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Here’s My Heart Lord

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Psalm 139 (NKJV)

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
20 For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Humility In Action

As James 4:10 states, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you..” The following is a list of twelve suggestions from others on how to humble yourself. As you will see, most of them are basics of our Christian faith.

Twelve Ways to Humble Yourself*

Routinely confess your sin to God. (Luke 18:9-14) All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. However, too few of us have a routine practice of rigorous self-honesty examination. Weekly, even daily, review of our heart and behavior, coupled with confession to God, is an essential practice of humility.

Acknowledge your sin to others. (James 3:2, James 5:16) Humility before God is not complete unless there is also humility before man. A true test of our willingness to humble ourselves is being willing to share with others the weaknesses we confess to God. Wisdom, however, dictates that we do so with others that we trust.

Take wrong patiently. (1 Peter 3:8-17) This has been a difficult one for me. When something is unjust I want to react and rectify it. However, patiently responding to the unjust accusations and actions of others demonstrates our strength of godly character and provides an opportunity to put on humility.

Actively submit to authority…the good and the bad! (1 Peter 2:18) Our culture does not value submission; rather it promotes individualism. How purposely and actively do you work on submission to those whom God has placed as authorities in your life? Doing so is a good way to humble yourself.

Receive correction and feedback from others graciously. (Proverbs 10:17, 12:1) In the Phoenix area, a local East valley pastor was noted for graciously receiving any negative feedback or correction offered. He would simply say “thank you for caring enough to share that with me, I will pray about it and get back to you.” Look for the kernel of truth in what people offer you, even if it comes from a dubious source. Always pray, “Lord, what are you trying to show me through this?”

Accept a lowly place. (Proverbs 25:6,7) If you find yourself wanting to sit at the head table, wanting others to recognize your contribution or become offended when others are honored or chosen, then pride is present. Purpose to support others being recognized, rather than you. Accept and look for the lowly place; it is the place of humility.

Purposely associate with people of lower state than you. (Luke 7:36-39) Jesus was derided by the Pharisees for socializing with the poor and those of lowly state. Our culture is very status conscious and people naturally want to socialize upward. Resist the temptation of being partial to those with status or wealth.

Choose to serve others. (Philippians 1:1, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Matthew 23:11) When we serve others, we are serving God’s purposes in their lives. Doing so reduces our focus on ourselves and builds the Kingdom of God instead of the Kingdom of self. When serving another costs us nothing, we should question whether or not it is really servanthood.

Be quick to forgive. (Matthew 18: 21-35) Forgiveness is possibly one of the greatest acts of humility we can do. To forgive is to acknowledge a wrong that has been done us and also to further release our right of repayment for the wrong. Forgiveness is denial of self. Forgiveness is not insisting on our way and our justice.

Cultivate a grateful heart. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) The more we develop an attitude of gratitude for the gift of salvation and life He has given us, the more true our perspective of self. A grateful heart is a humble heart.

Purpose to speak well of others. (Ephesians 4:31-32) Saying negative things about others puts them “one down” and us “one up”…a form of pride. Speaking well of others edifies them and builds them up instead of us. Make sure, however, that what you say is not intended as flattery.

Treat pride as a condition that always necessitates embracing the cross. (Luke 9:23) It is our nature to be proud and it is God’s nature in us that brings humility. Committing to a lifestyle of daily dying to self and living through Him is the foundation for true humility.

A Prayer for Humility
O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance,
Admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice,
Accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize,
To sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy,
And to think of people at their best rather than at their worst.
This we ask for thy name’s sake. Amen.
– – – Prayer of William Barclay

*Tips found in various websites – unsure where they originated

A Prayer of Moses

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Psalm 90 (NKJV)

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

-We never have and never could be in a place where we were not totally dependent upon what the Lord God has made.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

–God always was in His greatness. God is above time; He created it for man. God is not dependent upon anyone including ourselves!

3 You turn man to destruction,
And say, “Return, O children of men.”

–We started off as dust and shall return to such. God put us together, but we keep thinking we are more than what God has assembled. Time will tell!

4 For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night.

–God is beyond time; but we are bound in time. Our lives are as a brief second to Him.

You carry them away like a flood;
They are like a sleep.
In the morning they are like grass which grows up:

In the morning it flourishes and grows up;
In the evening it is cut down and withers.

— Man’s hard work will be all washed away like a flood. No more remembrance. Comes and goes like a flower that blooms for one day.

For we have been consumed by Your anger,
And by Your wrath we are terrified.

–God’s anger is upon us even as we are part of creation and have been cursed. Death chases the life in our bodies. We are frail and keep afloat only by God’s grace. Without it, we would perish in an instant.

You have set our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.

–We might hide our sin before man but not before God. Each sin, every thought or action is all exposed before our Creator and our rebellion judged.

For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.

–We might still be young in spirit but our real age reflects God’s coming judgment upon our bodies. Our systems start malfunctioning. Movement becomes painful rather than exhilarating.

10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

–Our days are numbered. Long life is a joke. Life only seems long to the young. Those who are older know life is astonishingly brief.

11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.

–We forget, ignore and look for distraction from the signs of God’s judgment upon our lives. We are oblivious to what is so obvious.

12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

–Wisdom comes only when we see the value of our days. We can value our days only when we know they are limited in number.

13 Return, O Lord!
How long?
And have compassion on Your servants.

–We need relief from God’s judgment. We seek help from Him.

14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!

–True life comes from Him. In the midst of destruction, God brings love and favor all of our days.

15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.

–Only the Lord can make us glad in the midst of this hard and evil world. Let us ask Him for this thankful heart!

16 Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.

–Since our lives are so short, we want to pass our blessing of knowing God and His work on to our children.

17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.

–A fulfilling life starts with the Lord’s favor. He alone can make what we do valuable. In a sense, our work is nothing to Him, but He can establish it through His strength.

Striving for Humility

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As I look even more expectantly for My Savior’s return, I want to make my focus on becoming ever more humble before God.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:6-7

God cares for us. He is mighty. He calls us to humble ourselves under Him. Not because He is a controlling God that wants you to bow down to Him because you are nothing, but rather because He wants to exalt us and care for us. As we humble ourselves, that is when we truly worship Him. We’re trusting Him with what’s going on in our lives and believing He is the provider instead of ourselves.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus doesn’t seem to be talking about a life that is full of anxiousness and weariness as we follow Him. He makes a point to state the exact opposite on how we can find rest in Him. He is speaking to those that labor and are heavy laden.

Don’t let culture tell you that putting everything on your shoulders is wisdom. Trust Jesus when He tells you that His burden is light.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God,which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:4-7

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

Most of the time when we don’t humble ourselves, we are really saying we don’t trust God. There are times as a follower of Christ when we forget God’s character or doubt Him. We’re told in Scripture to think on the things of God. To meditate on anything worthy of praise.

These things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, or excellent are all praiseworthy because God is all these things. You’ll never find an area of the Bible that contradicts God’s character at the end of the day and that should encourage us in those moments of doubt.

Jesus is our ultimate example of humility. Out of obedience to His Father, He humbled Himself all the way to the point of death on the cross. The Bible says because of this that God exalted Him just like how it says He will exalt us 1 Peter 5:6-7

“And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:8-11

If Jesus practiced humility Himself, then why would we think we don’t need to? Why would we consider this weakness? Even He was dependent on His Father and this was a good thing, in fact, the best thing. It was a God glorifying thing in every way. We couldn’t even have a relationship with God if it wasn’t for what Jesus did for us in the first place (John 14:6). We had to humble ourselves to trust that Jesus is King and to ask Him to be our Lord and Savior. This is no different today whether you’ve been a believer for a week or 50 years.

We still need Him in everything we do. We still need the Holy Spirit to guide us and give us wisdom in all matters. We still need help to practice things that are honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, or anything praiseworthy. We are still not capable of doing anything on our own and will never be. As soon as we begin to live in a way where we are no longer dependent on God to do everything for us, we are forgetting our first love and proclaiming what Christ did for us was not enough.

partial excerpt from

Nothing Happened When the Star of Bethlehem Appeared… A Parody!

