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Lessons From a Dog

We have a dog named, Baxter. He is short, fat, and black. A mix of dachshund and corgi. My Mom found him in her pasture with a plastic coffee jar stuck on his head. Apparently, he had been looking for food and had gotten himself into a bit of a mess. At just 8 weeks old, he was a pitiful little sight with an injured ear and more fleas than you could count.

My children had been begging for a dog, so there you go. They thought God had delivered a puppy to their doorstep in response to their prayers. (I won’t tell you what my husband thought!)

Baxter has been with us for 2 1/2 years now. Below you will find a few lessons I’ve learned from him. Even though these are behaviors I’ve observed in a dog, I think they can be applied to our lives as Christians. Simple, basic lessons.

*Bark if there’s danger. Someone will rescue you. Once inside, relax and be at peace.

Baxter is a barker. He barks a lot. But if he senses danger, he will bark even after the danger has passed. He will bark until someone lets him come in the house and rest safely in his cage. Once inside, he is completely at peace. Isn’t that how we are when turmoil arises in our lives? We cry out to the Father. More so than any other time. He hears us and draws us to Himself where we can be comforted and find peace.

*If someone gives you a bone, hide it. It is your treasure.

Baxter hides his bones. Even if it’s pouring down rain. He treasures them and saves them for later. God tells us to treasure His Word and hide it in our hearts. Why should we hide it in our hearts? So that the treasure of God’s Word will be there when we need it. So we can pull it out and apply it to each life situation as needed.

*If you’re hungry, go straight to your master. Ignore everyone who tries to distract you along the way.

Baxter likes to run in the door without permission. Once inside, it becomes total chaos. He runs straight for the cat’s food. The children scream like…well…like children and convince themselves it is the perfect excuse to run wild in the house. Of course, Baxter, in spite of his fat tummy that almost touches the floor, outsmarts them every time. The children dive and jump and Baxter gets away.

After observing the excitement for a few minutes, I decide it’s time to restore order. I call, “Baxter” and he’s at my feet within seconds. He knows I’m his master. I’m the one who consistently takes care of him. He also knows I will give him something good to eat if he obeys me.

So when we are hungry for God, we should avoid the chaos and distractions around us. We should run as fast as we can to receive the good things He has to give us.

*Know the difference between friends and enemies.

We have a cat named, Tiger. Tiger was here long before Baxter arrived. I’m not sure if you can say a thought crosses a cat’s mind, but if that’s possible, I can honestly say the thought to like Baxter has never crossed Tiger’s mind. Tiger despises Baxter. If he is ever near him, he hisses. If Baxter ventures too close, Tiger strikes with his paw. Tiger is an enemy to Baxter.

However, when we board Baxter during vacations, he stays in a boarding place that has a resident cat. Guess who sleeps with Baxter almost every night? Yes, the cat. Baxter knows the difference between a friend and an enemy. He avoids Tiger at all costs, but allows the friendly, resident cat to share his bed.

We, like Baxter, should be fully aware of the difference between friends and enemies. There are people in our lives who will try to tear us down by pulling us away from God. If they are enemies of God, we should avoid them.

Does this mean we shouldn’t share Christ and His salvation with those who don’t know Him? Not at all. We should tell them about Jesus and all He has done for us. We should pray that they will allow Christ to be The Lord of their lives. But if they do not believe, we should not allow them to become so close to us that they begin to influence the way we live. Remember the example of a person standing in a chair and a person on the floor. It’s much easier to pull someone down than to pull them up.

Our friends who are closest to us should have the same beliefs and values that we have. This way we can encourage each other to follow God’s ways. We can hold each other accountable as well as love and care for each other. These are true friends.

I started wondering if this post was a little silly to compare a dog and a Christian, but then I found this quote from John Calvin.

“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”

It appears that he learned a lesson from a dog as well. 😄

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My Glamorous Literary Life

It’s nearly midnight and I really should be asleep. There’s no guarantee the new puppy will sleep through the night and I have (of course) lots to do tomorrow. But I wanted to share something with you before I close my eyes.

I just finished watching Moneyballa very good baseball film. We watch lots of baseball films in our house…and we have quite a little baseball library, too.

I love baseball. There’s something about the moment where one person is under the falling ball/batting with the bases loaded/pitching for the last out.  If he catches it/gets a hit/strikes out the batter, he’s a hero. If not, he’s a total schmuck. It reminds me an awful lot of the writing life. Sooner or later it comes down to that…you and the great game. Will you score, or will you strike out?

I was too terrible at baseball to…

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Although the title of this post is ‘Chichester’ the essence of this postcard image has nothing to do with the location and everything to do with the intense stare of the Edwardian lad as he looks down into the still water longing for (or fearful of) ‘the bite’.

This card posted on October 27th 1906 to a Miss Bowker of Alderney Edge by her younger brother Peter. I wonder if he chose it because he related in some way to the lad in the image?

“I fish for rain, but I only ever seem to catch snow.”

― Jarod Kintz

I relate to the lad standing in the picture – isn’t that often the way that we get into an image? We inhabit it, make associations as a result of looking at it, we attach a memory or two to it and in some unconscious way make it our own. An image as a prompt to a whirl of free association: Derwent / colour works / Steven Ballington / maggot / creel / Shakespeare / root […] endless associations.

That lad, hat pushed back, not caring if the photographer with all his gallumphrey of kit has set up home next to him and is taking his photo: watch the rod, stay focused, was that a nibble, did the tip just quiver???

Perhaps you’ve been there? Have you been hooked by fishing? It’s not something I do now but there was a time, around the age of the lad in the postcard, when I’d get my day license and pint of maggots from ‘Vickers’ – Matlock’s toyshop and gift emporium and purveyor of fine maggots (what a sideline!) and then, loaded down with tackle, head off with David ‘Tommo’ Tomlinson for a day of studiously NOT catching fish.

We’d choose unlikely spots; my favourite was just below the outflow of the Via Gellia Colour Works in Matlock Dale, where the dye-stained water flowed bloodily back into the Derwent from a tunnel that held as dark a fascination for us as the fish in the river.

We chose there (I now suspect) because we were making sure that there were no fish about to complicate our day.

You see what those fishing days were about was eating sarnies outdoors; they were about bonding, relaxing, and tale tales (we’d make up fabulous stories about the people ‘trip-trapping’ over the footbridge above us).  We fished in the shadows beneath that bridge countless times.

The days were about the sandy banks and how the sand felt damply cold on the warmest days; they were about ‘kit’, about the creak of the creel as you sat down on it, and precious floats or lead shot, the hook, line and sinker of it, all those pocket-money-precious packages of delight and mystery.

We hadn’t a clue how to fish, no-one had showed us anything. We just had a go, and happily un-fished our days dipping a line into the water or pulling it out of a tree.

The magic – for there was indeed magic – was in our proximity to water. It felt wild, even mildly perilous, by the water. We weren’t reckless or stupid, we could swim, but there was always something about the muscularity of the river that commanded our respect and something approaching awe..

I think my fishing period lasted two or perhaps three summers. The odd stickleback or minnow was unceremoniously hauled out into the air, and as rapidly as possible dispatched back to the water with a huge sense of relief that we’d not actually killed it. On a couple of memorable occasions I caught grayling, heck even the odd iridescent trout… but always it was the location, the closeness to water that really held my fascination.

Gradually the tackle fell into disuse and, if memory serves, I sold the lot to fund another ‘pre-girls’ teenage passion, model railways!

“I suspect, on some level, all of us who consider ourselves “outdoors-people” — whether we fish or hunt or birdwatch or gather mushrooms or hike or photograph — are romantics at the core.

“We experience something transcendent in those environs, something we idealize in our hearts and minds, something that illumines a spark of the divinity within us.”

― Joe Webb

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2 thoughts on “Reflections of a Postcard… 3. ‘Chichester’

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Whose God?

In an earlier post, Slater raised the issue of integrity in the recent cashiering of MG Haight. One comment went so far as to push the canard that a person who cheats on their spouse can’t be trusted to lead soldiers in peace and war. History doesn’t support that in fact, but the philosophy behind the outrage and the comment have great merit because of their grounding in Christian belief and how it limits soldiers from falling into depravity in war:

1. All men are created equal, and those who are raised to leadership take on greater responsibility to lead a moral life publicly and privately. A person who is publicly moral and privately immoral lacks integrity. Like a boat, a lack of integrity in the hull eventually sinks the boat and everyone who trusted in it by riding in it. Soldiers expect their officers to be right when ordered to commit violence.

