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Rick Becker is a husband, father of seven, nursing instructor, and religious educator. A Catholic convert by way of G.K. Chesterton and the Catholic Worker movement, Rick has studied theology at Evangelical institutions as well as Franciscan University of Steubenville. He currently serves on the nursing faculty at Bethel University, Mishawaka, Indiana. You can find more of Rick's writing at God-Haunted Lunatic.
It is like when you throw a stone into a pool
and the concentric waves spread out further and further.
Who knows where it will end?
—C.S. Lewis
Confirmation is such a lost sacrament, isn't it?
We try and try to make it relevant, but no matter how many hyped catechetical textbooks or fancy-schmancy digital media we throw at our adolescent confirmandi, they by and large simply don't get it.
The problem isn't the sacrament itself, of course. Confirmation is a fantastic infusion of sanctifying grace that elevates the baptized to the status of full-fledged warriors for God's kingdom. It's not a coming-of-age, but rather an intensification, and the spiritual evolution involved helps clarify the original order of Christian initiation: Baptism gets you into the family; Confirmation equips you to get to work; and the Eucharist sustains you as you get on with it. It's an order that was suggested by St. Paul himself in a different context when he wrote to the Thessalonians that those who don't work shouldn't eat – no freeloaders in the Church, in other words.
Nowadays, in contrast, we start gorging ourselves on Jesus in second grade, years before most will be commissioned in Confirmation to fully take up the mantle of a Cross-carrying Christ-follower. That's not a problem in itself, mind you, for the Church grants tremendous latitude in the scheduling of the rites of initiation. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that more and more Catholic leaders are lobbying for a return to the ancient order – a sacramental sequence that our brethren and ecclesial cousins in the Eastern rites never abandoned.
It's not only tradition – it's just plain logical. Baptism and Confirmation are really two halves of an integrated supernatural plunging into Jesus, yet in the West we not only separate them for cradle Catholics by a decade or more, we also stick another sacrament in between – first Eucharist, a sacrament we'll receive over and over again. Too often, this schedule makes the reception of Confirmation almost an afterthought for Catholic families – "This is just what we do!" comes the answer to teens' objections – and it frequently marks a literal end to formal catechetical formation and even sacramental reception altogether.
Plus there's this: The teens who are receiving Confirmation these days have little experience with delayed gratification, and so they expect immediate results. They grew up with the internet, social media, and Netflix, and thus waiting is something that grandma does – not for them! Not when they can have seemingly anything at the click of a button – from the height of Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet) to streaming TV on demand to a pair of live Madagascar hissing cockroaches delivered right to their doorstep – within two business days!
Confirmation, though, like the rest of the sacraments, doesn't work that way. Although the grace itself sinks in right away – *snap!* – our appropriation of that grace generally t_a_k_e_s s_o_m_e t__i__m__e. "Grace perfects nature" goes the Thomistic soundbite, and for most of us, grace has some pretty stubborn nature to beat into shape. "Spiritual progress," the Catechism teaches us, "entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes" (CCC 2015, emphasis added). That's why Jesus gives himself to us so frequently in the Eucharist – our "daily bread" as the Our Father reminds us – because we're constantly vacillating between pushing ahead toward holiness and falling back into our self-centered foibles and laughable, petty sins.
Even so, if we regularly get to Mass and receive the Eucharist, we can sometimes get a sense of how God's grace is operating in our lives, especially if we're also going to Confession on a routine basis. Confirmation, however, is a one-time deal – the second of the three sacraments that confer a permanent change in character. Most of us received the first, baptism, in our infancy, so we don't have any recollection of being without its powerful effects. And relatively few of us will receive Holy Orders, the third sacrament that seals a permanent change in character.
Thus, for the majority of Catholics, Confirmation will be a singular conscious experience of obtaining a new sacramental character – but nothing will seem to happen! Our teens get duded up, the bishop anoints them with oil and says a few words, and then everybody goes out to Red Lobster for a big family dinner – done! On Monday, everything will feel pretty much the same, and Confirmation will be relegated to the "been there, done that" column.
It's a tragic mistake – but what to do? Here's a suggestion: Talk to your teens about Avignon!
Confirmation is generally administered in the eighth grade in our diocese, which included our Cecilia recently. She and her siblings all go to Catholic schools, where they receive fine catechetical and spiritual formation, but because my wife and I are religious educators ourselves, they also get a heaping dose of Catholic culture at home – whether they want it or not. Here's an example: When it came time to choose a Confirmation saint, Cecilia diligently researched a variety of candidates, and even asked my wife and me for our opinions. I was pleased when she decided on Catherine of Siena as her namesake – a remarkable woman of faith, intellect, and holy valor.
"She's a doctor of the Church," Cece proudly informed us, after reading up on her saint.
"Yes, I know." I replied. Then, as if we were in a GEICO commercial, I added, "But did you know that she nagged a wayward Pope into returning to Rome?"
It's true – it was a bumpier time than normal for the Church.
Catherine lived during the Avignon Papacy (1309-1377), when the Holy See was the locus of more political machination than piety, and the papal court had been transferred to France to be kept under closer watch by King Philip. Eventually, in part due to St. Catherine's insistence, Pope Gregory XI restored the papal court to Rome, but when he died a year later, the infighting among the College of Cardinals resulted in a decisive split – beginning what is now known as the Great Western Schism. One group of Cardinals sided with Gregory's Italian successor, Urban VI, but another group sided with Clement VII, the papal nominee preferred by the French crown. When the latter group failed to dethrone Urban VI, they packed their bags and headed back to Avignon again.
Since there was no outside arbiter that could adjudicate the matter, all of Europe simply lined up behind their favored papal candidate, and it mattered little whether they did so out of political maneuvering or sincere conviction. The Church was in a mess, and the situation was further exacerbated when a splinter group of Cardinals in Pisa, Italy, elected yet another pope, Alexander V, in 1409 – three papal contenders in all!
Once again, St. Catherine of Siena entered the fray, along with a number of other saints. Catherine, Cecilia's confirmation heroine, along with St. Catherine of Sweden, vociferously defended the Roman papal line, while St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Colette sided with the Avignon popes. Each had their arguments, yet each was running blind – who was right? Who was wrong? Not even the saints agreed!
Finally, in 1417, the ecumenical Council of Constance brought the whole episode to a close. The Pisan and Roman popes resigned, and the council deposed the stubborn Avignon claimant. Then, a reunited College of Cardinals elected Pope Martin V, and he initiated, in collaboration with the Constance Council, a series of much needed reforms. With hindsight, the Church now identifies the Roman line of papal claimants during this period as the legit heirs to the throne of Peter, and so Catherine of Siena had it all over St. Vincent in the Petrine point spread – but only in hindsight – and that's my point.
Saintliness, it's evident, isn't to be equated with being right or being successful in temporal terms. It's not even about being gentle or kind or nice – though those traits help. Saintliness, it seems, is mainly about getting up off our duffs and making an effort. It's about absorbing what we can about Church teaching, taking the sacraments seriously, trusting in the Holy Spirit, and then giving the virtuous life a go – even if we fall on our faces.
We know that's the case because of how the faith of the Apostles was "confirmed" after the Resurrection. "It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost" (CCC 1302). But have you ever read the Book of Acts? The Apostles receive that Confirmation-equivalent in the Upper Room, and then at once they're transformed into a first-century vaudeville act, stumbling and bumbling their way in establishing the Church and spreading the Gospel, and then tripping over themselves toward their individual martyrdoms. Only in hindsight do we see the hand of the Lord at work in their lives; only in hindsight can we know that grace was functioning through their all too human efforts.
We can assure our teen confirmandi that we're in the same boat. Baptized and confirmed, we head into the fog of spiritual warfare with little confidence in our ability to fight, and no guarantee that we're making any difference at all. Regardless, saints, and those who aspire to sanctity – those who are confirmed, that is – follow the Master's call and march on. We have what we need for the battle; let's leave the outcomes (and hindsight) to God.