Had to share!!!… Pastor Steve is hilarious in his spot on message.

Verbiage used below is taken directly from Pastor Steve’s Video description….

This is a Parody about NOTHING HAPPENED after Biblical end time signs. Mockers have waited till the 24th September to make snarky remarks we all anticipated: “NOTHING HAPPENED”. Pastor Steve has been waiting to mock the mockers!

Watch this parody of “Nothing Happened”. It illustrates how smart people continually misunderstand signs since Bible times. This is a DRAMATIZATION. If your funny bone is not working, this is not for you.

Pastor Steve Cioccolanti agrees “nothing has happened,” except for the worst natural disaster in US history, and the first hydrogen bomb testing by rogue regime North Korea, and Iran testing more advanced missiles that will likely be used in the Ezekiel 38 war.

Nothing has taken away from the glorious sign of Revelation 12. It cannot be the sign of the “end of the world” because it is only chapter 12, and there are 22 chapters in the Book of Revelation! Mockers imagine “the end of the world” but Pastor Steve never talked about the world ending on that date. Rather the Bible teaches us to watch and pray as we observe birth pangs preluding the Tribulation and Jesus’ Return. Will you join the MOCKERS or the WATCHERS?

“Nothing Happened” on Sep 23  (26 Minutes)

Overcomer – Mandisa

Staring at a stop sign
Watching people drive by
T mac on the radio
Got so much on your mind
Nothing’s really going right
Looking for a ray of hope

Whatever it is you may be going through
I know he’s not gonna let it get the best of you

Chorus  You’re an overcomer
Stay in the fight ’til the final round
You’re not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it’s hopeless
That’s when he reminds you
That you’re an overcomer
You’re an overcomer

Everybody’s been down
Hit the bottom, hit the ground
Ooh, You’re not alone
Just take a breath, don’t forget
Hang on to his promises
He wants you to know

The same Man, the Great I Am
The One who overcame death
Is living inside of you
So just hold tight, fix your eyes
On the one who holds your life
There’s nothing he can’t do
He’s telling you

Not Shaken

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Disappointed… of course… deterred from believing He is coming soon.  Not a chance.  My Lord is not slow in keeping His promises 2 Peter 3:9.  He is also not a God of confusion 1 Corinthians 14:33.

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Matthew 24:33-34

EarthCam – Western Wall Cam

Livecam of Jerusalem Western Wall where you may follow Feast of Trumpets 2017 action and are even able to hear the shofar blast! MARANATHA much blessings to everybody!!!

Prophetic Significance
The Feast of Trumpets is a major festival. The three major festivals are Passover, Pentecost and Feast of Trumpets. We know Passover represents the sacrifice of YAHUSHUA, and Pentecost represents the coming of the RUACH ha KODESH (Holy Spirit), so it stands to reason that the Feast of Trumpets represents a very special time.
The trumpet was the signal for the field workers to come into the Temple. The high priest actually stood on the southwestern parapet of the Temple and blew the trumpet so it could be heard in the surrounding fields. At that instant the faithful would stop harvesting, even if there were more crops to bring in, and leave immediately for worship service (Levitt 1979, 12). The Feast of Trumpets will be the Rapture of the Bride of YAHUSHUA.
The Wedding
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of YAHUVEH: and the dead in YAHUSHUA shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
YAHUSHUA will fulfill the fall holy days by coming on the Feast of Trumpets to catch away His Bride to celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven, then return to earth seven years later on the Day of Atonement to establish His Kingdom beginning on the Feast of Tabernacles.
YAHUSHUA Fulfills the Seven Feasts of Israel:
Rabbis have taught that after being resurrected on the Feast of Trumpets, the righteous (the Bride, but not the church as is erroneously being taught now) would enter the chupah, or wedding canopy to spend seven years while the “day of trouble” [tribulation], the seven years of judgment occurs on earth. By examining an ancient Jewish wedding, we can more clearly see the picture of the union of the Church (the bride) with the Messiah.
When a man in ancient Israel married, he went to the bride’s house with a “bride price” and made a contract (covenant) with the girl’s father. If the father accepted the man and his bride price, the man would pour a glass of wine. If the girl drank it, it would indicate that she accepted the man’s proposal and they were betrothed. The man would go away and prepare a wedding chamber for his bride. When the man’s father deemed that the wedding chamber was ready, usually one to two years later, the man would return to the bride’s house and “steal” her away “like a thief in the night” at an hour when no one would suspect. He would take her to the wedding chamber for seven days. During this time, the groom’s father would hold a party to announce the marriage. At the end of the seventh day, the married couple would emerge from the chamber and partake of the marriage supper.
The ancient Jewish wedding is a picture of YAHUSHUA the Bridegroom and His Bride. The contract (covenant) was sealed at the Last Supper when YAHUSHUA shared the covenant cup with His Disciples. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many (Mark 14:24).
YAHUSHUA, in speaking to the Disciples after the last supper said the same words that any Jewish man would tell his betrothed. In my father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:2-3).
And, of course, YAHUSHUA paid the “Bride price” with His life. The marriage of the Bride to YAHUSHUA is described in several Bible texts. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Rev. 19:7-8). The Jewish wedding ceremony is another beautiful shadow of YAHUSHUA’s return.
Teshuvah and Days of Awe
The forty-day season called Teshuvah (return or repentance) starts thirty days before the Feast of Trumpets, and is a shadow of YAHUVEH’s prophetic plan. The entire ten days from the first day of the Feast of Trumpets through the Day of Atonement are known as the Days of Repentance or Days of Awe. The days between may be a picture of the tribulation. The days between the Feast of the Trumpets and Day of Atonement reflect the seven-year period of Jacob’s Trouble. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it (Jer. 30:7). The days are divided as follows:
The thirty days of the month of Elul —the Bride

The Day of the Feast of Trumpets—the Rapture of the Bride.

The days between the Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement—Tribulation

The Day of Atonement—the Second Coming
For thirty days the shofar is blown every morning in the Synagogue to remind the people that the holy days are approaching, in order that they may prepare themselves. Their preparation consists of confessing their sins and seeking forgiveness along with a change in life, if needed. The Jews’ earnest prayer is that their names may be written in the Book of Life (Wagner 1995). This might represent the period before the rapture—calling people to repentance. One’s name is written in the Book of Life only when he or she has a repentant heart and comes in submission to our Heavenly Father, asking for forgiveness through YAHUSHUA’s death and resurrection.
Coronation of YAHUSHUA, Our King
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown (Rev. 3:7-11).
Daniel 7:9-14 also speaks of the Messiah returning to reign as king: I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit… thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened [The Day of Judgment]. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man [YAHUSHUA] came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
In Revelation, chapters 8 through 10, the seven trumpets and the “Mystery of YAHUVEH” are revealed at the final blast: And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of YAHUVEH should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets (Rev.10:5-7).
Remember, you should have joyful expectations (Titus 2:13) and be patiently waiting in obedience (1 Cor. 1:7, 1 Tim. 6:14). Celebrate Rosh HaShanah by teaching your children about repentance, renewing your heart toward YAHUVEH, and looking forward to the Rapture of YAHUSHUA’s Bride.
Traditional Jewish foods accompany Rosh HaShanah. Typically, a blessing will be said over two loaves of bread, known as challah. The round shape symbolizes a crown, a reminder of the kingship of YAH. Challah also stands for the circle of life, and the hope that our lives endure without end.
Challah is sometimes baked with a ladder on top in recognition that only YAH decides who climbs up or down the ladder of life. Forming challah in the shape of a bird is also done. The Torah says that YAH will protect Jerusalem in the same way a bird hovers.
Apples dipped in honey are another Rosh HaShanah tradition. It symbolizes the hope for a “sweet year” ahead. Honey is spread on challah. Tzimmes, a mixture made from carrots, cinnamon, yams, prunes, and honey, is also traditional.