2. In marriage there is the promise to become one person, forsaking all others for all time. This means adultery is a sin against one’s own self in both its parts and subsidiary constituents: husband and wife, and children. A commander so divided finds it impossible to maintain unity of command of himself and thereby loses the ability to know the rights and wrongs that create good order and discipline in himself and his men.

These are considered Judeo-Christian values, firmly grounded in both testaments. They have worked for a few millenia, and are credited with America’s success as an experiment in self-liberty,  ever straining to be practitioners of Beatitudinally-compliant social justice, and for being raised above all the other nations for a time. America became the most lethal country since Genghis Khan’s Hordes swept Eurasia into his empire. To reign ourselves in, we created Bible-based tools to set boundaries on our behavior.

We abide by the Geneva Convention. We go out of our way to avoid collateral damage, and to promote a culture of self-liberty even as we’re about the business of killing every single bad guy in the region. We disapprove of urinating on corpses and raping and pillaging and take action when those crimes are discovered. The adherence to these ethics helped make America extremely successful militarily.

All that success lead to an excess of pride, which is known to be a precursor to catastrophic failure. Pride in this case leads to abandoning what worked before for new ideas, most of which were born thousands of years ago, but new nonetheless. An Air Force Major is under a misconduct investigation for the crime of having an open Bible on his desk. Christianity, before seen as a temporizing influence, is a crime when practiced in the USAF. Already, marriage is redefined and criticism is criminalized. Gender is redefined and criticism is criminalized. To bring up Christianity is to be accused of violating the Church-State boundary.

To sum up to this point: to behave according to Christian teachings is purely a private matter and this practice can not, must not inform the behavior of the Military Service Member in the conduct of duty. People who claim wisdom and are hip to the times agree on this point nodding sagely in padded seats far from the pointy end of the bayonet and the 18-year old who must kill.

In this new ethic, as it is being applied today, what exactly is MG Haight guilty of? He is being judged according to millenias-old rules, however newly codified in our UCMJ, which are based on a faith that is impermissable in the conduct of military service.

Let’s apply this philosophy more broadly. Shoplifting from the PX? Rape of children? Lynch mobbing? Occupy Wallstreet? The Horror of Rotherham? Ted Bundy? How is any of this criminal in this brave new world?

In combat, the killing of bad guys is our business, so how is this guy defined as bad? He’s just a dude doing his thing, and certainly not interfering with the Labor Day sales at the mall. What parameters frame our judgement of his actions? #BadGuyLivesMatter! If killing a bad guy is ordered, why not kill all those children and women he’s surrounded himself with? “Thou shalt not commit murder” with the imperative of ‘shall not’ belongs to forbidden religions. One can make a thousand arguments against murder, but a joe in combat isn’t educated enough or have the time to review the rules of to kill or not. The only argument I can see with any integrity with our governing philosophy of anti-JudeoChristianity and the reality of warfare is that murder is 100% A-Okay. That’s who we are today.

Where does it stop? How depraved must our military become before we ourselves have to be destroyed like rabid dogs? Today it’s a crime to read a Bible at your desk in the USAF. Is the Army the same way? The Marines? For those whose business is killing others in the name of the State, where do they turn for moral instruction? Where do they learn about the limits when the source code is forbidden to be applied?

I close by restating the questions above: should MG Haight be put out of the Army, or promoted to LTG for following the very modern and accepted ethic? He did his duty. Whose God guides us when hope in man is abandoned? How will the Keydets be instructed when lying, cheating, stealing, and toleration of these action are how we do business as commissioned officers and voters?

About DaveO

Retired soldier, micro-farmer, raconteur and pet owner from the great state of Oklahoma. Wandered in as a frequent commenter and have been enjoying blogging ever since.
This entry was posted in Air Force, Army, VMI. Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to Whose God?

  1. slater says:

    I’ve had a bible on my desk since February.

  2. vmijpp says:

    Brilliant, and well-said. A frequent reader and sometime commenter asked me to pass along that this post is, “some of the most instructive and reflective commentary on the topic I have heard in many years. How refreshing and uplifting! This is the kind of straightforward logic that needs to be spoken aloud, to our citizens, over and over again.”

    Amen on that.

  3. slater says:

    Although, Dave. It doesn’t matter where the laws we submit ourselves to are derived from. What matters is that we submitted ourselves, and therefore MG Haight and any like him deserve the whole thing, and that is a dishonorable discharge.

    • DaveO says:

      Yes, where the rules come from do matter. You express what is known as Rules-based Ethics: the rule applies to all in all situations. In this system of ethics, the source of the rule is paramount. Some religions celebrate human sacrifice, while others promote the dehumanization of people. The Soviets practiced rule-based ethics to horrific effect: to dissent is to cause harm, therefor the killing of the dissenter is Good. Their murderers are heroes, while we venerate the Angel of Marye’s Heights. The source code matters.

    • CooperEP '04 says:

      Why would the potential punishment be different for an O-8 than anyone in uniform? The rules should be applied equally to all just like when we all were in Corps of Cadets based on the conditions of the case. Otherwise, how can it be justified that the process is fair and impartial?

  4. DaveO says:

    Cooper, you make a fair point. The answer to how is the view of right and wrong as “shades of gray.” Now for the denizens of Daniels’s Den, I don’t mean a certain book, even though the ethic is tortuous. In the case of this Haight-crime, a Major General has done more for our Nation and its Army than a Lieutenant. Another shade of gray is that the general support more impotant VIP. When everuthing is gray, you get the Army Value of “different spanks for different ranks.”

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Dow Delusions

The most watched stock market index on the planet, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (the Dow) hit a record closing high on Tuesday this week, surpassing the previous high of 14198 set on the 11th October 2007, as can be seen within the first chart below.

Needless to say there has been a fair amount of coverage about this momentous market event, which included an article on the Dow in “inflation adjusted terms,” suggesting that inflation had eroded half of the Dow’s gain since 1994

It’s a very valid point, in that investors’ should look a the “real return,” of any long term investment decision made or being considered, but we are not so sure that the correct comparison should be the “official measure of inflation, the consumer price index, or CPI.”

The latest reading of US CPI is stated at 1.6% pa, but does anyone, aside of government statisticians, actually believe that number? Anyone who actually fills up their tank, rents a home (40 % of the US inflation basket is related to the cost of renting,) or assists their kids with education costs can only dream that their cost of living is only advancing by 1.6% per year

If one really wishes to look at inflation, including the cause of it, you only have to look at a measure of “credit growth,” but this is a subject for another day,  for now, let us look at Dow in nominal terms, as shown above, when compared with the Dow in CPI terms.

Quite where the “A N Other” article derived their CPI data from we are not sure, but data obtained from our Bloomberg terminal produces the following comparison.

Yes, there has been a lag for the Dow, in CPI adjusted terms (the blue dashed line) but not by a lot. It currently equates to a Dow level of 12450, only 13% below last night’s close of 14329 for the nominal Dow. Those aside, please note the slavish correlation between the nominal Dow and the “inflation adjusted Dow,” over the long term bull market since 1982, whether during bull or bear phases of it.

Surely it would make more sense to compare the nominal Dow to a basket of goods that we all actually use on a daily basis, such as energy and agricultural foods, plus metals such as copper, used extensively within the construction and industrial sectors. Such a basket exists and it’s called the Continuous Commodities Index, or CCI.

Adding this to our earlier comparison, shown in red, throws up some interesting changes and observations.

  • The correlation  mentioned earlier between the nominal and inflation adjusted Dow remains  and extends also to the commodity adjusted Dow, which we will call the Real Dow, but its  all time high was actually in 1999, 14 years ago, since when it has      collapsed by 55% .
  • The nominal and the real Dow continued their  correlation post the “tech smash” of 2000 -2003, but in 2003 something      changed, there has been a major divergence.

We suggest that the difference is down to the “ illusion of credit ” as the use of credit by individuals, corporates and government soared. The real Dow shows where the Dow would be without the effects of this increased debt load.

The divergence became even more extreme, post 2007 credit crunch ( notice how nobody uses that term now, whereas 3 years ago the term popped up in just about every news item) as policymakers commenced their $US Trillion stimulus binge.

The $US 64,000,000,000,000 question now, of course, is can the credit growth continue to push the Dow higher? Or, is the illusion about to change to delusion, with the nominal Dow re-aligning with its real cousin, some 60% below its recent record high?

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What do sperm have to do with brain tumors?

H3.3 knockoutSometimes in science there are unexpected threads tying seemingly very different things together.

Unraveling the knots in these threads can lead to new insights into important developmental processes and mechanisms of disease.

