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A fascinating recent article posted in Science Reports drew a lot of attention over the evidence that a higher state of consciousness had now been captured on MEG through the use of psychedelics.
The team on the paper – a collaboration between researchers at Sussex, Imperial, and Auckland – collected Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data from participants using Ketamine, LSD, and Psilocybin, and aimed to take a look at how a change in spontaneous signal diversity corresponded with the psychedelic subjective experience.
The essential conclusion was that Psilocybin, Ketamine, and LSD reflect an opposite pattern of neural diversity to anesthetics, such as propofol, and a greater level of spontaneous neural activity in comparison to normal waking consciousness – such as you're using to read this – and so this might be called a more 'signal rich' mode of perceiving your conscious experience.
On top of being pretty novel in terms of its findings, the paper was a genuinely interesting way of looking at neural data, and works toward trying to pair phenomenological experience to brain activity in aid of understanding how our underlying perceptual machinery can produce such a strange experience – especially as consciousness has typically been studied through the loss of experience (such as anesthesia), and not often, if at all, through the increased complexity of experience compared to our every-day perceptions.
This paper has definitely got me thinking about the complex role of our brain to filter and define our incoming information moment to moment so that we can perform day-to-day tasks we take for granted, and how changes to this filtering might give us some fascinating insight into what's actually going on under the hood.
It might also represent a different mode of signal detection, where otherwise 'silent' experiences and perceptions which would be otherwise ignored are now pushed up into our subjective platform.
Cognitive Neuropsychiatry takes a similar approach to this paper by studying the neural activity of individuals who have a very different experience of the world – such as in delusions – and using these findings to give us a clue as to the dynamics of related neural function e.g. belief formation.
This study adds to the field by demonstrating that instead of using individuals with a mental illness or neurological difficulty to peek behind the veil, we might be able to use psychedelics to transiently produce very different modes of subjectivity. This has huge potential, and I look forward to seeing where it progresses.
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) records the firing rhythms of the cortex. These different frequencies are given names like theta, delta, and alpha.
Image taken from MIT News
However – I do have some thoughts about challenges the field might face moving forward and some healthy criticism of the data – I hope this only helps to develop our interpretations.
Essentially, I think we need to be careful with getting carried away with the term 'higher consciousness' at this point, especially when trying to be true to the data, and the authors do indeed mention that the use of the phrase 'higher state of consciousness' is to be cautiously interpreted.
I see this as an issue on two related fronts.
First, as with anything, the media like to make a lot of hype around this finding, and it can be useful to be honest about some of the assumptions that we might attribute to what is actually being said.
For instance – when we hear the word 'higher', we might immediately associate this with being synonymous with 'better', or even more exotically, 'enlightened', as the suggestive image heading this blog post might portray.
But this is a tricky situation, as this plays into some potential assumptions about the quality of our conscious experience, for example, the idea that we need to somehow escape our 'regular' or everyday state of mind.
We could equally interpret our brain in its everyday state as an optimal and balanced organ working to reduce incoming information into digestible and manageable pieces which can be used to navigate the environment – much like that theorised in a new paper here.
Now, this isn't to say that having interesting and rich experiences outside of our every-day can give us a whole new perspective on ourselves and insight into our malleable perceptions, or even that our 'everyday' mind can always be a good thing (e.g. outdated beliefs or overbearing self-criticism), but I fear associating this increased 'free energy' form with a more desirable function to be can lead to a 'grass is greener' type situation which ultimately gives our more everyday, and perhaps more mundane, experiences lesser value. But we need to remember that it's these more typical experiences that give us the ability to do all the small things we take for granted (cue Blink 182).
Now I might be jumping the gun a little here as to how far most might take the idea of a 'higher' consciousness, or even over exaggerating the interpretations, but I think keeping on top of our exoticism over the experience can mean we don't fetishise it and instead try to fully understand what this altered state actually is doing, and what this might mean for our understanding of the mind.
This leads into my next point, which is that the over exposure of the media may actually begin to bias the subjective experiences of future participants, and may greater amplify the placebo effect.
Neuroskeptic recently wrote an article addressing this issue with the recent APA consensus statement around the medicinal use of ketamine for depression.
Because of psychedelic research permeating most news outlets with tales of fascinating and powerful subjective experiences, we may all now be automatically biased toward what we expect from taking something like LSD.
Future experimentation aiming to further understand the correlation between subjective experience and symptom reduction will possibly find it increasingly harder to parse out expectation and the placebo effect from 'drug related' causal effects.
This isn't to undermine the placebo experience as a useful and effective therapeutic tool, but if we are to get to the bottom of the causal neural mechanisms surrounding the use of psychedelics, massive expectations only work to muddy these results.
Questions might be being raised at this point between what we might consider 'causal' mechanisms, and whether we should make a distinction between 'non-placebo' neural changes as a hallmark of 'genuine' change as this might start bringing up a lot of false separations between our brain and subjective states, as each are one in the same, and doing so undermines the powerful effect of environment, social dynamics, and community belief.
My main question here is: is it the drug that is doing the driving of the experience, or is our expectation and our submission to the ritual process of taking it? If it's the former, then it matters which drug we are administering, if its the latter, then psychedelics may not be as special as is often touted.
Of course, as with anything, it's probably a mix of the two. However, if prior belief and expectation are found in future research to play a massive role in the changes in symptom changes, taking psychedelics in a modern medicinal setting with guidance may be conceptually on par with rituals we might not consider relevant in modernity anymore, like the Catholic mass or Sufi twirling – this is simply our modern take with lots of perceptual fireworks.
This might be quite a humbling piece of information, and serve to illustrate a) how powerful community consensus can be for therapeutic means, and b) how much we have in common with our previous generations.
This might appear antiquated to modern day 20- somethings, but is the key to a powerful psychological change belief, subjective prowess, and communal agreement?
My final point I hope illustrates my previous two, and it's regarding the data presented in this study when looking deeper at the association made in the paper between the use of all three psychedelics, their effect of increased cortical signal complexity, and a large change in subjective experience.
Authors use a mathematical algorithm to analyse the MEG data called the 'Lempel-Ziv complexity'. This algorithm is essentially telling us how 'random' the neural signal generated from the brain is across 90 different sites – the assumption here is that the larger the value, the more complex, chaotic or 'entropic' the cortex is at that particular time – this is what the authors' call a 'richer' or 'higher state' of consciousness because less filtering of our sensory experience is theorised to be occurring, and this is therefore suggested to accompany a vast change in subjective experience, such as the onset of hallucinations, ego-dissolution, and distortions in time and space.
Increased spontaneous signal diversity for PSIL, KET and LSD.
(a) Mean scores across participants for the signal diversity measures LZsN, LZcN and ACEN are higher for each of the three drug conditions (white discs) than for the corresponding placebo conditions (black discs). A solid line across conditions indicates p < 0.001 and a dotted line 0.001 < p < 0.05, uncorrected, obtained from a two-sided t-test. (b) Difference in single channel Lempel-Ziv complexity, LZsN, between respectively PSIL, KET, LSD and placebo at the single participant level. The error bars indicate standard error across trials.
Image taken from : Schartner, M. M. et al. Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin. Sci. Rep. 7, 46421; doi: 10.1038/srep46421 (2017).
The above figure shows the difference in neural communication complexity using the algorithm I mentioned before. Notice that LSD and Ketamine both demonstrate significant differences between the drug condition (white discs under 'a)') and placebo condition (black discs under 'a)'), but psilocybin doesn't at all. This insignificance is compounded by the fact that individuals were actually scanned during their peak when you would expect the largest changes to be occurring.
This would suggest that for ketamine and LSD, changes in neural activity using this algorithm may reflect vastly different subjective experiences if we find a significant difference in participants phenomenological reports using the same drugs.
This would support the argument that the different compounds are having a different and meaningful neural impact.
Correlations across measures and questionnaire answers.
(a) For each drug, a matrix indicates in colour the Pearson correlation, r, of the score difference between drug and placebo condition (averaged across trials) of each measure pair across participants. The upper triangular entries and entries with |r| < 0.5 are omitted (and set white) to highlight strong correlations only. These correlations should be considered somewhat exploratory and are not controlled for multiple comparisons as each experiment had a limited sample size. Across drugs, signal diversity measures show high correlation with each other, yet inconsistently, as they capture different flavours of signal diversity. (b) Correlations between the changes in the measures ACEN, LZcN and LZsN and the questionnaire scores (same scale as above). No consistent correlation across drugs was found for any combination of the measure's scores and scores for a particular question. (c) The changes in subjective ratings under each drug condition are shown as averages with standard error bars across subjects. The average of all changes across these 14 questions (except "InScanner") is denoted as "total" and shown normalised by factor 20 in order to fit the scale. No consistent differences are apparent across drugs.
Image taken from : Schartner, M. M. et al. Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin. Sci. Rep. 7, 46421; doi: 10.1038/srep46421 (2017).
While all drugs showed an increase in signal diversity after drug administration, this hasn't been established with significance at all for all drugs.
Now, the above figure suggests that psilocybin has the greatest total change in subjective experience compared to LSD and Ketamine, especially on experiences of seeing strange shapes, geometric patterns, and having vivid mental experiences.
As there was no significant difference between using psilocybin and placebo in terms of signal diversity, the fact that psilocybin expressed the greatest difference in subjective experience leaves me with alot of questions.
There still seems to be many questions regarding whether different compounds produce markedly different subjective experiences, and how this relates to symptoms reduction and neural activity.
The study however takes great steps to get the ball rolling in answering this question, and I look forward to seeing how these results develop, with different analyses, replications, and richer phenomenological reports being drawn upon to test these different hypotheses.


