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The Quincy Unitarian Church Home
The list of Selected Sermons.
Presented March 9, 2003, by Dr. Susan Morrison Hebble
"I think that one of our most important tasks is to convince others that there's nothing to fear in difference; that difference, in fact, is one of the healthiest and most invigorating of human characteristics without which life would become meaningless. Here lies the power of the liberal way: not in making the whole world Unitarian, but in helping ourselves and others to see some of the possibilities inherent in viewpoints other than one's own; in encouraging the free interchange of ideas; in welcoming fresh approaches to the problems of life; in urging the fullest, most vigorous use of critical self examination."
I wish to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life. I wish to learn what life has to teach, and not, when I come to die, discover that I have not lived. I do not wish to live what is not life, living is so dear, Nor do I wish to practice resignation, unless it is quite necessary. I wish to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, I want to cut a broad swath, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms. If it proves to be mean, then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it is sublime, to know it by experience, and to be able to give a true account of it.
I was born into this church. Into Unitarian Universalism in general, and into this small stone church at the corner of 16th and Hampshire in particular. This fact is worth mentioning, indeed, because few Unitarian Universalists can claim to born into the faith. I can puff up my pride a bit more and say, too, that I was not only born into this church, but that I am a fourth generation Unitarian. Look around you, and you will find few among us that have attended this or another UU congregation since they were infants. Now of course, I can take only measured pride in all this-was it not an accident of birth that I happened to be born into a family of Unitarians? I really had little to do with it, after all. But I thank my parents, Ted and Sandy Morrison, and my grandparents, Francis and Paul Morrison, and my great grandparents, Sam and Annie Eldred, for that accident.
Yet, even with such noble lineage, I find myself at a disadvantage to members who arrived at this faith from another. Unlike those who became Unitarian Univerasalists after worshipping in other churches or synagogues or temples, I have never really HAD to think about what being a UU means. As a child and even as a young adult attending church only sporadically, being a UU was just what I was. It has always been one of the peculiarities of who I am. And aside from stumbling over responses to the inevitable questions -- "What's a Unitarian, anyway?" "Do you guys believe in God?" "That's a Church????"-I never gave my faith much thought. Still, as Emerson said, "A person will worship something---have not doubt about that . Therfore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping, we are becoming."
When I was approached to present a talk to this congregation, the suggestion was to focus on that unusual aspect of my church membership-my being a life-long Unitarian. As it has been since I could read, my instinct upon receiving my assignment was to Do Some Research. The UUA has a wonderful website, and a very helpful staff. And there are more books than you might realize about Unitarian Universalism-some primarily academic, some entirely spiritual. And here is some of what I found out: In a 1997 UUA survey of practicing congregants, 10 categories are identified under the title "theological perspectives." The survey indicates 46% of respondents identified themselves as humanists, 19% as earth/nature centered, 13% as Theist, 9 ½ % as Christian, 6.2% as Mystics, 3.6% as Buddhist, 1.3% as Jewish, .4% as Hindu, .1% as Muslim, and 13.3% as "other." (That's one to ponder!) And as you know from the place of this church in Quincy's community, we're a small drop in the organized religion ocean. Even today, practicing UU's number only around 300,000 worldwide. Of those, 156,000 congregate in the US--about .08% of the US population. And of those, it is estimated that only 20% are born into the faith. Intriguing, isn't it, that a faith that seems so natural, so sensible to most people in this space is practiced by less that 1% of the US population?!
My daughter Anna had the wonderful opportunity recently to participate in our RE's Time Machine workshop at a church sleep over. The program offered a cram course in UU history, so I was happy to help out with the event and learn a bit about our past. For a religion whose focus is primarily forward looking, ours has a deliciously rich past, and its history I am determined to look into further. But here are a few nuggets I've uncovered so far: being heretical in the 16th and 17th Centuries was no armchair task-several Unitarians were martyred for their faith. And there was plenty of banishment. We also claim a king, King John Sigismund of Transylvania, where anti-trinitarians were first called "Unitarians." Unfortunately, King Sigismund could not live forever either, and after his death, his court minister, Francis David, was sent to finish his days in the dungeon, and Unitarianism suffered considerable repression. Attributed to David is one of the cornerstones of Unitarian Universalist thought: "We need not think alike to love alike."
But Unitarians and Universalists have persevered, our miniscule population boasting a truly astounding array of characters-the discoverer of oxygen (Joseph Priestly), signers of the Declaration of Independence, founders of numerous service organizations-The American Red Cross, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Planned Parenthood-the most significant early voices in American Literature-Emerson, Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, vocal abolitionists (Theodore Parker), vocal civil rights activists (James Reeb, who was killed supporting that cause in 1960's Alabama), and vocal women's rights activists (Susan B. Anthony and Margaret Sanger among the most influential). I could continue thus for pages, but I won't. We can hope one day to see the story of UU history played out in a mini-series, one of those Merchant-Ivory period pieces with, I don't know, Renee Zellweger as Clara Barton, Meryl Streep as Susan B. Anthony, and maybe Unitarians Tim Robbins and Paul Newman as Transylvania's King Sigismund and Francis David.