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Goji Hair CGI
Goji Hair CGI
Goji Hair CGI
Goji Hair - Naturally indulgent
Dixie Site Hoarding

As a new business, it was imperative that the branding for Goji Hair was absolutely spot on. I had worked with Blindspot previously as they had provided web design for some of my marketing companys clients and so I had no hesitation in approaching them to provide our branding, website and print design. This naturally led onto them providing the space planning and interior design for the salon itself. They totally understood the concept from the outset and nailed the logo with the very first draft. Using one design company for the whole project meant that we had a totally integrated and cost-effective service. Our clients love the look of the salon and the branding has undoubtedly helped us to achieve our goals far quicker than anticipated. Blindspot are always professional, with a keen eye for detail, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Vicky Griffin
Managing Director

Skills Branding, Interiors, Print Design, Signage, Space planning, Web Design
Client Goji Hair Limited

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text:
Lockdown activities by  Bliss Edify

Lockdown activities by Bliss Edify

Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a tragically large number of human lives being lost and still many at stake.
COVID 19 pandemic took the entire world by surprise and like every other institution, we have not been spared as well. As countries implemented necessary quarantine measure and social distancing practices to contain the pandemic, we had to shut down the physical classrooms in order to ensure the safety of our students and the faculty. However, the Academic Team at BLiSS Edify came together to establish an online community to maintain the continuum of academic rigor. With continuous planning and improvisation, we kept our learners engaged through online virtual sessions. It has been a steep learning curve for all of us, parents, students, and educators as the lockdown has accelerated the adoption of digital technology in the teaching and learning process. This truly is a historic moment in education!

This has been an opportunity for everyone, especially our facilitators to explore methods and strategies to teach virtually. Although it was a challenge, in the beginning, it was taken up with a positive attitude and eventually,, it started becoming more normal and presented some productive learning experiences. New platforms, strategies, and activities were explored to adapt to this new normal to make sure the students continue to be engaged in inquiry & conceptual understanding.

Facilitators from every subject area were using innovative ideas to engage students on a virtual platform. Having only the controls of the mic and the webcam, our facilitators, in fact, proved that they indeed are superheroes- efficiently facilitating the process of learning without a physical classroom or physical proximity. They indeed left no stone unturned to give altogether a new dimension to learning beyond the walls. The efforts were complimented by our bright and enthusiastic students across programmes.

Apart from the regular methodology, the facilitators were able to use many other online tools to build interest in the students. Comprehension based online quizzes, research-based questions and answers, crosswords, vocabulary enhancement through online competitions and visual elements such as videos for analysis and picture prompts for story and poetry writing are a few examples of how these sessions were explored which enticed the students and kept them busy and interested.

Physical education is conducted in a specially designed environment, but during the lockdown, our PHE facilitators showcased excellent leadership by tuning in their strategies to conduct sessions through virtual classrooms. Students were enthusiastic and adhered to the instructions given to them virtually. They came together to perform various exercises and tasks in unison which further helped them to cope with the stress of being locked down at home for such a long time.

Practicals, hands-on activities, and displays of models are standard when a physical lab or classroom is available. However, during the virtual sessions, facilitators were able to work around this problem by introducing 3D models and virtual labs ensuring that the quality of delivering knowledge of science and scientific principles is sustained. This was also an interesting experience for all the students.

The ‘Value Addition’ sessions like Public Speaking, Behavioral Reflection, and vocabulary building have provided the students with ample opportunity to debate and discuss like global thinkers. The virtual teaching & learning sessions were exceptionally alluring and not only have facilitated the students to make optimum use of modern technology but as intended, have stimulated their critical thinking, communication, and social skills. These virtual sessions also upgraded students’ information and aptitude as they could connect to other resources for deeper learning.

We were also able to very successfully complete the curriculum within the time frame of the academic year without any depletion in the quality of delivery. We have had the privilege of receiving a tremendous response from both students and the parents for our virtual sessions. We commend the efforts that were put in by our Academic Team and we compliment our students for their active participation.

With Gratitude

A.K. Sheeza
Dean of Academics, BLiSS Edify International School, Pune
IBEN Educator – Asia Pacific
IB Continuum Workshop Leader, School Visit Team Member & Examiner

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Bitcoin’s Soaring Electricity Needs – Data and Solutions

Endless Progress, Limited Electricity

History is littered with the bones of civilizations who favored short-term plenty over long-term sustainability. Not much has changed over time, and our current world finds itself struggling to cope with our planet’s naturally imposed limitations on water, land, and commodity. Cryptocurrency, despite being a cutting-edge technology, is still beholden to these fundamental resources, and many are starting to doubt whether its demands are worth the cost.

As of writing, Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash use about 73 terawatt hours (TWh) per year in electricity. A quantity equal to that of Austria and just less than the Philippines. By January 2019, that number’s estimated to balloon to 125 TWH.

Ethereum (ETH) is also draining huge quantities of juice from the grid. At 20 TWh per year, it exceeds Azerbaijan. Combined with Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, the electrical grand total equals that of Pakistan, a country of 192 million people.

Entire countries, albeit small ones, are starting to feel the pinch. Iceland, with its cold climate and copious, cheap supply of hydropower, has seen crypto miners flock to its shores in recent years. Already the amount of electricity the miners are using exceeds that of all residential use, and in due time, will exceed the capacity of the entire grid. Self-described “Largest Cloud Bitcoin Mining Company” Genesis Mining is one of the primary culprits.

The former USSR-controlled country of Georgia has also seen a dominant mining concern set up shop within their borders. Bitfury, based in the US, is using the electricity equivalent of “120,000 Georgian households, or 10 percent of the population.” Like Iceland, Georgia has abundant hydropower and long, cold winters.

Higher prices resulting from overtaxed energy grids are certainly a problem, but far worse in the long term is cryptocurrency’s carbon footprint. Because most mining is fueled by coal power plants in China, not hydropower, the technology spits around 35,000 kilotons (kt) of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, about the same as 5,830,000 cars.

This may be a drop in the bucket emissions-wise, but consider that cryptocurrency is still in its infancy. If and when it reaches global saturation, that number is going to soar to vast and airy climes. And the last thing our already warming planet needs is another handful of kindling.

Before we discuss solutions to the problem, let’s examine why Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) require so much electricity in the first place.

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There’s bitcoin in them thar hills.

Proof of Work

Proof of Work is the consensus algorithm Bitcoin uses to sustain itself. In order to add another block to the blockchain, miners must solve a cryptographic puzzle by guessing at possible numeric solutions. The more guesses a miner’s rig can make, the better chance they have at finding the correct answer. Some have compared this to a lottery, others a race to the finish line. Regardless of the metaphor du jour, it boils down to a simple reality: the more computing power a miner has at their disposal, the better chance they have at solving the puzzle first. And whoever solves the puzzle gets rewarded in new bitcoin and a transaction fee.

However, in order to prevent supercomputers from dominating the blockchain and reaping all the rewards, the cryptographic puzzle becomes more difficult as more miners try to solve it, keeping a block’s creation time forever pegged at 10 minutes per. This creates a situation where the amount of work necessary to beat out the competitors rises ad infinitum. Indeed, after a brief dip in late July 2018, the difficulty index has risen again, hitting a new all-time high.

But Proof of Work is not the only consensus algorithm on the block.

Proof of Stake

The Ethereum Network is slowly phasing out Proof of Work in favor of Casper, its own brand of Proof of Stake. In this consensus algorithm, “validators” are chosen pseudo-randomly to vote on whether to confirm or deny a new block. The amount of cryptocurrency (in this case, Ether) owned by each validator weights the power of their vote. The result is improved decentralization, better security, and most importantly for our purposes, drastically reduced electricity consumption.

With Proof of Stake, there’s no algorithmic game of chance to win through brute force computing power. And since there’s no demand for vast amounts of electricity and hardware, there’s no need to create new coins to reward miners, meaning that the total circulating supply can be kept lower than in a Proof of Work system.

The only catch is that Proof of Stake probably won’t ever apply to Bitcoin, still the most popular and valuable cryptocurrency by far. Because Bitcoin is decentralized, there’s no foundation or authority figure to engineer a change in consensus algorithms as there is with Ethereum. A change of this magnitude would likely require a hard fork, i.e. a splitting of Bitcoin into two currencies, one Proof of Work, the other Proof of Stake.