My lab studies epigenomic and transcription factors including a molecule called histone variant H3.3 (more here on H3.3).

H3.3 binds to the actual thread of DNA to create very different kinds of chromatin states than those made by the more traditional canonical histone H3 family members. Think of H3.3 as the unorthodox member of the histone H3 family.

Recent studies have indicated that H3.3 plays key roles in both stem cells and cancer.

What’s going on?

H3.3 has a powerful, unique impact on which genes are turned on or off in cells and in turn how cells decide how to structure their chromosomes including both stem cells and cancer cells.

The jobs of H3.3 of essentially being a gene thermostat and of regulating genomic architecture are fundamental to a variety of cellular and organismal process including as it turns out both sperm development and brain tumors. For better or worse, H3.3 is a key conductor of both of these processes.

My lab just came out with a new paper in the journal Development in which we knocked out one of two genes that make H3.3 protein and got some surprising results. Wait, you say, two genes make H3.3? Yes. Histones more generally are unusual proteins in a number of ways including the fact that more than one histone gene will make exactly the same histone protein. This is, of course, very different than most protein-coding genes that follow the one gene-one protein rule.

The two genes that make H3.3 protein, H3f3a and H3f3b, are expressed differentially so cells may make their total pool of H3.3 protein only from the “a” gene or only the “b” gene or from both. We knocked out the “b” gene.

For about half the mice lacking “b”, this meant that embryonic development failed. Interestingly, almost every surviving “b” knockout mouse was infertile including all males and just about every female. Why did this happen? The b-deficient germ cells, the cells that make sperm in males and eggs in females, essentially had a monkey wrench thrown into their chromatin machinery due to the fact that they had very little H3.3 protein.

As a result, some genes switched inappropriately into “on” mode, while others that were supposed to be active were  switched off. The germ cell DNA was also not packaged properly. The end result was dead or dysfunctional sperm. In addition, earlier on in the spermatogenesis process, specific more primitive germ cell populations in the “b” knockouts died as well.

One of the most prominent epigenetic factors involved in this germ cell phenotype in the “b” knockout mice was a histone mark called trimethylation of lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me3). Histone marks constitute a code that helps regulate gene expression and chromatin architecture. H3K9me3 seem to help shut genes off.

With very little total H3.3 protein in the “b” knockout mouse germ cells, H3K9me3 accumulated abnormally (see image above of immunostained testes from Figure 3B: blue is DAPI and green is H3K9me3, with the bottom gray panels being H3K9me3 alone). We think this excess H3K9me3 played a central role in germ cell dysfunction and in infertility in the knockouts, but other histone marks were altered as well.

Turns out that the other H3.3-coding gene, H3f3a aka the “a” gene, is also required for normal murine sperm development too, but in addition in the humans the human version of the “a” gene (called H3F3A) is mutated in some of the most lethal of all childhood brain tumors called glioblastoma and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), both called high-grade gliomas more broadly. H3F3B (the human form of the mouse “b” gene) is mutated in other human childhood tumors including bone and cartilage tumors. Therefore, mutated histone H3.3 is a new oncoprotein and H3F3A and H3F3B may normally act as tumor suppressor genes in a variety of tissues including brain, bone, and cartilage. We think that what H3.3 is doing normally in germ cells to maintain fertility and what goes wrong  there when we lower H3.3 levels both have some things in common with what H3.3 is doing so wrong when it is mutated to lead to brain tumors.

One of our lab’s big picture goals is to help to develop new treatments for pediatric gliomas because today sadly most of these children die within just a year or two of diagnosis even with today’s best treatments.How these H3.3 mutations lead to these lethal brain tumors in kids is not clear, but our lab and many others are working to figure this out. You can bet that chromatin and epigenetics have a lot to do with it and surprisingly insights from how H3.3 normally functions in germ cell development could help us figure out how H3.3 leads to cancers when it is mutated in people.


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Isabel’s Millennialogue: Life and Lemons

Sometimes life gives you lemons that are so bad, you just can’t make lemonade.  Don’t panic!  Everyone gets lemons in varying degrees.  Try not to be a party pooper, deal with it and live your life!  Of course you can rant about it with your close friends and family, but don’t dwell on it for too long — vent and move on.  Life is not perfect and that’s what makes it interesting. Continue reading

Isabel’s Millennialogue: Software and Saris!

My future sister-in-law, Nisha, is getting married in Ethiopia and I’m so excited to be a part of it!  But this meant that I needed a green and black sari for her wedding as I’m a part of her unofficial bridal party 🙂 Continue reading

KNOVO: Supporting Women in Corporate Calgary

I love Calgary. But the fact that we are one of the “worst places to be a woman in Canada” irks me. We are a highly diverse, multicultural city with so much to do and so much to experience and I want people to see that. It’s time for change. It’s time to show people that Calgary is inclusive and diverse. It’s time to create an environment where women are fully participating in, contributing to, and leading efforts to build Alberta’s economy. And this is exactly what KNOVO aims to do. Continue reading

Isabel’s Millennialogue: Boost Your Confidence!

Hi, everyone! I feel terrible for not vlogging all summer, but hey, life happens. I’m so glad to be back. This seriously fills a void in my life. But down to business: I got a comment from Bobby Bob on YouTube asking for advice on confidence and social anxiety. Since I’ve got way too much to say about these subjects, I’m splitting this into two series: Part 1 on Confidence and Part 2 on Social Anxiety. Continue reading

Isabel’s Millennialogue: Why I Chose Engineering

In case you didn’t know, I’m a mechanical engineer-in-training (meaning I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and I’m doing my 4 years experience before I become a certified Professional Engineer).  I took my National Professional Practice Exam back in January and saw that I was one of the handful of women in a room of hundreds of engineers-in-training!  I completely forgot how male-dominated this profession is. Continue reading

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Magic Slim and the Teardrops - Highway Is My Home [FLAC] e313

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Magic Slim and the Teardrops - Highway Is My Home

Artist: Magic Slim and the Teardrops
Album: Highway Is My Home
Genre: Blues
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1. Highway Is My Home - 4:32
2. Living In My Neighborhood - 4:46
3. I Love You Baby - 4:20
4. Country Girl - 6:16
5. Man Or Mouse - 3:47
6. Help Me - 3:52
7. I\'m Mad - 3:37
8. Tell Me Baby - 3:46
9. The Sky Is Crying - 5:10
10. Something More - 7:10

Playing Time: 47:21
Total Size: 287.87 MB

Standing well over six feet, Slim cuts a commanding figure on stage, prowling the boards in his large cowboy hat, filling the room with his slash and burn guitar and booming vocals, commenting on the action throughout, slipping occasionally into a feral, Howlin\' Wolf-like voice. Slim has an encyclopedic repertoire of hundreds of blues songs in his head, giving the live shows a charming impromptu quality.

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MATLAB R2012b - 2012b - 8.0 - No Crack or Serial Included - WIN

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MATLAB Family Highlights

MATLAB: Toolstrip that replaces menus and toolbars in MATLAB Desktop

MATLAB: Apps gallery that presents apps from the MATLAB product family

MATLAB Production Server: A new product for running MATLAB programs as a part of web, database, and enterprise applications

Neural Network Toolbox: Faster training and large dataset handling using Parallel Computing Toolbox

Financial Toolbox: CVaR (Conditional Value-at-Risk) portfolio optimization for assets of arbitrary return distributions

Financial Instruments Toolbox: A new product that combines the functionality of Financial Derivatives Toolbox and Fixed-Income Toolbox

Simulink Family Highlights

Simulink: New Simulink Editor for Simulink models and Stateflow charts featuring tabbed windows, smart signal routing, and simulation rewind

Simulink: Built-in support for running models on Arduino and PandaBoard hardware

Stateflow: State Transition Tables, MATLAB as an action language, and in-chart debugging

DO Qualification Kit: Support for DO-178C and DO-331 Model-Based Development and Verification Supplement to DO-178C and DO-278A

IEC Certification Kit: Support for final published release of ISO 26262:2011

SimMechanics: Second Generation technology support for code generation and import of CAD models

System Toolboxes for Design in MATLAB and Simulink

Communications System Toolbox: C-code generation support for all System objects and software radio support for USRP N210 and Xilinx ML605

Computer Vision System Toolbox: Multiple object tracking framework and tracked object annotation

Phased Array System Toolbox: Support for FMCW radars and GPU acceleration for clutter modeling

DSP System Toolbox: SpectrumAnalyzer System object; cursors and External mode support added to Time Scope

Code Generation

MATLAB Coder: Code generation readiness tool and parfor support for running code on multicore processors

