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Posts Tagged 'Swiss Center'
Swiss Center Los Angeles: unique opportunity for Swiss Business in Southern California
The Swiss Center Los Angeles is a new (currently virtual) "Swiss-made" marketing platform led by a team of experienced resident Swiss entrepreneurs who have deep experience in myriad industries, including engineering, travel and tourism, investments, fashion, retail marketing, and more.
The group is dedicated to helping Swiss businesses and organizations – with an emphasis on small- to mid-sized businesses, professional associations, interest groups or organizations – wishing to expand their reach into the Southern California market. Similarly, the organization will be available to aid Southern California entities considering expanding their market reach into Switzerland.
Under the encouragement and guidance of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce/LA, SwissCenterLA is independently organized as a not-for-profit, non-governmental, public-private collaboration, offering business development services in Los Angeles and Zürich, designed to complement the existing network of regional Swiss organizations and to boost Swiss interests in Southern California.
The Swiss Center Los Angeles seeks to play the role of "opportunity scout" by which it will help proactively identify California trends, products, services, and other expertise to help make them more apparent and accessible to its members.
Based in Greater Los Angeles, which has traditionally been an epicenter of Swiss activity in the U.S. as well as a gateway to the Pacific Rim, SwissCenterLA plans to offer core services tailored for its member-clients, including support with event planning, study tours, and other professional concierge-type services. SwissCenterLA plans to provide these services along with a state-of-the-art, Class A trade show- and event space, professional temporary guest offices for visiting professionals, along with, a 380-seat-state-of-the-art screening room, a media & PR center and more.
Maintaining its not-for-profit status, the organization is supported by in-kind and financial donations from corporations and individuals, through sponsorships, grants, membership dues, revenues generated by fee-for-service programs and commissions from outside vendors.
The SwissCenterLA is currently in discussions with management of its proposed location in the prestigious and highly visible "Red Building" (Inauguration planned for Fall 2012), the newest structure among the prestigious Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Ideally, the Swiss Center Los Angeles offices and gathering space will create a respectful and permanent "EXPO" site for Swiss business owners and entrepreneurs, giving Switzerland an unprecedented opportunity for a remarkable presence in Southern California's marketplace for years to come.


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Even though malaria deaths are down a very encouraging 25%, it remains one of the most devastating diseases in the world. Now we might have an unexpected new tool to fight against the spread of malaria: our natural smelliness.
Since mosquitoes are the main carriers of malaria to humans, anything that can stop mosquitoes from coming in contact with humans is a very good thing. These insects are attracted to humans by our body odor. Our sweat, however, has no natural odor, and so it's actually the microbes that live on our skin that determine each person's specific body odor. The question then is whether mosquitoes are attracted to certain body odors more than others, and what role different types of bacteria play in this attraction.
Niels Verhulst and his team at Wageningen University in the Netherlands examined the Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto mosquito, which is one of the main carrier species for malaria. They discovered that mosquitoes were most attracted to humans who had a high abundance but low species diversity of bacteria on the skin. Basically, people with a lot of the same bacteria on their skin were most attractive to these mosquitoes.
The researchers believe that humans with a more diverse array of microbes on their skin are more likely to possess certain species that emit compounds, which in turn neutralize the aspects of human body odor that mosquitoes find attractive. This means mosquitoes are less likely to come into contact with these humans, and thus they are less likely to contract malaria. Of course, it's hardly a foolproof method for keeping malaria in check, but new treatments that can bring out these natural mosquito-repelling chemicals on our skin could play a vital role in disease prevention.
Via PLoS ONE. Image by Calgary Reviews.

subset: commoncrawl


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DonationsVenmo: @Michael-Griska,
PayPal: paypal.me/michaelgriska
Recent Posts
Tag Archives: Pittsburgh
Namaste, Vanakkam, Salaam!!!
After nearly five months of eating masala dosas, bhel puri, and thalis, I am back to eating…dal, rice, and subjis. Hmmm…okay, so not much has changed food wise, but I am back in the US of A. My time in … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged bhel, Chennai, Classical, dal, dosa, Goa, Griska, Gujarat, Hindustani, india, Indian, K. Sridhar, Kolkata, Margazhi, Michael, Mumbai, music, Namaste, North, Pittsburgh, puri, raag, raga, rice, Salaam, sarod, sitar, subji, surbahar, tabla, Tamil Nadu, thali, thalis, Todi, Vanakkam Leave a comment
What do surbahars, books, and sitars all have in common?
The Answer is: Thursday October 9, 2014 they will all be hanging out with Chris Moore on WQED! The program is called Pittsburgh 360 and it airs at 7:30pm EST. It is safe to say Hindustani music is starting to … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged bhoop, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Chris, Classical, Concert, Griska, hamsadhwani, Hindustan, Hindustani, Indian, Indian Classical Music, Michael, Michael Griska, Moore, music, North, patdip, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh 360, raag, raga, sitar, surbahar, WQED Leave a comment
House Concerts and Other Happenings
Hello friends, I would like to let you know of a couple of house concerts: April 5th in Wilmington, NC; April 26th in Pittsburgh, PA. Please email me if you are interested in attending, they are RSVP only. These events … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Classical, Concert, Griska, House, Indian, Michael, music, North, Pittsburgh, sitar, surbahar, Wilmington Leave a comment


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Turning Hedge Fund Security Inside-Out (Webinar Recap Part 2)
Hedge fund cybersecurity is a serious concern, and our recent webinar highlighted the technical steps that firms can take to prevent, detect and respond to internal and external security threats. But in addition to implementing technical measures to protect your infrastructure, your firm must also employ operational policies and procedures to document incidents and provide transparency to investors and auditors.
The following policies and procedures are recommended as part of an overall technology and security management strategy:
Access Control
The first step you need to take is determining who at your firm needs access to what. Yes, I'm saying not every employee should be able to access every file, server, etc. Employ the principle of least privilege and only authorize access to employees who need it. The less access employees have, the less damage can be done.
After you've controlled access, be sure to keep a log monitoring who accesses what. Do a regular audit to determine what access levels are in place and what changes need to be made. Remember - you aren't saying you don't trust your employees; rather, you trust the computers and systems they are using more.
Acceptable Use
What exactly is acceptable behavior for your employees as it relates to their technology usage? It's best to be specific within your Acceptable Use Policy regarding what activities and programs employees are or are not permitted to access. Many investors also want a say in this process. Some demand that firms disallow access to social media sites, personal email and more. Firms can employ web filtering practices to block access to identified websites. Additionally, they can use third-party software to log activity around which employees are accessing what and what other actions they are taking (e.g. printing, copying, forwarding, etc.).
Information Security Incident Management
What about when a security incident does occur? (And if it hasn't yet, it's almost certain that it will eventually). What is your firm's process for handling that situation? Determine who is responsible for incident management and what will be involved in the investigative process. As always, log what was done and by whom to keep an accurate trail of events for investors and auditors.
Personal Communications/Mobile Device Management
An important area to keep in mind as you are developing your security policies and procedures is mobile device management. With many companies opting to employ the practice of BYOD, it's essential that they do their due diligence in preparing for potential security issues.
As part of your firm's personal communications policy, be sure to include language on what is considered acceptable behavior when it comes to using mobile devices (whether company-owned or as part of a BYOD practice). Is there a limit to data usage? Is texting allowed? What procedures are in place if an employee loses his or her device? Does the company have permission to remotely wipe the device of all content? Make sure your employees understand exactly what the protocols are for using company or personal devices for work purposes.
Photo Credit: Markley Group