So what else can be done? In a future article, we’ll discuss other possible solutions such as adding more transactions to each block, using the blockchain to more efficiently create and distribute electricity, and, like it or not, the prospect of government regulation. Stay tuned.

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Will Minor
Will is a writer-at-large for Block Telegraph. A prolific writer and futurist from New York City, he specializes in all things cutting edge. He holds a Masters in the Arts and has taught extensively abroad.

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Home England 7 Cities, 5 Countries, 4 Weeks: Here We Go!

7 Cities, 5 Countries, 4 Weeks: Here We Go!

by Katie Cook
packing study abroad summer europe

IMG_2854London. Venice. Amsterdam. Paris. Lucerne. Florence. Rome.

The next four weeks will happily be  spent in a blend of different languages, currencies and cultures as we trek across Europe exploring a little slice of what each of these splendid places offer. As this is the European Art & Architecture Program, not only will we be visiting all seven of these gorgeous cities, we will be seeing and learning about much of the world’s most famous art and architecture.

Our packed itinerary includes daily lectures accompanied with excursions to art museums and other cultural splendors. Yes, touring the Louvre and having a walking tour of London are part of the class schedule. That’s my type of class! A few other visits I’m excited for are the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Monet’s Garden in Giverny, and the Venetian art collections at the Accademia Gallery in Venice. And there are many, many more!

How do you prepare your eyes for such extraordinary sights? I really don’t think you can. Not to worry, I will do my best at capturing them on camera! Other ways I am preparing for this trip include:

  • Brushing up on my Art History knowledge (though it may be scarce)
  • Preparing myself to not faint at every British accent I hear
  • Researching excursions for our free days
  • Racking my brain for useful French phrases
  • And most importantly, massaging my feet in preparation for a whole lot of walking!

First stop on the list: London. Coming to you shortly, British accents!

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Prepare your company for the new business rules after Coronavirus crisis

rich poor kids

Business rules are constantly changing gradually. Disruption is a wider and faster change than usual. Crisis is a change with extreme width and speed. Coronavirus crisis in particular will change all companies globally because it is attacking the most essential asset of every person – their health. Companies are always required to understand and adapt to changes, but Coronavirus crisis will require unprecedented speed of adaptation.

Coronavirus crisis phases

We defined three phases of the Coronavirus crisis:

1) Chaos – everything has stopped and everyone is waiting for chaos to end. End will hopefully arrive sometime in Q3 2020,

2) Design of new rules – period most likely double the duration of Chaos during which customers and companies will define the new rules,

3) New rules – new rules are established by customers, and companies which understood them will grow.

While some companies and markets will have minimal change in rules, some might have substantial changes. Still, even if rules have changes companies might not be able to recognize the change and will continue as before the crisis. This will result in their slow decline.

New rules

We anticipate following business rules changes:

1) Soft values will be replaced by hard values. Practicality and cost cutting should be included in all positioning. For example, price will gain more importance in customer decisions than style.

2) In 2019 we were in two major disruptions: digitalization and sustainability. Digitalization is actually accelerated by the Coronavirus crisis while sustainability, unfortunately, will lose in importance. Sustainability should remain as a value, but not a dominant one.

3) Automating customer relationships will lose importance while improving quality with personal and direct communication will gain. Intermediary metrics will also lose to hard metrics like revenue and profit both for customers and companies.

4) Overall 2019 was a peak of companies explaining to the customers how things should be. New rules will shift force companies to listen more.

How to prepare

Companies should immediately prepare by:

1) Adopting open innovation (accelerated market research),

2) Richer customer relationships which include more listening to customers,

3) Adjusting their positioning and content.

Companies which are not preparing now in some way will be in risk.


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How it Works Series #4 - Analytics: My Posts

This series of posts explains how core features of the Dash Hudson Instagram marketing platform work, and how you can get the most value out of them. It's learning time ..

Analytics: My Posts Tab

You want to know how different types of photos and comments that you post on your Instagram feed are resonating with audiences. We show you how your posts are performing in this very fetching feature.

Here, we show the number of likes and comments that you are getting on each post. You can also click on any image to see that post on Instagram.

The Most Recent option shows a chronological ordering of your feed. Click on the Most Liked or Most Commented options to see which posts are performing best on those metrics.

Hope you found this useful. If you have questions, comment below or email us.

To learn more about how our Instagram monitoring tool works, read the next post in the series:

How it Works Series #5 - Analytics: Alerts


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Fuse Box & Circuit Breaker Safety Tips

Getting to Know Your Fuse Box and Safety Tips | Direct Energy Blog

Most homeowners don’t think too much about their fuse boxes until they want to install an outlet, ceiling fan, or light fixture, or one of the fuses blows. While it’s good to have your fuse box checked out by a licensed electrician once in a while, it’s also good to have a working knowledge of just how the thing does its job. You don’t need to know how to wire a fuse box to understand the basics of how it works. Besides, getting to know your fuse box might save you some money down the road. And it’s always smart to sort your circuits so you’ll know what breaker switch controls what. READ MORE

How to Prevent Overloading Your Circuits with Holiday Decorations

How to Prevent Overloading Your Circuits with Holiday Decorations | Direct Energy Blog

Nothing invokes cheery holiday spirit better than a brilliant light display, inside and out. On the other hand, nothing brings winter revelry to an abrupt halt like the power suddenly going off in a room, causing the lights, music and other electric-powered accessories to unexpectedly wink out. READ MORE

Safety Tips for Installing Your Indoor & Outdoor Christmas Lights

Safety Tips for Installing Your Christmas Lights | Direct Energy Blog

Holiday lighting arrangements are great when setting the mood for the Christmas season, but they can also put your home at risk if you aren’t cautious about how you lay out your illuminating displays. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments responded to an average of 170 home fires per year caused by Christmas trees between 2012 and 2016, 43 percent of which were started by electrical distribution or lighting equipment. These tree fires resulted in an annual average of 4 deaths, 15 injuries and $12 million in property damage. And while outdoor lights are generally not strung along anything quite as combustible as a Christmas tree, they can still pose a risk if you use damaged equipment or overload your circuits, so outdoor holiday light safety is another factor to take into account when planning your seasonal decorations. READ MORE

How to Organize and Protect Your Cords and Cables

How To Organize And Protect Your Cords And Cables | Direct Energy Blog

Welcome to the Take Charge of Your Home series from Direct Energy! Hiring a professional to perform household maintenance may offer convenience and peace of mind. You can do many of these jobs yourself with no experience or special tools. In the process, you’ll save money, learn about how your home works and gain a sense of accomplishment. A DIY task done well! READ MORE

Winter Heating & Electrical Safety Checklist

Winter Heating & Electrical Safety Checklist | Direct Energy Blog

While holiday lights might be now be safely packed away, wintertime cold remains. With many homeowners relying on space heaters and other kinds of electric heating devices to make their homes comfortable, it’s important to state alert to problems with these that can result in injury or even tragic house fires. To help you safely enjoy being comfortable this winter, we’ve put together our Electrical Safety Checklist For Winter. READ MORE


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We are very excited to share that John Bieling, the author of the popular TbSync Thunderbird add-on, is working on an EteSync add-on for Thunderbird and TbSync!

With this add-on, users will be able to use EteSync directly from Thunderbird, without the need for the EteSync-DAV bridge. This plugin will drastically lower the barrier of entry, as well as improve the performance and overall experience of using EteSync on the desktop.

This add-on will make it possible for many more users, especially non-technical ones, to end-to-end encrypt and sync their contacts, calendars and tasks.

What's next?

Development has already started, the source code will be pushed to the project's repository as progress is made, and beta versions will be made available as early as possible. Please let us know if you would like to help us with the testing.

For progress updates, please follow us on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook or RSS, or join our IRC channel at #etesync on irc.freenode.net.

NLnet foundation and NGI0

This work will be done by John with financial support from the NLnet Foundation, courtesy of NGI0 Discovery and the European Commission DG CNECT's Next Generation Internet programme. For more information about the project, please refer to the project page on the NLnet website.