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by JEFF GOLDSMITH (7)
My career as a "futurist" began in 1986, in response to a request from the Editor of the late Hospitals magazine to write an essay on the US Health System in 2036. You can find that essay here.) Some of the 33 year old forecasts included:
- The patients of the 21st century will be connected to their physicians or hospitals by webs of telemetry similar to those used in cellular communications; perhaps these communication webs will be coordinated or monitored by computer systems that could trigger responses in advance of crises.
- "Intelligent" clinical information systems will become the hospital's operating core. . . These systems will monitor patient conditions on a real-time basis, tracking physiological signs and incorporating test results, comparing patient responses against profiles gleaned from vast clinical data bases, and assisting the patient care team in evaluating and planning care
Unfortunately, I also talked about "writeable laser disks" and forecast that "by the early 21st century, government financing may be a distant third as a source of U.S. health funds, behind (in order) individual patients and corporate employers." You can't win them all!
In this essay, I was following in the footsteps of corporate seers such as Alvin Tofler (Future Shock, 1972) and John Naisbitt (MegaTrends, 1982) who captivated managements and boards with bold and optimistic forecasts of a changing world. Their forecasts were bold but vague, leading some wags to suggest that the three keys to successful futurism were: be optimistic; never make specific numeric forecasts and never give a date by which your forecast is supposed to come true. I violated all three of these rules in my 1986 article.
"The Future Ain't What it Used to Be"
In the ensuing 33 years, we've seen a ton of changes in US healthcare, but often not the ones we futurists forecast. The biggest change has been the relentless and unchecked rise in expense, causing fiscal indigestion for state and national governments and rendering care for tens of millions of Americans into a luxury good.
However, forecasting change in the health system has gotten harder, in part because major technologies expected to reshape healthcare have grossly disappointed both investors and advocates. (See my February Deductible post "The Disruption Distraction" for a discussion of the frustrating pause in healthcare technical innovation). After a lengthy post WWII run that brought us high tech imaging, ambulatory surgery, dialysis, high tech infusion therapy and a raft of useful drugs, from antibiotics to antidepressants to statins, health innovation entered a doldrums in the late 1990's. Many promising transformative technologies failed to materialize as expected.
The two biggest gaps between promised transformation and actual impact have been clinical genetics and digital health. Both surfaced in the 1990's and attracted waves of venture and private equity investment amid forecasts of rapid and transformative change. I began writing about the potential of these seemingly fertile areas more than two decades ago, but as of 2019, the promised transformation still seems a long way off.
Despite the plummeting cost of sequencing a person's genome, personal genomics and gene therapy have yet to have a major impact on the care system. And you cannot say we were not warned by experts. Around the completion of the Human Genome Project (2002), the head of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Dr. William Neaves, was asked what stood between us and definitive solutions to genetically linked diseases like cancer. His answer: "About a hundred years of hard work!".
This disappointment vs, expectations can be traced to the fact that lay analysts, though not the scientists themselves, grossly underestimated the complexity of genetically linked disease. The personalized gene assays popularized by Silicon Valley firms have been derided by scientists as "recreational genomics", because of the dubious predictive value of the genetic markers they assayed. These firms seemed to have repositioned themselves as seekers of your ethnic roots; they helped validate Elizabeth Warren's fractional claim to native American ancestry. They also helped solve a few baffling cold case murders through their sieve-like personal privacy protections.
Though it is possible that genetic therapy will be transformative in two more decades, it is extremely unlikely if the price tag for gene therapies escalates into seven figures . It will be an option for tech billionaires but few of us ordinary mortals.
And while the Internet has wreaked havoc in retailing, print media and politics, it has yet to have a discernible impact on the healthcare system. Internet-based virtual care systems for patient monitoring and physician visits and digital health tools like the electronic health record and online patient portals have, thus far at least, been major disappointments. We discussed the backlash against these tools here The same fate likely awaits AI and machine learning in healthcare.
While some digital pioneers such as Kaiser and Group Health (which merged with Kaiser in 2017) have built digital access into a major complement to their subscribers' experience, it took twenty years to do so! Other health systems have struggled with the clunky, late-1990's user interfaces and limited functionality of Epic's ubiquitous MyChart.
Also disappointing have been: virtual communities of patients, online clinical trials and cell phone apps with health uses, which now number a laughable 325 thousand! Health systems executives attempting to harness healthcare apps to improve the customer experience have likened it to walking into a swarm of sand flies. Search tools have certainly democratized access to health information, and enabled patients to be better prepared. But they have also contributed to the flood of misinformation. It is not clear that the consumer's "empowerment" through search and online communities has led to better results, or better health.