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Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps dīnâr´ĭk [key], Ital. Alpi Dinariche, Serbo-Croatian Dinara Planina, mountain system, extending c.400 mi (640 km) along the east coast of the Adriatic Sea from the Isonzo River, NE Italy, through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, to the Drin River, N Albania. The highest peak is Jezerce (8,833 ft/2,692 m) in N Albania. The system, linked to the main Alpine group by the Julian Alps, consists of the Dinaric Alps proper, Velebit Mts., Karst plateau, and North Albanian Alps. The partially submerged western part of the system forms the numerous islands and harbors along the Croatian coast. The rugged mountains, composed of limestone and dolomite, are a barrier to travel from the coast to the interior; there are no natural passes. Sinkholes and caverns dominate the landscape. The region is sparsely populated and forestry and mining are the chief economic activities.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Balkans Physical Geography


text: Wujiang New Light Garden Furniture Co., Ltd was founded in 1995 and was a professional China Outdoor Bistro Sets Manufacturers and Bistro Sets suppliers,Our manufactory constantly observe "quality first, credit first" policy. We control the quality of our Outdoor Bistro Sets strictly, make a delivery punctually, serve all the clients conscientiously.Our factory is located near Tai-lake in china and 130 km from shanghai, covers an area of 100000 square metres.With a group of professional technician and more than 500 skilled workers. The production capacity is 500x40' containers per year.Our company have been certified by ISO9001, have a ready market in USA, Canada, England, France, Germany, Holland, Norway, Belgium, Janpan, Australia, New Zealand etc.


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A group of five first-year Thai engineering students won the USAID Asia Students with Solutions 2012 Mobile App Contest last week. The contest challenged Thai university students to create mobile applications ("apps") to help solve development issues.
The winning group, Team Optimo from King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), received a cash award of 50,000 Thai baht (equivalent to $1,625) and tablet computers. The team designed an app called "FloodFinder" that provides real-time data on water levels by using a smart phone's built-in capability for high-quality photos, GPS and 3G connection, to be available on the market by next April. They were inspired to create the app by the historic flooding that occurred in Thailand in 2011 "to help save people's lives and improve the quality of life," said Nuntipat Narkthong, of Team Optimo.
Team Vana, consisting of four computer engineering students from KMUTT, won the contest's popular vote with more than 2,900 "likes" for its deforestation app called "A-Eye" on Facebook, which available on the market next year. The app is designed to capture details of illegal logging and report the information to park officials, and to provide helpful information to park tourists.
Organized by USAID Asia, the Students with Solutions 2012 Mobile App Design Contest launched in June and focused on encouraging university students to think of creative ways to address disaster resilience and response, deforestation and forest degradation, and human trafficking. Six teams were chosen from the original applicants for the final round of the contest. U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kristie A. Kenney announced the top winning teams at the final event, based on a decision by an expert panel of judges.
"The Students with Solutions contest looks to Thailand's brightest to develop answers to their country's most pressing development challenges," Kenney said at the event. "Realizing that mobile phones have transformed our lives, apps like these can provide easy ways to share information and create greater access to services."
Read about the Students for Solutions 2012 Mobile App Design Contest from one of Thailand's online newspapers.


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As for the current crisis, it can be simply said that this was escalated by the Israeli's to deflect attention away from the planned Palestinian Authority's bid to announce its intention for statehood schedules at the UN assembly Nov. 29th. To undermine them, as they have done many times before, the Israeli's agitate the Gazans and wait for an opportunity to attack making them look like they were the victims. I ask you with a sincere question. What tanks do the Palestinians have to defend themselves? How about anti-aircraft missiles? A fighter jet? None! The rockets are allowed to be kept as an arsenal because of its inaccurate capabilities as is witnessed today. In turn, Israel unleashes an unproportionate response to ensure that public opinion remains in their favor, as is always the case of being portraited as the victim even though they by far have the most modern technology of weaponry by far in the Middle East!
I thought that the reason Israel gets attacked is because it is stealing Palestinian land.
100% of muslims wants israel wiped out from earth...hows that for a poll


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Success Stories
Click on the images below to read more from our customer community
Click on the images below to read more from our customer community
Protalus ® insoles have helped thousands of people feel their best. To get the most out of your insoles, we recommend trying them for at least 30 days. That's why we offer a 90-Day love them or your money back guarantee that includes shipping and exchanges.
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Educator, conductor, and cellist Mark Churchill is Dean Emeritus of New England Conservatory's Department of Preparatory, which he led for 31 years. During his leadership of the Preparatory School, the program became known as one of the best of its kind in the nation, emphasizing serious, professional training for the pre-college student in addition to numerous community-based programs and local, national, and international partnerships.
As a cellist Churchill has appeared as soloist, recitalist, and chamber music player throughout the United States and on tours of South America. He has also appeared in Seoul, Hong Kong, and Taiwan with the Trio Pro Musica.
Churchill is widely known as a conductor in New England and abroad. He has been Associate Conductor of the Boston Ballet since 1992, and is the founder and Music Director of Symphony Pro Musica, Worcester's Salisbury Lyric Opera, and the Salisbury Chamber Orchestra. He has also led the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra in its annual gala concert. He is the founder and vice president of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, established in 2002, which draws gifted young musicians from throughout North and South America. For eleven years he served as Resident Conductor and Faculty Chairman of the Asian Youth Orchestra in Hong Kong, a pan-Asian organization founded by the late Sir Yehudi Menuhin.
Churchill has been an active advocate for the improvement and expansion of music education programs in American schools. He currently serves as director of El Sistema USA, the advocacy and service organization for American programs that emulate the renowned Venezuelan model of social development through music. In 2005, Churchill spearheaded the signing of the "Friendship Agreement" between New England Conservatory and Venezuela's massive El Sistema youth orchestral training program—planting the seeds for NEC's close relationship to that program.
Churchill serves on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations, including some closely affiliated with NEC: Project STEP, a pre-professional support program for string students of color; the Conservatory Lab Charter School, a K-5 public inner-city elementary school offering a music based curriculum; the Walnut Hill School, an independent school for serious high school age art students; and the Youth Orchestra of the Americas. Churchill also serves on the board of the Berkshire Institute for Theology and the Arts.
Churchill was married to violinist and educator, the late Marylou Speaker Churchill. He resides in Newton, Massachusetts, with their twin daughters.
Photo by Andrew Hurlbut
B.M., M.M., NEC; D.M.A., University of Hartford. Studies with Herbert Blomstedt and Charles Bruck (conducting); Rudolf Kolisch (chamber music); and Raya Garbousova, Laurence Lesser and David Soyer (cello). Also faculty of the Heifetz International Institute.