Simulink Coder: Reusable code for subsystems shared across models and reduced data copies in generated code

HDL Coder: HDL code generation for Reed-Solomon, QAM, and interleaver blocks in Communications System Toolbox

HDL Verifier: FPGA-in-the-loop System object for MATLAB and custom board APIs

xPC Target: Redesigned xPC Target Explorer featuring a multiwindowed workflow with improved performance and 64-bit support
R2012b_Windows.iso 5.862 GB
R2012b_UNIX.iso 5.222 GB
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Artist: The Weepies
Release: Hideaway
Released: 2008
Label: Nettwerk
Catalog#: 0 6700 30777 2 9
Format: FLAC / Lossless / Log (100%) / Cue
Country: USA
Style: alternative, folk, rock, pop

1.Can't Go Back Now
4.Wish I Could Forget
5.All Good Things
6.Little Bird
8.How You Survived The War
9.Not Dead Yet
10.Old Coyote
11.Just Blue
12.Lighting Candles
13.Takes So Long
14.All This Beauty

"Weepies" used to be a derogatory term, a synonym for chick flicks, movies that -- at least in the masculine mind -- traded on cheap sentiment to get a tearful reaction. It's a term the songwriting duo known as the Weepies -- Deb Talan and Steve Tannen -- want to reinvent. They wear their hearts on their sleeves and they're not ashamed of it. Their music is poignant without being sappy, built on the foundation of their fluid acoustic guitar work and Talan's understated vocals. There are bass, drums, and keyboards accents, but they play backup to Talan's poignant lead vocals and Tannen's euphoric harmonies. On this, the Weepies' third album, the duo is bluer and deeper than before. The songs deal with lost or unattainable love, loss of innocence, and general romantic disillusionment. "Antarctica" is typical, a gentle song about numbing out your feeling with booze, escaping into a Never Never Land where all is white, cold, and blank. Talan's warm vocal and the track's uptempo rhythm play off neatly against the song's bleak outlook. "How You Survived the War" is another tale of emotional collapse, likening lost love to a lost battle. This time the ripping rainy-day guitars complement the sadness of the lyric and Talan sounds positively, er, weepie. Most of the tunes are variations on the same theme, but the melodies are so sparkling and the singing so heartfelt that it's hard to get bummed out. Even the saddest tunes offer hope with their luminous vocals and affecting melodies. But all is not totally lost. Tannen sings lead on "Can't Go Back Now," a song that laments the loss of childhood innocence while celebrating the freedom of being an adult making your way through the world with the support of a lover who always walks beside you. "All This Beauty" closes the album; it's a big, bright love song that commemorates life's small, perfect moments. Sunshine, a floating feather, chocolate cake, and a good Weepie song all create moments so luminous you have to shut your eyes to keep from being blinded by the light.
Hideaway/01 - Can't Go Back Now (The Weepies).flac 13.728 MB
Hideaway/02 - Orbiting (The Weepies).flac 16.005 MB
Hideaway/03 - Hideaway (The Weepies).flac 16.813 MB
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Page 1

The 5 things you must see IN LONDON

London is a city full of things to do and sites to see. Iâ€™ve compiled what I believe to be the top five things you must experience while visiting this spectacular destination.

Table of Contents #5 Big Ben......................2 #4 London Theater.........3 #3 Westminster Abbey....4 #2 Tower of London.......6 #1 London Eye...............7 Letter from the Editor....8

Big Ben #5

Big Ben is a classic spot to visit when in London. Visible from miles around, it is adjacent to the Thames River. Technically, Big Ben is the massive bell inside the clock tower. The clock tower is known as St. Stephenâ€™sTower. Big Ben is a large structure. The Dial on the clock face is 23 square feet, the minute hand is 14 feet long and the figures on the face of the clock stand 2 feet high. Time has to be regulated by a stack of coins placed on the pendulum. Parliament is housed in the Palace of Westminster. A special light above the clock face lets the public know when parliament is in session.Big Ben, as a well known attraction in London,comes in at number 5 on the countdown.

London Theater

London’s theater makes the list at number four. The Society of London Theatre is the central overseeing organization of all theater in London and was founded by Sir Charles Wyndham in 1908. A long-standing London staple, the West End is London’s main theater district. The heart of the West End is Shaftesbury Avenue, housing six theaters. Shows range from plays and operas to musicals and can be well known, such as Wicked, child friendly, like Oliver!, classic, such as Les Miserables, or new, like Love Never Dies. As the largest theater district in the world, the West End and London’s theater make it in the top five things to do and see in London. Check out the Society of London Theater website.

On a tight budget? A great location to get tickets is tckts Ticket Booth, a discount ticket distributor found at Leicester Square, Brent Cross or online.

Westminster Abbey #3

A coronation church since 1066 and the final resting place of 17 monarchs, Westminster Abbey is a must see when in London. Full of history about the past kings and queens and a working church, the Abbey is a place you can find yourself lost in for hours. With an audio tour in hand, or a verger-led tour, you can find your way around artifacts, tombs, the church, memorials and monuments. More than 3,000 people are buried at the church and cloisters and there are more than 600 monuments and memorials, including those of Jane Austin, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens and Sir Isaac Newton. Located near Big Ben and Parliament, Westminster Abbey is also the site of some royal weddings, including Queen Elizabeth IIâ€™s. The Abbey is also home to the grave of the Unknown Warrior, the final resting place of a soldier killed in battle in France whose name and rank are unknown, and stands as a memorial to those who gave their lives in World War I. Want to know the hours of operation or more history? The Westminster Abbey website can help.

2012 The Olympics are coming...

Tower of London

Fun Fact: There are great views of Tower Bridge from the walls of the Tower of London. While you’re in the area, check it out.

The Tower of London makes the number two spot on the list. A place full of history, the Tower of London houses exhibitions, such as royal armour, and the crown jewels- the greatest working collection of them in the world. Set next to the Thames River, this once working fortress includes the White Tower, East Wall Walk and Tower Green, the site of well-known executions, including Anne Boleyn. Want a tour? The Yoemen Warders, also known as “Beefeaters,” give fun and informative tours of the Tower every thirty minutes. All it takes is joining a group. To find out more visit the Tower of London website.

The London Eye

And the number one thing to do in London is…The London Eye. Opened in 2010, the London Eye is celebrating its tenth year. Located on the Thames River, this 442 foot tall wheel is quite the experience. It allows you to see 25 miles in all directions, and even as far as Windsor Castle on a clear day. Holding up to 800 passengers per revolution, “flights” take about 30 minutes and vary in price, depending on the rider’s age and the type of flight. With an average of 3.5 million visitors each year, and the spectacular 360 degree views of London, the London Eye is at the top of the five tings you must see and do! Visit the London Eye website to get more information.

Letter from the Editor: London is one of my favorite cities in the world. Even having been lucky enough to travel there twice, I still havenâ€™t seen all this wonderful city has to offer. Of the places I have been able to make it to, these five things are what I believe to be the must see places in London. They give you a bit of history, great views, perspectives on a different culutre and way of life, and they are just plain fun and entertaining. Whether you are on a short stay for business, a family vacation or a European backpacking adventure, London is a must-see city. London has experiences you can get in no other place. The top five things to do and places to see just covers a fraction of what London has to offer. Just grab a map, start walking and youâ€™ll come acorss even more history, people and sites, and make memories youâ€™ll never forget. So grab your camera and get going! Happy traveling! Alyson Wegener

About the Editor: Alyson Wegener is a Public Relations/Advertising major at Oklahonma State University, graduating December 2010. She hopes to one day have a job that will allow her to travel so she can see even more of the world. She has been to London in March of 2000 and March 2010. She cannot wait to make her way back to London and explore the city even more.

Volume 1 November 2010

L Magazine

The top 5 things you must see and do in London

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Connecting cables in tight spaces can be a problem in many applications. These low profile right angle D-Sub adapters solve this problem by allowing cables to be connected at a 90 degree angle. Three versions are available for each connector size allowing for cables to exit in opposite directions. Adapters are male to female, fully shielded and are overmolded with gray PVC. Mating hardware is reversible allowing for use in virtually any application.

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Gold contact plating provides reliable connections with repeated mating cycles

Connector options are DB9, DB15, DB25, DB37 or HD15 male to female with three exit orientations


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Refuting Misconceptions About The Islamic Paradise

This article’s main purpose is to address four common misconceptions put forward especially by Christians,Hindus and Islamophobes regarding the Islamic concept of paradise.The article will be divided into the following sections: –

  • Refuting the argument that there is nothing spiritual about the Islamic paradise.
  • Refuting the argument that fornication and adultery is allowed in the Islamic paradise.
  • Refuting the argument that prohibited things such as wine is to be given in the Islamic paradise.
  • Refuting the argument that women will not get any benefits out of the Islamic paradise.