Intriguing as the UU story is, there nags at me one persistent truth: while our religion claims roots that are deep and sturdy, Unitarian Universalism is less about collective history than about the individual journeys of faith. In a wonderful little book called "A Chosen Faith," Forrest Church quotes DH Lawrence, of all people, ". . . it appears to me, one gradually formulates one's religion, be it what it may. A person has no religion who has not slowly and painfully gathered one together, adding to it, shaping it; and one's religion is never complete and final, it seems, but must always be undergoing modification."
Lawrence was neither Unitarian nor Universalist, but this comment certainly reflects the Unitarian-Universalist urge, nay, necessity, to keep looking, to change, refine, flow, debate, consider religion perpetually. As Church asserts, "For [Lawrence], religion has little to do with a body of beliefs or practices; it represents a gradual process of awakening to the depths and possibilities of life itself." And while the story of my "gradual process" toward UUism is far less dramatic than, say, that of Susan B. Anthony or Margaret Fuller, I hope you find in it some reflections of your own journey to Unitarian Univerwsalism.
When I was growing up, this church was as familiar and intriguing to me as the attic in my home. It seemed full of enticing nooks and crannies, promising history and mystery for my young mind. My family have always been involved enough in the Unitarian Church of Quincy to have a key to the building, and my brother and I frequently leapt at the chance to accompany Dad as he attended to the church's physical needs on the odd Saturday. We relished the silence of the building then, and played hide and seek while Dad wrestled with the furnace or plumbing or whatever. My Grandmother would often join us, taking the opportunity to practice her organ pieces for the following day. So well do I remember sitting beside her at the organ, trying to reach my brown leather school shoes to the pedals below, trying to imitate the powerful sound her thin and graceful hands created each week. And on Christmas Eve, I sat with what seemed agonizing patience (I suspect my mother might use a different term) through the service, focusing less on what was being said than on the stained glass windows above the speaker-I would imagine various stories to correspond with that placid scene, realizing on some level that this centerpiece of our church didn't seem particularly RELIGIOUS at all. Where was the Virgin Mary? The cross? The Bibles?
Indeed, I had friends who didn't think our church was particularly religious either. In grade school and high school, my friends knew I was a Unitarian, but I don't remember many being terribly interested in what that meant. Yet I found myself intrigued by all the other churches around town. And I attended them with enthusiasm and, sometimes, envy. I visited the Presbyterian church on 24th street many times with my friend Janice. Compared to our little church, the building seemed so big and austere, so modern and spacious-and so full! The hymns were beautiful, and the sermons filled with wonderful stories from the Bible, a book about which I knew little. I also visited St. John's Episcopal Church on Hampshire with my good friend, Mary and her family-it seemed a grand and lovely building filled with grand and lovely people, something out of movies, I always thought. My mother's mother moved to Quincy when I was a teenager, and I frequently went with her to the Ellington Presbyterian Church-a simple white church with a cemetery on its grounds, a church that seemed so safe and peaceful, and so sure of its connection to God. My brother and I even attended a revival once as teenagers-it was a hypnotic, energetic affair at one of the Baptists churches in town.
But I think the Church to which I was most loyal outside of my own was St. Peter's Catholic Church. Our very dear neighbors, the McClains, often invited me along for mass-theirs was an enviably large family, a family full of life and love, and I always felt so honored to be among them. My mother recently reminded me that when the dedication of St. Peter's Church was on the local news, I was there, front and center on Channel 10, celebrating this new church with the enthusiasm of its members! How I envied their Catholicism!! When my peers, Anne and Mary, celebrated their first communion, I longed to join them in a starched white dress, white silk gloves, and oh, the veil! At the Catholic services, I fought the temptation to kneel and pray, to join them in a drink of the blood of Christ and nibble of the body of Christ, to hold crystal rosary beads gingerly between my fingers and whisper whatever it was that they were whispering that sounded SO comforting! How intrigued I was with the ritual! Yet, I never stopped thinking of myself as a Unitarian. And I realize only years later, OK, decades later, that those experiences were part of my becoming Unitarian Universalist. You see, one of the beauties of our religion is that it is dynamic; it is not fixed in a clearly defined dogma with a distinct, albeit comforting, ritual. A Unitarian Universalist may only claim the faith if she commits to that fluidity, if she promises to explore the possibilities, to navigate many different rivers, to recognize, as the Native American saying goes, that no river today is the same river tomorrow.
The most compelling phase of my religious education came when I moved with my husband and small daughter to Malaysia. Now, as an American, I was used to taking pride in the Melting Pot of our great country. But in this small Southeast Asian country I discovered a most extraordinary cultural mosaic-adherents of each culture, each religion maintaining a clear sense of identity along with a strong mutual respect-or at least tolerance-- for one another. In "A Chosen Faith," Forrest Church compares religion to a cathedral, with light (God) shining in varied refraction through many windows. Church writes that this cathedral metaphor illustrates a major source of UU faith:
". . .we assume an almost unique position among the world's faiths. We draw inspiration from other religions as well as our own. Within our churches, we acknowledge the presence of many different windows and at our best truly welcome and respect the insights of others. by remaining open to the insights of others, we may augment our own cherished traditions and expand the scope of our faith."