NLnet have also previously supported our work on the iOS client, and it is a great privilege to have another project related to EteSync supported by them. The NLnet foundation in general and the NGI0-PET in particular are funding projects to protect everyone's digital privacy, especially in the context of the "next generation internet". It's an extremely important cause which we at EteSync are very much aligned with.

Feedback, suggestions and contributions

As usual, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you that we want to hear your thoughts. Do you have any suggestions or are experiencing any issues? Please send patches, report issues or just contact us.

In addition, your contributions are always welcome! Be it testing, design, code or helping us spread the word! Every bit helps in making EteSync better for everyone. If you are interested in contributing and don't know where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Follow us on Mastodon, Twitter, Facebook or RSS for the latest updates and privacy-related content!

Until next time!


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Blue Origin Delivers First BE-4 Engine for New ULA Rocket

Blue Origin, an aerospace company founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has shipped a development engine technology to a Decatur, Ala., facility where United Launch Alliance is building the Vulcan Centaur rocket, SpaceNews reported Wednesday.

ULA intends to use a pair of BE-4 engines to power the rocket that the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture will launch on a maiden flight scheduled for early 2021.

According to the report, Blue Origin aims to deliver the second BE-4 later this month. The engine is designed to produce 75K horsepower using natural gas propellants and liquid oxygen.

The U.S. Air Force awarded three separate contracts to ULA, Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin in October 2018 to build launch system prototypes for potential use in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program.

The U.S. Space Force could award two contracts this summer for missions to send national security satellites to space  over the 2022-2027 period.

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Paul Dillahay President

NCI Partners With Mercyhurst to Advance AI Platform; Paul Dillahay Quoted

NCI Information Systems has entered an academic partnership with Mercyhurst University to advance NCI’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology for the federal government. “We’re excited to work with Mercyhurst University to further augment the NCI Empower AI platform,” said Paul Dillahay, president and CEO of NCI and a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient.

James McFadyen VP

Former Leonardo DRS Exec James McFadyen Joins Fairbanks Morse as Aftermarket Business Lead

James McFadyen, formerly a vice president at Leonardo DRS' naval power systems group, has been named VP and general manager of the aftermarket business at Fairbanks Morse.

NuScale Power small modular nuclear reactor plant design

Fluor Plans to Support NuScale Reactor Project Through Potential $1.35B DOE Funding Vehicle

The Department of Energy has cleared a funding vehicle worth potentially $1.355B for a public power consortium-led project that includes construction of a small modular reactor plant by NuScale Power, which Fluor holds a majority stake in. Fluor said Monday it plans to support Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems and NuScale in establishing a clean-energy SMR system through UAMPS' Carbon Free Power Project.


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Sep 16, 2011 • By

An important call to action

Earlier this week, I attended the 2011 Sustainability Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz., presented by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), working together as the Trading Partner Alliance (TPA).

This second-annual summit served as a collaborative gathering ground for more than 350 food manufacturers, retailers, government and advocacy groups working toward the common goal of advancing environmentally and socially responsible business practices.

For those of us in the food industry, the Sustainability Summit is our forum to learn from one another, share tools and collaborate on solutions that will make our industry more sustainable from farm to fork.

My colleague, Bob Branham – director of customer sustainability at General Mills and co-chair of the 2011 Sustainability Summit – summed up the vision for the event in his welcoming remarks.

“This summit will arm suppliers, retailers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government and service providers with the content and contacts needed to help accelerate sustainability in such a way that moves our whole industry forward, faster,” Bob said.

At General Mills, we’re working hard to integrate sustainability strategies into our products, processes and operations. When we join forces with our peer companies and retail partners, we gain speed, scale and efficiencies that we might not be able to achieve independently.

As Aristotle said, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

It was powerful to see a diverse range of stakeholders come together at the 2011 summit to discuss holistic solutions to the challenges facing our industry.

This year’s program featured more than 80 speakers on topics ranging from water stewardship to sustainable packaging to how to build collaborative partnerships between industry and NGOs.

One topic that received significant focus and attention at this year’s summit is food waste mitigation and landfill avoidance.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that we generate more than 34 million tons of food waste in this country every year. That translates to 67 billion pounds of food.

This number has significant consequences for all three pillars of sustainability – social, environmental and economic.

Consider that more than 49 million people in America are food insecure. That means that one in four children live with food insecurity. And with the economic downturn, more and more families are relying on food banks as their primary means to put food on the table.

The amount of food going to landfills also creates stress on the environment. Landfills are the second largest source of methane gas, which is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Our industry is heeding these staggering statistics as a call to action.

GMA, FMI and the National Restaurant Association are partnering on a three-year Food Waste Opportunities and Challenges Initiative to address food waste in America. The goal of this cross-industry team is to identify strategies to reduce waste while increasing food donations to feed the hungry. Bob Branham, mentioned above, co-chairs this initiative.

Whether it’s a retailer working to capture fresh produce at day’s end and redistribute to a food bank, or a manufacturer donating surplus ingredients or overruns of product in seasonally-themed packaging, the food industry is working collectively to drive down food waste in this country.

We will continue to use this blog as a forum to share the progress and good work of this important industry group.

The Sustainability Summit is the aperture for developing the next generation of sustainable solutions, whether the challenge is food waste, sustainable agriculture, socially responsible supply chains or more.

In this video from the conference, Bob Branham talks about how sustainability is now clearly a greater focus for many companies.


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Matt Sheptuck (COL ’10) is an American Studies major writing his senior thesis, which explores how Georgetown University has perceived Jesuit Father Patrick Healy’s racial identity over the years. In his research Sheptuck found that Healy, whom many… Read More

Georgetown named 5th best college for African-Americans

Yay. We only lost to four historically black colleges and universities. I’m a little surprised by this ranking because I never hear about Georgetown as a particularly great place for African-American students, but hey, hurray for Georgetown. I… Read More


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sigrok announces Hobby Components as the first official supplier of dedicated hardware!

We’re happy to announce that our popular low cost 8 channel logic analyser is now the first officially dedicated hardware for the excellent open source sigrok signal analysis software.

You can check out sigrok’s announcement via their blog site:

Using the analyser together with sigrok’s PulseView or sigrok-cli (command line version) software you can capture up to 8 digital logic channels at sample rates up to 24MHz. Once captured sigrok’s PulseView software provides decoders for many popular types of communication protocols including UART, CAN bus, I2C, SPI, JTAG, PWM, etc. Being open source the software is freely available for download via the official sigrok website here:

Our low cost analyser can be purchased in from our own website here:

Logic analyser with USB cable and 10 way Dupont cable:

Logic analyser with USB cable, 10 way Dupont cable and test clip bundle:

Logic analyser with USB cable, 10 way Dupont cable and multi-coloured test clip bundle:

At time of writing this post we are currently sold out of the analysers due to popular demand but don’t worry, we’ll have them back in stock very soon!

About sigrok:

TheÂ sigrokÂ project aims at creating aÂ portable, cross-platform, Free/Libre/Open-Source signal analysis software suiteÂ that supports various device types (e.g.Â logic analyzers,Â oscilloscopes, andÂ many more).
It is licensed under the terms of theÂ GNU GPL, version 3 or later. Design goals and features include:
Broad hardware support. SupportsÂ many different devicesÂ (logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, multimeters, data loggers etc.) from various vendors.
Cross-platform. Works onÂ Linux,Â Mac OS X,Â Windows,Â FreeBSD,Â OpenBSD,Â NetBSD,Â AndroidÂ (and on x86, ARM, Sparc, PowerPC, …).
Scriptable protocol decoding. Extendable with stackableÂ protocol decodersÂ written in Python 3.
File format support. Supports variousÂ input/output file formatsÂ (binary, ASCII, hex, CSV, gnuplot,Â VCD, WAV, …).
Reusable libraries. Consists of theÂ libsigrokÂ andÂ libsigrokdecodeÂ shared libraries which can be used by various frontends/GUIs.
Various frontends.Â PulseViewÂ (LA GUI),Â sigrok-meterÂ (DMM GUI),Â sigrok-cliÂ (command-line), and other frontends all build upon the above libraries.