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TCS Helps Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Implement Successful Mobility Solution
ARC recently spoke with the Director of Mobility at a major global pharmaceutical manufacturer to discuss its implementation of a new mobility solution intended to increase the productivity of its sales force by providing instant access to specific medical information and sales literature for their physician customers from iPad tablets. Significantly, the manufacturer and its strategic IT solution provider, TCS, implemented this sales force mobility project using its rigorous and validated processes.
Excerpts from the report:
"According to the company's mobility director, 'When the company decided to implement a mobility solution, we immediately thought of TCS as our integration partner. We have partnered with them for a long time and have had good experiences.' TCS was also already familiar with the company's development, methodologies, standards, quality and other work processes. 'Validation is required for everything we do, and we use the same processes to implement every application. We do not differentiate from our standard process and always deploy applications to meet the company's highest level of quality.'"
To view the full report, click here

subset: commoncrawl


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The Most Effective Natural Remedies For Dental Health
Oral wellness is necessary for both excellent oral hygiene and also general oral health and wellness. Good oral hygiene consists of brushing your teeth consistently and also flossing, however it's additionally crucial to eat a healthy and balanced diet plan and also drink lots of water to help maintain your teeth clean as well as healthy and balanced. Oral wellness is likewise essential for overall oral health and wellness, that includes safeguarding your periodontals from calculus, avoiding plaque formation on teeth, and also lowering the risk of lots of other oral problems. Mouth wash can be a popular oral care option, however it is necessary to make sure you're utilizing it on the appropriate days as well as in the right way. Here are some suggestions for picking the very best mouthwash: 1. Pick a mouthwash that is natural and also reliable. 2. Stay clear of rough oral treatment products that may trigger irritation or hurt your teeth. 3. Follow the directions very closely t


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Running Back Fred Jackson admits he is "old" but that did not stop the 33-year old from averaging 7 carries for 61 yards which translates to an 8.7 yards per carry…pretty heady stuff until you get to his counterpart, Anthony Dixon who carried the ball five times for 60 yards or a 12.0 yards per carry in a 23-20 Overtime win.
Before the game, quarterback E.J. Manuel asked for the floor.
"He told (offensive coordinator Nathaniel) Hackett, 'Hold on, I got something to say,'" wide receiver Robert Woods said of Manuel, per ESPN.com's Mike Rodak. "And he stood up in front of the whole offense. Had everyone's ears about five minutes. Shut the whole meeting down pretty much. There was nothing else that needed to be said after he spoke."
His teammates went out and did the rest, taking a very good Bears team into overtime and eventually defeating them. WR Robert Woods averaged 19.5 yards a catch on four receptions for 78 yards. All in all, it was a good victory and start for the team.
"It's so difficult to win on the road in this league, especially on opening day I think it's even tougher," Head Coach Doug Marrone said. "I'm proud of them. It was different, I'm not going to lie to you. It was different in that locker room before the game."
The Bills open the season at home this weekend against the Miami Dolphins, who are coming off an upset victory over the New England Patriots. Plenty of great seats and cheap tickets are still available. Be sure to get yours now and cheer on your Buffalo Bills!


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Perkins recognizing students and community members
LANCASTER - On Saturday, June 15, at 10 a.m., Perkins will hold its annual Recognition Day Ceremony to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of its students throughout the 2018-2019 academic year. A total of 23 students from across the state will be recognized. All activities will be held at Perkins, 971 Main St. The ceremony will also honor select individuals who have made significant contributions to the Perkins community and beyond.
This year, Perkins will recognize the following individuals:
• Distinguished Service Award in the Field of Public Service – Marylou Sudders, Mass. Secretary of Health and Human Services;
• Distinguished Service Award for Service to the Students and Residents at Perkins – Martha Bayles, longtime Perkins Trustee; associate professor of the practice of the humanities, Boston College;
• Distinguished Service Award in the Field of Community Service – Sarah and Joel O'Toole, owners, Bolton Orchards;
• Distinguished Service Award in the Field of Service to Children – Cherie Ansin, director, Perkins Rein in A Dream.
In recognition of her leadership and dedication to children and families, Perkins is honoring Sudders. Grounded by a degree in social work, Sudders has had a successful and diverse career dedicated to supporting and strengthening access to mental health services for people of all ages. As commissioner of Mental Health, she championed legislative reforms including insurance parity, patient rights, and children's mental health. For almost 10 years, she led the Mass. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, promoting the rights and well-being of approximately 24,000 children and families. In her current role as secretary of the Mass. Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Sudders leads the largest executive agency in state government, overseeing a $22 billion state budget, 12 agencies and 22,000 public servants.
Bayles, Perkins Trustee from 1995 to 2018 and sister to Teddy Bayles, a resident who lived almost his entire life at Perkins until his passing last year, is being honored for her support of the organization and the Adult & Elder Program especially.
The O'Tooles are being honored for their commitment to students in Perkins' Adult Transition Program (ATP). Bolton Orchards has had a long partnership with the ATP, which serves 18- to 22-year-olds transitioning from high school to adulthood, giving Perkins students the opportunity to work in their store and deli.
Ansin has served as the leader of Rein in A Dream for over 14 years. She can be found designing programs, feeding animals, providing lessons, coaching staff, encouraging kids, and shoveling stalls.
A luncheon will follow in Perkins' Janeway Education Center. Recognition Day is free and open to the public. If you would like more information, contact Anastasia Caras, Perkins marketing and events coordinator, at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Jiu Jitsu Self Defense
Recently we (at Science of Skill) have seen an increased interest in looking at Jiu-Jitsu, grappling arts, and all fighting arts as they relate to self defense. So, for this week's concept piece I'm going to take a tangent from the usual look at training and competition mindset and offer a few thoughts on self defense and the ever-evolving world of grappling (among other things). If you like it, please let me know, as I will likely visit this aspect again.
While my formal/competitive BJJ game is in early stages (of a multi-decade journey), I have been studying martial arts that included grappling for the majority of my lifetime. My school has offered a blended system for decades and I first walked through the doors when I was just 17 years old, after having already spent my youth in the Japanese martial arts blend of Shorei Goju-Ryu Karate. At my current academy, we have four pillars to our curriculum: self defense, striking, grappling, and weaponry. Many of our black belts have run security, worked in law enforcement, have military experience, and/or teach outside courses on self defense concepts and techniques for the real world. Many of our students have used our curriculum to escape sketchy and deadly situations (an unfortunate reality of Chicago life). All of our students must eventually test themselves in high-intensity sparring situations across all four pillars.
Of course, self defense is often about avoiding physical conflict by keeping your wits, awareness, and confidence about you. Not being an easy target is many times the most effective way to avoid becoming a victim of attack in the first place. I cannot stress that enough: most attackers, whether they are looking for a fight, for monetary gain, or to satisfy violent urges are looking for a quick and easy win. Off the top of my head (and I may come back and explore this more thoroughly in a future article), I would say that some of the most important concepts in self defense are awareness, demeanor, range, mobility, restraint, and the element of surprise.
Dispelling the Myth
For this first look into applying martial arts in the real world, I'm going to stick to what we have been exploring over the last year; specifically, Jiu-Jitsu and grappling. Let me spend today dispelling some myths that are often cited in the ridiculous world of "my art is better than your art".