The problems in digital health were different, and less "technical" than those in clinical genetics and personalized medicine. They have been rooted in the continuing frustrating search for viable business models to sustain digital health innovation (e.g. generating a return on investment). It is worth recording that the handful of dominant businesses that control the Internet are themselves struggling to move beyond ever more invasive, predictive advertising placement as their dominant revenue source. Powerful firms like Google, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook have yet to crack the healthcare code, despite billions thrown at the healthcare "vertical".
Digital health has been stymied by the difficulty in" automating" the relationship between patients and caregivers and the complex care process. Here too, the subtlety and variability of human disease and the depth and intensity of the doctor-patient relationship have been grossly underestimated by forecasters and investors alike. Healthcare is the most complex product in the US economy. Digital health's problems have been compounded by HIPAA and by clumsy federal efforts to mandate the content and processes surrounding the electronic health record, which reached a zenith during the early Obama years.
Futurism and the Technology Hype Cycle
Healthcare technological progress is not immune to the "Hype Cycle" popularized by technology consultants at the Gartner Group. In a media-saturated world, technologies follow a predictable trajectory, from overhyped introduction to rapid attainment of the peak of inflated expectations to the humiliating plunge into the trough of disillusionment, from which only a few technologies emerge to climb the slope of enlightenment and become essential to us.
Futurists play a crucial role in the Hype Cycle, since as presumed experts on transformative technology, they lend velocity to a technology's upslope progress. "Upslope futurists" also play a crucial role in the fund raising process, since they provide seemingly objective validation of the commercial merits of the innovation (e.g. the more "transformative", the higher the valuation).
Futurists working the other side of the slope, however, are greeted with chilly silence, particularly if they weigh in toward the top of the hype cycle. "Downslope futurists" may observe that the innovation does not actually deliver the claimed benefits to users, and therefore does not justify the inflated valuations paid by early and mezzanine investors. Honest futurists can also draw attention to "business model" problems that will prevent innovations from turning into real businesses.
Such honest forecasts are troublesome to investors because inflated valuations are baked into the asset side of many venture and PE firm balance sheets, like foam at the top of a mug of artisanal IPA. Futurists who issue enough "this ain't happening" forecasts will eventually notice the haunting sound of their phones not ringing! Gartner has actually helped us with this problem by periodically publishing their own version of the Hype cycle for healthcare technology.
In reality, only a fraction of innovations actually emerge from the Gartner slough of despond, and, for those that do become actual businesses, it can take a decade. The crucial element in the progression to the " plateau of productivity" is the presence of strong feedback loops between customers/end users and the engineers and marketers. Why some technologies succeed and others fail to emerge from Gartner's Trough is a compelling doctoral thesis project for students of technology.
A crucial element in this progression is realism on the part of management, and the willingness of Boards/investors to change out managements that remain intoxicated by their own brilliance, and fail to grasp the extent of re-engineering required. How many Steve Jobs-type managers can make that difficult transition from the Apple's embarrassing Newton to the iPhone? (It took Jobs himself more than a decade.) This process requires capital, patience and determination, and almost takes longer than people expect.
The Future of Futurism
There is no natural law of technological progress that states that innovation in a given field comes in a nice steady stream. History suggests that technological progress comes in unexpected surges. More often, it comes in a less dramatic but steady accretion of small adjustments and changes. As we suggested in the Disruption Distraction essay cited earlier, there has been great progress in medicine in the past thirty years, just not of the iPhone variety. Most of the progress has been incremental and substantial, especially in surgical technique and anaesthesia.
The biggest unknown in forecasting technological change in any field is timing. That is why giving a date for one's predictions is a true measure of a futurist's courage. Accurate forecasting involves guessing, and that is the correct word to use, which technologies have wise enough managements and the patient financial backing needed to re-engineer based on user feedback.
The art form here is assessing the founders and engineers behind a technology, and their processing of market feedback. Progress up that slope of enlightenment is all about listening to the customer (Thank you, Peter Drucker!) and understanding how to deliver value to them. Successful futurism is, thus, neither an art nor a science, but rather, ultimately, an exercise in reading talent (founders and teams including investors) and its potential.
Five for '40 (2040, that is).
And since I'll never learn (and won't be around for the inevitable embarrassments), here are some bold "upslope" forecasts for technologies I am watching with great interest.
By 2040, we will have:
Vaccines for Schizophrenia and possibly Autism
An Implantable Substantia Nigra for Parkinson's Disease
A Dialysis Like Solution for Septic Infections
Remotely Piloted Drone Air Ambulances
Thought Guided Computing