"Expand the scope of our faith indeed!" Malaysia afforded me a most unique opportunity to do just that. In this country, religion is worn on the sleeve-or in the case of devout Muslim women, on the head. Malaysia is 52% Muslim; indeed, its government is by law an Islamic government, led by a Muslim Prime Minister. But 52% is no mean majority: And the faiths of the other 48% are well-pronounced. About 30% of Malaysians are Chinese and practice Buddhism or Taoism, about 10% are Hindu Indians, and the remainder are Christian or practicioners of ancient tribal religions.
As I've established, my first impulse in such situations is to reach for a book. In this case, I found Huston Smith's "The Religions of Man" indispensable. In his introduction, he notes the human need for religion:
"What a strange fellowship this is: the God-seekers of every clime, lifting their voices in the most diverse ways imaginable to the God of all men. How does it all sound to Him? Like bedlam? Or, in some mysterious way, does it blend into harmony? Does one faith carry the melody, the lead, or do the parts share in counterpoint and antiphony when not in solid chorus? We cannot know. All we can do is try to listen, carefully and with full attention, to each voice in turn as it is raised to the divine."
Whether in the sophisticated city of Kuala Lumpur or a tiny hamlet on the East Coast shore of the Indian Ocean, five times a day, everyone in Malaysia hears the Muslim call to prayers. The singing is hypnotic and serene and somehow reassuring. On Fridays in particular, one might find Malaysian men changing outside a mosque from Western style business clothes into the loose white pants, colorful vests, and beautifully woven sashes of their traditional faith. There are mosques everywhere, it seems, from small, rain stained mosques in villages or on corners of busy streets, to the enormous, beautiful and foreboding Blue Mosque of Shah Alam, the gold dome of which one can see glistening from the window seat of an approaching Malaysian Airlines flight. The Malaysian Muslims we encountered reflected this wide range of mosques-many maintained a fleet of Mercedes Benz sedans in their gated estates, but many more ferried their families around-often 3, 4, or 5 at a time-on small motorcycles. All were kind, friendly, warm people. Never once did my family feel intimidated, shunned, or unwelcomed by Malaysia's Muslims. Indeed, we witnessed the loving surrender to Allah, which is central to this faith. This is certainly a faith of discipline-as adhering to the Five Pillars of Islam requires constant devotion. While one may take issue with certain tenets of Islam and certainly with particular interpretations of the Quran which have encouraged violence and hubris, I could not help but respect the devotion and discipline of Malaysia's Muslims. Indeed, this Islamic country has proven to be one of the leaders in Asian progress of the last decade, and it seems to be maintaining its role as a stabilizing force in world affairs, a tricky balancing act most certainly.
As a woman, I was not permitted to enter the religious sanctuaries of any mosque in Malaysia. But I was encouraged to visit the Hindu and Buddhist temples all over Southeast Asia. While my experience with Muslim Malaysia seemed primarily academic, my experiences with the Buddhist and Hindu communities were much more inclusive. One of my favorite places to visit in Kuala Lumpur was Chinatown, for the two religious buildings I found most inviting were there, across the street from one another, each distinctive in character. On one side of the street stood a Buddhist temple, a charmingly shabby structure, with fading red paint and continually burning incense as its hallmark. At this Chinese temple, people came and went as if to the grocery store-stopping in for a quick prayer to their ancestors, or visiting with friends over a cup of green tea, all the time the smoke and smell of incense circling lazily throughout the temple. A comfortable, communal building, the Buddhist temple embodies the spirit of "transcendental pragmatism" of the Buddhist faith.
I visited many temples throughout Southeast Asia-but I was particularly moved by the Buddhist temples in Bangkok, in part because Bangkok is such a vibrant city, extreme in every respect. The people are kind and gentle-yet the tuk-tuk drivers have no qualms about charging Westerners three times the local rate for a harrowing ride across town, a necessary ride indeed, since walking through the streets of Bangkok requires the same dexterity and focus as taking on an Outward Bound obstacle course. But in this amazing, smog-filled, loud city are scattered hundreds of temples, each with its own character, each offering an island of peace and serenity found nowhere else in such an urban setting. And the temples that moved me were those in which we were able to interact with Thai Buddhists. Wat Po contains not only the locally famous 184 foot long reclining Buddha covered entirely in gold leaf, but also the Thai School of Traditional Massage, and a centuries-old a Buddhist monastery. There, a friend and I had a surreal conversation with a young monk-robed in orange, with shaved head, and the most gentle manner of any person I've met. I remember few specifics of our conversation, but I recall the encounter as incisive, as sincere, as reflective. Images of Buddha consistently depict three characteristics of Buddha: Buddha's headdress always comes to a point, a pinnacle, which denotes the need to consider things thoroughly, to think before speaking or acting; the second element is what the Thais call Buddha's "Heavy Ears", large long ears which emphasize the need to listen carefully and completely and to avoid impulsive judgments; and third, images of Buddha show him looking down, and this pose suggests that one must constantly look inward, constantly reevaluate him or herself. From this young Monk, my friend and I encountered one who honored Buddha's three points admirably. We realized how rarely we encounter someone who would listen so completely, who would think before speaking, who refused to pass judgment on us-two middle-aged, middle-class Western women wandering through a city to which we had little claim. We also realized how rarely we listened well, spoke well, judged fairly in our fast-paced, competitive culture.