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For a long time now, probably even since the beginning of high school, I have struggled with the notion of a goal. What do I strive for? Why does everyone else seem to be in control of their lives and working in or towards a career they enjoy, seemingly knowing what the job would entail.
Since childhood my parents had always pushed for us to work towards medicine. Being a doctor had always seemed high esteemed and it was believed that the moment you received your license to practice you would be set for life. Financially stable, relatively luxurious and relaxed lifestyle. This was also what I believed and worked towards at that time.
As I entered college, I'd begun to have a little more exposure to people closer to the field, and those who were more educated in what was required to succeed in such a field. Not to mention TV shows such as Scrubs, and House MD. Ok, I can't recall what House MD taught me in terms of what goes on in the field since they were such a specialized team in what I'd call a fantasy environment. A doctor who can shift a mountain and part the sea while overruling the hospital administration is just unheard of. Scrubs did, however, teach me the life as a medical practitioner. I'm talking about the amount of paperwork, the malpractice lawsuits, the constant fear of your first kill and any subsequent ones. As college went on, I found myself less and less enamored with the idea of being a doctor. So instead of medicine, I shifted my focus slightly and went into research.
Research was fun. During the summer of my Junior year and the year of my Senior year I participated in work study at a genetics lab studying the aging process. The job called for some maintenance work such has keeping growth plates stocked, minimal cleaning and what not. Research aside from coming up with hypotheses and the reading research, is actually not too different from cooking. The steps being preparation, execution and clean up. Of course, in science you just have to log every step of the way. Thinking this was the path I would take from now on, I joined a lab in my hometown upon graduation.
Now, every lab is run differently, and there are pros and cons for each lab and a lot depends on funding and the Principal Investigator (PI, boss). In this lab I did a fair amount of maintenance, ranging from preparing reagents for the lab and taking inventory. I was also given the task of performing experiments for a side project my PI had. It's no exaggeration if I said I worked about 60 hours per week, and only reporting 40. This was because we weren't supposed to work overtime, but experiments run late, and time points have to be honored. After two years, My PI was unable to get funding and transferred me to another lab. In this lab, I mainly did maintenance work and specimen collection. All I do is menial work and no research. From these 4 years I have spent in the laboratory, I found myself questioning my path. I could see how stressful it was for graduate students. Governmental funding for academic research has also been dwindling and many labs have closed down due to the economy.
I learned a lot thorough out this time period about technology too. After getting home from high school I would try installing Linux on a Pentium II computer, creating html websites which would never be used, nor were aesthetically pleasing. However, there was a purpose, the website was created to represent a small group of 'outcasts' in a large organization. It was a group which ended up becoming the leadership of said organization. It was gaming, a guild in gaming, in reality, probably nothing major. Let it be said though, at that point in my life, this was something that shaped my teenage years.
During college, I joined Texas A&M Unix/Linux User Group (TAMULUG) and Texas A&M Computing Society (TACS). My participation was hindered by school work, but I managed to still do graphics as the publishing chair in TACS. I was also part of Undergraduate Science Research Club (USRC), for which I was the IT officer and ran their website and PSA graphics for promoting the student organization.
After graduation I started dual booting Ubuntu and Windows, sticking to Windows only due to gaming and photo-processing. In the meantime I ran VPSes with CentOS 6.5 to learn the differences between RedHat and Debian based utilities. Soon after I moved on to CentOS 7 for a fully fledged systemd setup. I also started taking online courses for Python for scripting in Linux; JavaScript, mongoDB, jQuery for web development; AngularJS and Ionic for hybrid mobile apps. With what I learned I started developing stuff on GitHub.
The path I walked was never sure. I was never sure if I wanted to be a doctor, I was never sure if I wanted to become a professor. Today, I figured out a new path to walk, incorporating the scientific method to the web development. We'll see where this takes us.
Got comments or issues with what I wrote? Please let me know by submitting an issue with the blog title :)


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Unnecessary Sequels – Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator and Terminator 2 had the perfect story with a perfect ending- who didn't shed a little tear when the T-800 said "I cannot self-terminate." Did we really need Terminator 3?
James Cameron – franchise creator and director of T1 & T2 – was in supposed talks for a T3 many times after Terminator 2 was released in 1991. In 1997 T2 developer, Carolco Pictures went bankrupt forcing the sale of their 50% hold on the Terminator franchise rights. Surprisingly enough, they were purchased back by Carolco founders Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna. Gale Ann Hurd still held the remaining rights having acquired them for $1.00 from Cameron in the 80's. She eventually sold her share to Kassar and Vajna in 1998 (I can guarantee you it wasn't for $1.00).
Having full rights to Terminator Kassar and Vajna then founded C2 Pictures in 1999 – which is also no longer around – and began work on getting T3 out. They lined up over $160 Million Dollars in financing from Warner Bros, Tokyo distributor Toho-Towa and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Their only condition was that Arnold Schwarzenegger had to sign back on to play the T-800. This left Schwarzenegger in an excellent position to demand an outrageous paycheck, which he got without hesitation. Something to the tune of $29.25 million guaranteed, 20 percent of the gross receipts and basically full control of the production.
Released July 2nd, 2003, T3 picks up after the events of Terminator 2 and we see that August 29th, 1997 has passed without a Judgement Day. John Connor now lives off the grid as a Drifter (Okay, he's a homeless bum). Connor is convinced that the war will still occur even though the date has come and gone. Apparently he is right because Skynet has now sent back a Terminatrix – aka sexy Terminator – to assassinate the future officers of the human resistance as well the second-in-command Kate Brewster, John Connor's wife. For some reason, all of these officers live in Los Angeles within driving distance of each other. How lucky and convenient for the Terminatrix right? The resistance has also sent back another T-800, who protects Kate and John as they attempt to defeat the Terminatrix.
T3 drained the soul out of the Terminator franchise and spit out some over budgeted, under talented sci-fi comedy that desperately wants to become a parody film. Director Johnathon Mostow did to Terminator what Joel Schumacher did to Batman. One of the biggest problems was the casting choices. Nick Stahl as John Connor was a terrible choice and totally unrelatable to the character that Edward Furlong created. At some point, John Connor apparently went from being cool to some sort of scared little girly man who couldn't win a tickle fight. Claire Danes is one of the most annoying people in Hollywood, her constant overacting is at times too much to watch. The movie was essentially a PG-13 flick as well, it seems like they forced an R rating just to make fans happy.
Why did we need this to be made? Why can't we just let franchises end on a high note? If you are going to make it then how hard can it be to make an excellent sequel to an established franchise? All the pieces are laid out in front of you, all you have to do is arrange them correctly. I'm sure most Terminator fans can think of some great storylines that would have capped off the series. Maybe some of the fans should be involved in writing these kinds of movies? We can return back the subject of awful Terminator films when Terminator Genisys is released in July. I've already written a review on Genisys just from the trailer alone, which ruined my week when I first saw it and has continued to haunt me.
- Currently ranked #3679 of all-time
- Ranked 362,511 times by 55,768 users
- Wins 27% of matchups
What's your opinion on Terminator 3? What would you have done differently? Sound off in the comments and thanks for reading!