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Free ground shipping on orders over $50 to anywhere in the contiguous United States (excluding AK & HI). All product ships via FedEx,UPS or USPS. Expedited shipping options are available to choose from. Orders ship within 2-4 business days. Orders placed on Friday after 12:00 PM EST will begin processing the following Monday. Transit times do NOT include Saturday, Sunday, or Holidays.
Your tracking number will be emailed to you when your order is shipped. Please make sure that your order is shipping to a secure location, as once a package has been delivered to the correct location, we cannot be responsible for lost or stolen packages. Jill and Ally is not liable for any lost shipments. Customers are responsible for claiming all misplaced, lost, undelivered OR "abandoned" shipments directly with Fedex, UPS or USPS. All customers are encouraged to contact Fedex, UPS or USPS about a missing or undelivered package. In the event that your package is lost or misplaced, we will do our best to assist you.
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This video is called Macquarie Island.
From Australian Geographic:
Macquarie Island: sub-Antarctic wilderness
By Ewen Bell
Smack-bang in the midst of the foaming Southern Ocean lies Macquarie Island, a tiny haven of wildlife.
A SMALL BUT MAGNIFICENT refuge in the midst of the Southern Ocean, Macquarie Island is a protected wilderness that undergoes dramatic seasonal change, provides rare habitats for migratory species and offers adventurous travellers an abundance of wildlife that knows no fear of man. It is one of Australia's truly great wilderness experiences, and just getting there can be an adventure and a unique challenge of its own.
Few people who visit the sub-Antarctic islands understand in advance just how rough the Southern Ocean can be. And while the Antarctic continent enjoys somewhat calm waters far below the roaring trade winds of the Southern Ocean, Macquarie Island, however, is right in the middle of that churning mass of weather and waves, a tiny speck of solid land directly in the path of fierce storms and some of the worst sailing conditions anywhere on the planet.
If you sail directly from Tasmania you need three days at sea to reach Macquarie Island, or you can join a commercial expedition cruise ship and hop your way across the New Zealand sub-Antarctic islands.
The Snares, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island provide waypoints and occasional calm shelter. The passage from Campbell Island to Macquarie is no less than a day with good conditions, and possibly double that when the Southern Ocean is kicking up a fuss.
Macquarie Island: cruising the Southern Ocean
Very few cruise ships head down to this part of the world; it's too remote and the journey often regarded too rough for the comfort of passengers. Heritage Expeditions is not in the business of luxury cruising, however, preferring to focus on adventure rather than relaxation.
Their ship is one of the 'Professor Class' Russian-built research vessels, now named The Spirit of Enderby but still crewed by a team of Russian sailors. It's a small ship, with room for 50 passengers onboard, and a fleet of five zodiacs stowed on the stern facilitate shore landings.
Our expedition leader is Nathan Russ, who at the age of just 25 is vastly more experienced than his age would suggest. He's spent Christmas in the Southern Ocean for 15 of those 25 years, and follows in the adventurous footsteps of his father Rodney Russ who founded the company.
From the very start of the journey Nathan talks about a "successful expedition", as though this was something we shouldn't take for granted. He followed this up on the first night at sea by casually declaring, "We'll get you back alive." And he meant it. Man does not belong down here, not without extraordinary resources and a large bag of seasickness tablets.
With weather conditions determining landings rather than the itinerary, there is no certainty about which beaches can be accessed with a zodiac landing. In fact there are no guarantees that you will land at all. …
I've come here for the penguins, and the king penguins in particular. Kings are the second largest of all, and the most streamlined through the water. They are perfectly coloured to blend into the beach scene here, a smooth grey and white suit with hints of yellow and bronze. …
Royal penguins
Penguins always seem to have somewhere to be, and the royal penguins give the impression they are terribly late to be there. In between colonies of king penguins a narrow patch of beach at Sandy Bay has become a multi-lane highway for the royals, and what they lack in physical stature they make up for with personality. …
Royal penguins are part of the crested penguins family that includes rockhoppers and macaronis, and their wild tufts of yellow feathers above the brow give them a comical appearance that adds to their sense of personality. …
Macquarie Island: best times to travel
Late December is a good time of year to be in the sub-Antarctic islands. You still get a chance to see penguin chicks, and lots of them, and this far north of the South Pole they're well advanced.
Summers on Macquarie Island are relatively ice free compared with the Antarctic landmass further south, and that's just how the penguins like it. They love a cold climate but too much ice and snow can make life difficult for breeding. King penguins, royals, rockhoppers and gentoos on Macquarie Island take full advantage of the nesting sites on land and the feeding frenzy offshore.
Buckles Bay has a healthy population of gentoo penguins and their chicks have reached an age when they can be truly demanding on their parents. …
They are tolerant of the warmer conditions at Macquarie Island yet also able to survive further south in the colder latitudes where the more specialised Adélie penguins thrive on the abundant Antarctic ice. …
Macquarie Island: pest control
Ironically the history of pest control for introduced species at Macquarie Island is a tale of good intentions with unforeseen effects. Rabbits were reduced in the 1970s which led to feral cats increasing their prey on migratory birds.
Then the cats were eradicated a decade ago only to result in rodent and rabbit populations increasing to devastating proportions.
The problem with the remaining introduced species is their ability to destroy tussocks and other native flora that have evolved on the island. Vegetation that provides vital habitats for seabirds is eaten by rabbits before it can mature while the seeds are harvested by rodents and stored for winter.
The final outcome is exposed slopes and an increasingly denuded ecosystem. Even the tall thick tussock grass that young seals hide among has been visibly effected by the pests.
In the winter of 2010 the impact of introduced species on Macquarie Island will be challenged by the largest pest-eradication project ever undertaken in the world. The Federal Government is funding an initiative to simultaneously remove rabbit, rat and mice populations across the entire island.
The model for such an ambitious project was set by the New Zealand Government in 2001 when they used helicopters and poison baits to clear the rats from Campbell Island. Some of the same team members from the Campbell Island project will be working on Macquarie Island this winter.
Pete Tyree was a ranger and logistics officer for New Zealand's Department of Conservation during the Campbell Island eradication, and was present on my cruise to Macquarie Island as a crew member for Heritage Expeditions.
Pete has seen firsthand just how dramatically the habitats on Campbell Island have improved since the rodents were removed. Vast mountain sides are once again covered with dense tussock grass and the sub-Antarctic megaherbs, providing the ideal environment for nesting albatross pairs.
Macquarie Island also has a rich variety of albatross species, although expedition cruise passengers are more likely to see the birds while making passage at sea than standing on a beach. Albatross prefer to nest high up on cliffs and exposed knolls where strong winds give them an easy take-off.
The habitat decline on Macquarie Island is evident to the experts but so is the wild beauty that abounds on this desolate outpost.
Pete explains the island magic best. "Macquarie Island is just an amazing place. From a photographer and conservationist's point of view it's a paradise," he says. "The depth of interaction with the penguins down here was life altering for me."


