she learns more and more about what is going on, including the specific reason why she was recruited.

The raw face of the Drug War

This is where the war on drugs is going
This is where the war on drugs is going | Source

From Bad to Worse

While Macer is no stranger to strategy, tactics, and well gunfire (in the opening moments of the film she quite handily takes out one of the kidnappers), she is totally unaccustomed to the para-military shoot-first tactics of the CIA Wolf team, and she is completely uneasy by a shootout that takes place in stalled traffic at the Mexican/U.S. border while bringing Guillermo across the border. Her unease grows as she gets dragged deeper into the case and the motivations and actions of the CIA team grow increasingly muddy. This is not quite her style of law enforcement and she is not happy as to having been leveraged into participating in these actions.

Stopping the Drug War

It all gets worse
It all gets worse | Source

Not Everyon is on the Same Page

With the increased militarization of local police forces, the increase in drug trafficking and the power and ruthlessness of the cartels the CIA insists that this is the future of the drug war in this country but Macer isn’t sure that she wants to be part of the proceedings, no matter how deeply she is being drawn into them. Meanwhile Alejandro is clearly on a mission of his own (we come to learn that his wife and children were killed by the drug kingpin) and he is more about revenge than in the objectives of either the CIA or the FBI. Ultimately the film paints a dark portrait of what law enforcement and criminals have evolved into in this country, and while not a pretty picture, it is a powerful one, and one well worth seeing.

Sicario - Border Battle Scene

The Definition of the Word "Sicario"

The word "Sicario" derives from the Latin word "Sicarius", meaning "dagger man". The term was used by Romans to describe Jewish Zealots who killed Roman citizens using a "sica" or small dagger hidden in their cloaks. It is possible that the second name of Judas Iscariot comes from the same root. There were so many murders in the Providence of Judea around the 1st Century A.D. that the figure of "Sicarius" was codified in Roman Law (Lex Cornelia de Sicariis et Veneficis - Cornelian Law for Stabbers and Poisoners) of 81 AD. These words also derive from the verb "secare", which means to slice. The word Sicario is used in Spanish and Italian.

“I Go Where I’m Sent.”

The face of a Killer
The face of a Killer | Source

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The Hibiscus Flower - Photos and Information

Updated on November 24, 2016
Photo 1
Photo 1 | Source
I love this hibiscus with white and pink in its petals.
I love this hibiscus with white and pink in its petals. | Source
Photo 2 - Hibiscus with Poinsettias at Christmas Time
Photo 2 - Hibiscus with Poinsettias at Christmas Time | Source
Photo 3 - Hibiscus Bud
Photo 3 - Hibiscus Bud | Source
A beautiful yellow hibiscus flower in the sunshine.
A beautiful yellow hibiscus flower in the sunshine. | Source
Photo 4
Photo 4 | Source

Hibiscus - A Wonderful Tropical Flower

Hibiscus are wonderful and cheery flowers to have around. I have grown them before, and really enjoyed them in my garden. In fact, they were beautiful little hibiscus "trees" with braided "trunks". I purchased and planted a few of them for my backyard. I found out a bit later, they wouldn't survive the winter, and they did not. Needless to say, I have learned a lot since that time! I still love them, and if I ever live in a place where they can survive the winters, I will plant them again.

Some Features of Hibiscus

Sometimes hibiscus is referred to as shrubby mallow. There is another Rose Mallow, which is a bit more cold hardy and can be grown and return each year. The general hibiscus plant is the one I am referring to in this hub. This plant is a late, but strong summer blooming flower that is very eyecatching. They often have huge, saucer shaped blooms that have quite the tropical flair to them.

The blooming period generally is from July through September, and I simply love the show they put on. It is as if the strong and humid heat doesn't phase them, and in fact they love it. The blooms range in colors from purple, pink, blue, white, red, yellows, and coral colors, and more. Sometimes, you can see multicolored blooms with two colors in them. They are gorgeous!