Refuting the argument that there is nothing spiritual about the Islamic paradise

It is true that most of the descriptions of paradise in Islam may seem physical but we also do have spiritual pleasures…

Allah has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah’s good pleasure is even greater. That is the great victory. [Qur’an 9:72]

We would be in the pleasure of God. Isn’t that spirituality?

The most striking expression of what believers feel when they win Allah’s good pleasure is that He will manifest Himself to them in a way that they can see Him. This is impossible in the world because, as the Qur’an says: “Eyesight cannot perceive Him” (Sura 6, 10) But according to the Qur’an, in the next life and in a certain way Allah will manifest Himself to His believing servants. Only Allah knows how this will happen. But we are informed in the Qur’an that the believers’ “faces that Day will be radiant, gazing at their Lord” (Sura 75, 22-23) and “‘Peace!’ A word from a Merciful Lord” (Sura 36, 58) will be heard. Believers will be “on seats of honor in the presence of an All-Powerful King” (Sura 54, 55).

In other words, the greatest possible blessing that believers can have is the deep sense of Allah’s mercy and will. By winning His good pleasure, they experience a joy and a happiness that cannot be compared with any material blessing.

Actually, it is Allah’s will that gives value to Paradise’s other blessings. The same blessings may exist on Earth to a certain extent, but they have no meaning for believers as long as they surpass the limits Allah established.

They will say: “Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence,where no weariness or fatigue affects us.” (Sura 35, 34-35)
The Qur’an contains detailed accounts of conversations among believers, to whom Allah has given an exalted position in Paradise. These conversations are important, because they provide a good example for believers in this life. The verses: “They will hear no idle talk in it, nor any call to sin. All that is said is: ‘Peace! Peace!”’ (Sura 56, 25-26) show the importance of avoiding empty talk. Elsewhere, the same point is expressed as:
They will hear no idle talk nor any lying there, as a recompensation from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Sura 78, 35-36) (Harun Yahya, Paradise: The Believers’ Real Home)

Saheeh Muslim Book 040, Hadith Number 6787.

Chapter : There is in paradise a tree under the shadow of which a rider can travel for a hundred years and even then he would not be able to cover it.

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) said that Allah would say to the inmates of Paradise: O, Dwellers of Paradise, and they would say in response: At thy service and pleasure, our Lord, the good is in Thy Hand. He (the Lord) would say: Are you well pleased now? They would say: Why should we not be pleased, O Lord, when Thou hast given us what Thou hast not given to any of Thy creatures? He would, however, say: May I not give you (something) even more excellent than that? And they would say: O Lord, what thing can be more excellent than this? And He would say: I shall cause My pleasure to alight upon you and I shall never be afterwards annoyed with you.

Saheeh Muslim Book 040, Hadith Number 6797.
Chapter : The description of Paradise and the remembrance of Allah by the inmates morning and evening.

Hammam b. Munabbih reported: These are some of the ahidith which Abu Huraira reported from Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and one is this that he is reported to have said: The (members of the) first group that would be admitted to Paradise would have their faces as bright as full moon during the night. They would neither spit nor suffer catarrh, nor void excrement. They would have their utensils and their combs made of gold and silver and the fuel of their braziers would be aloes and their sweat would be musk and every one of them would have two spouses (so beautiful) that the marrow of their shanks would be visible through the flesh. There would be no dissension amongst them and no enmity in their hearts. Their hearts would be like one heart, glorifying Allah morning and evening.

Aren’t all these spiritual pleasures?

Look at what the next hadith states:

Saheeh Muslim Book 001, Number 0347
Suhaib reported the Apostle (may peace be upon him) saying: When those deserving of Paradise would enter Paradise, the Blessed and the Exalted would ask: Do you wish Me to give you anything more? They would say: Hast Thou not brightened our faces? Hast Thou not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Fire? He (the narrator) said: He (God) would lift the veil, and of things given to them nothing would he dearer to them than the sight of their Lord, the Mighty and the Glorious.
Here it states that the spiritual pleasure of seeing one’s Lord is better than all the other pleasures in paradise!

Refuting the argument that fornication and adultery is allowed in the Islamic paradise

Christians usually point out to verses in the Qur’an, which speak about how Muslim men would be able to have sex with the Houris in paradise. Then they exclaim that this is immorality. However, we must pay close attention to what the Quran actually says…

And those who believe and do good works. WE shall make them enter Gardens through which streams flow, to abide therein for ever; therein shall they have pure spouses, and WE shall admit them to a place of plenteous shade. [Qur’an 4:57]

The word here is AZWAAJ. In Arabic, it means spouse.

Notice, the key word, SPOUSES. The houris will be our spouses. If a man has sex with his wife, is that fornication? No, of course not, she is his spouse.

So I ask you, if a man can legitimately have sex with his spouse here on earth, they why can’t a man legitimately have sex with his spouse in paradise? Islamophobes contend that how can sex ‘in the presence of God’ be justified? This is a naïve argument. For are we not in the presence of God in this world? Are we in some hiding from the Omnipresent? If something is justified here, the place of test, why not enjoy the same in the Abode of Bliss?

Refuting the argument that prohibited things such as wine is to be given in the Islamic paradise

Allah described paradise in a Qudsi hadith.

Saheeh BukhariVolume 009, Book 093, Hadith Number 589.
Narated By Abu Huraira : The Prophet said, “Allah said, “I have prepared for My righteous slaves (such excellent things) as no eye has ever seen, nor an ear has ever heard nor a human heart can ever think of.’”
So as we can see paradise is something that is not of this world. So when the Quran talks about rivers of honey that does not mean that it is the same kind of honey that we have in this world. Similarly, when the Quran talks about rivers of wine in paradise that does not mean that it is the same kind of wine that we have here on earth that makes you get drunk and do stupid things and gives you a hangover the next morning. No, not at all. God is just using these terms in order for us to try to imagine what this paradise is kind of like. So the wine of paradise is nothing like the wine of this world.

Furthermore the Quran says…

Surah 37:43-47
In Gardens of Felicity, Facing each other on Thrones (of Dignity): Round will be passed to them a Cup from a clear-flowing fountain, Crystal-white, of a taste delicious to those who drink (thereof),Free from headiness; nor will they suffer intoxication there from.

Surah 56:17-19
Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness), With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains: No after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication:

Ibn Kathir says in his commentary…

Allah refined the wine of Paradise from the bad effects of the wine of this world, which causes headaches and stomach aches — which is the meaning of Ghawl — causing people to lose their minds completely. So He says here:

(Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine) meaning, wine from a flowing stream, which they do not fear will ever be cut off, or cease. Malik narrated that Zayd bin Aslam said, “White flowing wine,” meaning, with a bright, shining color, unlike the wine of this earth with its ugly, repulsive colors of red, black, yellow and turbid shades, and other features which are repugnant to anyone of a sound nature.
(delicious to the drinkers.) means, its taste will be as good as its color, and a good taste indicates that it has a good smell, unlike the wine of this world.
(Neither will they have Ghawl from that) means, it will not have any effects on them such as causing stomach aches. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd. This is unlike the wine of this world, which causes colic and so on, because it is too watery.
(nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom.) Mujahid said, “It will not cause them to lose their minds.” This was also the view of Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Al-Hasan. `Ata’ bin Abi Muslim Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and others. Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said, “Wine causes four things: intoxication, headache, vomiting and urine.” So, when Allah mentions the wine of Paradise, He states that it is free of these characteristics, as mentioned in Surat As-Saffat. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Al Suyuti says in his commentary…

wherein there is neither madness, nothing to snatch away their minds, nor will they be spent by it (read yunzafûna or yunzifûna, from [1st form] nazafa or [4th form] anzafa, said of one drinking, in other words, they are [not] inebriated [by it], in contrast to the wine of this world), (Tafsir Jalalayn, Commentary on Surah 37:47, )

So as we can clearly see, the wine of the next life is nothing like the wine of this life.

Refuting the argument that women will not get any benefits out of the Islamic paradise

Some people tend to argue that since men will get houris then what will women get? First of all I want to say is that,Paradise is itself a great reward. Allah best knows what Men needs and desires and what Women needs and desires. Because we are his creation.Shiekh Saqr says.
Focusing more on this issue, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former Head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, adds:

“Here Allah mentions the Hoor Al`Een because in most cases men pursue women and not vice versa. As for women, Allah Almighty may marry them to any of the believers in Paradise, if they did not get married during worldly life, or He may compensate them by making them feel content with their position. It is also said that Allah may grant women some kind of beauty with which they will feel that they are better than the Hoor Al-`Een and that they are their mistress, so they will not love anyone other than their own husbands nor will they feel jealous of the Hoor Al-`Een.”