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Backbone.js LogoLearn how to handle requests for a route that you have not configured

In the first part of this series: Getting Started with Backbone.js Routes – Part I: Introduction, we learned how to set up routing in a single page web application. We covered two kinds of routes: a “default” route (i.e. no route is requested), and a named route.

In this article, we will learn how to configure a Backbone router for a bad request. To be specific, a bad request would be one that you have not anticipated (i.e. you have not configured your router for that specific request). In the previous example, if you were to request a route other than “info”, there would be no error, but this is an unhandled case, and not the best user experience.

Here are two examples of unhanded exceptions from Part-I of this series:

In both cases, the page loads, but there is no message because the router was not configured to handle the routes: “#/bad-request” and “#/another-bad-request”.

Example # 1

In Example # 1, we have updated the object passed to the Backbone.Router.extend method. There is now a third route named: “*actions”. This tells Backbone that if a request is not one of the first two specified (i.e. “” and “info”), then execute the “pageNotFound” method.

The “pageNotFound” method is similar to the other route handlers, but injects a message into the DOM that is specific to this scenario: the user has requested a route that does not exist. This way, instead of “nothing” happening, you can present very specific content to the user.

How to Demo:

When the page loads, you will see the message: “This is the default route”, and if you click the “info” link, you will see the message: This is the “Info” page. But if you click the link: “Bad request”, you will see the message: “Sorry, the page you requested was not found”. The reason for this is that there is no route configured for: “#/bad-request”. In fact, no matter what you request, unless that route request is: “” or “info”, then you will see the message: “Sorry, the page you requested was not found”

Here are a few examples:

When you click any of the links above, you will still get the message: “Sorry, the page you requested was not found”.

In this article, we learned how to configure our Backbone router to handle bad requests. We discussed the “*actions” property of the “routes” object, and how to make sure it is the last property specified in that object. We also set up a function to be executed whenever a bad route request is made.


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Art Behind the Scenes Curatorial Education Events Exhibitions

The House of Cards Project

UWM-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts students (left to right) Anna Emerson, Paul Manley, and Jessica Schubkegel installing the House of Cards spiral. Photo: Ray Chi.

In the early 1950s, designers Charles and Ray Eames painstakingly arranged penny cars, pencils, pills, and papers to photograph for their House of Cards construction set. They probably never imagined that decades later, thousands of children and adults in the Milwaukee region would meticulously decorate their own House of Cards, let alone that these cards would be installed together in a towering spiral at the Milwaukee Art Museum in conjunction with the exhibition Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America.

Events Museum Store

Our resolution in 2018 is to help you keep your resolutions.

Every year, millions of Americans make resolutions to start on New Year’s Day.

The Milwaukee Art Museum always wants to inspire you. But your art museum also wants to inspire you to reach your goals this year.

Art Events Membership Museum Store

May is Member Month

Here at the Milwaukee Art Museum, our hope is that Members feel like VIPs with us all year long. We simply can’t do the work that we do in presenting exhibitions, stewarding art, and offering educational and family programming without the many thousands of individuals and families that choose to support us with membership donations each year. That being said, we know that our Members use the Museum in so many different ways—about as many different ways as there are members. Some Members never miss a Preview Celebration, when the feature exhibition is unveiled exclusively to Members with lectures, live music and a reception. Other Members plan their social calendars around the dynamic monthly MAM After Dark event. Other Members never miss the opportunity to bring an out-of-town guest to Windhover Hall and the collection galleries. Some Members are even out-of-towners themselves, and support the Museum’s mission from afar. Because we want all our Members to feel appreciated, throughout the month of May we’re offering a variety of specials and discounts available to all levels of membership. Stop by, and let us show our thanks for all that your support has made possible!

Bring a guest—for FREE!

All levels of membership are invited to bring a free guest with them during their visits in May. Bring your favorite art-viewing buddy every day if you like! Museum is not responsible for aesthetic debates that may ensue.

Enjoy Deeper Discounts in the Museum Store and all three Café locations

Members receive 20% off all purchases in the Museum store on Thursdays throughout May. The Museum Store offers an ever-changing selection of unique art objects and books, jewelry, home goods and more. Stop by and see what’s new!

Café Calatrava, the East End Wine Bar and Windhover Coffee will all be offering 20% off food and beverage to Members (with Member card) all month long! All three locations offer delicious food, paired with the most beautiful vista in city of Milwaukee. Be sure to stop by and experience the culinary stylings of our new chef, Zak Groh!

Online shoppers, take note…

All Museum store purchases made online by Members in the month of May over $25 will receive free shipping. It’s a great excuse to splurge on a mom in your life (or on yourself)!

Member Tour: Mommies and Babies: Sunday, May 14, 1pm and 3pm

The Exclusive Member Tour Series continues!

Explore the universal themes of motherhood and young life in art. The 3 p.m. tour is designed specifically for families; bring your kids in strollers and babes in arms. RSVP to or 414-224-3284.

Member Lecture with Barbara Brown Lee: Treasures from Friends of Art

Tuesday, May 23, 11 am- noon.

Join Barbara Brown Lee, chief educator emerita and fifty-four-year Museum veteran, for this exclusive Member lecture about some of your favorite works at the Museum. Barbara is famous for her behind-the-scenes stories about  the Museum, and will be sure to shed some sassy light on the history behind works of art including the Janitor and works by Andy Warhol and Cornelia Parker.

There are so many ways to experience your Museum this May. Check out the full scope of all the Member Month offerings, here.

We hope to see you here during Member Month!

Events Museum Buildings

Rent the Gorgeous Space Portrayed on this Season’s The Bachelor

battaglia-goodell-wedding-9-21-13-193Recently engaged? Looking to throw the party of a lifetime? No event venue in Milwaukee compares to the soaring architectural elegance of the Museum’s Quadracci Pavilion. Masterfully designed by the renowned architect and structural engineer Santiago Calatrava, the Pavilion’s Windhover Hall boasts breathtaking views set against Lake Michigan and Milwaukee’s cityscape.

The space acts as a quintessential backdrop to any occasion—it even made a recent date-night appearance on season 21 of ABC’s The Bachelor! Additional rental areas include a spacious auditorium, lavish boardroom suite, modern meeting space, and trendy Café. These areas work perfectly for corporate galas and meetings as well as social celebrations and gatherings.

Milwaukee Art Museum hosts premiere weddings, both ceremony and reception accommodations, including a cocktail hour with dinner and dancing for up to 400 guests. In combination with the expert assistance of a Museum Sales and Event Coordinator, the end result is truly a special and infinitely memorable experience for all.

Contact 414-224-3287 or for additional information or to schedule your consultation.

Images: Frontroom Photography

Art Events

If Milwaukee’s Festivals were Works of Art…

Warrington Colescott (American, b. 1921), Suite Louisiana: The Music of the Folks, 1996. Color soft-ground etching, aquatint, and spit bite, with à la poupée inking, and relief rolls through stencils. Milwaukee Art Museum, Gift of the artist and Frances Myers M2004.538. Photo credit: Michael Tropea © Warrington Colescott
Warrington Colescott (American, b. 1921), Suite Louisiana: The Music of the Folks, 1996. Color soft-ground etching, aquatint, and spit bite, with à la poupée inking, and relief rolls through stencils. Milwaukee Art Museum, Gift of the artist and Frances Myers M2004.538. Photo credit: Michael Tropea © Warrington Colescott

Milwaukee has earned the title “City of Festivals,” and for very good reason. If you are looking to celebrate music, art, film, cultural heritage, specific holidays or simply a love of craft beer, Milwaukee has a festival for you!

In the summer months, when Wisconsin weather is arguably most pleasant for those outdoor activities that do not require snowsuits, you might even find yourself at a different festival every weekend. The Milwaukee Art Museum itself contributes to the city’s lively “festival culture” by hosting the Lakefront Festival of Art every June.

To coincide with the height of our local festival season, I’ve selected some works from the Museum’s collection for their visual resemblance to some of Milwaukee’s most popular upcoming summer festivals.  Have fun!