One of the popular varieties I have heard of are the Hamabo, which has a white flower with a crimson red colored center. Another favorite hibiscus is the Woodbridge, which has a beautiful rose pink color with a dark center. Bluebird is a violet blue colored variety, with a white center.

What Kind of Site is Best for Hibiscus?

Hibiscus like to have full sun, and the more the better. They flower the most in full sun, and do not care for colder windy weather. It is recommended they be sheltered from colder wind if possible. If you have a hibiscus in a somewhat shady spot, and it doesn't bloom prolifically, move it to a sunny location and watch the change in its flowering habit.

Hibiscus like well drained, fertile, and somewhat sandy soil. It likes a sandy loam, but can tolerate even poorer soils, which is good to know. If you do apply any well rotted organic matter, it will really appreciate that.

Feeding your Hibiscus

For newly planted hibiscus in the spring or summer, make sure to water regularly until the plant is established. They like to be fed an all purpose plant food, though I have fed my hibiscus flower food that encourages blooms and it liked that also. It is recommended to try blood or bone meal in the spring and again in mid summer time. They like miracle grow as well. I like to use the diluted in water formulas for blooms.

You can prune back your hibiscus to about half their height in the spring. If there happens to be any frost damage done to the plants, prune back that part also. Sometimes the shoots will become frost damaged, and if they are, the spring is the best time to cut those back as well.

Some of the recommended varieties of hibiscus are, Bluebird, William R. Smith, Brendon Springs, Woodbridge, Hamabo, Meehanii, Lady Stanley, and Lenny.

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More Hibiscus Flower Photos

Orange hibiscus flower in dappled shade.
Orange hibiscus flower in dappled shade. | Source
The center off the hibiscus flower, the stamen.
The center off the hibiscus flower, the stamen. | Source
I love the beautiful color in this hibiscus flower.
I love the beautiful color in this hibiscus flower. | Source
A pretty salmon pink colored hibiscus flower.
A pretty salmon pink colored hibiscus flower. | Source

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    • Debra Charney profile image

      Debra Charney 5 years ago from United States

      Thanks, for the information on Hibiscus. I love flower gardening. I will have to try adding these to my collection.

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 5 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Hello Debra, so glad to share it. I also love flower gardening, and I am sure you will enjoy adding hibiscus to your list of flowers to grow. They are just lovely and a joy to have around. Thanks for your comment and visit to my hub. :)

    • thumbi7 profile image

      JR Krishna 5 years ago from India

      Beautiful pictures! We see plenty of these flowers in India in different colours. In the villages, the plant is sometimes used for fencing.

    • Deborah Brooks profile image

      Deborah Brooks Langford 5 years ago from Brownsville,TX

      these Hibiscus are beautiful.. I do like to plant in the spring.. beautiful.. great hub

    • geetika iyer profile image

      geetika iyer 5 years ago from India

      Thanks for this wonderful hub! I have always enjoyed these beautiful flowers in my garden.

    • vasantha  T k profile image

      vasantha T k 5 years ago from Bangalore

      1and 4 photos are beautiful.Thanks for sharing.

    • tlpoague profile image

      Tammy 5 years ago from USA

      These are beautiful flowers. I would love to grow them, but am glad to know that they can't survive in the winter. Have you had any luck growing them indoors?

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 5 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Hello Thumbi, thank you very much! I can see how large hibiscus plants could be used for edging or separating yards from others. I appreciate your comment and visit.

      Hello Debra, thank you for your visit and comment to my hub. So glad you stopped by. Finding fellow gardeners is a joy!

      Geetika Iyer, thank you for your comment. I think you are lucky to have these pretty flowers in your garden. I hope to grow some more here, that are tolerant of freezing weather in the wintertime. Your visit and comment are appreciated.

      Hi Vasantha, so glad you stopped by and shared what photos you liked. Thanks for the comment!

      Tlpoague, I know of people here that grow these flowers indoors, or at least bring them in for the winter. The continue to stay alive throughout the winter, and then people take them back outside when the freezing temperatures are gone. I have to try something like that. Glad you left a comment, and thanks for the visit.