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Today we're checking out a snazzy new earbud from Smabat, the ST-10.
Smabat is a new company with two products under their wing, the ST-10 earbuds and the XT-10 iems. The ST-10 that we're checking out today is a pretty cool little earbud. Unlike many companies that have been tuning the driver and shoving it into an MX500 shell, Smabat put a little more thought into the ST-10. With titanium coated drivers, MMCX removable cables, and a unique acoustic cavity which actually improves bass response, the ST-10 does a good job of standing out in what has become a crowded segment over the last few years.
Let's take a look and find out why I think this is a quality earbud that is worth your time.
Thanks to Jim at NiceHCK for reaching out to see if I would be interested in reviewing the ST-10, and for arranging a sample for the purposes of review. The thoughts here are my own subjective opinions based on time spent listening to the ST-10. They do not represent sSmabat, NiceHCK, or any other entity. At the time of writing this earbud was retailing for 99.00 USD. You can check it out here:
Personal Preference:
I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.
Mobile: Shanling M0 with the Periodic Audio Nickel amp, or, ZiShan DSD by itself
@home: ZiShan DSD or Asus FX53V laptop plugged into a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp
- Driver: 15.4mm dynamic
- Impedance: 45 ohms
- Sensitivity: 115dB/mW
- Frequency Response: 10-22,000Hz
Packaging and Accessories:
Packaging and for the ST-10 is basic, but I like it. The matte black textured cardboard box is fairly compact. On the front is Smabat branding and their bat wing logo in gold foil, while the sides and top contain this information and their website repeated in silver foil. On the back is a stick with the model information and specifications as well as contact information for Smabat's Customer Service team.
Lifting the lid you see the ST-10 earpieces set in a foam cutout. Below sits a Smabat branded leatherette case covering the rest of the extras which are set within a multilayered foam sheet. It's a neat presentation overall and fun to unboxing without being overly wasteful. In all you get:
- ST-10 earbuds
- Leatherette carrying case
- MMCX cable
- Foam earbud covers
- Rubber earbuds covers
- Manual
Maybe a little light on extras compared to come of the competition, but it's what you need to get going so I can't complain. Overall a nicely presented package.
Build, Comfort, and Isolation:
The ST-10's ear pieces are made of a combination of aluminum and plastic. The rear portion of the housing is where the spiral acoustic cavity resides. That part is plastic, wrapped in an attractive brushed aluminum exterior which is emblazoned with the Smabat brand name, as well as the model info and L/R indicators. Out the bottom of the cavity there is a silver vent. The stem connecting the rear to the rest of earbud is textured aluminum, as is the bell-shaped housing itself. There are three small vents for the driver hidden around the bass of the stem. The metal grill is neatly installed within a plastic surround. Overall construction quality is quite good with excellent fit and finish, though the edges of the aluminum surround for the acoustic cavity could serve to be rounded off at the edges. They've got some sharpness to them.
Below the y-split the cable is cloth covered, something I am generally not a fan of because it tends to fray and transmit noise up into the ear pieces. Thankfully, above the y-split the cable goes back to a more traditional black rubber coating which negates my microphonics concerns. The y-split is a simple metal straight jack with an effective rubber relief. Smabat branding is present and looks to be laser etched so it shouldn't rub off. The y-split and chin cinch are also metal with relief present leading into the bottom of the split. Leading up to the earpieces are preformed ear guides making this a cable up earbud. The angle of the guide is well formed and even on both sides, stiff enough to hold the cable in place during movement but not so stiff as to cause discomfort. The MMCX plugs are simple rubber stubs and are easy to grip should you wish to detach the cable. Despite my bias against cloth-coated cables, this one is nice to use. Unless you want something flashier, I see no need to replace it out of the box.
When it comes to comfort, you're either an earbud per or you're not. There is no in between in my experience. With the ST-10 this is not different thanks to it's large 15.4mm drivers. Even without foams or the included rubber covers, the ST-10 is a wide earbud and as such those with small outer ears are going to have issues. For me, I found them simply okay. Without foams, after about 30 or so minutes they would start to cause a hotspot and I'd need to shift them or take them out for a bit. With foams, I could wear them indefinitely since they're so lightweight. I don't recommend trying to wear them cable down as they are clearly designed with the support of an ear guide in mind. Trying to wear them down showed zero stability and they simply wouldn't stay put. Maybe someone else would have better luck than I?
Isolation? None. It's an earbud.
To foam or not to foam:Without foams in place I find the ST-10's treble a bit too aggressive and slightly harsh. It's also gets uncomfortable after a short period. Donuts help soften the treble sharpness, but not enough. Full foams do the trick and permit the best seal allowing the ST-10's impressive low end out to party.
The ST-10 has a fairly pronounced v-shaped signature for an earbud, though that's not a bad thing when it's done well.
Treble is clearly elevated and extends well enough for the eventual drop off to be insignificant with the vast majority of music I used for testing. It is plenty detailed and crisp with a very controlled presentation and quick decay. Air between notes is spacious thanks to a lean note weight. The ST-10 did a great job with the sprinkling of digital sounds that are present throughout Gramatik's "Bluestep". Even the aggressive screeching on The Crystal Method's "Grace" isn't completely unbearable.
The ST-10's mid-range is dialed back in comparison to the rest of the signature, quite unlike the majority of earbuds which are usually neutral to mid-forward. Vocals and instruments are quite lean and lack body and weight as noticed running through modern tracks like Dillon Francis' "We The Funk" and more classic tracks like Supertramp's "If Everyone Was Listening". Thankfully clarity is excellent so there are no issues with speech intelligibility. Instruments also have some bite to them which works well with metal and rock.
Bass is the ST-10's specialty and unlike most ear buds, reaches deep and has a prominent sub-bass region. The ST-10 is capable of providing some physical feedback on the deepest notes that you don't really hear, but know are there thanks to the reverberation. This was evident on Skrillex's "Ruffneck", a track I wouldn't say is well suited to your average ear bud. The ST-10 and HE 150Pro are about the only buds I've heard that really do it justice. Texturing is good, and the driver remains composed even when tracks pick up the pace.
The ST-10's sound stage is another positive aspect. The combination of an ear buds natural airiness and ample ventilation with the ST-10's pulled back mid-range makes every track sound wide and deep, with that width being the most prominent quality. It's somewhat open-back headphone like in it's presentation. Imaging is surprisingly sharp with clean and accurate channel transitions. Layering and separation are good with the ST-10 avoiding any sense of congestion, but it could be better.
Select Comparisons:
Penon BS1 Official (109.00 USD): The BS1 is more balanced and displays a thicker, more robust sound with a stronger mid-bass presence. Clarity and detail is quite similar with the ST-10 giving the impression of being the better of the two thanks to it's leaner note weight and additional treble emphasis. Bass depth goes to the ST-10 which gives off more sub-bass rumble. The BS1's low end emphasis rolls off much earlier and lacks the physicality of the ST-10. The rest of the low end presentation of the ST-10 bests the BS1 as well since it is tighter and more textured. The BS1's midrange is more prominent and engaging with a more natural tonality. Sound stage goes to the ST-10 which feels both wider and deeper and has a less intimate presentation. Imaging, layering, and separation is good on both. While I enjoy the BS1's mid range more, the ST-10 makes for a more engaging listen. Plus, I don't have to deal with the BS1's heavy cable.
Rose Masya (109.00 USD): Where the ST-10 focuses on treble and bass, the Masya places it's focus on the mid range and treble. Both have a somewhat lean note presentation. While the Masya's mid range is more forward and vocals certainly have more presence, I also find it is mildly sibilant where there is none on the ST-10. ST-10's bass digs deeper and has more grunt, but falls short on texture and control compared to the Masya. Treble is thinner and more prickly on the ST-10 but comes across more refined. Makes sense given the two+ years that separate their release dates. Sound stage of the Masya is slightly wider but not as deep, though it places the listener closer to the performance giving it a more immediately intimate feel. Overall I prefer the presentation of the Masya and think it is worth the extra 10 USD. It's more comfortable for me as well.
Final Thoughts:
The ST-10 is a good earbud. Not amazing, but certainly good. I like the design which is stylish and well built. The cable is a touch thin above the y-split and I'm not a fan of the cloth coating, but in use it comes together and shows itself to be a fine addition to the package. Sound quality is pleasing with plenty of detail, a spacious sound stage, and impressive bass for an earbud, but a slightly meatier presentation and more forward mids would be appreciated since vocals lack body and presence. The ST-10 is competitive with other products in the price range and are worth checking out if you want an ear bud with a more visceral low end than is the average.
Thanks for reading!
– B9Scrambler
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Some Test Tunes:
Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark's Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – F****d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)


text:
Peter Staddon: There are so many TV titles coming down the road that I don't know where to start: Futurama, The Shield, King of the hill, Son of the Beach, nypd Blue, Dark Angel, Angel, Family Guy, and probably a couple that I've overlooked as well.[...]Deepak JR: [...] Is there any word on Futurama or Family guy coming as season sets in the near future [...]?Peter Staddon: Both Futurama and Family guy will be out in the first half of 2003.
By some divine instrument of destiny or by the bestowing of an innate talent by the powers that be, Fry, Leela, Bender, and Scruffy find themselves representing the Earth on the Olympic swurling team under the tutelage of hall of fame swurling coach Vic Lebruteski. But what is really behind their newfound abilities, and what exactly is in it for the coach and Planet Express. It appears that they will soon be putting their lives on the line in front of an universal arena that is out for blood.
Dr. Zoidberg is accused of flag desecration when, at a Washington D.C. celebration, he cannot restrain himself from eating a large flag. After Zoidberg is sentenced to death, his people send an invasion force to enslave the people of Earth and teach them the meaning of freedom.
"We're all taking jobs elsewhere. [...] We were just ahead of the big wave of primetime animated shows and now we might be the ebbing tide."


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The Royal Navy set up a number of direction finding stations around the UK in order to track the location of enemy surface vessels and submarines. In two places they set up a cluset of five D/F stations with a local controll room. The link below shows a circle with a dark spot at the centre in a field near the village of Ford End in Essex. The dark spot at the centre is the location of the operators hut and the circle contains an array of earth radial wires designed to provide a good earth conection for the station which was essential for effective operation. If you zoom out to a larger area (1km x 1km) and use the right arrow, you will find four more to the right of the first one. *see links to other stations below.
Ford End Naval DF 5 sites - 1946 aerial survey images
The control room consisted of a pair of Nissen huts which are still present more or less as they were left when the Navy radio operators in 1945.
Inside there is a series of small rooms, workshop and what may have been a plotting room, just as they were left in 1945, give or take some understandable decay and a little vandalism over the intervening years.
The Navy built another cluster of five D/F stations with a control room around the village of Goonhavern in Cornwall. The link below shows a caravan park near Goonhavern and a D/F site in the adjoining field. But in this case the evidence in the field still remains. It seems likely that the reason for this was that the operators applied salt water to the earth radials because the local soil had poor conductivity. With repeated applications the salt level in the soil built up and eventually became high enough to prevent the growth of vegetation which it seems to have done to this day. The operators hut can be seen clearly in the centre of the circle. A further D/F site can be seen to the west side of Gonhavern and there are two more in the fields to the south of Goohhavern. The site of the control room has long since been built upon
Goonhavern DF site 1 & 2 Goonhavern DF site 3 Goonhavern DF site 4
* EVIDENCE OF WW2 YSTATIONS IN THE LATE 1940s
At the end of WW2 the RAF began a complete aerial survey of the UK and large areas were covered, but the project was not completed. Most of the D/F Y stations were abandoned or dismantled in 1945/6 but traces of them remained and in some cases they were visible in the aerial survey. Below are a list of links that show the ones that have been found so far. Click on a link to go to a 1940s aerial image.
LOCATION TYPE OF STATION LINK Chelmsord Interservice experimental DF Bradwell, Yarmouth RAF MF & DF station Wymondham RSS MF & DF stations Highbridge RAF M/F station Sandridge Foreign Office Intercept Station http://www.ukaerialphotos.com/viewer.asp?d=H&l=Ordnance+Survey+Historic&x=518351&y=210165&s=500&sl=1&year=1945%20to%201950 Chilbolton Navy HF DF http://www.ukaerialphotos.com/viewer.asp?d=H&l=Ordnance+Survey+Historic&x=440855&y=139400&s=500&sl=1&year=1945%20to%201950 Lewes RAF HF/DF