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Our Very First Actively Managed Marijuana ETF May Be On Its Way

On Friday, May 5th, Cambria Investment Management filed an N-1A form with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for not just one, but five new ETFs. The diverse basket of proposed funds cover a wide range of industries (real estate, cannabis, robotics and AI), and also include two tax optimized funds – one domestic and one foreign.

The stand-out of the bunch – and the one that is perhaps kicking up the most attention – is the Cambria Marijuana Industry ETF. The proposed fund, if successfully launched by Cambria, will be given the ticker “TOKE.”

Cambria’s Marijuana ETF will track publicly traded companies that support or directly work in the legal production of cannabis, including: companies that legally produce marijuana, those that conduct legal research into its medical or pharmaceutical use, and those that design and manufacture equipment used in the marijuana sector.

While it may be the first cleverly-named marijuana ETF, TOKE is not the first ETF to deal in cannabis-related stocks. The proposed fund will follow on the heels of the first-ever marijuana ETF, the Horizons Medical Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (TSX:HMMJ) – which launched at $10.00 per share last month and is now sitting at $9.59. While the fund trades in Canada, American investors have been able to get in on the action via its listing on the OTC.

Horizon’s ETF isn’t alone, either. In February, a filing popped up for a fund called the Emerging AgroSphere ETF. The proposed fund, which comes from New Jersey-based ETF Managers Group, will include companies exclusively in the medical marijuana space and – if approved – will list on the NYSE Arca.

Both HMMJ and the Emerging AgroSphere ETF are passively managed, meaning the indexes they are based on dictate their performance. This means that TOKE has the potential to be the first actively managed ETF in North America. At the time of writing, there is no indication yet as to when the two remaining ETFs might launch.

There is still no telling how well these (hopefully) soon-to-be-launched ETFs will perform in the market, especially considering the fact that HMMJ has declined by about four percent since it began trading. But, at the same time more and more states are legalizing medical cannabis, and – according to Arcview Market Research – sales in the marijuana sector as a whole grew 30 percent in 2016 alone. The industry is also projected to triple in size over the next four years.


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Category Archives: iPad

Picslide is now open source

I’ve decided to open source PicSlide, which was one of my first iOS games. It isn’t selling enough to make it worthwhile updating for the iPhone 5. When I looked at the code I didn’t find it too embarrassing and it didn’t make me want to vomit, despite being written in 2009, so I decided to share it. Some pieces like scaling & slicing images and doing Quartz drawing may be helpful as sample code.

The source code is now available on Github at

Nexus 7

I’ve had a Nexus 7 for two weeks and there are lots of things I love about it and some things I really dislike.

  • I love the size. After using it, I really want a 7″ iPad.
  • I really like the universal back button at the bottom of the screen.
  • The soft home button moves to the correct position when you use it in landscape mode.
  • Rearranging icons is less annoying than in iOS.
  • Widgets can be placed on the home screen.

Not so good:

  • UI is ugly. No rounded corners, shadows, or gradients. Everything looks flat & square.
  • Endless march of notification icons across the top of the screen.
  • Many of my favorite apps aren’t available for Android. The only Twitter app I use is Echofon because it’s the only one that syncs my mute settings as well as unread tweets. It isn’t available on Android, which seriously limits my ability to use Twitter on the Nexus 7.

For a long time I dismissed the rumors of a 7″ iPad, but after using the Nexus 7 it makes perfect sense. A 7″ tablet is a lot more comfortable to use than a 10″ tablet, yet the amount of screen real estate is just as usable.

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

Apple reports that Steve Jobs has died:

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

Apple’s home page is now a tribute to Steve Jobs.

Screen Shot 2011-10-05 at 8.06.19 PM.png

Steve Jobs truly changed the world. His influence has impacted the music & entertainment industries as much as in impacted the computer industry. The devices he created changed the way we listen to music, watch movies, and interact with our phones.

iDjembe is now free

For some reason I don’t understand, iDjembe, which is my least interesting and lowest-rated app, is outselling my other apps, including Sugar Rush. This is not good because the low ratings brings down my average app store ratings, despite Removr & Sugar Rush’s much higher ratings.

Last week I tried to kill iDjembe by quietly raising the price to $1.40. That did stop iDjembe sales, but at the same time it brought down the sales of my other apps. Rather than kill it, I tried the opposite by making it free. That experiment seemed to work, and I’m now getting 700-800 free downloads a day, so I decided to keep it free and use it to help sell my other apps.

To go along with the pricing change, I submitted a minor update to iDjembe, version 2.1.2, which updates the info screen with the description & app store link for Sugar Rush, and makes the info button a little more prominent with a cute sugar rush player icon.

Screen Shot 2011-06-26 at 5.25.43 PM.png

Sugar Rush, Removr, and iOS 5

I’ve been able to test my apps in iOS 5 and the only one that has an issue is Removr. Sugar Rush is 100% compatible with iOS 5 and doesn’t require an update.

Removr immediately returns to the menu when you tap play or try to go to a level. I’ve already fixed it and will submit the update after some further testing as soon as Apple accepts iOS 5 application updates.

There seems to be a change in SQLite’s behavior under iOS 5 which affected Removr. I’m storing the level maps as a SQLite database in the application bundle. In the current version, I’m opening the database as follows:

int err = sqlite3_open([self.dbpath UTF8String], &db);

Under iOS 5, that fails unless readonly mode is specified when opening the database. The simple fix was merely to specify read only mode as follows:

int err = sqlite3_open_v2([self.dbpath UTF8String], &db,SQLITE_OPEN_READONLY,NULL);

I will release a Removr beta in the next few days to anyone whose device ID I have (I can’t add any new devices until July 16).

Useful tools for iOS developers

Although Xcode is all you really need to get started with iOS development, there are a lot of useful tools that can make your life a lot easier.

When you’re writing code, Accessorizer can eliminate a lot of the drudgery. You usually find yourself creating lots of properties, which involves declaring an instance variable, adding a @property declaration, and @synthesize in your implementation file. With Accessorizer, you simply select the instance variables, hit a hotkey, and copy the generated code into your source. For example, if you have the following ivars:

NSString *title;
UIView *aView;
NSInteger count;

Accessorizer will generate the property declarations & implementations, which you can customize. In the simplest case, you’ll get this:

@property (nonatomic, copy) NSString *title;
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIView *aView;
@property (nonatomic, assign) NSInteger count;

@synthesize title;
@synthesize aView;
@synthesize count;

You can also have it generate init & dealloc methods and accessor methods.

For source control, you’ll probably want something more advanced than Xcode’s built in source control, especially if you’re still using Xcode 3.2.x. Even with Xcode 4, it only tracks files included in the project, not related files such as artwork & documentation not included in the project.

For Subversion, I like Versions. After looking at every Git GUI client, the only one I found that I like is Tower. For a file comparison & merge utility more advanced than Apple’s FileMerge, I like Changes. It gives a lot of display options and is also really nice for comparing directories.

If you’re using Cocos2D, you’ll need a few utilities to generate sprite sheets, textures, and particle effects,

One tool that’s absolutely essential is a sprite sheet generator such as TexturePacker. It takes a collection of single images and packs them into a single image file with the most efficient arrangement along with a plist that tells how to access each piece. TexturePacker is available in several free & paid versions.

In many apps, you’ll use some particle effects such as smoke, fire, and explosions. Particle Designer makes creating them fun & relatively easy with a large online collection of shared emitters. The plist file it generates can be used with a single line of code.

If you’re using a tile map, Tiled is a nice, free tile map editor.

If your app uses the accelerometer, you’ll need iSimulate to test it in the simulator. iSimulator consists of two components: an iPhone app and a library you include in your simulator builds. When you run the iSimulate app, all movements & multi-touch events will be sent to your app.

Finally, you’ll need to create a nice demo video for your app. Sound Stage is a great way to record videos from the simulator. It can record either the app content only, the app running inside the iPhone, or a custom background. You can also use iSimulate with it.

Minor iDjembe Update

I just submitted a minor update to iDjembe that adds Retina display graphics, a new icon, and a new app info screen. For some bizarre reason it’s selling fairly well, so using it to cross-promote Removr and my upcoming game, Sugar Rush, may help the sales of my other apps.