The main reason why the Quran and hadith are stressing the fact that men will get virgin girls is because it more appealing to men than promising virgin men to women. Men have more sexual tendencies and therefore are facing a lot of difficulty (especially in the teenage years) to remain chaste. There are a lot of temptations in this world. That is why Allah keeps promising these virgin girls who are more superior to the women of this world to those that remain patient and steadfast. That way, this motivates the unmarried men to remain chaste and be patient because they know they have something better waiting for them in the next life. Because if they do not get it legally in the next life then they would get it illegally in this life.

Following are some verses that show the equality that men and women receive when it comes to attaining the rewards of paradise.

Qur’an 3:195
So their Lord accepted their prayer: That I will not waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female…

Qur’an 4:194
And whoever does good deeds whether male or female and he (or she) is a believer — these shall enter the garden, and they shall not be dealt with a jot unjustly.

Qur’an 16:97
Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.

Qur’an 33:35
Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.

Qur’an 36:56
They and their wives shall be in shades, reclining on raised couches

Qur’an 39:34
They will have with their Lord whatever they desire; that is the reward of those who good.

Qur’an 43:70
Enter the garden, you and your wives; you shall be made happy.

See the verse of Qur’an 39:34 and 43:70. Allah will reward both Men & Women.

Only if the Islamophobes & critics can rid themselves of self-styled and unnatural ideals of spirituality they can understand how the Islamic idea of Heaven is the perfect one. Islam promises humans everything of delight in the Paradise, the Abode of Eternal and Total Bliss.If we shall be raised as perfect humans then surely we shall have all our senses and if any of our senses is rejected the objects to work upon then the paradise will no more be a place of total reward rather a source of pain with regards to that sense. Such an idea is inconsistent with Paradise, at least as envisioned by Islam –the religion of inborn human nature!

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>Main Street Greenville joins Retail is Detail program

Pam Spitler of Pamela’s Apparel with consultants Chris Boring
and Deb Miller. The Retail to Detail consultants meet with each
business, provide a report with action plans and follow up with
the business throughout the twenty three week mentoring service

Heritage Ohio, a statewide preservation and revitalization non-profit organization, is pleased to announce Main Street Greenville as a participant in the Retail is Detail technical assistance program.

Heritage Ohio is the recipient of a $99,000 USDA: Rural Business Enterprise Grant. The grant will be used to bring the Retail is Detail program to Cambridge, Defiance, Greenville, Norwalk, Port Clinton, Portsmouth, Van Wert and Wilmington. Participating businesses in downtown Greenville include: Sweet One O One, Michael’s Fine Clocks & Jewelry, Granny’s Corner, Pamela’s Apparel and Montage Café.
Deb Miller of Blue Pencil and Chris Boring of Boulevard Strategies are partnering with Heritage Ohio to bring their retail expertise to downtown businesses located in eight Main Street communities. Miller and Boring will work hand and hand with five businesses owners within the Main Street Program boundaries providing technical assistance. They will be addressing business issues including marketing, window displays, floor layout, e-commerce, operations, façade and signage, parking landscaping, merchandising, inventory, lighting, pricing, and customer service.
Heritage Ohio helps people to save the places that matter; build community and live better. Formed in 2000, Heritage Ohio has more than 500 members ranging from individuals and households to organizations and local governments. In 2002, Heritage Ohio was designated as the statewide partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Learn more at www.heritageohio.org.

Heritage Ohio has received support from the Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Housing and Community Partnerships, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and many Ohio based companies.

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20170408_182412 copy

My new watering hole! And I don’t drink! Baha! What began as a Kickstarter campaign last year is now in full effect and we experienced it in full throttle! Thrilled to see this couple’s dream come to life.

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Crosby, Rylan & Amy. Best Wedding Photo Evah!

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Crosby. He’ll fetch the ball as long as you can throw it! So focused this one! Must be part border collie!

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Ralphie. He stole my heart and my bones when he walked in. Weimaraner of the Year in my book. Couldn’t sit still or fetch if his life depended on it. A dog with his own agenda or no agenda; I just intuitively knew we would get along fabulously.

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A mere few days past the 40th anniversary marking the Watergate break in the led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, and the Obama White House now appears to be evolving past its Jimmy Carter reputation into the abyss of Nixononia……………

Just minutes before the House Oversight Committee is to vote on the the Contempt Citation against AG Eric Holder and move ot to the floor of the House, the AG has requested that the White House grant Executive Privilege to the documents that the House committee had been requesting regarding the botched Fast and Furious Operation that ultimately led to the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Of course, the White House immediately asserted the Executive Privilege.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) would not accept Holder’s offer of a “briefing” on the documents. The bottomline is: Who Knew What, When, and Are they Still Making Decisions?

Evoking one of my favorite actresses, Bette Davis, hold on, ’cause its gone be a bumpy ride!!


text:
The Mind of RD REVILO

  • The Enemy of Truth, is Confusion
  • Truth is the ability to discriminate
  • And tell things apart, real from illusion
  • Done with a cautious mind and open heart
  • To discern fraud and authenticate
  • To know a male from a man
  • To recognize a female from a woman
  • There are differences between these two’s
  • That’s why so many are disappointed when they choose
  • When you first met, that man
  • You bought his act, cause you didn’t understand
  • What makes a male into a Man
  • So let’s use this analogy, back into history
  • The hunter leaves the cave, to get meat to eat
  • But if instead, he goes out to play
  • And brings no food, at the end of the day
  • You’ve got a male, not a Man
  • Okay, now a different way
  • You, a Man, leave your female
  • A pile of money, and go on a long journey
  • Or even…

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text:
Ahoy adventure and sea creatures!

Little pirates of the High Seas we wish you very happy birthday! Deep waters, roaring waves and humongous underwater creatures are with you this year, and especially on your trip down the Spanish shore! Study hard the deep-sea world and … shiver me timbers if you don’t bring back your secret tiny bag full of sea treasures, aye aye matey?!


text:
Tirade # 1

I am really getting pissed with KDP. I have received a damn email TWICE stating that they “have noticed, in their review that material included in the book Long Cold Winter is widely available on the web. I have already removed it from Wattpad, so that cannot be the source anymore. I know it cannot be from this blog because I posted the chapters of both “Faust” and “Jesus Saves” here along with many of the short stories from my last collection. I am tired of the crap. If they can’t do their checking and just pass the damn book, I will just not issue it as an ebook. fuck ’em. I am not messing with them anymore.

I have had a day in hell today. I do not want to continue it. I no longer give a crap whether I have a dryer, it can go to the junkyard for all I care. I no longer want to deal with the repairman or my mother not wanting to be open to the idea that, yes, it COULD be the connection at the fuse box downstairs. I am tired of being asked to do things and then being treated as if I didn’t do my job. I am tired of being expected to relay messages and then being ignored because everyone else knows oh so much more than I.

If I seem like I am venting a little more than usual, I am. I have just had my fill of things for the day. Mom just doesn’t seem to understand that I can’t just get up at no 8 AM and make calls to the repairman anymore. I work NIGHTS. Well, until Thursday, anyway. then I have two day shifts. When, other than Saturday, am I going to have time to wait for the repairman to get here?

2 thoughts on “Tirade # 1

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text:
I wonder what it must be like to be the president. And I don’t just mean President Obama, but I have a feeling they’ve all had similar experiences.

What must it be like to have clear vision and ideals that you’re trying to get across?

In my performing career I dealt with rooms of drunks and four year olds, so that’s probably the same as it is with Congress. I dealt with name calling as a kid with glasses and was chubby, so it’s probably not far off from the media. But I grew up in (at the time) the whitest suburb in the nation so thinly veiled racial stereotypes in 2013 when the man has already served four years; well I just want to give him a cookie.

I can only picture myself in grade school, learning about the history of the United States and seeing the portraits of all the men who have led this country. It’s inspiring. And as you age and develop your own point of view, I think you hold onto that ideal that you might be able to do great things for what really is a great country.

But man, once you hit that office and face all the BS and day to day, well I just would be under the desk or curled up on that rug with my thumb in my mouth by lunch. Everybody criticized George Bush Junior for taking all the time off, but maybe that’s the only way that you can make it-go ride your horsey.