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Assassin's Greed - Guide for Grand Theft Auto IV
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Scroll down to read our guide named "Assassin's Greed" for Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox 360 (X360), or click the above links for more cheats.
GRAND THEFT AUTO 4: LIBERTY CITY WALKTHRUOGH/FAQ/GAMEGUIDE Version 1.0 Written by David Chisner "RCone138" (RC1138) Email Address [email protected] Table of Contents I. Purpose II. Starting Off III. Missions 1-9 IV: Copy right I. Purpose: This walkthrough was written in response to the fact that I could not locate any help on Assassin's Greed. This is brief walkthrough on all 9 assassin missions. Note: I did not list the titles of the missions because there are only 9 missions but it is not hard to figure out which one you are on. As a side note, go to youtube.com and search Sik Sing Take 2. It is the first video that comes up. Its creator is Truziz. My friend made it and would love it if you watched it. II. Starting Off: To find the assassin to start missions, its the little x south on the 3rd island right above the pay n spray and weapons. You don't meet a person but talk on the pay phone. Also, I recommend using taxis to these locations so you can skip the drive and arrive at the scene unnoticed. Also the assassin will leave you body armor and a weapon behind the phone. All is shown in the opening cutscene. Note, you don't get to do this mission until about you are 60% complete with campaign. Check game completion under stats. Hit start the move over to stats and hit A. III. Missions: 1: The target is on the helipad right above the booth tunnels. Walk up the side of the road and towards the helicopter. Will notice a women and a man. The women with a red arrow above her head. Use the sniper riffle and aim for a fast head shot before she gets in the chopper. If you use the rpg, she jumps back into the car, and you lose. 2: Right when you get to the red marker, a patriot/hummer drives past. Blow it up with the rpg right as it goes past. Its that simple. Note: make sure there is enough room in between you and target so you don't blow up as well. 3: This one is more complicated and there is a reason the assassin gives you an smg. Good thing there is body armor. When you reach your location, hop the fence and run around back of the structure to find the stairs to reach the enemy. Take them out one by one. It will help if you have an assault riffle to increase range. The enemies have poor aim and you can use auto aim to complete this mission quickly. On the ground you will find a red car in between the two structures. near it along the wall is a health pack. 4: This is impossibly easy. Don't get cocky and don't be stupid. This mission is done in one shot. When you arrive in the taxi, all targets have their back turned to you. There are about ten of them. Two are on motor cycles. Fire ONE rpg into the center and they should all die. One shot, 10 kills. 5: You arrive and your target is on a boat at see. Run to the boat on the dock. Drive out a little ways. DO NOT GET TOO CLOSE. Stop and hit Y. You should still be on the boat. Walk on the boat and get as close to the target as possible. Pull out your sniper riffle and crouch for better accuracy. Drop him. If you cant seem to hit him, then chase him in the boat and gun him down. He is not that hard to chase. 6: This is a little tricky but short. Definitely get body armor. The target is leaving the police station. The moment you pull out a gun, he sprints away and his friend open fires at you. I sat across the street and quickly popped him in the head with a sniper bullet and then ran away from the station so his friend wouldn't kill me. If sniping doesn't work, well, there's a reason the assassin let you with a shot gun. 7: Another sniper mission. The target is on the boat with friends. Get a good shot on him. Crouch for accuracy. The hard part is that the boat is bouncing. I suggest a chest shot that way no matter where you hit him, he will go down. Simple enough. 8: You need to be quick. The target is in the limo. Pull out an rpg and shoot it. Time your shot. Its ok to miss a little, just as long as the car takes damage. IF it doesn't completely explode, the target will pursue on foot. He is probably on the ground trying to get up due to the explosion. Just gun him down. If this is too difficult, get your own car and chase the limo till it stops then either run the guy over or pursue him on foot. 9: Yeah last one. Go to the garage. Use the smg or assault riffle. Basically, slowly walk up each floor picking off the targets one by one. Make sure you get everyone on each floor. I made it to the top and ended up having to run back down because I missed a guy on the 2nd floor. Shoot the propane tanks to help clear a floor. When you are finished or nearly finished, the cops come. Ignore them. Finish job and call your employer. Don't worry about losing your wanted level. Once that phone touches your ear, ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: ASSASSIN'S GREED. IV: COPY RIGHT This guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. Copyright 2008 David Chisner In otherwards, only cheatcodes.com may contain this document. All other websites that contain my piece will be charged with copyright infringement. Yes this includes myspace and facebook.


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Lubbock Events, Coupons, Reviews!
I am always searching for fun things to do with my daughter and baking is a big thumbs up for her. So what is better than a baking subscription box filled with pre-measured ingredients and simple, kid-friendly instructions, colorful lessons, and educational games.
We have been trying Baketivity for a few months and it is amazing. This fun box cannot be easier to enjoy! The recipes are delicious and fun to make! One of the recipes we tried were berry scones (with a few variations because of my stock) But, I have been trying to recreative it ever since! It is the best scone recipe ever! Loved by all and requested weekly! Do you have a favorite scone recipe? Please share in the comments below!
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text:
Can We Save the City's Children?
Instead of distant detention facilities, community-based rehabilitation centers might be the best way to help urban youth.
Trevor grew up in an unstable environment, shuttling back and forth between his mother and grandmother for most of his young life. He spent too much time on the street and began getting into trouble. Eventually, he was convicted of a minor infraction and sent to an upstate facility 250 miles away from home. He did not have an easy time of it. A small kid who was singled out not only by the other boys but by some of the guards as well, he fought a lot, was "restrained" a number of times, and in one incident was slammed against the floor and suffered a serious injury to his jaw. When he came home, Trevor was exhibiting serious anxiety around adults and crowds.
The Children's Aid Society, the organization I head, witnessed this behavior firsthand when Trevor got into an altercation on the very first day he came to our community-based juvenile justice program, called Lasting Investments in Neighborhood Connections (LINC). LINC works with young people aged 14 to 19 who are just like Trevor: disconnected, not working and not in school. It tries to increase their social and emotional competencies and employability by using a life-coaching model. Last year, 81 percent of our youth did not return to a facility for violating terms of their release--a rate far below state levels.
If you are a young man from a poor neighborhood in New York City, though, like Trevor, the odds of moving on to a healthy and productive adulthood are stacked against you--particularly if you are black or Latino. Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged as much in a recent speech to members of a church in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, a community where 40 percent of children are born into poverty. These children are twice as likely as white children to drop out of school and end up out of work. The murder rates among young men of color in New York City compared to young white men--36 times higher for black men and 12 times higher for Latinos--are tragic. In fact, 90 percent of all people murdered in the city are black or Latino, and 96 percent of shooting suspects are black and Latino.
The plight of young men in the city is exacerbated by a juvenile justice system that simply does not work. Seventy percent of youths who are incarcerated in upstate New York facilities, where the majority of the city's juvenile offenders are sent, are rearrested within 24 months of release and thus face abysmal chances of rehabilitation.
Engaging the local community is vital to the rehabilitation process. For young offenders, receiving supportive services in their home communities, where they can remain connected to families and local institutions, offers the most reliable path for ensuring that they do not grow up to become lifelong criminals. For most children convicted of minor infractions, effective services can be provided while they live at home, avoiding the costs and negative impact of institutionalization. Yet for the past few decades we have failed troubled youth--the vast majority of them black and Latino (84 percent of all admissions in 2009)--by shipping them to juvenile detention facilities hundreds of miles away from home, often for minor infractions.
Cutting these children off from their communities threatens their often fragile family relationships. Worse, young people don't learn to become responsible adults at these facilities--on the contrary, they are often neglected and face abuse. And despite how ineffective and unsafe these facilities are, the city and state spend millions of dollars a year to keep them running. Compared to the alternative, the waste is astonishing. Holding a youth offender in a secure facility costs around $260,000 a year; alternative, community-based treatment programs can cost about $20,000 per child per year, and have better results.
One of these alternatives is the Close to Home initiative, supported by Mayor Bloomberg and recently signed into law by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Close to Home reforms the city's juvenile justice system to allow the New York City Family Court to place young offenders in facilities closer to their home communities. This new system promises to help kids like Trevor.
At LINC, we slowly built a relationship with Trevor, convincing him to meet regularly with his coach and attend peer group sessions. He began to form real bonds with us and his peers. When he was ready, he started the employment training component of the program and did well. At the same time, we worked with Trevor to focus on his education. We helped prepare him to apply for Job Corps, a free education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. We have high hopes that Trevor is on a path to success.
In our view, the only way to prepare troubled youth for success and true participation in society is through a community-based approach to rehabilitation. Ideally, we need to engage at-risk youth before they get in trouble, through comprehensive and coordinated preventive models that can link them to strong schools, reliable and quality health care, and safe and engaging after-school and summer programs. Programs should also engage families and make schools welcoming places where children living stressful lives can find the support they need. Often, these strategies are best pursued through long-term partnerships with community organizations that serve these populations every day.
Yet government usually does the opposite. These penny-wise, pound-foolish budget strategies dominate our approach to youth development. We cut after-school programs and social services to save money, when all we are doing is postponing the tab, with an exorbitant interest measured both in dollars spent and lives ruined. Oftentimes, those who have an economic interest in the status quo, including upstate townships that benefit from the jobs and unions that represent juvenile correction officers, use their political muscle to drive bad policy.
One of the most innovative new approaches to addressing societal needs is the Social Impact Bond (SIB), also known as Pay for Success. This model brings together government, private investors, and nonprofits to create and deliver innovative social programs. All three parties agree on the desired program outcomes, and an independent evaluator monitors performance. Private investors fund the initial capital needs for a social program, and nonprofits implement the program. If the outcomes are achieved, the investor receives their capital plus a return based on savings to the system from implementing a more cost effective program. If an initiative fails, the investor loses the money and the taxpayer pays nothing. Overall, the model encourages the bankrolling of new ideas that can deliver better results at lower costs to government and taxpayers.
To date, SIBs have only been implemented in Great Britain and Australia, but the federal government and many local jurisdictions are trying to bring this strategy to the United States. They offer an exciting opportunity to save money, drive results in criminal justice and other policy areas, and give youth a real chance of being rehabilitated.
By helping youth rebuild their lives in their own communities, we save lives, make neighborhoods safer, and save the state millions of dollars. Surely this is an approach those on the left and right can get behind.