Speaking of Sugar Rush, the first beta went out yesterday. I’m still waiting for some of the final graphics & sounds. The release is scheduled for Apr. 28.

Removr 1.3 is now available

Removr 1.3 is now ready for sale. New in this version:

  • Now a universal app that runs on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad
  • Updated to the latest version of Cocos2d with native retina display support
  • Removed the option to turn off accelerometer.

Removr is becoming universal

I was originally planning to make a separate HD version of Removr with different levels designed especially for the larger screen, but after looking at several other games I saw that many of them use the same levels in the iPhone & iPad versions. Therefore, I decided to make a single universal version that supports iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The current levels work nicely when scaled up on the iPad, and I found that kids especially prefer to play it on the larger screen. I’m still doing some final testing and will hopefully submit it in a few days.

Twitter for iPad

I seem to be in the minority, but I don’t like the new Twitter for iPad. It looks much too cluttered, with all of those gratuitous popups & sliders. I still haven’t figured out how to get rid of the panel that appears when you tap on a tweet, other than switching to mentions, direct messages, or timeline in the far left. Entering a new tweet is even worse, with the new tweet sheet popping up above the timeline & detail panels.

I still prefer Echofon, which isn’t as pretty but is a lot more functional & usable. Echofon is still the only Twitter client that supports push notification and can sync unread between the Mac, iPhone, and iPod (which for me is the killer feature).


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Parameterized objects in Blender, a Python tutorrial

Writing new Blender operators in Python is quite simple and adding all sorts of parameters to customize that mesh is also not difficult but once a mesh is added to the scene and you have performed other actions it is no longer possible to tweak those settings and alter the mesh. You can of course delete the object and execute the operator anew but with more than one object the operator would remember its last settings which are not necessarily the ones you used to create the object you want to change. It would be much more convenient to have the options available for tweaking directly when you select an object.
The way to achieve this is to store the values for these options not as part of the operator but as part of the object and create an operator that checks for these object-bound properties and acts on their value.
Fortunately it's rather easy to do this in Blender and the code snippet below show how this can be done: it implements a very simple Spokes object, i.e. an object with a configurable number of arms, like in the picture below.

The number of arms is stored as an object property and the code provides both an operator to add a Spokes object and a panel that is installed in the modifier context to change the number of spokes. There is nothing special about placing the panel with the modifiers, you could position it elsewhere, but because these properties are persistent and changing them is non destructive it feels to me a bit like a modifier.
bpy.types.Object.reg = StringProperty()

bpy.types.Object.numberofspokes = IntProperty(name="Number of spokes",
         description="Number of spokes",

class Spokes(bpy.types.Panel):
 bl_idname = "Spokes"
 bl_label = "Spokes"
 bl_space_type = "PROPERTIES"
 bl_region_type = "WINDOW"
 bl_context = "modifier"
 bl_options = {'DEFAULT_CLOSED'}

 def draw(self, context):
  layout = self.layout
  if bpy.context.mode == 'EDIT_MESH':
   layout.label('Spokes doesn\'t work in the EDIT-Mode.')
   o = context.object
   if 'reg' in o:
    if o['reg'] == 'Spokes':
     box =
     box.prop(o, 'numberofspokes')

class SpokesAdd(bpy.types.Operator):
 bl_idname = "mesh.spokes_add"
 bl_label = "Spokes"
 bl_options = {'REGISTER', 'UNDO'}

 def poll(self, context):
  return context.mode == 'OBJECT'

 def execute(self, context):
  bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cube_add() = "Spokes"
  return {'FINISHED'}

class SpokesConvert(bpy.types.Operator):
 bl_idname = 'mesh.spokes_convert'
 bl_label = 'Convert to Spokes object'
 bl_options = {"UNDO"}

 def invoke(self, context, event):
  o = context.object
  o.reg = 'Spokes'
  o.numberofspokes = 6 # assigning something forces call to updateMesh()
  return {"FINISHED"}
The first lines in the code snippet show the property definitions while line 10 and 33 are where code for the modifier panel and the operators start respectively. Note that the new properties are added to the bpy.types.object. Because Python is such a dynamic language we can add properties to existing class objects.

The nitty gritty

There are a few things to note. When defining a new object property this custom property is available on all Blender objects. It is therefore not sufficient to check whether the numberofspokes property exists to see if we want to show a panel (in the draw() function at line 24). We could check if it contained a valid integer (because other objects that were not created with the Spokes operator would have the property but it wouldn't have been initialized) but it is much easier to create a second object property (a string property called reg in this example) that holds a value that identifies it as a Spokes object. This property could be reused and hold different values for other kinds of parameterized objects. The panel is part of the modifier context and looks like this:

The class that implements the panel doesn't have any code to actually change a Spokes object, all it does is display the numberofspokes property. This property however is defined with a reference to the updateMesh() function (line 8, the actual definition of tbe function is not shown) via its update argument, so every time the numberofspokes option is adjusted this function gets called to update the mesh.
The draw() function also shows a message when we are in edit mode and offers to convert an object to a Spokes object if it isn't already. The reason to have two operators is that we would like to have the option to create a Spokes object from scratch (from the add->mesh menu) and to convert existing objects. For the first option we provide the SpokesAdd operator, which merely creates a cube object and calls the SpokesConvert operator.
All that the SpokesConvert operator does is to assign values the object properties which will trigger a call to the updateMesh() function that will change the mesh data.
Note that custom properties that we defined are also available in the context panel (the one you get when pressing ctrl-n in the 3d view) but unlike the panel we defined we have no control over how to display these properties. They are however 'live', changing the numberofspokes property here will just as surely alter your object as when you alter it in the modifier panel.

To create parameterized objects you need to:
  • add properties to the bpy.types.Object class
  • make sure one of these properties can be used to identify an object as being a parameterized object
  • create an operator to add a new object like always but make sure it sets these object properties as well
  • create a way (a panel for example) to let the user alter the new object properties
  • create a function to actually alter the mesh when a property is changed

Code availability

The full code for a working add-on is available on GitHub

  1. Very interesting idea - I would say that these properties don't belong under modifiers - better suited to object or maybe mesh properties, you are trying to make the properties a part of the object definition.

  2. Paste it into blenders text editor and click the run script button in the header.


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Quick Enquiry
Basic Things you Need to Know About H-1B Visa
Posted on: 29 Feb 2016  |   Tags: H1b visa , US Visa , USA Immgiration , usa visa ,

H1B VisaThe US H-1B visa is a non immigrant visa. it is the temporary work visa for the US and it has been designed in such a way that it allows the employers of the US to apply for high technology employees to fill the gap of skills in the US work force, it also allows the employers to hire the overseas professionals in its specialty occupations for a limited period of time.

This H-1B visa provides the chance for overseas employees to reside and work in the US for a period of six years and they are also eligible to get their spouse and children with them on an H-4 visa.

H-1 B visa is the most favorable visa among the overseas students who want to live and work in the US. There has been an increasing demand of Indian IT professionals in the US companies with higher salaries and this is the reason, it is very popular among students who after completion of their education eagerly wait to apply for this visa.

Few things that an H-1B visa aspirant should note that the firm, or an employer is the petitioner here, and they file the H-1B petition to recruit an employee, the overseas employee is the main beneficiary and the H-1B visas that are granted every year are subjected to the yearly limit.

List of Specialty Occupations

The individual who is looking to apply for H-1B visa should posses a bachelor or higher degree related to the specialty occupation and should also posses the high specialized knowledge in any of the specialty fields like IT, Engineering, Architecture, Medicine, Law, Business, Accounts, Scientific Research, Biotechnology, Social Science, Finance, Arts, Theology, Banking, Computing, Sales, Marketing, Telecommunications and Recruiting.

Eligibility Criteria

  • US Bachelor or Master Degree
  • Foreign degree equivalent to US bachelor or higher degree
  • State license, registration or certification
  • Training, education or work experience in the specialty

Benefits of H-1B visa

  • Work in the US
  • Work on higher salaries
  • Can change the employers
  • Can reunite with spouse and children
  • Can apply for Green Card
If you want to apply, please fill out our Enquiry Form, so that one of our visa expert will get back to you.

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