Back in Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown, cross the street and half block down from the Buddhist temple stands the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple, a towering building, distinguished by the pastel carvings-elephants, gods, flowers-surrounding each tier. Outside this temple, lovely young women sell jasmine woven into necklaces and ancient, toothless men offer to watch your shoes for a ringgit, about 40cents, for one enters all Hindu temple without shoes, leaving the dirt of the everyday world outside. One may bring an offering to the temple-often a coconut, which one smashes into a marble pit just inside the building. Entering this temple is a less social or communal affair than entering the Buddhist temple. For this is a very contemplative place, a place where a Hindu comes to pray in silence and solitude for minutes or hours at a time. The sense of acceptance, of humility, of great respect for the interdependence of earth and spirit permeates this serene space.
My family and I had the privelege to attend many religious festivals and celebrations during our time in Malaysia. Among the most memorable were the Hindu ceremonies. We were honored to be included among the guests at the Hindu wedding of our daughter's pre-school teacher, whose name was Shoba. It was a traditional arranged marriage. And the wedding was an extraordinary event-it lasted at least 3 hours, with three priests, wrapped at the waist in white cotton cloth, their bare chests painted with white Hindu symbols; during the entire ceremony, a quartet of musicians played an intriguing and intoxicating blend of music, the sound of which was hard to define but which suggested to me some combination of blues and jazz, with a bit of zydeco mixed in. And the congregants never stopped talking! Absent was the silent reverence of every Catholic or protestant ceremony I had attended. Even though we understood nary a word sung, spoken, or chanted at this wedding, the joy and acceptance were palpable. And by all reports, Shoba's union, like so many arranged Hindu marriages, has proven strong and enduring.
I also had the privilege to attend a most extraordinary religious event: The Hindu festival of Thaipusam held only in Malaysia and Singapore. In Malaysia, Hindus in the hundred thousands descend for days on the grounds surrounding Batu Caves, itself home to an amazing series of Hindu statues and temples built into caves and cliffs. Thaipusam honors the deity Lord Subramaniam, and the festival offers an opportunity for devotees to pray to this god for atonement or for some sort of blessing. But this is no kneel-down-and-offer-silent-prayer celebration: The celebration is long, intense, visceral. Those participants who wish to pray to Lord Subramaniam adhere to a vegetarian diet for 48 days before the event to purify their hearts and minds; once at the temple, they make themselves available to the spirits by chanting and cleansing themselves (with a special priests aid) in the rivers nearby. These participants then enter a trancelike state and prepare for their ascent to the temple of Subramaniam. It is now that the most dramatic action takes place. Men and women are fitted with Kevadi-large, heavy, ornate structures, many several feet high, placed on the devotee's shoulders; women who wish blessings of fertility carry instead large, full jugs of milk on their scarf-wrapped heads, and most compelling of all, many young men, wearing only ceremonial loin cloths and painted on their faces and bodies, have their supporters pierce their cheeks with metal skewers and their backs with metal hooks and ropes, on which the supporters pull as the entranced Hindu, pure of spirit and feeling no pain, pulls his entourage up the 200 or so steps of the hills to the icon within the highest point of the Batu Caves. Once there, a high priest leads the believer through a series of chants and prayers, brushes him or her with holy chalk, and the skewers, kavadi, or milk jug is then removed. The devotee collapses into a faint, awakening seconds later, soul cleansed and his or her body clean of any scars or blood.
The experience may seem incomparable to my serene encounter with the Buddhist monk in Bangkok, but it was similar in that everything seemed to occur out of time, out of any context I had known-I was removed from myself, from my understanding of the world. And I emerged with a surer sense of myself, of the world, of my place in it.
So often in Southeast Asia does one meet Religion-every home in Bali welcomes its visitors with a small, lovely alter of candles, icons, flowers; the tiny wood and mud kampungs (villages) of Malaysia circle shabby but beautiful mosques; even the Colonial St. Andrews church of Kuala Lumpur upholds a small bastion of English tradition, recalling the centuries-long British rule of Malaysia before its 1950's independence, and every week it seems, residents suspend time and business to celebrate some festival honoring Buddha or Allah, or one of the many Hindu gods and even-in an astounding display of gaudiness-Christmas. But my point in telling these stories is not only that I still find them so interesting, but that in these travels to distant lands, where I saw no shadow of a Unitarian Universalist Church, and in my youthful experiences in the churches of friends and family, I was becoming UU.
Every time you or I walk into this church, we are different people from what we were a week or month or year ago. But that is the spirit of UU-that we grow, that we change, that we open our hearts and minds to the innumerable wonders of this world-be they of exotic extremes as the Thaipusam Festival or as seemingly simple as a walk in the woods, "getting as near the heart of the earth as one can." But within the sometimes reassuring, sometimes unnerving dynamism of our faith are the constants-the comforting assurance of love and acceptance, the constant respect for the interdependent web of existence, the strong and persistent faith in humanity, and always the promise of a few more questions to seek out in the musty nooks and crannies of an old stone church on a corner.