    • samsons1 profile image

      Sam 5 years ago from Tennessee

      What a lovely hub that inspires me anew to write about this lovely flower. My wife and I have grown hibiscus for years and love to work with them from the pruning through the summer and fall. We bring them into the house and/or garage and they still bloom but the flower is much smaller than those when the plants are left outside.

      Thanks and the pix are gorgeous. Voted up and beautiful...

    • DeBorrah K. Ogans profile image

      DeBorrah K Ogans 5 years ago

      Oceansunsets, Nice hub! This was quite helpful! I have a hibiscus that I am watching closely to see if it will fare through the chilly winter we are having here in California! When the coinditions are right they are quite lovely! Thank you for sharing, Peace & Blessings!

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 5 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Samsons, thank you very much! I think its wonderful that you bring your plants in for longer lasting life of the plant overall. I need to do that also. I think they are such beautiful flowers, and so happy others do as well.

      DeBorrah, thank you! Hopefully in California, your hibiscus will be just fine, but I am not sure where you are. I lived in California for much of my life, and many places are hospitable to them. However, there are some places snow stays for a while also. Best of luck on your beautiful hibiscus! Peace and Blessings back to you!

    • profile image

      nabila 5 years ago

      awesome but i need full size photo

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 5 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Hello Nabila, I am glad you liked the flower and stopped by.

    • profile image

      Chantel 5 years ago

      First time growing hibiscus- zone 6. I have seen them in my area coming back each year in many yards. We had a very warm winter but mine look dead. Do they grow on old wood or should I prune them down to help the roots? Do I feed them? Also how much time do I give them? They were beautiful last year and were well protected for the winter.

      Many Thanks :)

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 5 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Hello Chantel, up above, I share some basic thoughts on pruning and feeding your hibiscus. As for how much time you give them, I am not sure for sure. I think you will know soon enough, especially as summer keeps getting closer and closer. Any new growth at all is a great sign, little green leaves, etc.

      I am sure they were very beautiful last year! Lets hope they come back as strong or stronger to bring you even more joy this year! Wishing you the best with your hibiscus. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. These flowers are so wonderful.

    • profile image

      kate 5 years ago

      the information on this page was very useful to me. I planted some Hibiscus flowers and they are gorgeous!

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 5 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Hello Kate, I am so glad to hear you found some useful information here! I love hibiscus, and wish they survived the winters outdoors where I live. So I enjoy them all the more when I do see them.

      I hope your hibiscus grow well and put off many showy and beautiful flowers!

    • profile image 3 years ago

      What zones do hibiscus grow in. I live in zone 5?

    • oceansnsunsets profile image

      Paula 3 years ago from The Midwest, USA

      Hi there Jim and Marylynn. Hibiscus grow best in zones 9-11 where the temperatures don't get too low in the winters. That said, people do find ways of helping their hibiscus to survive the winters by bringing them indoors for instance. I have a neighbor that does this with their very beautiful hibiscus "tree" they have in a pot. It has a braided trunk, and it survives this way. I recall my first time thinking they would grow in my own zone, only to find out they do not!. I wanted to buy several as they are so beautiful. So I am content to see them when I can, but don't grow my own at this time.

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'Tis The Season: The History of Christmas

Updated on January 1, 2012

Christmas is just around the corner now. 'Tis the season of giving and family. This is the time of year we all settle down and give thanks for what we have and think about those less fortunate. If you're religious this is the holiday where we you observe the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is a fascinating holiday from it's roots in the Pagan holiday Yule all the way to it's mainstream commercial day of gift-giving it is today.

Christmas is another one of those holidays that is ancient, dating back thousands of years. It has it's origins in paganism and took on a Christian persona during the rise of the Catholic church. It's one of the most popular holidays in the united states today. However if you ask anyone about the history of Christmas, they'll all say "it's Christ's birthday". Most people don't actually know the origins of the holiday. Many of the traditions of Christmas are actually much older than Christ. This hub will cover the history of those traditions and the holiday itself.