text:
Kodak may be going under, but apparently they could have started their own nuclear war if they wanted, just six years ago. Down in a basement in Rochester, NY, they had a nuclear reactor loaded with 3.5 pounds of enriched uranium—the same kind they use in atomic warheads.
But why did Kodak have a hidden nuclear reactor loaded with weapons-grade uranium? And how did they get permission to own it, let alone install it in a basement in the middle of a densely populated city?
Nobody really knows. Kodak officials now admit that they never made any public announcement about it. In fact, nobody in the city—officials, police or firemen—or in the state of New York or anywhere else knew about it until it was recently leaked by an ex-employee. Its existence and whereabouts were purposely kept vague and only a few engineers and Federal employees really knew about the project.


text:
Whether you're a major international company, a local supplier, or a medium-sized business with very specific challenges …
As specialists for business applications we will combine your individual requirements
with our professional software solutions.
We gathered a wealth of project experience in finance, telecommunications, automotive engineering, retail, logistics and medical services.
Topics often raised include:
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Services we offer include:
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This is our domain: Software solutions perfectly tailored to fit your business environment.
Applications that behave as they're expected to. No more and no less. No excess baggage,
no synergy loss, no messing up of reasonable processes.
This is efficiency: Developing software solutions in such a way that the results achieved and the means used guarantee an optimal benefit-cost ratio. We develop applications based on your specific needs and with the purpose of offering you a joyful user experience. Applications for which no suitable marketable standard software products are available. These can be both traditional user programs with graphical user interfaces, as well as purely technical components such as system interfaces or data modeling.
Relationships are the most important thing in life.
We are forming relationships between man and machine.
Using Software. Highly enjoyable, always fascinating, sometimes emotional, actually digital. We will make sure that you will enjoy using our products.
CHILIBYTES GmbH specializes in the development of customized software solutions for business applications. The focus of each of our development processes is to ensure the best interaction possible between user and software solution, of »man and machine«. Each of our projects' claim is to simplify and accelerate processes.
Our approach »Don't make think!« does not mean to imply that we rather not think about the task at hand, but: Build the application and its processes in such a way that the user can intuitively relate allowing them to optimally achieve his goal. Interaction between us and computers around us with their so-called »user interfaces« is such a relationship. Rather emotional frequently, however, digital for all intents and purposes. Despite all the bells and whistles it nonetheless comes down to the much-quoted 0s and 1s serving as the building blocks of our communication. That's what we call: digital relationships, our »digital relations«.
We look at things as a whole instead of just programming a solitary application. We consider the development and implementation of custom fit solutions as stand-alone projects, and we treat them this way. Our project management will always see to make the balancing act a success: keep project goals in mind, meet expectations with respect to requirements, advocate user interests, keep an eye on project budgets, and to ensure an enjoyable customer experience.
First of all together we will identify what your goals, ideas, and wishes are. We will classify organizational
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Agile software development is the defined goal: Flexible design processes, less administrative burden, meaningful rules and an iterative approach in short cycles yield insights in the fastest possible way. Experts and technical departments are involved in the dialogue at all times. Following successful testing software will be rolled out, and we will support you in your daily work.