I don’t pay attention much to politics. I look at the headlines and I watch the Daily Show. Because I need the humor with it. I am a smart guy and if I paid too much attention it would just drive me nuts. There’s not enough yoga poses created to relieve that stress.

But I think about something I heard Dennis Miller say once, and I’m paraphrasing, “hey I didn’t vote for the guy but he’s got the job and I’m going to support him.” I don’t know which president was working at the time, but I think it’s valid no matter who. He’s elected, he’s got the job, let him do it. Does anyone follow a janitor around all day telling them they missed a spot?

Maybe Hillary could be next. Maybe she’s smart enough to be able to play them, and cry when she needs to. Not that she’d need to, but it would get all those old farts to shut up. Meantime, man, give the guy a break. Look how gray he’s become.

How To Vote

Every election I think that I should learn about all the facts, all the candidates, all that they stand for; so that I can make intelligent decisions in the voting booth. And then something good shows up in my Hulu queue.

I think the problem is that I wait until too close to the election. And at that point, the ridiculousness of the campaigns, with negative tactics and silly quotes, have made me want to puke. Or as my dad says, move to Norway. Is it really going to matter if I vote? If I don’t, will the country really change? I am going to vote, I do feel the responsibility, but I really just know who I’m voting for as President. The rest is just too much to learn and I’ve got work to do.

Here in California, they have a lot of propositions, many of them very interesting, and it seems like your vote really can count. Because they are determined by the number of votes and not the fact that the people elect the electorates to the electoral college and then they party like crazy because that’s what you do in college. I think that’s how it works; I learned in seventh grade and I was drooling in my head over pretty girls in class.

The trouble with the propositions is that they call them “props.” Being a magician since I was ten years old, the word prop refers to the box or bag that makes something disappear. So every time I see a commercial for a “prop” I think about the box that used to make my bunny appear. Since he had to sit in the secret compartment for forty minutes until the end of the show, I was always worried that I’d open the box and the rabbit wouldn’t be alive. The kids would scream and cry and I would be banned from the magic circuit by PETA and I’d become a mime, because the devastation would be too much for me and I would never want to speak again. I’d have to move to France because that’s the only place that really likes mimes and I’d end up smoking cigarettes and eating too many really cheesy dishes and then I’d be a fat mime and non one wants to see a fat mime so I’d just be the only white-face homeless person.

Where was I? Oh yeah voting. So maybe I should vote. I know who I want to vote for for President but I think I’ll do the rest like a multiple choice test that you haven’t studied for: Democrat. Republican. Republican. Republican. Democrat. Democrat. etc.

I’m just kidding. I don’t know if your vote really counts or if government can really change no matter who gets elected; it seems like a big machine that can’t really be re-wired. But I do believe that the real change that can happen in the world does have to come from each man and woman looking in the mirror and so maybe if we all take this election a little more serious that will inspire us to work for what we can each do as individuals. Hey I’m a writer and a performer. I’m a dreamer.

And God said…

A short film about God.

Fade in:

God: Hello.  Hello.  Is any one out there?

God snaps his fingers and there is light.

God: Ah, better. But still nothing.

Cut to:

God: Need some color. Blues good, I like blue.

God waves his hand and creates the sky and sea.

God: Good I could use a swim. and some color.

God jumps in the ocean.

God: Ok, where do I lie down?

And God creates land.

Cut to:

God: Man I gotta get out of the sun.

Cut to:

God creates the stars, moons and Happy Hour.

God: Man I need some action.

Cut to:

God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them to multiply and fill the waters and the sky with life.

God: Now that’s what I’m talking about. Hey guys, guys, guys! Oh right they can’t talk or let me pet them.

Cut to:

God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and woman  in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and cultivate.

Cut to:

God is reclining in a lounge chair.

God: Who da man?

Cut to:

God sits in a large office chair surveying a dozen monitors. On one three punk girls are being jailed for protesting. On another trouble in the Middle East is being broadcast while two more play violence in Korea and Africa. The other eight show rhetoric of the United States Presidential race.

God puts his head between his hands.

God: Oh crap why didn’t I stop on Thursday.


text:
Beyond the Barricade: Observations and Thoughts on the Opening Night Performance of Les Miserables – March 23, 2014

Les Miserables is my all time favorite musical that I’ve seen live on stage – the score boasts a multitude of sweeping soliloquies, soaring anthems and heartbreaking duets, all of which help emote a story of the indomitability of the human spirit. A newly re-imagined production has returned home to the Imperial Theatre (though technically speaking, its original home was at the Broadway Theatre, but the bulk of its initial run at the Imperial, where there is a commemorative plaque outside its threshold), the second (and hopefully final) revival of this timeless classic, which opened last night to thunderous applause. By sheer luck and determination, I was able to attend the opening night performance, and marked the first time I was able to do so.

Les Miserables 2014

There had been a Facebook contest for opening night tickets (which I did not win), and a few tickets available at the box office on the day of – by the time I had reached the Imperial Theatre a considerable line had formed, and only the first few were able to obtain tickets, at which point one of the box office personnel announced that the performance was sold out. There was even a sign posted stating that fact.

Opening night sold out  sign

Despite the announcement and the sign, I was determined to wait it out with the hopes of obtaining a ticket. Over the years, I’ve learned that “sold out” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s truly sold out, especially when it’s announced verbally or visually – there’s always the possibility of last-minute cancellations, patrons showing up with a spare ticket (their theatergoing companion unable to attend for a variety of reasons) or more times than not, there’s sometimes an empty single seat, as most tickets are bought in pairs (or multiples thereof). It was the latter option I was hoping was the case for the Opening night performance, which often is “released” (i.e. available to purchase albeit at full price) at a half hour before show time. So I stuck around the Imperial (only taking an hour or so break to meet with a friend for lunch) watching as the opening night barricades and banners were being set up (also spotting a lone local news cameraman film exterior shots of the theatre). There were also barricades set up across the street where fans who didn’t have tickets could stand to witness and take photos of the Opening night red carpet (though technically speaking there was no actual red carpet rolled out), while the press were positioned closer to the theater. As show time drew closer, and a small crowd began to gather, I headed back into the box office area inquiring if there were any cancellation tickets available – for a while, the answer was negative, but I remained by the cancellation line area. About fifteen minutes before show time, one of the box office personnel mentioned that there might be a single ticket available, and they were going to confirm (with whomever they needed to) whether that single ticket could be sold. I wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but with this sliver of hope I remained where I was, missing out on viewing the various notable theatre actors walking the (invisible) red carpet.

The red carpet backdrop

The red carpet backdrop

Literally five minutes before show time (or at least the announced show time, as shows typically start about ten minutes after the stated time on the ticket), the green light was lit and I was able to obtain that single seat, albeit at full price. I was overwhelmed by the notion that I would actually be at a first (!) opening night performance of a show, and this event would be for my all time favorite musical was the icing on the (metaphorical) cake. Of course, that was only beginning of my lucky night, as patrons were heading into the theater I spotted Colm Wilkinson, who originated the role of Jean Valjean in London and in the original Broadway production in the lobby, also making his way inside. Emboldened by my luck at obtaining a ticket and flush with sheer euphoria, as well as knowing I’d probably never get another opportunity to meet him, I approached him and asked for a photo with him, to which he kindly agreed and for which I thanked him profusely. As I entered the theater and after an usher directed me where to find my seat, I made my way to the aisle down which my seat was located, only to spot producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh standing beside the soundboard. Already infused with the aforementioned (natural) euphoric high, and again aware that I’d probably never get another opportunity, I approached Sir Cameron, exchanged a few pleasantries and (again emboldened) asked for a photo with him, to which he happily complied, and for which I (again) thanked him.

Me and Colm Wilkinson (left) and Sir Cameron Mackintosh, taken just before the start of the show

Me and Colm Wilkinson (left) and Sir Cameron Mackintosh, taken just before the start of the show

I made my way to my seat (L104 in the orchestra), surprised and elated that my seat was right in the middle of the orchestra center section, though my view was a tiny bit obstructed by a taller gentleman sitting in front of me. As the reminder chimes sounded to signal the start of the show and as patrons began to head to their seats, I found out the quasi-cryptic reason why the box office personnel needed to confirm whether or not my single ticket could be sold: turns out that Colm Wilkinson was to be sitting two seats away from the seat I obtained, which left me flummoxed (with my inner fangirl was screaming with joy). Also, to add to the fangirl glee, turns out that Neil Patrick Harris and his husband were seated in the row in front of mine, diagonally to the left from where I was seated (I tentatively asked for a photo with him during intermission).