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I was born in a far eastern country, was brought up within the Islamic faith and was a practicing Muslim.
The story begins when I was nearly at the end of my 2nd year in university. When I came to study abroad. I never had the slightest intention to convert and never dreamt that Christianity even be a valid way to God...
I studied Christian theology for quite some time but I was very prejudiced and never asked for any explanation from my Christian friends until I participated in a religious dialogue. All of a sudden my dwindling interest in theological debate was rekindled. In this dialog I made a friend who directed me to an Arab pastor.
I was very suspicious indeed when I first met him and I determined to prove my case to him. We began by discussing about many things concerning Islam and Christianity. I began to think seriously about many things. As our discussions progressed a lot of questions began to form in my mind. Is there any assurance of salvation in Islam? Is man created just merely to be a slave of God or is he created to have a relationship with his Creator? If the Quran says that God has forgiven Adam for his disobedience, why did He did not readmit him into heaven?
The Bible has strong historical facts and evidence which supports its authencity. I couldn't believe my eyes as I looked and examined the evidence for myself without trusting anyone to guide me except God Himself. These matters really got my attention until the only books that I read for the next few months are both the Quran and the Bible.
These questions kept gnawing at my mind. As I began to make more Christian friends, I could notice that they are really warm and caring people. At first I doubted their sincerity since I had the wrong impression that the reason they're being nice to me is because they want to convert me.
But later as I began to know them much better I realised that they really care about me as a human being, not merely a prospective convert and are genuine in their concern. I began to delve deeper and deeper into Christianity and comparing it with Islam.
As for my personal life, I was a real spiritual wreck. I began to doubt a lot and I often turned to God and prayed for guidance. Sometime when I did a study of the Bible, some verses really left a deep impression on me as if God Himself is leading me with a clue.
I really learnt a lot from the church that I visited with my friend. It is a strange feeling really, as if I found something in the church that makes me wants to go back every weekend.
At one point however, I was about to give up on my search as the term starts to close. I decided to to take a break and went on a trip with my friends. During the trip, every evening, they would have some bible studying and I would sit in the corner, watch and listen to them.
I could somehow notice the close bond that they share together even though I know they all are totally different from each other. As I began to recall back what I have studied about Christianity, it finally became clear to me on what I should do.
But I hesitated ... I was afraid of the repercussions that I might get from a lot of people. But, I realised that at the end of the day I owe a duty to God to follow His true way.
On the last day of my trip, after a long time of reflection and prayer I finally acknowledged that there is only salvation through Christ alone.
It has been four months now. Now I am hoping to tell other Muslims about the truth about Christ and and the love of God when I return to my homeland after I finish my studies. My dear Muslim brothers and sisters, I strongly urge you to put aside pre-conception and listen reasonably to us who have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions to ask. One final question I like to ask to my Muslim brothers. Do you know where you're going to when you die? Ponder upon this for our life is only temporary on this earth. As for me I am assured of heaven because of what Christ has done for me by dying for my sins and I believe with all my mind, my heart and my soul that He is indeed the Son of God.
My prayers be with you all.
More Testimonies
Answering Islam Home Page


text: When done correctly, content marketing can be one of the biggest contributors to traffic and brand awareness for a business. With the correct content marketing plan in place, site owners may quickly become branded as an authority within their niche. There have been start ups that virtually explode onto the scene without ever having to undergo the usual growing pains that newbie sites typically have, because a piece of their content went viral. Unfortunately, most simply go about it the wrong way, leading to a lot of wasted time and effort on their part. Today, I'm going to outline the ...Read More »


text:
[JURIST] Thailand's National Legislative Assembly passed a controversial security law Thursday, days before the country's general elections. The Internal Security Bill grants the head of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) [Wikipedia backgrounder] power to bar public demonstrations, hold detainees without charge, and declare indefinite states of emergency. The original proposal was to appoint the army chief as head of the ISOC, but in response to criticism, the final version names the prime minister as head of ISOC and the army chief as second-in-command.
The current government has maintained that the bill is only intended to preserve internal security in Thailand [JURIST news archive], though some have criticized [Nation report] the bill as an attempt by the interim military-backed government to hold onto its political clout even after elections. Interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont [BBC profile] last week refused to withdraw the proposal [JURIST report] despite protests that the parliament, handpicked by the military following the September 2006 bloodless coup [JURIST report] which ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had no authority to pass additional legislation because of the upcoming general elections. AP has more. Xinhua has additional coverage.


text:
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Do you want money to fund unanticipated things such as for example bills or medical? Have you been intending to make an application for that loan on online payday IN the web? Then use at Payday Sunny. We have been related to reliable and certified lenders in Fort Worth TX.Now, it's entirely a form that is free use pay day loans at home or anywhere at Payday Sunny in your town. We're the company that is best for pay day loans Fort Worth along with other near towns in Texas. Being a Texas's premeir financial institutions, our company is dedicated to serve you with your selection of loan items
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text:
Tian, Xiange (2017) Enhanced information extraction from noisy vibration data for machinery fault detection and diagnosis. Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield.
- Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
Download (4MB) | Preview
As key mechanical components, bearings and gearboxes are employed in most machines. To maintain efficient and safe operations in modern industries, their condition monitoring has received massive attention in recent years. This thesis focuses on the improvement of signal processing approaches to enhance the performance of vibration based monitoring techniques taking into account various data mechanisms and their associated periodic, impulsive, modulating, nonlinear coupling characteristics along with noise contamination. Through in-depth modelling, extensive simulations and experimental verifications upon different and combined faults that often occur in the bearings and gears of representative industrial gearbox systems, the thesis has made following main conclusions in acquiring accurate diagnostic information based on improved signal processing techniques:
1) Among a wide range of advanced approaches investigated, such as adaptive line enhancer (ALE), wavelet transforms, time synchronous averaging (TSA), Kurtogram analysis, and bispectrum representations, the modulation signal bispectrum based sideband estimator (MSB-SE) is regarded as the most powerful tool to enhance the periodic fault signatures as it has the unique property of simultaneous demodulation and noise reduction along with ease of implementation.
2) The proposed MSB-SE based robust detector can achieve optimal band selection and envelope spectrum analysis simultaneously and show more reliable results for bearing fault detection and diagnosis, compared with the popular Kurtogram analysis which highlights too much on localised impulses.
3) The proposed residual sideband analysis yields accurate and consistent diagnostic results of planetary gearboxes across wide operating conditions. This is because that the residual sidebands are much less influenced by inherent gear errors and can be enhanced by MSB analysis.
4) Combined faults in bearings and gears can be detected and separated by MSB analysis. To make the results more reliable, multiple slices of MSB-SE can be averaged to minimise redundant interferences and improve the diagnostic performance.
|Item Type:
|Thesis (Doctoral)
|T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
|School of Computing and Engineering
|Depositing User:
|Sally Hughes
|Date Deposited:
|06 Mar 2017 10:25
|Last Modified:
|28 Aug 2021 16:12
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text:
adjective \ˈkwir\
Definition of QUEER
a : worthless, counterfeit <queer money>b : questionable, suspicious
a : differing in some odd way from what is usual or normalb (1) : eccentric, unconventional (2) : mildly insane : touchedc : absorbed or interested to an extreme or unreasonable degree : obsessedd (1) often disparaging : homosexual (2) sometimes offensive : gay 4b
: not quite well
— queer·ish \-ish\ adjective
— queer·ly adverb
— queer·ness noun
See queer defined for kids
Usage Discussion of QUEER
Over the past two decades, an important change has occurred in the use of queer in sense 2d. The older, strongly pejorative use has certainly not vanished, but a use by some gay people and some academics as a neutral or even positive term has established itself. This development is most noticeable in the adjective but is reflected in the corresponding noun as well. The newer use is sometimes taken to be offensive, especially by older gay men who fostered the acceptance of gay in these uses and still have a strong preference for it.
Origin of QUEER
origin unknown
First Known Use: 1508
: to spoil or ruin (something)
Full Definition of QUEER
transitive verb
: to spoil the effect or success of <queer one's plans>
: to put or get into an embarrassing or disadvantageous situation
First Known Use of QUEER
circa 1812
Definition of QUEER
: one that is queer; especially often disparaging : homosexual
Usage Discussion of QUEER
See Usage Discussion at 1queer
First Known Use of QUEER
circa 1812
QUEER Defined for Kids
adjective \ˈkwir\
Definition of QUEER for Kids
: oddly unlike the usual or normal <Watching them, Charlie experienced a queer sense of danger. — Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory> <a queer smell>
— queer·ly adverb
Learn More About QUEER
Next Word in the Dictionary: queer cuffinPrevious Word in the Dictionary: queen turtleAll Words Near: queer
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up queer? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


text:
Another ultra-luxury car marque lands on Philippine shores. Rolls-Royce has appointed British Bespoke Automobiles as its official importer for the country. The distributor will import the Ghost, the Phantom and the Wraith into the country.
At the dealer appointment ceremony this afternoon, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Asia-Pacific regional director Paul Harris briefly explained the luxury brand\'s entry to the country. According to Harris, the high-end British car marque has been looking to increase its number of dealerships and showrooms in the Asian region.
\"It is a positive time for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to be entering the Philippines,\" he said in a statement. \"The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing Asian economies this year, and we are confident that the brand will do well in this country. I am looking forward to moving ahead with British Bespoke Automobiles in this exciting new market.\"
An extended-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Ghost was displayed at the ceremony. If you\'d like to see the luxury cars in the metal, an interim showroom will be available by October. Construction of its permanent showroom in Bonifacio Global City has started this month. By first quarter of 2014, the BGC showroom is expected to be operational.
The \"entry-level\" Ghost is priced at P25.9 million. This price of the car \"slowly goes up,\" as you further customize the car. Upon ordering an ultra-luxury car such as a Rolls-Royce, don\'t expect it to roll out of the factory the next day. \"It takes about 440 man-hours to build one Rolls-Royce car,\" said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila general manager Ryan Watson. (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila is the dealership\'s public name.)
Later in the program, it was revealed that the Phantom takes about 650 man-hours to build. One highly customized Rolls-Royce car, in fact, took three years to make before it was delivered to the customer. So, once you place an order for the Ghost, expect it to arrive after four to five months, depending on the customization. Meanwhile, the Phantom may roll out six to seven months after you order one.
\"Rolls-Royce vehicles are no longer cars, but art,\" said Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila president Willy Tee Ten. \"I am committed to bringing in the Phantom, the Ghost and the Wraith, and providing the best ownership experience.\"
Photos by Paulo Rafael Subido