text:
Many Americans have embraced outdoor decorating, filling their yards with fluffy sofas, gleaming end tables and even outdoor rugs.
But what happens when the sun goes down?
Chris Lambton, landscape designer and host of HGTV's "Going Yard," advises his clients to give as much thought to the lighting of their outdoor space as they do to the furnishings.
Forget yesterday's glaring porch light, he says. You can now choose from a wide range of much subtler lighting options. Many are inexpensive and stylish enough to quickly turn a basic patio into a chic entertaining space.
Lambton and two other outdoor decorating experts — Los Angeles-based designers Jeff Andrews and Brian Patrick Flynn — offer advice on the newest, most attractive and safest options for outdoor lighting.
Indulge Your Indoor Style
Many indoor furniture designs and fabrics are now available as outdoor items, Lambton says, and the same goes for lighting. Companies are creating outdoor versions of their most popular indoor lamps and fixtures.
Flynn is a fan of outdoor chandeliers on patios or decks that are covered: "They're an excellent way to make any humdrum outdoor space feel like an actual room."
But, he says, choose wisely: "To get them right, you've got to take scale and proportion into consideration. Install one that's too small, and it will look like an afterthought. Install one that's too big or hangs too low, and it will completely overwhelm the space."
Flynn also recommends using floor lamps and table lamps designed for outdoor use. Prices vary widely (from more than $1,000 to less than $100), so he suggests hunting online for deals and the perfect style.
Another option: Create your own outdoor fixture. Many electricians can rewire your favorite indoor lighting to be safely used outside, Lambton says. "Search for whatever fixture you like," he says, "then put an outdoor conduit in and attach it to a switch."
Go vintage
"Vintage is always a key to good lighting," Andrews says, "indoors and outdoors."
"Recently I got these really cool, inexpensive Moroccan lanterns" with a vintage look. Rather than simply displaying them on a table, he hung them from outdoor branches. "I had them wired for outside and hid the wires in the trees," he says.
When the vintage lanterns glow from the tree branches at night, it gives the yard a "romantic and kind of European feel."
Forget the flood light
Rather than one or two bright porch lights, all three designers suggest using a variety of softer lights.
Lambton has used faux stone blocks with LED lights hidden inside, alongside traditional lighting. Flynn has done the same with illuminated planters.
"Sneaking in ambient light in unexpected ways is something I love to do," Flynn says. "In Los Angeles, I turned the middle of a family's Los Feliz backyard into a full-fledged family room, comfy sectional sofa and all.
"To bring light to the space, I used modern, plastic planters that light up. They have cords on the back of them, and connect to exterior outlets. Once turned on, a light bulb inside the transparent plastic illuminates and the entire area glows softly. This is so genius because it requires no electrician whatsoever."
Even simpler options: thin strips of lights that can be attached along the underside of deck railings, or strands of lights in the shape of everything from simple bulbs to stars, hearts or jalapeno peppers strung overhead.
No matter which style of light you choose, Andrews says, add dimmers to your outdoor light switches. "Everything in the world," he says, "needs to be on a dimmer."
Go beyond deck or patio
Don't forget to light the far reaches of your yard, Lambton says. It will make your property feel bigger and banish the feeling of being enveloped by darkness when you entertain outside.
It costs little to place a few small, solar-powered lights at the bases of trees and shrubs. He also suggests attaching a few to tree branches. "And I love to uplight ornamental grasses," Lambton says. "It adds nice depth to the yard."
Don't forget the fire
Fire pits of all sizes — from huge outdoor fireplaces to small tabletop containers — provide golden, flickering light for your outdoor space.
Display a collection of pillar candles in varying sizes (battery-powered or real), either clustered on their own or tucked inside large, glass lanterns to "add a bit of sparkle" to your yard, Andrews says.
Or create an outdoor chandelier with candles: "I tend to try my hand at rustic do-it-yourself ideas," Flynn says.
"In my own outdoor dining room, I suspended a candelabra made from reclaimed pine planks, rope, mason jars and tea lights above the dining table. When my family comes over for pizza night, it creates the perfect ambience."
Combine safety, beauty
Home improvement stores and websites offer a huge array of options for lighting outdoor pathways and deck stairs, adding beauty while making your space safer.
And what about the safety of leaving lighting out in all weather? If it's outdoor-rated, Andrews says, it should be fine. But keep your climate in mind.
Flynn prefers not to leave "most lighting sources out year-round unless an outdoor space is covered," he says.
"The only type of lighting I'm worry-free about for the outdoors is festival-style string lights. They're pretty much the same thing as holiday twinkle lights. My favorite styles are strands with mini-lanterns; they really help light the perimeter of a space."
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text:
have been on vacation for the past week, and have hardly had either the
chance or inclination to explore the hundreds of e-mails I have received
or even think about the embassy bombings or President Bill's Monica woes.
However, I have been busy. Saturday I caught a big fish ... a VERY big
fish. My younger brother has been giant tuna fishing for 25 years, and
has developed a reputation in the northeast for considerable knowledge,
skill and success. Despite having devoted considerable time effort and
energy fishing over the years, I had not (until now) ever caught a giant
bluefin tuna. Saturday my first (and probably last) giant bluefin tuna
was 111 inches long, 88 inches in diameter, and just under 900 pounds.
Tuna fishing, in fact big game fishing in general, is different from my
normal angling adventurers. It is very much a team sport. I was fortunate
(and lucky) to have both a great team, and inordinate luck. My brother
Greg is a pro, and possesses a wealth of fishing knowledge. Three fish
were caught the same day on the same piece of ocean, and that "magic" spot
was found and nurtured by my brother. Ed Duffy, the owner of the boat (Fish
Story), is a wonderful and gracious host, and did a superb job maneuvering
the boat during the fight. We left Kennebunkport harbor early Saturday
morning in a dense fog, and navigated through a labyrinth of lobster pots
until we came to a stretch of coast just off President George Bush's family
home at Walker's Point. The day before we had caught a bunch of mackerel
for bait there, but Saturday was a disappointment. We then ran about 15
miles off shore to Greg's "secret spot" and anchored in 260 feet of water.
During the ride I spent the time cutting up herring into chunks for the
chum we would drop in throughout the day. I set the anchor with Ed as Greg
was busy working on our gear. It takes a lot of expensive equipment to
fish for tuna. While Greg and Ed rigged the poles, I started jigging for
bait, and quickly pulled up a Whiting and a Mud Hake (an ugly cousin of
the cod). We put three baits out at varying depths and I kept fishing for
live bait while Ed kept an eye on the electronics to see what was happening
under the boat. Once the three rods were rigged and set, we started chumming,
and proceeded with the most annoying part of the whole ordeal. We waited
... and waited, and waited. The fog cleared and the whales were making
their presence known. The Raytheon gizmos were showing us vast and constant
quantities of bait under the boat (both good and bad news), and we waited
some more. About noontime a friend on another boat about a half mile to
our east hooked up and we watched him fight and land their fish. Another
boat in the same area also hooked up and was fighting another fish. As
we were watching the action in the distance and ladling chum into the water
one of our rods bent and the three of us erupted into action. Greg grabbed
the rod, Ed started the engines, and I undid our anchor line ... all that
happened in less than 20 seconds. By the time I got back to the stern,
my brother was swearing, and the rod was again straight with a slack line.
The fish had run under the boat and the line was cut on our prop. I'll
spare you the dialog in the interest of good taste. We re-rigged the broken
line, and Greg, after assuring Ed and I there was nothing any of us could
have done, started fishing for bait. He quickly caught a whiting which
he then rigged on the pole which had just had the close call. The other
two boats which had caught fish had already departed the area, and we were
alone. Even the whales had left us. The ocean was calm. Visibility was
unlimited, but there was nothing to see except ocean and an occasional
bird. The Raytheon gizmo kept showing vast amounts of bait still under
the boat, and regular showings of what appeared to be tuna. At two thirty,
(when at least two of us were feeling sorry for ourselves) the number two
rod went off, and bent like a crescent moon. Again, I kicked us off the
anchor, and Ed started the engines and we were moving off our anchor buoy
in less than 30 seconds. I jumped on the reel and started cranking as my
brother barked instructions to Ed and me. The next hour and twenty minutes
was exciting, frustrating, moderately painful, and a memory of a lifetime.
The fish stripped line, I'd crank line. I'd get ten feet of line on the
reel, the fish would strip 20 feet off the reel. The fish was pulling the
boat backwards. Fish Story is 36 feet long, 12 feet wide, and we had just
loaded 200 gallons of gasoline and a hundred gallons of water. My job was
to crank line onto the reel whenever I could. Ed's job was to keep the
boat squared so the fish stayed off our stern. Greg's job was to direct
the drama. The tuna's job was to make our jobs as difficult as possible.
I saw the 50 foot marker on the line no less than three times, and every
time (except once) the fish ripped off more line. Eventually we could see
some color in the water about forty feet to stern. It looked kinda big.
After several annoying circles around the area to our rear, I was able
to pull the fish up behind the boat, and my brother jabbed it with a harpoon
which had a line attached to the dart. Next we gaffed it with a huge hook
that also had a line attached to it. We tied off those two lines and I
grabbed another gaff to lift up its tail so we could get a rope around
it. That took a while and I handed Ed the tail gaff and (since my arms
were longer) I fought to get a line around the tail. We then had the fish
secured by three lines to the stern. A week earlier Greg and Ed had taken
a 600 pound fish and it had slid cleanly through the small door in the
transom. Our fish however, wouldn't fit. The three of us could not pull
the beast into the boat. Some might have described the exercise as reminiscent
of watching a monkey trying to make love to a greased watermelon. After
enlisting the aid of a friend on another boat, four of us eventually got
the monster on board -- 111 inches long, 88 inches wide, about 888 pounds.
In closing I want to thank my brother Captain Greg Metcalf, the boat owner
and skipper, Ed Duffy, and my wife for allowing me the opportunity to experience
a once in a lifetime adventure. As I sit here remembering the battle, the
subtle and gross surprises, and the pain, I can empathize with Judge Kenneth
Starr and what is to follow.


text:
State Map for
Human Factors Engineers & Ergonomists
Looking to move? Some states have more opportunities for this type of work than others.
Orange states have an above average share of this career in their workforce.
Blue states have a below average share of this career in their workforce.
For detailed state-by-state info, see employment and wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
National Outlook
Nationwide, new job opportunities for human factors engineers and ergonomists are very likely in the future.