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, August 28, 2009
August 28th....
Well, today is my due date...weird! I never thought this day would come. But here it is. There is just no baby yet :) It can't be too much longer now.
3 comments:
- Melanie said...
Assume it will be a LOT longer. . . like 2 weeks. . .
then you won't be disappointed when it's only a couple of days. :)
- August 28, 2009 at 1:58 PM
- Harmony said...
Today I saw you & Nate at church and I felt to sorry for you! I was hoping you'd have him by now! Jeepers! Well, maybe our boys will be born on the same day. Wouldn't that be fun? :)
- August 30, 2009 at 10:59 PM
- Nicole said...
Hang in there Tami! A suggestion to "speed things up" (because NOBODY has probably given you any!): jump on a trampoline (or attempt to) It totally worked for me! :o) Love ya!
- August 31, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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When you are interviewing for a new in-house counsel job, being ready to ask the right questions is key:
"Be prepared for the great switch – the point in the interview when the interviewer turns the table and asks if you have any questions for them. Asking the right questions during an interview is key to your success for many reasons…Spending time preparing thoughtful questions could make or break a candidate's success."
Read: The Interview, Asking the Right Questions at Princeton Legal Search Group
* Like this? Click here to get our weekly email featuring in-house news, jobs and announcements *


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Today let us look at the elements of an effective spiritual practice.
For 21 years I have been a student of Master Choa Kok Sui (MCKS) and I love the simplicity of his teachings. Master Choa Kok Sui is the founder of Modern Pranic Healing & Arhatic Yoga.
The quotes below are from Master Choa Kok Sui's book The Origin of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga pg164"Many aspirants seek divine bliss, divine ecstasy and divine oneness -however, these are just partial benefits…."
Master Choa says the main purpose of spiritual practice is to accelerate the evolutionary development of the soul so the person can be of greater service to mankind and planet Earth'What is the purpose of a Spiritual Practice?
"... to produce intelligent, compassionate, good hearted, powerful disciples who will become great divine servants!'How is this done – what are the main elements?
Master Choa says:"Through character building, service and living the life of a good person... Spiritual practice is not just meditation it is a way of life!"
This then brings me to another quote of MCKS "Bloom where you are planted" in your life, your job, the experiences of family, community and resources that you find yourself in and as these circumstances change then again 'bloom where you are planted"!Remembering another of the teachers sayings: "evolution takes time, process and lots of mistakes"!
To learn more about MCKS Pranic Healing & Arhatic Yoga system call our centre now, take a Pranic Healing Course or experience a transformational Pranic Healing Treatment with Fara!Call now 0418 217 193 or check our website www.pranichealingcentre.com.au
Master Choa Kok Sui. 2006 The Origin of Modern Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga p 164 - 169


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In a little shop on a side street in the town of Puerto Plata on the north coast of the Dominican Republic (D.R.) the proprietor holds a gracefully-molded bracelet to the light and grins at us.
The light catches its highlights, a translucent oval the colour of honey. The jeweller shoots a machine-gun patter of Spanish at his assistant who picks up a necklace made from silver, featuring a blue-green gem that looks like the colour of the ocean itself.
"This," he says in heavily-accented English, holding up the first piece, "is amber." He reaches for the other piece. "And this is larimar."
When Christopher Columbus got here around 1492, whether due to the shimmering sheen of the water's surface, the glitter of the sun that made the trees decorating the mountains here seem like so many silver coins, or because he knew prophetically this region would one day offer untold riches for the Caribbean visitor, he called this the Silver Coast.
A SilverPort
Welcome to the crown jewel of that coast: Puerto Plata—the Silver Port.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. A harbour named silver and a treasure of beaches headlined by Playa Dorada—Golden Beach—would be a veritable vault of gems no matter what their names.
While Canadian visitors flock to Punta Cana, a prime destination for freezing northerners whose ideas of buried treasure tend to basting on a beach and quaffing El Presidente beers or drinks infused with Brugal rum, visitors to the Silver Coast will find a king's ransom and have a great time in the bargain.
Board a sailboat for a mariner's-eye view of brown-sugar beaches shaded by towering palms with emerald and jade mountains rising up to the south as a background. Don a snorkel mask and fins and explore the underwater treasures you'll find here.
Stroll the streets of Puerto Plata itself: sample a mamajuana, a local libation of rum and herbs that is said to get the libido flowing. Browse the jewellery shops or either of the two craft markets. March into a colonial Spanish fort and get a conquistador's-eye view of the harbour itself, along with a healthy dose of local history. Then relax in the square along with locals before you meditate in the Church of San Felipe—another precious gem.
Beyond Puerto Plata
Go further afield and ride the chairlift to the top of Mount Isabel de Torres with its 792-metre peak and statue of Jesus Christ.
Head east to a bustling beach village called Cabarete, where even now they're setting up a stage right on the beach for the annual jazz festival, where windsurfers and kite boarders skim the waves off a perfect arcing beach and spectators watch from bistros shaded by multicoloured umbrellas and royal palms.
Or go back to nature. Take a rainforest hike and discover the pool at the base of a waterfall. Go horseback riding or bounce around on an ATV. Or go airborne in an emerald cathedral where you defy gravity on a zip line.
For these are the gems of the Silver Coast. For if anywhere in the D.R. could be said to be the "It Place"—a must-do Caribbean treasure quest—it would have to be this coast.
The Place to Be
So it's no coincidence that that's the name Nolitours has given to a brand-new initiative that lets you experience a treasure trove of beaches, but also lets you go beyond the sun and sand.
The town is silver and the nearby beach is golden. But come this winter as part of Nolitours' "It Zone" and your experience will be nothing less than diamond-studded.
Six area properties will be participating in this All-Inclusive offering beginning in November. Sure you'll be able to stay at your favourite beachfront hotel and dine to your heart's content while washing it down with your favourite vintage. But with the
"It Zone"—the place to be this winter—you'll get so much more.
It's a treasure trove of additions, excursions and add-ons, all for the same one-stop price.
Participating area hotels—Allegro Puerto Plata, Grand Paradise Playa Dorada, Barcelo Puerto Plata, Casa Marina Reef Resort Cameleon Select, Celuisma Playa Dorada and the Grand Ambar by Lifestyle Cameleon Gold (opening December 1)—will boast special features such as daily Happy Hours in a specially-designated area and staff-led activities. If you want to get out and about, they offer excursions ranging from jungle treks on ATVs to zip line tours. Or head over to Cabarete to one of the D.R.'s best beaches for all kinds of water sports.
But the fun doesn't end when the sun goes down. They'll have bands and DJs, dance lessons and special weekly barbecues. And once a week, on a private beach, guests will be transferred to the White Party event hosted by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, which will include snacks, cocktails, live music and even fireworks.
Pub-crawls are part of the agenda—both in Puerto Plata itself and in Cabarete, where the bars and nightlife are as ubiquitous as the wave-jumping windsurfers.
Or treat yourself to a round of golf, for the package will include discounts on both golf and spa packages.
In short, the gems of the Silver Coast are many. So much so, in fact, you can even try to expand your own treasure chest because guests also receive $50 match-and-play casino credits.
When you book your D.R. adventure with Nolitours, you've made landfall on the Silver Coast.
But you've also uncovered a king's ransom of gems.