By digitalart on
By digitalart on | Source

Christmas Before Christ

Before the birth of Jesus Christ, Europeans had winter celebrations of light and birth in darkness for centuries. These celebrations took place during the Winter Solstice on December 21st. In Scandinavia, these celebrations were called Yule, a Norse holiday which recognized the return of the sun. Fathers and sons of this culture would bring home "Yule logs" which they'd burn. Whilst the log burned the Norse people would feast.

Many of the origins of Christmas begin in Pagan Rome. In winter, Romans celebrated a holiday called Saturnalia, which honored the god Saturn. Saturn was the god of Agriculture. This holiday began in the beginning of the week which lead to the winter solstice and continued for a full month. During this time food was plentiful. The Roman social order was also turned upside down for the whole month. Also around this time of year, Romans celebrated Juvenalia. Juvenalia was a feast which honored the youth of Rome.

The idea that December 25 is Jesus birthday may also come from Pagan Rome, as early Christians did not celebrate the birth of Christ. On December 25, Romans celebrated the birthday of Mithra, god of the sun. Mithra was believed to be born of a rock. For many Romans December 25 was the most sacred day of the year.

The Birth of Christ

The birth of Jesus Christ has been celebrated on December 25 since 354 AD. This date was chosen in part to replace pagan worship that was common in those early days of Christianity. By now it is well known that Jesus was not actually born on December 25. It is more likely that he was born sometime in the Spring, possibly between March and May. One thing is for sure, it is impossible for anyone to accurately calculate the actual date.

A Brief History of Old St. Nick

St. Nicholas was born in 280 AD in Asia Minor. He was a priest who later became a bishop and he was the patron saint of children. He was known as the gift giver of Myra. He gave his gifts late at night, so that his identity would be hidden. The children of the day were instructed to go to bed early or else St. Nick wouldn't come. This tradition remains the same till today.

St. Nicholas is the third most popular religious figure after Jesus and Mary. His popularity grew over the centuries and more and more stories sprang up to explain his existence to children. He attained many aliases over time such as Father Christmas and Santa Claus. Though the real St. Nick was a young man when he started his gift giving and he wore a cloak and jeweled gloves, over the years he became depicted as an older man in a red suit with a large belly.

The Symbols of Christmas

Christmas Trees
This is a tradition that dates back way before Christianity. Trees that remained green year round held special meaning to ancient peoples. My people hung boughs of evergreen trees over their doors and windows. They believed that evergreen trees could ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness. In countries such as Egypt, evergreens represented the triumph of life over death. Druids believed evergreens represented everlasting life. And groups like the vikings hung evergreen boughs to represent their recovering sun gods. Germany is the first known country to decorate evergreen trees at Christmas time. This is the tradition we practice today.

The legend behind Christmas stockings talks about a nobleman who had lost his wife and was left alone with his three daughters. After wasting their fortune on useless inventions, they were forced to live in a peasants' cottage. When it was time for the former nobleman's three daughters to wed, the nobleman was unable to provide dowries to the grooms. One night the daughters hung their freshly washed stockings by the fireplace to dry. St. Nick, hearing of their fathers inability to pay a dowry, decided to drop three bags of gold down the chimney. Each one landed in the stockings. When the family awoke in the morning, they found the gold and had enough money for the daughters to get married. This tradition is practiced all over the world today. Children hang Christmas stockings on Christmas eve, which "Santa" then fills with toys, candy and other small goodies.

The use of decorative wreaths began long before Christianity. In Rome, wreaths were hung as a sign of victory. Germanic peoples gathered wreaths of evergreen as a sign of hope in the coming Spring, during the long and dark winter months. These traditions remained as Christianity rose in Europe. By the 16th century, Christians hung wreaths as a sign of Advent hope in Christ. Traditionally, wreaths are made of evergreen (sometimes embellished with flowers and berries) with four candles and a fifth in the middle. The four surrounding candles are usually either white or violet and the fifth is usually a rose color. One candle a week is lit until Christmas. The fifth is lit on Christmas eve.