May we find the world to be sometimes so beautiful, we will want it to be more so, more often, for more persons.
The Quincy Unitarian Church Home
The list of Selected Sermons.


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Tammy P. Friederichs
Tammy uses her experience as an employment law litigator and counselor to conduct neutral investigations in support of the resolution of employment issues. Prior to joining the NeuVest team, she was a partner and co-founder of Friederichs & Thompson law firm, which represented employees and employers in litigation, administrative proceedings, and alternative dispute resolution. Prior to forming her firm, she worked for two employment law firms representing plaintiffs in employment litigation. Tammy is an adjunct professor, teaching legal research and writing at Mitchell Hamline College of Law in St. Paul.
Tammy has served as chair and a member of the board of directors of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau and the Hastings Youth Athletic Association and has been an active committee member with the Minnesota Women Lawyers and Hennepin County Bar Association.
Tammy earned her Juris Doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law, cum laude, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in English—Writing Emphasis from St. Cloud State University, summa cum laude.

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Happy Tribe, defenitly a cheesy thing full of vido games eye-blink. Viva Mario! TRACKLISTING: A1. Mario - La Manade A2. Videodrome - La Manade B1. Kikallen - La Manade B2. Aliens - La Manade
This product was added to our catalog on Friday 28 November, 2008.


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Yep, you read it right! This outfit only costs twenty dollars. Well it's under twenty-five dollars if you sport the five dollar flats from Ardene like I do!
First let me remind you that it is the summer of short shorts for me. This summer is all about beating the heat in cool clothing choices, and going out feeling confident and comfortable!
So let's start with the shorts. They are a size 24 from Rainbow Shops that I purchased on clearance for only $6.99! Rainbow is great, they have great online deals and they have storefronts in most cities in the USA which always have fantastic sales going on. My usual order from Rainbow will tend to be around $80 and I'll have at least 8 to 12 pieces in my cart, fantastic value. Now Rainbow does only go up to a 3x or size 24, and you do have to do quite a bit of searching to find a good quality piece. But it's worth the time will definitely continue to shop there.
The top is a 3x from G-Stage Love and it is a staple piece in my closet. The black fabric is very stretchy on the arms and the peplum flare hits me just right on the mid section (which can be hard for me to find being 5'9"). I love this top, I wear it too much and it adds a little bit of class to any outfit. But the best thing about my top is that it was only $12.99! G-Stage Love is also a company that only goes up to a 3x, but you can sometimes find a 4x. I enjoy buying their products, great style for a low price. The only issue I have is that some of their products run a bit small when it comes to the different fabrics used. If it's a 3x lace type top I'm buying, it's not going to fit, and I definitely won't be able to get my fat arms through the arm holes.
Now these shoes are my favourite and I'd like to let you in on a little secret. If you are frugal like me and never want to pay full price for an item then Ardene is the place to buy shoes. I never pay more than $5 for a pair of flats. I know that the shoes are going to be destroyed within a week or two so there's not point in me wasting money on expensive ones. Ardene has storefronts in Canada and even outlet versions of their stores (even better deals), and they also have an online store. Now I know that the online store ships to the USA but I'm not certain of how many store fronts the USA has. I know that there aren't any in Southern California, but there maybe be some in the states closer to the Canadian border. Ardene almost always has a shoe sale and my favorite is the 5 pairs for $25 sale. They have a twenty foot wall filled with a very nice selection of flats and sandals ranging from size 5 to 12. If you look online anywhere for $5 shoes you'll find a poor selection of mostly ugly flats, but Ardene delivers style and comfort at a low price. My wide feet fit just fine in these flats, and they even have extra comfort padding in some styles which is a bonus, all for five dollars!
Shorts, Rainbow Shops: http://www.rainbowshops.com
Top, G-Stage Love: http://gslovesme.com
Shoes, Ardene: https://www.ardene.com


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- Proposed Basel reforms do not reflect UK market, say lenders
Proposed Basel reforms do not reflect UK market, say lenders
Published: 14 March 2016 | Author: Bernard Clarke
Proposed changes by international banking regulators to the rules for assessing credit risk do not reflect the real underlying risk of those assets and would result in unduly harsh capital treatment of both prime residential and buy-to-let mortgages. Those are among the key conclusions of our response to the consultation document, Revisions to the standardised approach for credit risk, submitted last week.
Our submission argues that significant increases in risk weightings proposed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) for both prime residential and buy-to-let lending are not justified by historic losses. We therefore question the way in which risk weightings have been calibrated.
In current market conditions, mortgage funding is available and attractively priced, and UK consumers are enjoying some of the lowest rates ever. But capital requirements that are excessive relative to the risk of the underlying assets are likely to affect the cost and availability of mortgages.
In our response to the BCBS proposals, we argue that, if implemented in their current form, the changes would have "unintended and negative consequences" for prime residential and buy-to-let markets.