text:
Hey folks, just a quick note to say happy holidays, and to tell you that thanks to the work of Patrick Swenson, publisher of Fairwood Press, Unpossible and Other Stories is now on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/unpossible-amazon It will be out on Nook soon as well.
UPDATE 12/30: The Nook version is now available on Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/unpossible-bn.
And did I mention that they're both only $5.99?
Now I'm going to go back to eating, drinking, and playing World of Tanks.


text:
Raising Healthy Children
1. Be a role model.
The best way to teach children healthy habits is to practice healthy habits. Even though you may think your kids are not paying attention, they watch everything that you do and will eventually adopt the behaviors that they see. By eating healthy and being active, you're sending a powerful message to your children.
2. Go shopping.
The grocery store is a classroom for all ages! Younger kids can identify colors and practice counting skills in the produce section; older kids can practice reading skills and learn to read labels. Let children pick a new fruit, vegetable, or herb to try. If they're involved, they will be much more likely to try a new food.
3. Explore new foods.
The more foods you introduce to children, the greater the variety of foods they will eat as adults. Preparing ethnic dishes offers a great opportunity to try new foods, flavors, and spices, as well as to learn about a new culture. Consider having a theme night, complete with music from that culture. Older kids can research that part of the world and share fun facts at dinner.
4. Plan meals together.
Part of eating a healthy diet is pairing foods together to get a variety of nutrients. Let older children help plan meals. Challenge your child to help you plan a meal with one whole grain, two vegetables, and three ounces of meat. For younger children, let them help you choose a plate full of colors (red strawberries, green broccoli, yellow corn, and brown chicken).
5. Get cooking.
Involve your child in the cooking process. Though it does require a little patience and time, cooking with your child offers many opportunities to learn and to bond, as well as to establish a lifelong interest in food and nutrition.
6. Make mealtime a happy time.
Create a relaxed meal environment by turning off cell phones and televisions. Avoid food fights by never pressuring your child to try something or to clean his plate; simply offer what has been prepared and let him take it or leave it. Discourage negative comments about foods being served.
7. Eat as a family.
Kids like routines, and regular meals eaten as a family provide needed structure and reassurance. Family meals are also a perfect opportunity to talk about events from the day and to reconnect as a family. Some research has even suggested that children who eat regular family meals are less likely to be overweight.
8. Start a garden.
Gardening helps kids understand the full circle of life, teaches responsibility, and provides daily physical activity. If you don't have a green thumb, start with a pot of herbs, such as rosemary or basil. Your child will enjoy watching them grow, and then picking and cooking with the herbs.
9. Be active together.
Going on walks after dinner or bike rides on the weekends allows everyone to get exercise. It also provides family time to catch up and bond.
10. Take field trips.
Visit a farmers' market, talk to the farmers about how they grow food, and let your child pick out fresh fruits and vegetables. Tours of local dairies and farms also make great outings for kids to learn about food and where it comes from.
11. Consider a screen time limit.
It's hard to leave video games, computers, and TVs, but these sedentary activities are contributing factors to the growing obesity crisis. As a parent, look closely at how much time your child spends being sedentary versus being active, and consider a time limit such as 60 minutes of screen time per day.
12. Schedule and plan in advance.
Just like adults, kids are busy people, so start a family activity calendar. Prior to the start of each week, let each family member pencil in when and how they plan to be physically active.


text:
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Apocalyptic fervor spurs benevolent giving
Family Radio owner and founder Harold Camping has declared that an event called the rapture will occur on May 21st. On that day faithful followers will suddenly disappear and go to be with God in Heaven. "Billions will be left behind to experience the judgment of God," Camping says, "the Bible guarantees it."
Those faithful followers appear to be giving away all they own to people whom they believe will be left behind.
"Well, I know that pastor ain't gonna to be goin' in the rapture." Johns said, "So I gave him the money so he can preach the Gospel to all those people left behind."
Johns' benevolent activity is being modeled across the country. Televangelists' have experienced as much as a 300% increase in donations. Sources indicate that Benny Hinn's ministry is preparing a special series of Left Behind Crusades this summer, and they are purchasing a private vacation island for Rev. Hinn based upon the over abundance of donations in the last few months.
An itinerant preacher not wanting to be named said, "It is generally agreed among us that this is a great time to be a false prophet. A little rapture frenzy is fantastic when it comes time to pass the plate."
In Grand Rapids, MI Muslim families have been finding anonymous envelopes filled with cash left on their doorsteps. Notes left with the cash say, "This should help you through the days of judgment. Just remember, when God's wrath smites you, and your family has the plague Jesus still loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."
Marci, whose family moved to the US from Pakistan 7 years ago is secretly thinking of becoming a Christian, "My neighbor was a very mean man. He told me everyday for 7 years that I was going to go to Hell. Now he moved away, and I found all this money on my doorstep. Maybe Jesus does love me. Jesus got rid of my mean neighbor, and gave me lots of money."
Christian author Tim LaHaye's best selling Christian Fiction series Left Behind is having a sales revival and is climbing up the New York Times best seller list. The sales representative on the phone at Christian Book Dealerrs said that most purchases of Left Behind are being sent as gifts to non-Christian friends and family. The Christian Book Dealers website has a special Judgment Day sale page, but currently lists the Left Behind series as "on order" with a 8 week delay in delivery.
Joshua, 37 who lives with his parents in Florida recently checked out of a drug rehab program when his parents signed over all their assets to him. His parents Jan and Paul Breese are traveling the country warning people of the impending day of judgment.
"We are traveling to as many cities as we possibly can," Jan said while passing out pamphlets in New Orleans recently, "because this is the day we have been excitedly waiting for. Billions are going to be left behind with God's wrath sending them earthquakes, and famines, and plagues and all that stuff."
"I don't know anything about this judgment my mom's talking about," says Joshua, "but it doesn't seem so bad being left behind. I'm throwing a really big party on May 22nd."
for more information on this subject see Left Behind: The Party!
25 comments:
- Unknown said...
I'm pretty sure this is not what Paul meant when he talks about becoming a fool in order to be made wise. It makes one embarrassed to beknown as a Christian. I'm getting tired of repeating the phrase, "...but I'm not like those Christians" every time a few of them pull something idiotic, so I'm thinking of getting it tattooed on my forehead.
- April 6, 2011 at 6:16 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
But if you tattoo 666 on your forehead they will definitely leave you alone...Okay, that might not be the best move for your social life, but it would work.
- April 6, 2011 at 6:22 PM
- A-Typical Sociologist said...
How about I am a follower of Christ, not a Christian?
- April 6, 2011 at 6:29 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
Hey A-Typical,
Not sure your family and friends would be thrilled with that tattooed on your forehead, but a good tattoo artist might do nice artwork with it - I guess.
- April 6, 2011 at 6:34 PM
- Unknown said...
Now that last post was funny, Phil.
As for tattooing 666 on my forehead, it's not a bad idea, but one of the other, MANY things I'm tired of is Christians trying to fix me. Now, you would think that, with 666 on my forehead, that would make me a hopeless case, but I suspect that the Christian tendency toward believing for the impossible would make me the ministry target du jour for the rest of my "jour"s--or at least until May 21st.
- April 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM
- Kendra said...
Just curious...What happens to these people on May 22nd when their prediction proves to be false? Do they lose faith or just pick another day for the rapture?(By the way, the last four digits of my cell are 1666. I always tell people I am one devil.) I can't help but think that things were much easier when I was Wiccan. It's hard to follow a faith that is supposed to be so meaningful in making you a better person, when you see its followers are more evil than in many other faiths. Jesus has done so much for my life, but Christians are destroying it. It's sad! These days I prefer to worship alone. No rapture worries either!
- April 7, 2011 at 8:37 AM
- Pastor Phil said...
Hey Kendra,
I do think we been sold a bill of goods on the issue of the promise of change. Not that the promise is not there, but that it should somehow just be happening without the co-laboring to make it happen. In this issue of personal responsibility the Wiccans somewhat are correct.
As far as this gang: some will be discouraged and hide away, some will reset the date, and some could possibly give up their faith I suppose. Welcome to the wild world of false prophecies, and their ramifications in people's lives.
- April 7, 2011 at 2:26 PM
- KenTexts said...
Your concepts are somewhat mixed-up and inexact. Harold Camping preaches a bizarre version of the Christian Gospel by which, to the question, "How can I be saved?", the answer goes: "I don't know!" (I have heard this, verbatim, from him over the radio). The best the Campingites can advise is "Hope that God will save you!" Camping is so hyper-Calvinistic that, to him, there is no way of having any assurance in the least concerning that which God in his sovereign will has preordained. This is why your opening, about the "born again Christians", is rather off the mark. Agree with it or not, the term "born-again Christian" relates to a particular body of teaching that is fundamentally at odds with Camping's entire premise.
- April 8, 2011 at 7:41 AM
- Pastor Phil said...
Dear Ken,
Did you realize that the above story is satire, and is not meant to be exact, because most of the people are fictitious. But, thank you for a lesson on Camping - which I did realize by the way, but that is for another satirical post.
- April 8, 2011 at 11:58 AM
- Mike said...
Phil. Great post and I have RSVP'd myself a spot at the party. No worries here about going anywhere soon. On the other hand, suppose that Fred Phelps disappears. That will be a good day!!
- April 12, 2011 at 11:23 PM
- Ellen Haroutunian Haroutunian said...
While I know this addresses a serious issue, this made me laugh. Thanks, I really needed that. Otherwise the insanity of it all just makes me crazy.
- April 12, 2011 at 11:50 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
Thanks Mike, Time to party on indeed. I do have a concern that we as Christians are presenting an eschatology which is counter-intuitive to grace. Doesn't it seem problematic that we emphasize being "left behind?"
Peace and God Parties to You,
- April 13, 2011 at 8:47 AM
- Pastor Phil said...
Thanks Ellen,
The Laugh is what I was hoping to create.
Too bad the Wittenburg Door isn't publishing anymore. We need to satirize ourselves a bit more.
- April 13, 2011 at 8:49 AM
- Liz said...
Phil - This is absolutely hilarious!!!! It is the first post I have read from the synchroblog list and it has my day off to a great start (laughter is good medicine!).
If you get a chance I would appreciate you letting your readers know about the synchroblog and adding the list of links.
Thanks again for this post!
- April 13, 2011 at 10:45 AM
- Pastor Phil said...
Hey Liz, Thanks. I've already added a second post with all the links at http://squarenomore.blogspot.com/2011/04/synchroblog-on-living-under-rock.html
Thanks for doing this.
- April 13, 2011 at 12:24 PM
- Cern said...
Good stuff. Nice to see the synchroblogs up and running. :)
- April 13, 2011 at 5:53 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 13, 2011 at 6:07 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
and good to see you! Thanks bro.
- April 13, 2011 at 6:07 PM
- Jarred said...
I think you've just demonstrated the accuracy of Poe's Law, Phil. ;)
Good blog post.
- April 14, 2011 at 8:40 AM
- Pastor Phil said...
Ha! Thanks Jarred. I wasn't familiar with Poe's law. Nice.
- April 14, 2011 at 9:40 AM
- kathyescobar said...
good way to start the morning :) thanks, phil.
- April 14, 2011 at 12:05 PM
- Dave Gerard said...
I guess folks should have read those tiny blue tags, n'es pas?
- April 18, 2011 at 9:24 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
Indeed David, but I guess it is excessively fun that they did not. :-)
- April 18, 2011 at 10:23 PM
- Adam Gonnerman said...
This reads like something from The Onion. Wow. There are going to be a lot of very disappointed, very broke people on May 22.
- April 22, 2011 at 1:57 PM
- Pastor Phil said...
Hey Adam,
I wrote it with Wittenburg Door and the Onion in mind. A lot of satire to go with the insanity of dating the return of Christ.
- April 22, 2011 at 3:18 PM