text:
My name is Ling, 22 years old Japanese playmate.
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I enjoy the company of the gentleman who is respectful and adventurous.
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Ling was last modified: November 9th, 2018 by


text:
Alexander Morales Núñez
Cienfuegos, Cuba, 1975
Education and Professional Experience
Graduated from the Higher Institute of Art, Havana, Cuba (2002), the Oscar Fernández Morera School in Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus (1994) and the Rolando Escardó Art School in Cienfuegos (1990).
Member of the UNEAC. Illustrator, strip cartoonist and consultant teacher at the Benny Moré Art School in Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Personal Exhibitions
Among his solo shows stand out: Full Time, in the Boulevard Gallery of Cienfuegos (2011); Subpayaso, 23 y 12 Gallery, Havana (2007) and Alexander Morales, Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana (2000).
Collective Exhibitions and Events
He has taken part in group exhibitions in Cuba and abroad, outstandingly in: Mostra di pittura. Selezzione di pittura cubana contemporane in the Sala Comunale Baldessari, Rovoreto, Italy (2011). Configuration-Disfiguration, Canal Gallery, Panama City, Panama (2010), and in the 47th Izlake-Zagorje Colony, Slovenia (2010); Pure Coincidence (The Abstracts), Expocuba, Havana, (2009).
His works are in private collections in Germany, Canada, USA, Panama, Italy and Holland, and in public institutions like the National Library of Cuba and the Delavski dom Cultural Center in Zagorje, Slovenia.


text:
756 Wild Goose Squadron is proudly sponsored by, or supported by, the following organizations:
Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 120
Contact: 127 Mill Street, Georgetown ON L7G 2C7, Tel: 905-877-4413
JV Clothing
For 36 years, John Vieira and the friendly staff at JV Clothing have been providing the people of Halton Hills with high-quality men and childrens clothing.
Located in the Georgetown Market Place at 280 Guelph Street, Unit 21A, Georgetown ON
Tel: 905-877-1598
Fax: 905-877-9904
Pro Oil Change, located at 341 Guelph St, Georgetown, continues to offer their support to the cadets of 756 Wild Goose Squadron. As a way of giving back to the community, Pro Oil Change makes a donation for every service given to members of our squadron. All you need to do is mention that your son or daughter is an air cadet. This program is also available at the Pro Oil Locations in Mississauga, Burlington, Milton, Sarnia, St. Thomas, Midland and Bracebridge.
Funds raised continue to benefit our cadets and offer them all the opportunities cadets has to offer.


text:
Deadline: 31 January 2018
Open to: international students
Fellowship: between EUR 3 450 and 3 700 EUR
Several Postdoctoral Researcher and Research Fellow Positions are now available in ICT (Helsinki, Finland). International students are eligible to apply for this position.
Aalto University is a community of bold thinkers where science and art meet technology and business. We are committed to identifying and solving grand societal challenges and building an innovative future. Aalto University has six schools with nearly 11 000 students and nearly 400 professors. Our campuses are located in Espoo and Helsinki, Finland.
The University of Helsinki, established in 1640, is the most versatile university in Finland. The University of Helsinki is an international academic community of 40,000 students and staff members. The university lays special emphasis on the quality of education and research, and it is a member of the League of the European Research Universities (LERU).
- The candidate should have a PhD and are expected to have an excellent track record in scientific research in one or several fields relevant to the position;
- Good command of English is a necessary prerequisite. In the review process, particular emphasis is put on the quality of the candidate's previous research and international experience, together with the substance, innovativeness, and feasibility of the research plan, and its relevance to the research group or groups in question;
- Efficient and successful completion of studies is considered an additional merit.
- The salary for the postdoctoral position is typically between EUR 3 450 and 3 700 EUR per month depending on experience and qualifications.
- In addition to the salary, the contract includes occupational health benefits, and Finland has a comprehensive social security system.
- The annual total workload of teaching staff at recruiting universities is 1 624 hours.
- The position is located at Aalto University's Otaniemi campus or University of Helsinki's Kumpula campus.
How to Apply?
The applications for the postdoctoral researcher position are to be submitted through the eRecruitment system no later than 31 January 2018 at 23:59 Finnish time.
The application for the position should contain (in single pdf document named as lastname_firstname_application.pdf):
- Motivation letter including a tentative plan for the research work (1-5 pages);
- List of publications;
- A transcript of the doctoral studies and degree certificate of the Ph.D. degree.
For more information please visit the official website.


text:
Willem Claassen makes operational settings. We encounter these as active environments as they function and thus offer us a sphere of functionality to relate with. As such Willem Claassen's work touches on the realm of design: his work does function and adheres to our real, economic world likewise. The capacity to materialise applied awe might be the reason why amusement park attractions are competitive with arts: they are more effective in terms of entertainment as their function is subordinate to instant joy Willem Claassen's work releases a similar type of joy, yet is subversive to the economics of experience as it disrupts their instantly satisfying ambiguous unity of function and narration. This surreal sensory field disrupts our anchors to reality. He breaks the chain of design's economically imprinted spirits and materialises space for artistically produced doubt within wondrous spheres.
In the accompanying publication, artist and cultural entrepreneur Michiel Huijben playfully describes Willem's stance towards stuff and processing functionality, building upon some eBay search results of stuff Willem checked. Freek Lomme, director of Onomatopee, pseudo-philosophically maps the operational realm of Willem Claassens 'applied untensils', while curator/writer Gerben Willers sums up and unifies a rather associative list of related matter.


text:
C&P roller saddles
Hi there, Im relatively new to letterpressing with a C&P OS. Have an 8x5 adana and decided to move up :) I have not yet inked the press up as I want to ask for some advice/opinion before doing so. I know that these wonderful machines are very old hence my question. If the roller saddles are worn, a little more on one side than the other will this cause major problems when it comes to inking up type or poly plates? Please see attached photo's.
Many thanks
The wear is not ideal, but not bad in the photos. and it shouldn't make much difference in the inking the press does. The condition of the trucks and the rails is more important.
The roller saddles' job is to hold the rollers tight against the rails, so if the relationship between the rollers/rails/trucks are adjusted properly, it should be fine.
Rubber rollers should be the same size as the trucks and the rails should be exactly type high. Composition rollers can be a tiny bit larger in diameter than the trucks.
If the rails are short of type high (or irregular) they can be adjusted with shims of tape or similar substances, depending on the amount of shimming needed. Some folks prefer to tape the trucks instead of the rails, but that seems trickier.
Or you can use type high roller bearers, as I do. That requires a few further adaptations so the roller bearers don't print on the tympan, but I find cutting away the sides of the tympan works for me.
I'd agree with Arie. With the wear you have, there will be some shifting of the roller cores, but that will occur at the top and bottom of the roller passage, and not when in contact with your form.
If there are any burrs (it appears there may be some at the edges of the saddles), it might be wise to file or grind them off, and make certain you oil the roller cores daily when in use so as to minimize the wear under your watch.
John Henry
I wonder if you could make them more even with some tape in the saddles or even a little pad/strip of latigo leather. I've heard of people using a strip of latigo (horse tack, very hard, resilient) leather to raise the rails to proper height too. I've never done it, just a thought for if it gives you trouble.
A M as the worst one (single roller) looks quite bad and will be the first to give up the ghost, 2 possibilities>>>>>quick fix short term!!!cut a strip of brass possibly 2pt or 3 pt rule with simple tin snips cut strips exactly width of remains of hooks about 1 1/2 - 2 inches long wrap around roller stock into horseshoe and insert as slippers between roller end and stirrup of hook, just repeat when needed. Long term permanent (semi) assuming the arms could be removed which isnt normally major surgery, the operation has been posted many times already, take arms complete to any body with welding equipment, specifically brazing (bronze welding), have the worn out sections built up and re-drill, with final drill just bigger than the diameter of the shaft preferably with a pillar drill but if all else fails, with hand held power drill and set square, and a buddy giving you the upright.
Thank you all for the comments, there has been a little bit of ghosting from the single saddle, not giving major problems but have managed to buy a single saddle virtually new only problem is the bar/shaft holding the saddle is shorter than what is currently on my 10x15 C&P, is the bar easy remove from the saddle? As with the rails they were worn in spots and this was giving me major inking problems. I managed to find an aluminum strip which was easy sick onto the rails with strong double sided tape, thankfully that solved the rail problem :)
thank you all once again


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Pecan Snow Cookies
Plus, you probably already have all the ingredients on hand….
There's always a place for chewy, rich, dense cookies in our hearts (and bellies), but sometimes it's nice to switch things up and go with something a little lighter and crumblier – especially one that's buttery and totally delicious. Which is exactly what these pecan snow cookies are like – light, flaky, buttery and so, so yummy. And not only are they delicious, but they're also like adorable little snowcaps!
We rolled them in powdered sugar once they were out of the oven, then, if you feel they need another coating, go ahead and give 'em another roll in the powdered sugar to make them extra "snowy." These cookies are one of our favorites – you've most likely got all the ingredients on hand, plus they come together in well under an hour. We're such a sucker for recipes that we can make easily and that deliver every time…and this is one of those recipes we can always count on!
Snow Cookies
Serves 2 dozen
40 minutes
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350º F and line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl or mixer, beat butter for 2-3 minutes, or until fluffy and creamy.
- Add in 1/2 powdered sugar and beat until combined, then mix in vanilla extract and salt.
- Beat in flour, then, once fully incorporated, fold in pecans until they're evenly dispersed.
- Optional: chill dough for 30 minutes to 2 hours, or freeze for later use.
- Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop 1-1 1/2-inch scoops of dough onto lined baking sheet(s).
- Place in oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until bottoms are just slightly golden.Remove cookies from oven and let cool 15-20 minutes, then coat in remaining powdered sugar. If necessary, coat twice.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy


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now I am dam sure this one hirtik wrost film
Fans are waiting desperately for the magnum opus Mohenjo Daro. Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan feels that his upcoming movie Mohenjo Daro will turn out to be one of the best films of his career. Directed by Ashutosh Govarikar, the film is an epic love story, set in the Indus Valley civilization.
"For 'Mohenjo Daro', I am travelling back in time. It has been a great journey, great experience. I really believe it is going to be one of my best films. I hope and pray that the audience also agrees with it when the film releases," Hrithik told reporters.
The film's plot is reportedly about the protagonist, played by Hrithik, who falls in love with his enemy's daughter, a role essayed by newcomer Pooja Hegde. The first look and the trailer is expected to be launched in June.
now I am dam sure this one hirtik wrost film
First RUSTOM Then we will see
All Time Blockbuster and Highest grosser of 2016 on its way.....12th August HR will create history.
All time blockbuster movie and may beat salman sultan movie


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Seaside Art Gallery
- 134 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840
- Newport County
- (401) 846-0357
Handpainted, original paintings for viewing and purchasing!
All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this website, however it is subject to change. Information is updated in an ongoing manner in partnership with local tourism offices, individual businesses and organizations and via a direct feed from goprovidence.com, discovernewport.org, southcountyri.com and Yelp.com.
What's Nearby 134 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840


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Some Of My Best Friends Are Human
Some Of My Best Friends Are Human
Bum Society Talesgallery
Available for pre-order now
New style Weather ReportYes Please
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New style Lost In TranslationYes please
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P.H.B in faded blackYes please
Artisanal boots collection.
Bum Society boots.
Bum Society boots are all Goodyear Welted and handcrafted in our factory on the mountainside just outside of Guimaraes, Portugal. Crafted from only carefully sourced local materials.
The leather is eco-tanned just outside Lisbon and the rubber sole of own design, the packaging and trimmings are all locally made. Because this is the only way we know how to do it. With the obvious upside of a beautifully small scale production, minimum waste and a close relation between all involved.


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How to Become Rich by Educating Yourself for Success
OK, so you don't have a medical degree . . . or a law degree . . . and it doesn't look as if you're going to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company. What can you do NOW to put yourself on a fast track to achieving success in a high-income career? Here's what I would do: I would figure out what line of work I'd like to be in and then become an expert at some aspect of it that would make me a lot of money. What business or profession could that be in your case?
Well, if you are already committed to a career, and you like it well enough, you could stick with that. If, on the other hand, you hate your work and everything about it, as well as everyone connected with it, you should look for greener pastures. But for the moment, let's say you work as a bookkeeper for a new-car dealership and are not satisfied with your $30,000 salary. You could dream of owning the business, but that's not likely to happen any time soon. You need money to own a car dealership. Money you don't have right now.
For the immediate future, you have to set your sights on something that is attainable. So, look around. Aside from the owner, who else is making good money? Well, the sales manager is bringing down a steady $70,000 a year. That's not bad. And then there's Joe, the No.1 salesman, who is making even more than that. You check it out and discover that you can't be the sales manager because the company has a firm policy of hiring only MBAs for that job.
So that leaves you one option: becoming a salesman and going on to claim Joe's spot as Numero Uno Salespro. You could tell yourself, "Forget about it! I am not a natural, and God only knows it takes a natural schmoozer to sell cars." But if you are smart, you will recognize that selling cars, like almost everything else in life, is a process that involves no magic — just specific actions, each of which can be studied and then learned. Let's say you become friendly with Joe and eventually gain his trust. You take him out for a drink one evening and get him to open up and reveal his secrets . . . the things he does to consistently outperform (and out-earn) every other salesperson.
I'm not an expert at selling cars, but I wouldn't be surprised if the conversation went something like this:
Joe: "If I'm selling to a couple, I always shake hands with the man first.
That way, he feels important. Something he needs to feel to make the decision I want him to make."
You: "That's neat, Joe. What else?"
Joe (smiling): "One thing I never do is say, straight off, how much a car costs.
If, before I'm ready to close, a customer pops the ugly question, this is what I say: 'Let me ask you something, Mr. So-and-So, how important is it to you to drive a car that is safe and comfortable for your family?'" And then Joe would tell you a few more "things" he always does. Now, these "things" individually may not amount to all that much.
But put together in a single presentation, they add up to this: how Joe manages to be the company's No.1 salesperson, month after month after month. Since that — becoming as good as Joe — is your goal, these specific "things" he does are the secrets you need to learn. The great salesman, you now understand, is not somebody with supernatural powers but an ordinary person with specific, valuable knowledge. The same is true of any moneymaking profession.
People who actively earn high incomes do specific things that result in some desired outcome — a sold car or a perfectly designed microchip, for example. Most people who aren't financially successful don't understand this. They feel they are adequately educated and blame their poor circumstances on factors that are either unrelated or only marginally related to their lack of success. They say their bosses don't like them. They claim to be victims of racism, gender bias, or prejudice. They say they are not understood. Or not properly appreciated.
If you find yourself talking that way, do yourself a favor and stop whining. If you start today by identifying a specific, high-paying job that you want to do, you will have taken the first big step. Figure out what you want to do and then promise yourself that you will become an expert at it, even though you have no immediate prospects of doing it. Starting tomorrow, learn something about that job. Find out what it takes in terms of hours and days. Find out what it typically pays and when it pays more and why.
Ask about the daily routine, the common problems, the biggest challenges, and the best rewards. Ask. Observe. Read. Keep it up, day after day, until you start to feel as if you understand the job. Then accelerate the process. Approach those, perhaps from other companies, who do the same job. Tell them what you know and ask their opinions. Admit your ambitions to them. You'll be surprised at how much they'll tell you.
As you become more and more of an expert, it will start to show — even if you don't intend it to. You will be more informed. More confident. You will speak with greater authority and more clarity. People will begin to treat you differently. They will gradually come to regard you as a person who deserves their respect. You may find them asking you questions, seeking your advice. You will notice that your boss and other "superiors" will look at you and talk to you differently. Ultimately, you will no longer feel ignored or unappreciated.
Then, one day, the opportunity will assert itself. A job will open up. And you will be called in to fill it. Why? Because the word will already be out. You will have already demonstrated that you are "perfect" for the job, and so the decision to hire you will be an easy one. In the case at hand, you will be hired as a car salesman because you know the cars — cold — and you know their prices, and you know the selling protocols and procedures, the company requirements, the legal requirements, and so on.
Your next goal will be to outsell every other salesman. And you will do that by, again, studying the specific actions of the best salesmen and then learning those specific actions until you know them completely. That will give you the confidence to use them. And in using them, you will get the reward of seeing them work — and that will give you the motivation to continue. Before you know it, you will be at the top of the heap — earning the kind of money you are right now only dreaming about. And then you can start making promises to yourself. First to make a hundred grand. Then a million. Then 10 million. After that? Anything is possible.