Our submission also says that the proposals fail to make sufficient allowance for the way in which mortgage regulation has already been reinforced in the UK. Now that we have stress testing of mortgage affordability by the Financial Conduct Authority, for example, we believe that the BCBS places too much emphasis on historic loss data in its proposals for calculating risk weightings.
Without taking into account the effects of reinforcing UK regulation, the changes proposed by the BCBS are being presented in a "regulatory vacuum," our submission says.
Assessing the evidence
Our view that risk weightings being proposed by the BCBS for the standardised approach are too high is supported by evidence from lenders that have adopted the more sophisticated internal ratings-based approach to assessing risk.
Additionally, we are concerned about the committee's proposals for the valuation of property. The BCBS is currently proposing that national supervisors should continue to be able to require lenders to adjust property valuations downwards. Once they have done so, values may subsequently be revised upwards again – but cannot be increased to a level exceeding the original valuation.
We think this approach is flawed. In effect, it means that property values can go down, but not up. The obvious problem is that the valuation affects the loan-to-value ratio of a mortgage. So, being able to update this to reflect true market value of a property allows a lender to operate on the basis of a clearer understanding of the potential risk associated with the loan, and the loss given default.
We understand that regulators concerned about mortgage market expansion based on rising property values might see benefits in being able to limit the potential for upward revaluation of property. But this, in our view, is outweighed by the problems caused by not making decisions based on the most accurate property valuation available. Failing to use the most reliable valuation may distort the amount of capital lenders are required to hold against a loan.
There are other ways in which a lack of flexibility in the rules prevents lenders from using property re-valuation to get a more up-to-date understanding of their real exposure to risk.
In practice, lenders are able to capture changes in the value of property at a number of different points in the lending cycle – not only when advancing the original loan, but also when offering a further advance or re-structuring debt. We believe that lenders should be able to use the updated market information captured at these points to revise the LTV ratio – and ensure the loan has a more accurate risk weighting.
Failing to resolve these valuation issues will have implications for borrowers. If, for example, lenders are not allowed to reflect the true value of the property, they might be prevented from agreeing to a further advance – even if it would be justified by an up-to-date property valuation. That would be detrimental both to the borrower and the firm.
Loan-to-value and capital
We are concerned that, even if lenders are allowed to update the valuation of the property and adjust the risk weighting accordingly, the proposed rules mean that even small changes in LTV could have disproportionate effects on requirements to hold capital. There are, in effect "cliff edges" in the proposed capital requirements – and these have the potential to distort the mortgage market.
The problem arises because the Basel committee is proposing a "slab" structure for risk weightings, rather than a marginal one. So, a loan at an LTV ratio of 81% would attract a risk weighting of 45% applying to the whole sum advanced, while a mortgage with an 79% LTV ratio would have a weighting of 35%.
We believe that lenders should be able to apply a blended risk weighting, reflecting real risk across their portfolio of loans.
In calculating the weighting that should be applied to an individual mortgage, we would like to see that loan broken down into a number of segments reflecting increasing risk. From this data, it would be possible to produce a composite risk weighting reflecting exposure to LTV as it increases. We believe that this would be a better measure of the overall risk associated with the loan.
Overall, we believe that more work is needed before the credit risk can be captured properly, and we would like to be able to contribute to the development of an appropriate methodology.
Introducing the changes
We are concerned about how the BCBS proposals would be implemented. Even if they are applied only to new loans, this process could distort the market – if the rules are flawed.
This effect could be magnified if the rules were applied to the whole of a lender's back book. Even if there were no flaws in the rules, applying them to the whole back book would be difficult and expensive. This could be simplified by applying an historic LTV calculation based on the valuation when the loan was originated. But there is a risk that this would not produce a true reflection of current market value of the property, and therefore properly reflect credit risk.
The buy-to-let sector
There are fundamental differences between the prime residential and buy-to-let markets – and we believe that the proposed rules should reflect this.
Buy-to-let lending volumes are often more volatile than in the residential sector, but this does not necessarily imply greater risk. The buy-to-let market tends to respond more rapidly than the residential sector to rising interest rates, for example. But this may simply mean that buy-to-let is more efficient in adjusting to evolving market conditions and quicker to recover its equilibrium.
Lenders advance most buy-to-let loans on an interest-only basis. They also have different strategies for recovering arrears in the sector. In appropriate circumstances, for example, they are able to appoint a receiver of rent to ensure that payments made by tenants are used to pay off the mortgage.
Buy-to-let risks are therefore not the same as in the residential market. So, we continue to believe that data collected from lenders using the internal ratings-based methodology in the buy-to-let sector are likely to provide the best evidence of risk.
Using the right data
There is also a lack of robust data over the buy-to-let cycle, and this presents challenges in trying to establish appropriate risk weightings. Data on buy-to-let loans originated before the financial crisis is patchy. And this data reflects lending criteria that have changed significantly since the financial crisis – driven by a combination of factors, including regulatory intervention and a shortage of funding.