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Greenwich boys water polo team looking to rise to its challenges
Recommended Video:
From its opening competition at the Naval Academy this weekend, to next week's matchup against Brunswick School, to a trip out to California next month, numerous challenges indeed, await, the Greenwich High School boys water polo team.
And the Cardinals are looking forward to each one.
With the emergence of Brunswick as an elite squad and Chelsea Piers Connecticut and Greenwich Aquatics possessing strong teams, the Cardinals will receive stiff competition in town, besides traveling out west next month and down south this weekend.
"As recently as five years ago, our only local competition was some prep schools in the state," GHS coach James Ramaley said. "Now Brunswick, which is our main rival that got the best of us, is on our schedule, along with along with Chelsea Piers and Greenwich Aquatics. There is a lot more local competition."
Greenwich is coming off a season that saw it post a record of 22-8, with four of the losses coming against Brunswick and Chelsea Piers — the Cardinals lost to each squad twice.
Ramaley believes depth is an asset that could spark the squad.
"We have seven seniors, eight juniors and six sophomores, who all saw playing time last year," he said. "Last year, we were 10-deep, this year, we can go 15-deep, which adds a competitive layer to our team. They have to compete against each other to get playing time, which makes practices more intense."
The Cardinals are captained by seniors Niki de la Sierra, Tegan D'Agostino and Kyle Laufenberg. A clutch scorer last season, De la Sierra will be relied upon to help the lead the team's counter attack.
"Offensively, we have a lot of strong players," de la Sierra said. "Our shooting is strong and we have counter attackers, who can definitely get up and down the pool. I feel like we're going to be a really great team this year."
Laufenberg hopes to build upon the solid season he had in go
The Cardinals went 0-2 against Brunswick during their 2017 campaign and according to Ramaley, may face the Bruins as many as four times this fall. The Bruins and Cardinals' first meeting is Sept. 14 at Brunswick at 5 p.m.
"I love the in-town competition," Laufenberg said. "Our rivalry with Brunswick is heating up, they have phenomenal players. It's going to be a really good game."
Greenwich plays four games this weekend at the Battle of the Beltways competition.
"We have to have that drive to beat teams, not just be satisfied to keep it close," said D'Agostino, a center, who should also ignite the Cards offensively. "We have to hustle and close teams out."
D'Agostino is also looking forward to playing Brunswick, Chelsea Piers and Greenwich Aquatics.
"I compete with a lot of those players during travel season, so it's fun to go up against people you know," D'Agostino said. "It makes you want it more."
Juniors John Caruso, Charles Clark, Thomas Hoffmeister and Spencer Plavoukos should be forces in the pool, along with sophomore Manuel Pemberthy — a transfer from Norwalk.
"Charlie and Spencer can put away shots and Manuel is a key component to our starting lineup," de la Sierra said.
The Cardinals lost to Chelsea Piers in the title game of their own Cardinal Invitational in 2017, ending their 15-year run as champions.
"Going undefeated against our local opponents and win


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The design behind the design - did this desc show up?
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IA Summit 10 - Day 1 - Boxes and Arrows: The design behind the design
Tagged with boxesandarrows ux
Be Creative & Get Paid
Understanding Content: The Stuff We Design For
Why Gen Y Wants to Work 'With' You, Not 'For' You
Get Stoked on Web Typography
8 ways to deal with bastards
Design Fiction: Props, Prototypes, Predicaments Communicating New Ideas
From South By Southwest 2010.
Design fiction is an approach to design that speculates about new ideas through prototyping and storytelling. The goal is to move away from the routine of lifeless scenarios-based thinking. We will share design fiction projects and discuss related techniques for design thinking, communication and exploration of near future concepts.
- Julian Bleecker
- Jake Dunagan
- Sascha Pohflepp
- Stuart Candy
- Jennifer Leonard
Tagged with sxsw sxswi sxsw10 sxswi10 conference technology design fiction
Simple Steps to Great Web Design with Matthew Smith
Creating beautiful web design is largely a matter of mastering a handful of simple techniques. The best designs employ systems of color, contrast, typography, and white space to achieve hierarchy, balance, and rhythm. The rest is just ingenuity and creativity. Matthew will review dozens of great and nearly great sites, explaining…
Mark Boulton on Grid Systems
SpoolCast: Introducing Interaction Design with Frameworks
"… This week Robert Hoekman, Jr. joins us to discuss Design Frameworks. Drawn loosely from the idea of coding frameworks that software developers use to more efficiently build software, design frameworks are an aid to assembling a design." From http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2009/04/09/spoolcast-introducing-interaction-design-with-frameworks/
Tagged with userinterface interaction design
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Another incredible favorable position of online school projects is that you can guarantee that all transcripts and preparing materials are kept in place and filed. They are all around reported and put away with the goal that you can without much of a stretch recover them through email and college destinations opened for review, printing, and downloading.
Quality Education
Many people surmise that they can't appreciate quality instruction in the event that they stay with online training. In any case, not all things can be instructed and learned in four-walled classrooms. Additionally, settled online schools can interface separate learners to the best teachers found the world over. Online teachers are likewise for the most part open. Beat experts in the exploration and instruction field can instantly react to your inquiries through email or live exchanges. Distance learning provides free online test series.
Distance learning courses you enlist in are likewise open to whatever remains of the world. The Internet and its openness has prepared for understudies from different nations and landmasses, with various scope of ways of life, societies, and requirements, to join for one shared objective: learn. Truth is told, through online training, you can acquire companions and see better each other's particular qualities. Online classes show you how to grasp differences.
In reality, online training offers more than simply the chance to ride on with the present wave. It makes adapting simple, open, and moderate.
https://www.dumpscollection.com/ provides authentic IT Certification exams preparation material guaranteed to make you pass in the first attempt. Download instant free demo & begin preparation.