Poinsettia is a red, star-shaped flower. This is a favorite Christmas flower in the United States. This flower was brought to the States over a hundred years ago by Joel Poinsett, the first ambassador to Mexico. In Mexico there is a legend that accompanies the Poinsettia. In this legend, we are told about a little girl named Maria and her brother, Pablo, who were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festivals in their little village. Each year the village Church set up a large manger scene. The children were saddened by the fact that they had nothing to give the church for the baby Jesus. One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo picked some weeds on their way to church and decided that this would be their gift to baby Jesus. They placed the green plants around the manger scene and miraculously the top leaves turned into red petals and manger became surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers. And so the Poinsettia became a Christmas symbol.

Mistletoe is actually an aerial parasite that lives off of the tree it attaches itself to. It has no roots of its own so without a host tree, it will die. Mistletoe was sacred to many pagan peoples including: the Norse, Celtic Druids and North American Indians. Druids would cut Mistletoe from Oak Trees with a golden sickle and catch them before they hit the ground. They would then give individual sprigs to the people, who would hang them above their doorways as protection against thunder and lightning. It's also believed that placing a sprig of mistletoe in a baby's cradle can protect them from goblins. In ancient times if enemies met under a hanging mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their weapons and call a truce until the next day, making Mistletoe a symbol of peace and creating our tradition of kissing under the mistletoe as a sign of friendship and love. Later in the 18th century, the exchanging of kisses between a man and woman under the mistletoe, was a promise of marriage. Also if an unmarried woman stood under a mistletoe, she could not refused to be kissed. If she remained un-kissed, she would not marry the following year.

Holly was used at Roman Saturnalia to honor the god, Saturn. The Druids wore sprigs of Holly in their hair when they went to watch the priests cut down the mistletoe. They believed Holly was meant to keep the world green and beautiful during the winter months. Holly is a symbol of peace and joy, similar to the mistletoe. It's believed to frighten away witches and ghosts. Placing holly on your bedpost is meant to bring sweet dreams. In England, farmers placed sprigs of holly on and around their beehive at Christmas Eve. They believed the bees hummed in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ. The use of Holly at Christmas time was merely adopted into the Christian religion during a time when (ironically) Christians were persecuted for their beliefs.

Yule Log
Yule was a feast celebrated in Northern Europe, to honor Odin. Odin was both the god of death and the god of ecstasy and intoxicating drink. The sacrificial beer left for Odin became known as the Christmas ale and food and drink were left on the tables after Christmas for the Yuletide ghosts. In Northern Europe, the Yule log represented fruitfulness, productivity and good health. The Yule log would be cut down and burned. Some cultures decorated the log and some didn't. A Yule log was kept burning anywhere from twelve hours to twelve days. It was believed that the log brought beneficial magic into the house. It was also believed that the as long as the log burned, you were protected from witchcraft. When the fire went out, a piece of log was kept to light the fire the following year.

Skylar Spring © copyright 2012

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Senate Passes No Budget, No Pay; Suspends Debt-Ceiling

Updated on February 17, 2013
Senate Majortiy Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)
Senate Majortiy Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) | Source
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) | Source
House Budgetary Committee Chair, Rep. Paul Ryan (R- WI)
House Budgetary Committee Chair, Rep. Paul Ryan (R- WI) | Source

The Senate passed legislation 64-34 on Thursday to suspend the debt-ceiling until May 19. Already passed through the House, President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law.

Called No Budget, No Pay; the bill would require both chambers to pass a budget - or else. As the name suggests, legislators would be denied their pay until a budget was passed.

The 27th Amendment states that "No law varying the compensation" shall be passed. Lawmakers are attempting to circumvent the law by holding their pay in an escrow account either until they pass a budget, or until the end of the 113th Congress two years from now. Seems disingenuous at best and diametrically opposed to the spirit of the Constitution - but whatevs, am I right? Congress owns deservedly low approval ratings these days, and they need to do their damn jobs.

It has been said that many representatives were sent to the Hill in 2010 elections specifically not to do anything. Job well done, as it were.