What is certainly clear, however, is that, for loans with an LTV ratio of between 60% and 80%, the risks associated with new buy-to-let mortgages are not two to three times greater than they were in the past. That is, however, what is implied by the BCBS proposal to raise the risk weighting for these loans from 35% to 90%.
As we have proposed for the residential sector, we would like to see individual buy-to-let loans broken down into segments, to get a more detailed picture of differences in risk as the LTV ratio rises. This would enable regulators to develop a more nuanced view of risk across the market, and apply appropriate risk weightings.
And as in the prime residential sector, we favour taking advantage of opportunities to re-value buy-to-let property so that weightings can be updated to reflect current risk.
Social housing – and self-build
The funding of social housing is important to UK lenders, and we welcome the proposal that this should be given the same risk weighting as prime residential lending. But great care is needed to ensure that the drafting of rules delivers this outcome.
The BCBS is, of course, seeking to draft global rules, and we are concerned that any poorly drafted or ambiguous rules could unintentionally impose higher risk weightings on the funding of social housing in the UK.
We have put forward proposals to try to avoid this. We have suggested that the rules for calculating risk weightings for prime residential mortgages should be extended to "loans to registered providers of social housing that are regulated nationally within an overall policy environment set by the government." We are also seeking to ensure similar protection for the funding of social housing in devolved administrations within the UK.
The government in the UK is also keen to promote self-built property, which it sees as an important component of housing supply. We would therefore like to see the Basel proposals for prime residential properties extended to capture this.
We believe that the Basel committee's proposals for reforming the standardised approach to assessing credit risk would have unintended and negative consequences for both prime residential and buy-to-let mortgage lending in the UK. There is a risk that the committee will be operating in a regulatory vacuum if it fails to take into account reforms that have already been introduced in the UK market.
Currently, we believe that the capital weightings being proposed are based on a flawed understanding of risk in the UK. If the committee introduces reforms that do not properly reflect UK market conditions, there is a risk of significant detriment for both consumers and firms.
Our submission suggests a number of reforms to the BCBS proposals, and we are keen to work with the Basel authorities to implement rule changes that reflect the real needs of consumers and firms in this country.


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Ecommerce in Germany grew to €12.5 billion in third quarter
The online retail industry in Germany has increased by 10.6 percent during the third quarter. It's now worth 12.5 billion euros. That's more than expected, because the industry forecast for the full year has already been exceeded. Expectations are ecommerce in Germany will grow 14.7 percent this year, compared to 2015.
This annual growth forecast comes from the German ecommerce association Bevh, which recently started working together more closely with BVOH, that other online retail organization. Bevh gathered data from the industry of interactive retailers, which means retailers who are active in the online retail or mail-order business. This industry recorded sales of 13.7 billion euros, of which ecommerce generated 91.4 percent or 12.5 billion euros.
With the ecommerce industry growing 10.6 percent and the interactive trade 10.7 percent, this means the classic order channels, such as call centers or order cards in catalogs, have shown some growth.
Popular product categories in German ecommerce
Based on Bevh's data, clothing accounted for the largest share of the total turnover in the ecommerce and mail-order industry. The clothing category represented 22.4 percent during the third quarter and was worth 3.1 billion euros. That's 200 million euros more than in the same period last year. Other popular product categories are consumer electronics and IT (2.1 billion euros), furniture and deco (€960mn), shoes (€923mn) and household items (€905mn).
"The third quarter of this year shows that the development of ecommerce in Germany is accelerating again, as many experts have predicted", says Gerrit Heinemann, who recently came up with a plan for what Europe can do against American retail giants. "Above all, the large-volume product groups are now moving into accelerated growth and once again inspire the pure players."
Pure players continue to grow
Although the online and mail order industry is still being dominated by online marketplaces (6.4 billion euros), pure players continue to grow. With an increase of 24.2 percent this group generated sales of 2 billion euros, whereas it was 1.6 billion euros in the same period last year. Multichannel retailers recorded a total turnover of 4.7 billion euros.


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Beach Cottage Stitchers > Brooke's Books - The Brides Tree Heirloom Ornament Collection 004 of 12 - HOPE - Cross Stitch Pattern
Model was stitched with Crescent Colours
Belle Soie Silk & Cotton Flosses
& Mill Hill seed beads over 2 threads on
Wichelt Imports' 28 ct. Cafe Mocha Linen.
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Talenture IH includes a wide array of reports to track your recruiting process. This article explains different ways in which you can get reports, the report categories available and specific scenarios for which you can use each report category.
1. Details
Talenture IH comes with 75+ built-in reports to cover every aspect of your recruiting operations. The Reports module has reports structured into the following broad categories to cover all these areas:
- Candidate Activity
- Recruiting Process
- Usage Tracking
1.1 Modes of Generating Reports
You can generate reports in 2 modes:
- Manual: To view these reports just expand the report categories under the Manual category in the Reports module and click on the desired report view. The report will be displayed in the right pane.
You can apply filters, sorting etc. on the report view as required and export it to MS Excel format using the 'Export Displayed/Export All Items' available in the 'Tools' menu.