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As part of Hard Rock's® holiday celebration, the iconic restaurant and entertainment brand will offer a special Turkey Day menu including slow-roasted turkey breast, fresh roasted fresh vegetables, home-style classic stuffing, creamy sweet potato mash, cranberry sauce and a traditional turkey gravy to give guests a rockin' Thanksgiving experience!
In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving menu, guests can also enjoy a slice of Hard Rock's Pumpkin Pie, served with caramel sauce, toasted walnuts and house-made whipped cream. Those who want to truly savor the experience can also indulge in a Holiday Espresso Martini, chilled and served with Grey Goose Vodka, Kahlúa® and fresh brewed espresso, as the cherry on top to the perfect Thanksgiving spread.
Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow + Edinburgh will be open from for guests to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Those looking to remix the traditional Thanksgiving dinner can also choose from Hard Rock's new menu that puts the spotlight on its award-winning Steak Burgers, such as The Original Legendary® Burger and Double Decker Double Cheeseburger, Instagram-worthy Boozy Milkshakes, Sliders, Shareables and more.
Those looking to dine at Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow + Edinburgh can make a reservation by visiting www.hardrockcafe.com.


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Lili Wright spent ten years as a journalist in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Utah and Mexico. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the US, including the New York Times and the Baltimore Sun. A graduate of Columbia University's MFA programme, she currently teaches creative writing and journalism at DePauw University and lives in Greencastle, Indiana, with her husband and daughter.
'A rollicking combination of art and archaeology, forgeries, drug deals, and tourists, Montezuma, murder, and love. Dancing with the Tiger is smart, sexy, and extremely suspenseful. Block out some time – once you start, you won't be putting it down' Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and The Jane Austen Book ClubBuy now


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Special Needs/Mental Health
A Disease Called Childhood: Why ADHD Became an American Epidemic by Marilyn Wedge (Avery, Mar.)
Reset Your Child's Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time by Victoria L. Dunckley (New World Library, Mar.)
You and Your Child's Psychotherapy by Michael O. Wiener and Les Gallo-Silver (Oxford Univ., May)
Not What I Expected: Help and Hope for Parents of Atypical Children by Rita Eichenstein (Perigee, Apr.)
The Impulsive, Disorganized Child: Solutions for Parenting Kids with Executive Functioning Difficulties by James W. Forgan and Mary Anne Richey (Prufrock, Apr.)
Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry M. Prizant (Simon & Schuster, Aug.)
The Parent's Autism Sourcebook: A Comprehensive Guide to Screenings, Treatments, Services, and Organizations ed. by Tony Lyons (Skyhorse, Mar.)
Going Solo While Raising Children with Disabilities by Laura Marshak (Woodbine, May)
Beating Autism: How Alternative Medicine Cured My Child by Anne M. Evans (West River, Jun.)
Girl in Glass: How My "Distressed Baby" Defied the Odds, Shamed a CEO, and Taught Me the Essence of Love, Heartbreak, and Miracles by Deanna Fei (Bloomsbury, Jul.)
Hope and Other Luxuries: A Mother's Life with a Daughter's Anorexia by Clare B. Dunkle (Chronicle, Mar.)
Daddy, Stop Talking: And Other Things My Kids Want but Won't Be Getting by Adam Carolla (Morrow, May)
Listen to Your Mother: What She Says Then, What We're Saying Now ed. by Ann Imig (Putnam, Apr.)
Doodle Diary of a New Mom: An Illustrated Journey Through One Mommy's First Year by Lucy Scott (Running Press, Apr.)
Unlocked: A Family Emerging from the Shadows of Autism by Susan Levin (Skyhorse, Mar.)
Gummi Bears Should Not Be Organic: And Other Opinions I Can't Back Up With Facts by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor (S&S/Gallery, Apr 7.)
Child, Please: How Mama's Old-School Lessons Helped Me Check Myself Before I Wrecked Myself by Ylonda Gault Caviness (Tarcher, May)
Child Development/General Advice
Raising Kids to Thrive: Balancing Love with Expectations and Protection with Trust by Kenneth R. Ginsburg (American Academy of Pediatrics, Mar.)
Eat, Play, Sleep by Luiza DeSouza (Atria, Feb.)
The Soul of Discipline: The Simplicity Parenting Approach to Warm, Firm, and Calm Guidance—from Toddlers to Teens by Kim John Payne (Ballantine, Jun.)
Straight Talk on Parenting: A No-Nonsense Approach for How to Grow a Grownup by Vicki Hoefle (Bibliomotion, Apr.)
Think Like a Baby: 33 Simple Research Experiments You Can Do at Home to Better Understand Your Child's Developing Mind by Amber Ankowski and Andy Ankowski (Chicago Review, Apr.)
Avoiding the Picky Eater Trap: Your Guide to Raising Adventurous Eaters in a Chicken Nugget World by Nimali Fernando and Melanie Potock (The Experiment, Aug.)
The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed by Jessica Lahey (Harper, Aug.)
How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature by Scott D. Sampson (HMH, Mar.)
How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid For Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims (Holt, Jun.)
Creating Capable Kids: Twelve Strategies That Will Elevate Kids in School and Life by Bruce Howlett and Caitlin Howlett (New Horizons, May)
Raising the Shy Child: A Parent's Guide to Social Anxiety by Christine Fonseca (Prufrock, Mar.)
Teaching Kids to Think: Raising Confident, Independent, and Thoughtful Children in an Age of Instant Gratification by Darlene Sweetland and Ron Stolberg (Sourcebooks, Mar.)
The Spiritual Child: The New Science on Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving by Lisa Miller (St. Martin's, May)
Family Dynamics
Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings: How to Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life by Laura Markham (Perigee, May)
When Parents Part: How Mothers and Fathers Can Help Their Children Deal with Separation and Divorce by Penelope Leach (Knopf, May)
Blended: Writers on the Stepfamily Experience ed. by Samantha Waltz (Seal, Apr.)
All In: How Our Work-First Culture Fails Dads, Families, and Businesses—and How We Can Fix It Together by Josh Levs (HarperOne, May)
The Parent-Child Dance: Strategies and Techniques for Staying One Step Ahead by Ronald A. Kotkin and Aubrey H. Fine (Skyhorse, Jun.)