text:
Griffin debuts iTrip Aux Bluetooth, updated Twenty digitial audio amp, new wearable accessories, and more at CES
Griffin unveiled a series of new accessories for mobile devices today during the Consumer Electronics Show. The first of these accessories is the iTrip Aux Bluetooth, which combines a standard 3.5mm audio cable with a Bluetooth reciever powered by the cigarette lighter in your car, allowing you to stream your music wirelessly to your car's stereo, even if you don't have a Bluetooth equipped car.
The iTrip Aux Bluetooth retails for $49.99 and is available from Griffin's website starting today.


text:
UltraViolet (UV) is the media entertainment industry's solution to consumers' frustrations with limitations on purchased media. Right now, if you buy a movie on iTunes, you can't watch it on your TV through your Xbox or Roku player. Or if you purchase a TV show on Best Buy's CinemaNow, it will only play on a compatible device. Many people feel that if they purchase a video once, they should be able to view it anywhere they want, on any device. People have illegally found ways around this problem, but the industry is finally providing a unified, legal solution. Film studios (though Disney is notably absent), retailers, consumer electronics manufacturers (not Apple either), and other entertainment companies have joined together to form the UltraViolet Alliance, so there's a united platform for digital media content (full list of partners).
UltraViolet was created to help the industry keep track of proofs of purchase rights. UltraViolet is your own personal library of movies and TV shows that you can access through any Internet-accessible device. You start by visiting UltraViolet, uvvu.com, a hub where you can create an UltraViolet account, or you can create an account during content purchase (directly via any retailer where you're shopping for UV content). You can purchase UV content in a few ways: physical DVDs/BluRays, from a mobile app, or from an Internet retailer. You just need to make sure that when you make a purchase you see the UV logo or it says that it comes with an UltraViolet Digital Copy. For physical DVDs/BluRays you'll be given a proof of purchase code that you can add to your account, and with apps and online retailers you'lll be able to add it to your library when you checkout. You'll be able to purchase from any participating UV retailer (see list above).
Right now content and functionality are limited - because apps and sites aren't yet dedicated to this purchase experience. But expect both online and mobile UV stores to pop up in coming months. UV releases are currently available from Warner, including Horrible Bosses, Green Lantern, and Crazy Stupid Love, and in early December UV digital copy releases will be made by Sony Pictures and Universal. Within the next year, you can expect titles from the other big studios to become available.
More From Good Housekeeping
Once you've stored movies and shows in your account, you will be able to stream them to your television or download them to any Internet-connected device - such as your computer, smartphone or tablet. The service is free and up to 6 members of your household can use one account and watch on up to 12 devices. Parents can limit what members in the house can and can't add to the account and set parental controls restricting what their kids can watch.
One of the great benefits of UV content is that you have backup of your movie or TV show. If you were to lose a physical disc, it would be just that - lost. But once content is added to your digital library, you have automatic backup. And you have more options, not only of the devices you watch on, but of the means by which you watch. You can stream the media (so you don't waste space on your hard drive), download it (so you can watch if not connected to the Internet), or in many cases get a physical copy. Another great thing is that like for all cloud services no additional hardware is required - you just use what you already own! And as updates are made, you won't have to purchase additional equipment.
How, where, and when you want to watch is now up to you. Pretty enticing, right?
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH's growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH's annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.