Me and fellow theatergoer Neil Patrick Harris, who was sitting in the row in front of me, taken during intermission

Me and fellow theatergoer Neil Patrick Harris, who was sitting in the row in front of me, taken during intermission

Onwards to the show itself – this revival production was revamped from the original staging, with the most notable change of not having the turntable on which the barricade had previously rotated; also this production incorporated elements from the film adaptation, including the opening sequence of the convicts dragging in a sunken ship (instead of the chain gang breaking boulders). The backdrop featured a 3D screen where tunnels and background buildings were projected, which gave the production a more realistic look. The set design was dark and dank, adding more to the realism, spilling into the sides of the stage – the barricade itself was a two-part set piece, brought on and off stage smoothly from opposite sides of the stage. The revised staging of the pivotal scene for which the rotating barricade was necessary was poignant incorporating elements of the corresponding scene in the film adaptation.

The cast was astounding in their respective roles, and each major character entrance was greeted with a smattering of applause. Ramin Karimloo was a formidable Jean Valjean, with notable flickers of controlled anger throughout, most likely as a result of being (unjustly) imprisoned for a minor offence, balanced with an inner calm planted by a single (random) act of kindness which gradually replaces the anger. His rendition of “Bring Him Home” left me (and many others around me) in tears, and at the very end of the song and just before the (thunderous) applause, I distinctly heard Colm Wilkinson express his approval of Karmiloo’s performance. Will Swenson was equally an amazing Javert, with just the right amount of (seemingly) righteous contempt for those who oppose his unwavering reverence to the Law, mixed with a healthy dose of rage, especially during his confrontations with Valjean. Cassie Levy gave a poignant performance as the doomed Fantine, Samantha Hill was lovely as Cosette, and matched well with the endearing Andy Mientus; Nikki M. James gave a heartfelt performance as Eponine, and Kyle Scatliffe was a commanding Enjorlas. Per usual, Cliff Saunders and Keala Settle nearly stole the show as the Thenardiers, easily oscillating from being the comic relief to treacherous villains.

After the curtain call, which was greeted by a rousing standing ovation, there were no post-show speeches or anything (as this is my first time attending an opening night performance, I don’t know if there ever is any kind of special thing done after the show). The stage door experience was brief, as it was unseasonably cold, and most of the cast were busy with press event things inside, but several of the ensemble members came out to greet the few who braved the biting wind to have their playbills and posters signed, and to pose for photos. I didn’t stay too long at the stage door this time (as I figured it would take the principal cast members time to get out of costumes and finish the press duties) and I’d have other opportunities to meet the cast (preferably when the weather was more agreeable).

Nevertheless, attending an opening night performance is now one more thing I can check off my theatrical “to do” list, and once again experiencing the sheer awesomeness that is Les Miserables was magical, as it always has been. I truly hope this production remains on Broadway for many years to come – so that more and more theatergoers in America (and in places other than in London where it remains the longest running musical in West End history) can experience this phenomenal show. I am so glad Les Miserables is back where it belongs.

Les Miserables Opening night signed playbill

One thought on “Beyond the Barricade: Observations and Thoughts on the Opening Night Performance of Les Miserables – March 23, 2014

  1. bric123 says:

    Your experience is testimony to the fact that determination and good luck sometimes combine!
    I wonder what celebrity might have had that ticket and decided not to use it 🙂

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text:
Creative Heart Work – Week 9

Facing The Truth

Facing The Truth

The following is not from the art journal course, but from my own observation and my personal experiences.

We use many different forms of distractions/addictions/comforts to not feel what’s going on in our soul and in our life, but the truth always reveals its-self and it’s our choice; our will as to whether we do something about it; to heal and grow, to bring more love and joy into our life or to remain in denial, stagnation and suffer with the choices that we make that are not in harmony with love.

I am realising how important it is to take time to really get to know my soul, to feel my soul and not let the busyness of life distract me from what is truly important to me. Every time I allow distractions/addictions/fear to dominate my life, I disconnect myself from feeling God communicating to me and I also block myself from receiving more of God’s Love, which shows me how much I am still holding onto my way of doing things, rather then surrendering to Loving God’s Way, which only delays my growth.

Distractions remind me of a scene in the movie the Labyrinth, where Sarah meets a character in the movie called the Junk Lady. The Junk Lady piles Sarah’s arms up with heaps of distractions (material things that belong to Sarah) and tries to keep Sarah from remembering what is truly important to her. Sarah eventually becomes aware of these distractions and remembers what is truly important to her, which were not material things—it was love.

Growing my soul in Love is very important to me, so I need to be very aware and awake to what I am creating in my life, to see myself as I truthfully am, and to be humble to feeling all of my emotions in the moment and not wait to feel them later, as this again delays my progress towards a more joyful, loving and fulfilled life, of which I’m honestly asking myself why I would want to do this. Each step of my journey brings more awareness, more light upon my souls condition, but only if I use my will to sincerely want to know; to keep seeking and asking.

“Seek, and you will find”

“Ask, and it will be given to you”

“Knock, and the door will be opened to you”

Matthew 7:7

Which brings me to share one of the assignments from Week 9 about finding a picture that represents Calm & Stillness to me. I feel most connected to my soul when I’m walking in nature and I love the beach, it is very peaceful, relaxing and rejuvenating to me. Nature is my soul space, my time for self-reflection and where my focus is on feeling and healing my soul without distractions. I must be in a humble state in these moments, as this is where I feel God’s guidance and communication to me more strongly; I’m away from distractions and noise—quiet time to feel and connect to my soul and God. I have also come to realise that I need to make this a daily priority and not let distractions keep me from something that is very beneficial for my soul growth.

Calm & Stillness Assignment

Calm & Stillness

Jennene’s Heart Work – Being in nature is my favourite soul space

What represents calm and stillness to you? What space do you give to yourself to connect more deeply to your soul? How often do you make time to deeply know and feel your soul?

Jennene 💗


text:
5 reasons to love where I live:

There are two egg farms. I can trot down the street and get fresh eggs whenever I want.

The restaurant across the street makes gourmet food to die for…And it’s very reasonably priced.

There are hiking trails all around, and they are all very different and very beautiful.

There is a really great 36 hole golf course a quarter mile away.

There is a wonderful mix of people in the village – Parisians who only come for vacation, farmers who have been here for generations, people of all trades, lots of artistic people, and a villege fête comitee that really knows how to throw great parties!


text:
The low spark of high-heeled mamas. (weekly menu 6.17.13)

fleeting summer, 2013

This week I intended to prepare an Italian-themed weekly menu and to write about my favorite summertime Italian treat, limoncello. Witchin in the kitchen even published a great post with a limoncello recipe, exactly the recipe we used with great success last Christmas, and I was feeling all super cosmopolitan groovy mom set.

Then the funniest piece I’ve read in several years came my way through a Facebook friend, and it brought me back to reality. Fair warning: it’s full of profanity, so if that bothers you then you should give it a miss. If you can tolerate a bit of foul language, however, “The Awful Truth About Jogging” is good for a hearty laugh and a sanity check.

A few weeks ago my cousin, the one to whom I was probably closest growing up, sent a message letting me know how much she enjoyed my blog but adding that the weekly menu posts made her feel like she had failed in her Southern lady responsibilities.

Dear God in heaven, if I am headed down that path of sanctimonious wife-mother-career woman have-it-all preaching, please stop me now.  That’s so not the point of these Saturday dinner planning posts.

I make a weekly menu plan so we’ll have a guide to help us steer clear of the Chick-Fil-A drive-through. Some weeks go to plan. Some weeks go to hell. We’re not really a middle-of-the-road kind of family, so for us there’s not much in between.

The last two weeks have not gone to plan, despite what I thought was a simplified approach. So instead of an Italian-themed menu with homage to limoncello, this week you’ll find suggestions for take-out alternatives. Cook or don’t cook; at least you and I will both have a crutch come 5:00 when someone says, “I’m hungry.”

Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don’t. I’m going to keep planning, nonetheless, because even during crazy weeks I know that eventually the rudder will sync with a current. When it does, I’ll be ready. But even during the weeks when everything goes perfectly to plan, there’s always a chance a friend will show up unannounced, chilled bottle of Prosecco in hand, for a visit on the front porch. On that night, friends, we’re calling in for pizza no matter what the plan says.

jennyslark weekly menu 61713

2 Comments Add yours

  1. summerstommy says:

    There’s nothing like a meal plan. I do it every week in a manner of speaking. Basically is there enough for us to eat and sustain our lives. I am so grateful for the person who invented sausage on a bun! I enjoyed the jogging piece too. Thanks.

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