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One of the easiest ways to identify your child's eating disorder behavior and thinking is she will be very argumentative about food related issues. She will sound defensive and angry.
Your child most likely has always been pretty compliant. She probably did what you asked of her. There may have been times when she questioned you about a decision but she still followed through. This is partly why it is so difficult for you to handle her oppositional behavior regarding food.
I learned something today on a coaching call with a family. I think I knew it already; but I have never heard it so clearly. The conflict and oppositional behavior is hard for your child too. She is not used to herself behaving in these ways. She is not accustomed to "causing trouble" in the family.
Other siblings may or may not have been this way in the past; but not her. She was typically the "good kid." It is part of her identity to be the good kid or at least one of the good kids. Now everything is different. She has lost her identity as the "good kid" and she doesn't know how to handle it either.
It's almost like she is on the outside looking in at this girl she doesn't know; but it's her. She doesn't know this argumentative person and she doesn't know how to get her real self back. She is lost and scared.
She sees your frustration and anger and it appears to you that she feels the same. The reality is she feels guilty and helpless to act any different in that moment.
She is going against who she truly is on the inside because the eating disorder is so strong. It is telling her what she can and cannot do; what she can and cannot eat and more.
She wants to comply but she can't because she is no longer hearing her own voice. She is only able to hear the ED voice. Your voice and hers are being drowned out by ED.
You know a lot of examples of this ED behavior. You see it every day so I won't give specific examples here. Just remember it is not your child talking; it is the anorexia.


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Following our recent review of Yamaha's range of metal-shelled Recording Custom Snare Drums, here's your chance to walk away with one of the seven drums we featured!
To enter, simply subscribe to our YouTube Channel as well as emailing us your name address and contact phone number to email@example.com along with your YouTube name for confirmation and we will randomly select one lucky winner in the coming weeks. Be sure to watch the original review video and let us know which one you would choose if you win. GOOD LUCK!!!!


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Is God an Israeli or a Palestinian? A Republican or a Democrat? A Conservative or a Liberal? Management or Labor? A Hawk or a Dove? Depending on who you voted for in last week's election, God either won or lost. Far too often, we believe that "our side" is the right side, the one which God is for. We want to pigeonhole God into our narrow perspective.
More often than not, however, we ask the wrong question. The question is not, Whose side is God on? but rather, Who is on God's side?
Mark 12:13-17 is the third of seven controversies (11:27-12:40) where the Jewish religious leaders try to trap Jesus into taking sides. They play a cat and mouse game where they try to trap Jesus in his statements and back him into a corner. In 12:13-17, the game is played over the topic of taxes.
The Pharisees and Herodians sit on opposite sides of the political aisle. The Pharisees are narrow and conservative while the Herodians are liberal and syncretistic. The Pharisees are right-wing while the Herodians are left-wing. The Pharisees resisted Rome while the Herodians accommodated Rome. The Pharisees hated Jesus because he disrupted their religious agenda while the Herodians hated Jesus because he disrupted their political agenda. The only thing the two groups agreed on was their opposition to a common enemy—Jesus. They both wanted him dead.
Under the guise of flattery and insincere questions, they ask Jesus, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" Like a hunter catching a wild animal with a trap, the religious leaders tried to catch Jesus in his words.
Taxes referred to the annual poll tax demanded by the Roman emperor from all Jews since A.D. 6, when Judea became a Roman province. The tax was paid with a denarius, which represented one days' wage. The coin had the inscription: "Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus" on one side and "Chief Priest" on the reverse side. The Pharisees objected to the tax on religious grounds because they felt it represented idolatry. They also objected on nationalistic grounds because it represented foreign domination. The Herodians supported foreign rule through the Herods and favored the tax.
The Pharisees reasoned that if Jesus gave a "Yes" answer, it meant he sided with the Herodians, and the Jewish people would reject him. The Herodians reasoned that if Jesus gave a "No" answer, it meant he sided with the Pharisees and would be arrested by Rome. Either way, both groups felt Jesus was trapped.
Jesus saw through their subterfuge and recognized the malicious intent behind the question. He confronted the issue and asked why they were trying to trap him.
Jesus asked them to produce a denarius. While they disliked Roman rule, they used Roman money nonetheless. Jesus asked whose image was on the coin. To their chagrin, the religious leaders probably mumbled, "Caesar."
Since Caesar's image was on the coin, it rightfully belonged to him. Therefore, taxes are certainly appropriate. Jesus told them to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
While Caesar's image was stamped on the coin, every Jewish male knew that God's image was stamped on each person. Jesus went a step further in saying that we should give to God what belongs to him.
As Christian CITIZENS, we owe our allegiance to the state. We are to obey the laws of the land (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15), pay taxes (Romans 13:7), pray for the leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and perform our duty as citizens by voting.
As CHRISTIAN citizens, we owe our allegiance to God. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). We should practice spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading, prayer, serving, giving, and sharing our faith.
Give your allegiance to the state. Give your life to God.
This is the synopsis of a sermon preached at First Central Baptist Church in Chicopee, MA, on November 8, 2015. It is part of a series in the Gospel of Mark. Please click on the link to download a copy of the sermon notes.