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This is very famous among the other snake temple in Kerala.
About The Temple
This is not a temple as such. It is a house owned privately. It is noteworthy that the pujas in the Nagaraja temple in Nagarcoil in Tamilnadu are followed only after the Tantrik principles prescribed by people of this house. Pujas may be performed here for relief from Naga doshas. The expenses would be in the range of Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 10,000. Oil Prasad is offered at the end. Besides Naga puja, worship of Bhagavati and Badrakali is also followed.
About the Deity
Nagaraja and Nagayakshi are in idol forms in a big house surrounded by tress and bushes.
Legend and stories
A Namboodri in Mekkadu worshipped Lord Shiva for 12 years seeking freedom from poverty. Once, he went to the tank to fetch water the light appeared and turned into a divine form that looked prosperous and held a precious stone in its hand. The Namboodri asked a series of questions about the identity of the form. The form replied angrily that it did not concern him and asked him to turn back with water. The Namboodri politely asked the form to give him the glittering stone which he wanted to show to a Thambiran known to him. The divine form agreed on the condition that the stone should be returned after showing it to the Tambiran. The Tambiran saw the stone and was unwilling to part with it, but the Namboodri insisted. He came to the tank and returned the stone to the divine form. The form then disappeared along with the bright light. The Namboodri could not understand who or what the form was. There were just three days remaining to complete his 12-year worship of Lord Shiva. When he came to the tank for fetching water, he was delighted to see the divine form again. He understood that it was a divine power and fell at its feet seeking its identity as Lord Shiva.
On hearing the name of Lord Shiva, the form responded that its name was Vasuki and added that the Namboodri could only see the light but not its real form. The Namboodri insisted. When the divine light revealed its true form, the Namboodri fainted because it was a five - headed snake which he had never seen before. When he regained consciousness, the form appreciated his devotion to Lord Shiva and asked him what he wanted. Namboodri requested for freedom from poverty.
The form blessed the Namboodri with the precious stone and directed him to return home after three days and said, "My blessings will ever be in your house. Naga Yakshi also will come to join you. Install us in the house and light two lamps which should always be lit. Keep the surroundings convenient for the habitation of snakes with trees, bushes, etc. There should be no lighting of fire anywhere in the house except in the kitchen. You should not cut the trees or dig the ground to clean the bushes. Your family should harass the snakes. If they bite, you should take treatment immediately failing which the snake will die and not the bitten. Yet, you should not be responsible for the death of the snake". Before the Namboodri reached home, an aged man of the family removed his turban made of palm leaves when a snake emerged from it. The Namboodri made two idols, Nagaraja and Nagayakshi from the turban. The Namboodri family has been performing the poojas since then for respite from Naga Doshas.
For 41 days from day one of Karthikai month (November-December) and during the first seven days of Aavani month (August-September) all people are allowed near the temple on some conditions. On other days, admissions are strictly with the prior permission only. One Jadaveda Namboodri is in charge of the temple conducting the pujas. Pujas are performed in morning only.
Sri Nagaraja Temple,
Mala, Pambukodumanai, Trissur, Kerala.
Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-
- Relief from adverse snake aspects
Kailaasarana Shiva Chandramouli Phaneendra Maathaa Mukutee Zalaalee Kaarunya Sindhu Bhava Dukha Haaree Thujaveena Shambho Maja Kona Taaree
Meaning -Oh Lord Shiva who is seated on Mount Kailash, where the moon decorates his forehead and the king of serpents crown his head, who is merciful and removes delusion, You alone can protect me. I surrender to thee.
Aum Trayambakam Yajaamahey Sugandhim Pusti Vardhanam Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaath Mrutyor Muksheeya Maamritaat
Meaning -We worship the fragrant Lord Shiva, who has 3 eyes and who cultivates all beings. May He free me from death, for immortality, as even a cucumber is separated from its bond with the vine.


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|Sakekasu, purchased at our local sake shop, ready to go to work!
Amazake, a sweet usually hot beverage, is perhaps the best known and most popular use of sakekasu. However, a bevy of other recipes and ideas exist for making the most of this winter delight.
Grilled sakekasu
My Japanese tutor is a creative cook, to say the least, and her favorite method is to shape the kasu into small patties and fry it up in a pan. "It tastes and feels like cheese," she said and suggested serving it on bread. It does indeed resemble cheese, and it matches well with a dab of yuzu marmalade, too. Another option is to toast it along with some bread in the fish grill. Delightful.
Nabe is one of my favorite dishes in Japan, so it was with that in mind that I concocted this version of a classic dish. It would be easy to incorporate it into nabe, simply pre-soak the sakekasu before plopping it in the nabe.
200 grams, sakekasu (give or take)
200 ml water
600 ml dashi
4 Tara (cod) fillets, sliced into thirds*
Thinly sliced vegetables - squash, renkon (lotus root), potato, sweet potato, carrot, gobo (burdock root), and daikon - about 2 cm long matchsticks*
1 Tbsp miso*
Coarsely chopped winter greens - komatsuna, mizuna, karashina, arugula, etc.*
Set the sakekasu to soften with a bit of warm water and set aside. Simmer the cut vegetables in the water and dashi stock until soft. Add the fish and simmer another 5 minutes or so. Ladle some of the hot stock into the bowl of sakekasu and add the miso. Mix until smooth. Add the mixture to the vegetables and fish. Wait until it starts to bubble again and taste. Salt or add shoyu (soy sauce) to taste. Place winter greens in bottom of serving bowls. Ladle hot soup over the greens and serve.
I used tara (cod) fillets, but the fish of choice for this recipe is shiozake (salted salmon). In the old days, this salted fish would have been the best and perhaps only way to eat salmon during the winter months. I think tofu would also make a lovely addition here in lieu of or in addition to fish.
Classic versions of this recipe usually use only potatoes, carrots, and burdock, but I love a hearty soup so I tossed in the others, all of which are also seasonal.
Again, classic versions call for a white miso, but I didn't have any. Since we're moving soon, I decided to simply use what I had on hand. I used a red miso, which was tasty although the soup was a bit more cream-colored than pure white.
Many recipes suggest blanching the greens before adding to the soup, but unless I'm making something like Goma ai shungiku I want them to show off some. Coarsely chopping means less work for me (yeah!) and the resulting quick cooking by the hot soup means a brilliant green show of color. Just what one needs in winter!


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Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai
Baba (1926 – 2011), born Sathyanarayana Raju, is a popular South
Indian guru, religious figure and
educator. He is described by his devotees as an avatar, godman,
spiritual teacher and miracle worker.
You can hear the footsteps of
God when
silence reigns in the mind.
Sai Baba
Patience is not only a
Patience is a Strength!
Smart & Fast
Life Design
Sai Baba is one of the most revered spiritual
masters alive in the world today. He was born on November 23rd 1926 in the
village of Puttaparthi in South India. He has established His Ashram there
which is known as "Prasanthi Nilayam" or "The abode of Supreme
Millions of spiritual seekers visit the ashram every year to receive His
Sathya Say Baba is quietly transforming the
world by re-establishing the eternal values of truth, right action, peace,
love and non-violence in everyday lining. he has millions of followers of
all faiths and all races in countries all over the world who congregate
every week to sing the glories of God and spread his message of love to
unite all mankind.
As a child, Sai Baba demonstrated the qualities
of compassion, wisdom and the desire to serve others. He also demonstrated
great respect for elders. In the daily course of his activities he displayed
remarkable miraculous powers which he used to help his fellow students and
others in the community who come seeking his assistance. He also
demonstrated a talent in drama, music and dance. He could quote from and
discuss various spiritual texts without ever having studied them, to the
surprise of the learned people of the village.
At the Early age of fourteen, he left his
brothers home where he lived and declared that he work to do and that his
devotees were calling him.
The teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba are
universal and simple. They are based on five fundamental human values;
truth, right conduct, peace, love and non-violence. These are values taught
by all the great religions of the world today. By faithfully practicing
these values in daily life, individuals can rise to the highest spiritual
Sai Baba says that all religions are facets of
the same truth. Through love and understanding he encourages us to forge
unity of all peoples regardless of race, religion, color or gender. He
emphasizes that all human beings are inherently divine. Like lost children,
they have forgotten the art of living in harmony with their true nature.
They have a birth right to regain this heritage, and he's here to remind
them of their roots. He's teaching by example that, through practice of
love, compassion, generosity, forgiveness and sacrifice, all mankind can
join together and usher in a new era of peace and harmony in the world. He
has come to reinforce humanity's faith in their respective religions, faith
in themselves, and faith in the one all pervading supreme God.
Teachings by
Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Baba Meditation
Sathya Sai Baba Meditation
Positive Affirmations
Examples of Positive Affirmations
Rama Principle
Inspirational Sri Sathya Sai
I have come to light the lamp of Love
in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added luster.
I have not come on behalf of any
exclusive religion.
I have not come on a mission of
publicity for a sect or creed or cause, nor have I come to collect
followers for a doctrine.
I have no plan to attract disciples or
devotees into my fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this
unitary faith, this spiritual principle, this path of Love, this
virtue of Love, this duty of Love, this obligation of Love.
I am Love. I am Truth. I am
Peace eternally. I am ever pure Delight. I am always full
and free. Fear or grief can never touch me.
Help Ever. Hurt Never.
Love All.
Serve All.
Watch your:
Character; Heart.
Love as thought is truth.
Love as action is right conduct.
Love as understanding, is peace.
Love as feeling is non-violence.
Triumphing over negative thoughts:
Negative thought processes ARE negative affirmations.
They use the VERY same processes that
Positive Affirmations use, except
they enforce feelings and images that deter us from being at Peace.
Breaking the cycle takes time.
Be Patient and Gentle with yourself. Set
long term goals. And
persistent! Remember to
Laugh and be Unshakable!
Whenever you have a thought that disturbs your peace of mind, or makes
you feel down, shout "Cancel! Cancel! Cancel!". Immediately replace your
disturbing thought with your Positive Affirmation.
Visualize Bright
Images and Feel the Glow Sparkling Light Energy flowing into and through
your body.
There IS a difference between "grieving" and negativity. When you lose
someone you love, there is a natural grieving process that must be gone
through. Do not deny yourself your expression of grief.
If you find that your grief is too deep to endure, make sure you speak
to a Rabbi, Priest, Counselor or Friends.
There comes a time, however, that you need to move on if your grief
turns into negativity. If we examine negativity, we see that it utilizes
the VERY same process as
Positive Affirmations, except in the reverse!
Only when you have the Resolve and Determination to lead a
happier and
more Positive
life, will you be Naturally inclined to use the 3-fold
Healing Process of Positive Affirmations. You cannot "force" yourself to
be Happy. However, you CAN choose to foster Happiness. And when you make
this Choice, you can Reinforce and Invigorate the process with Healing
and Positive Affirmations. Remember~ Affirm the Good, Visualize Luminous
Images and Feel Sparkling Rays of Strength and
Courage fill your Being!
You can do it!
Let the different faiths exist, let
them flourish, let the glory of God be sung in all languages and in
a variety of tunes. Respect the difference between the faiths and
recognize them, so long as they do not extinguish the flame of
Satya Sai
Sathya Sai Baba chanting the
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