Appallingly, the Senate has not passed a budget in over 1300 days. Budgets are important - windows into the soul. If us voters are to play our role in Democracy, we need to know what our legislators believe in. If they filibuster the budget and refuse to go on record, we cannot hold them accountable. Harry Reid and the Senate's budgetary behavior is an absolute dereliction of duty. Some would contend that by passing one continuing resolution after another, that the bills have been paid regardless. I a remain unswayed.

The House GOP - lead by Paul Ryan - passed versions of the Ryan Budget that are completely anathema to many Americans. Ryan himself was forced to backtrack on his own budget while attempting to appear more moderate in his run for the White House alongside Mitt Romney. Roller-skates aside, kudos to Mr.Ryan for putting his views on the record and organizing support.

While the Ryan Budget - even when allowed grand and fanciful projections - failed to balance until 2040. Now GOP leadership have committed Representative Ryan to write a budget that balances in a mere 10 years. Surely a fools errand, seems more akin to political sabotage.

Our leaders need to negotiate a grand bargain around the debt ceiling and avoid sequestration. They need to pass a budget. The need to do their jobs and act like leaders for a change.

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12 Styles for Wedding Slide Shows - How to Make the best show with Quality Photos

Updated on July 31, 2012

Friend's Wedding Photography at Loose Park

Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri
Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri | Source
purchasing license use to place songs in videos that are sharable on social networks.
purchasing license use to place songs in videos that are sharable on social networks. | Source

Creating Your Wedding Slideshow

A wedding slideshow truly allows you both to "share" your lives with wedding guests. You will have a live scrapbook of times you have shared. Engagement photos are a tremendous edition to every slide show.

When to DIY a video slideshow yourself: You can create them yourself if you have enough experience and you are satisfied with the results. When you plan to share it privately only, allowing you to add the music you want in the show.

When to pay a professional to create your slide show. They use professional software and techniques. Sometimes it is just the fact that you may not have the time or experience to create one on your own. When you want to publicly share the video that contains music. A professional will apply licensed music with credits to the performer within the show.

What to include: Titles, sayings, mentions, music and the images you pick. As a bonus, you can share it on YouTube either as a private link just with the people you share the link with or public for others to view and take note of some of your ideas and techniques.

How long should it be? Two ways to answer this question. 25-50 images with enough time for one song to play during the video, plays about 2-5 minutes. The second way to answer: Go to you tube, type in the keywords: wedding slideshows and view a couple that are this length of time and then view the ones that are 6-15 minutes long. Gage how long yours should be by the time you notice yourself loosing interest in the show. My time was 3 1/2 minutes and I was tired of watching.

Music and copyrights. This is the part to tread carefully. When you publish the video publicly, the music cannot violate any copyright laws. Just crediting the song isn't enough. There are many on YouTube that are in violation of the law. Professional slide show makers own rights to music for use in wedding videos that will be open for public viewing. Privately listing it, only people you give the link to can view it or it is on a disc or your computer at home; any music is acceptable.

Styles and Themes for the slide show

  1. Story telling from young to meeting one another; together up to the day of the wedding.
  2. Together a long time; share times together, places you have been and special moments
  3. Engagement. Create the slide show based on your professionally photographed images.
  4. Family. Include images of people in your family, but with a stronger focus on the couple.
  5. Activity based. Active couples do many things together and it makes for an exciting show.
  6. Engage family and friends in creating images for your show. Have them capture you both in natural states of everyday things that you do together.
  7. Renewal of Vows. You get to share your original marriage and then time leading up to the renewal.
  8. A slide show created after the wedding to include the wedding day.
  9. The whole package. Before the wedding, wedding day, reception and honeymoon.
  10. Multiple slide shows. One for each part or combine a few into one.
  11. A true love story.
  12. Couples overcoming challenges and the challenging time is in the video, showing the enduring love and happiness after that time.

When you use professional photographed images, you will need a release from the photographer allowing you to use them in the slide show production. Most truly professional slide show makers will request it.

Sample Wedding Slide Show Creation

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