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Canadian Military History Gateway
Caption: Private's tunic, Canadian Volunteer Militia, 1863 - 1870
This tunic is the standard pattern adopted in 1863 for the Canadian Volunteer Militia. It is similar to the tunic of a British regular infantryman of the era, but instead of flapped cuffs it has pointed cuffs decorated with an 'Austrian knot' in white piping. Note as well the white loop on the shoulder in place of the more usual shoulder strap. The facings are dark blue, a distinction normally reserved for 'royal' regiments but adopted wholesale by the Canadians. This example dates from 1863-1870, but the general style was worn by the militia for the remainder of the 19th century. (Canadian War Museum)


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Erarta exhibition in Ufa
"Contemporary Russian Art", an exhibition based on the Erarta Museum collection, will open in Ufa Art Gallery on 28 March.
Within the unparalleled long-term project "Russia in Erarta" the museum exhibits regional artists in St. Petersburg and arranges its own exhibitions in the regions. "Contemporary Russian Art" is another big step of the project.
The exhibition presents more than seventy paintings from the museum depository and the permanent exposition. Works by St.-Petersburg authors make the heart of the exhibition. They are primarily significant Erarta artists, who have become the "living classics" over the last 20–30 years: Vyacheslav Mikhailov, Valery Lukka, Felix Volosenkov, Elena Figurina, Anatoly Zaslavsky, Nikolay Sazhin and others.
The exhibition will run until 19 April, 2014.
announcements18 March 2020Erarta Restaurant Temporarily Closed
announcements18 March 2020Erarta Museum Temporarily Closed to the Public
announcements15 March 2020Infinity U‑Space: Notice to Visitors


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Lotus Garden Parasol, Aqua Blue
Brought To You By:
The Lotus in Aqua Blue is a stunning double parasol that will look great in your garden.
The Lotus spans some 2.7 metres giving you loads of shade whether you are dining or just relaxing in the Summer Sun. The garden umbrella is hand crank operated and also has an adjustable stem for easy angling.


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Senior figures from the region's criminal justice system have pledged their continuing commitment to tackling hate crime across the North East, at the launch of National Hate Crime Awareness Week (12-18 Oct).
At a launch event in Darlington Town Hall to mark the week, police, prosecutors and the region's three Police and Crime Commissioners talked about the harm that hate crime can cause, both to individuals and to society as a whole.
The term 'hate crime' refers to any crime against a person which is perceived to be motivated by a person's hostility or prejudice against certain characteristics; race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Introducing the event was Jan Lamping, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North East. She said: "Safety and security and the right to live free from fear and harassment are fundamental human rights. Criminal offences that are driven by hostility or hatred based on personal characteristics undermine the very principles of fairness and equality upon which our society is built. Such crimes are based on ignorance, prejudice, discrimination and hate, and those values have no place in an open and democratic society.
"Every person here today is committed to supporting those affected by hate crime; whether it is on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
"We would encourage anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of hate crime to take that vital first step and report it to the police."
At the event, each of the Police and Crime Commissioners talked about the ways in which criminal justice partners are tackling hate crime.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Barry Coppinger said: "Tackling hate crime is at the top of our agenda – this type of offence is unacceptable and no one should suffer in silence.
"Over the last year we have launched a network of hate crime reporting champions to help raise awareness of the issue and thereby increase reporting to reflect what is truly happening. This has had a huge impact, particularly on the reporting of disability hate crime which has seen an increase in incidents reported more than double over the last year with 22 reported incidents in 2013/14 compared with 54 reported incidents in 2014/15.
"This network of crime reporting champions is given the training and skills to look out for signs of abuse amongst the most vulnerable and give them the support they need in reporting it to police.
"Through the Improving Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Crime Steering Group, which is chaired by the Safer Future Communities Network for the Voluntary and Community Sector, I have commissioned research into how to improve confidence within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGB&T) community in reporting hate crime. This has led to me funding a series of five multi agency training events for front line Police and Local Authority staff to give them a better understanding of LGB&T hate crime and how to deal sensitively with victims.
"I am also proud to be supporting Cleveland Police in joining the rainbow laces campaign as a statement of our commitment to tackling homophobic and transphobic hate crime, and will be wearing my laces with pride.
"I have also commissioned a disability hate crime awareness DVD for training staff and partners to raise awareness of the impact of this type of crime and to address the levels of under-reporting; and we are heartened that more people have had the courage to come forward and report such crimes over the last year. This is now being followed up with a similar DVD for use in primary schools.
"I am also funding Show Racism the Red Card to deliver anti racism workshops in primary and secondary schools across Cleveland, with over 2000 pupils having taken part in the project.
"But we are not complacent – we will continue to spread the message that this type of crime is unacceptable and that support is available to those who have suffered from this type of abuse."
Throughout the week there will be a focus on a different strand of diversity each day – Disability (Monday), Religion (Tuesday), Sexual Orientation (Wednesday), Race (Thursday) and Transgender (Friday).
More information about Third Party Reporting Centres can be found on the following page: www.cleveland.pcc.police.uk/Information/Hate-Crime-and-How-to-Report-It.aspx