- Automatic: Talenture IH automatically generates such reports at pre-specified times based on the work status for recruiters or the entire team. You can specify the date/time as well as type of reports that need to be generated.
These reports are generated in MS Excel format and posted to your email address as well as to the Notifications view in your Talenture IH Workbench.
a. Access to Reports
Reports can be generated both at the individual recruiter level as well as at the Team Manager level.
The following 2 categories are available in the Reports module for each level:
- My Recruiting: This shows the recruiter level reporting views
- Team Recruiting: This shows the reporting views for Team Managers
1.2 Types of Activities Covered in Reports
Talenture IH covers all types of recruiting activities in the reporting categories available in the Reports module:
a. Candidate Sourcing
This provides report views showing candidates added to Talenture IH grouped by source and candidate updations (changes) done by your team members. This includes:
- Candidate Sourcing and Updation Summary->By Source & Period: Resumes Added from various sources e.g. Job Boards, Email etc.
- Candidate Sourcing and Updation Summary->By User & Period: Break-up by each recruiter.
- Candidate Sourcing and Updation Summary->By Source, User & Period: Break-up of resume updates/validations done by each recruiter.
b. Recruiting Action Lists
This category of reports shows details of each specific action performed on candidates linked to various jobs. This includes:
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions ->Lists->All Candidate: Details of each specific action showing candidate resumes forwarded to vendors, interview rounds scheduled etc.
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions ->Summary->By Period: This provides reports views showing actions performed in a specific period.
c. Recruiting Summary
This category provides report views in summary format for the work done by your teams in Talenture IH showing summary of candidate status, Jobs, vacancies, Interview decisions, interviews etc. This includes:
- Job Processing->Candidate Status->All Candidates By Status: A detailed report of the current status of all shortlisted candidates for active jobs worked upon by your team members.
You can use this view to get a Candidate Pipeline report for your team by applying the Candidate Status filter to view all candidates in Offer stage, Joining stage etc.
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions->Summary->By Period: Reports showing actions performed in specific periods.
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions->Summary->By Job: Summary report of actions performed (shortlisting, interview scheduling, job offer etc) by your team members on candidates grouped by job.
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions->Summary->By Team: Summary report of actions performed (shortlisting, interview scheduling, job offer etc) by your team members on candidates in jobs.
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions ->Summary ->By Team: This shows a summary report of actions performed (shortlisting, interview scheduling, job offer etc) by your teams on candidates in jobs.
- Job Processing->Candidate Actions ->Summary->By Job: This view displays a summary of Status performed (shortlisting, interview scheduling, job offer etc) by your team members on candidates grouped by job.
d. Recruiting Pace
This set of reports enables you to identify the "slow spots" in your recruitment process & make corrections.
Gap Analysis for measuring service delivery gaps in your team's work
- Team Recruiting->Manual Reports->Recruiting Analysis-> Rec. Pace ->By Period: This provides reports for performing Gap Analysis of your team's work based on the average time taken for completing each recruitment step for e.g. candidate sourcing, screening etc.
- Team Recruiting->Manual Reports->Recruiting Analysis-> Rec. Pace ->By Team: Reports showing recruiting pace by each team you're managing.
e. Process Gaps
This set of reports enables you to analyze process gaps within your team and overall performance on your process goals.
To track Turn Around Time (TAT) achieved by each team member in closing positions:
- Team Recruiting->Manual Reports->Recruiting Analysis-> TAT ->By Period: This provides reporting views for analyzing the Turn Around Time achieved by your team members on their assigned jobs. You can view this for actions performed in specific periods.
- Team Recruiting->Manual Reports->Recruiting Analysis-> TAT ->By Team: This provides reporting views for analyzing the Turn Around Time achieved by each team you're managing.
To track Conversion Ratio of each recruiter in converting prospective candidates into placed candidates:
- Team Recruiting->Manual Reports->Recruiting Analysis-> Candidate Ratio->By Period: This provides report views showing conversion ratios for actions performed by your team members in specific periods.
- Team Recruiting->Manual Reports->Recruiting Analysis-> Candidate Ratio-> Candidate Ratio->By Team: Conversion ratios based on recruitment team-wise breakup of actions performed.
1.2 Deciding Which Reports to Use
Since Talenture IH offers multiple types of reports in each category described above such as summary, action-based, Job/Client-based etc. you need to pick which reports capture the lists and measurements which you use for tracking, managing and reviewing your business operations.
Following are some guidelines:
a. Action List Reports & Summary by Status, Job, Team
These types of reports are suitable for use by most recruiting leads and managers in Internal Hiring scenarios as they will need to use the Action and Candidate lists to keep track of key actions related to work on jobs and sourcing.
b. Analysis of Business Trends
You can use the reports available under the Summary by Recruitment Team & Role User, By Period to analyse trends such as:
- Types of positions worked upon and number of vacancies filled over a period of time such as a quarter, year etc.
1.3 Automatic Reports
Recruiting leads and managers should setup their automatic reports in order to get their reports on time. Generally team members in these roles will need fixed reports to be sent to them by their team members to monitor progress, identify problem areas and prioritize activities.
Some examples of such reports that can be configured via Automatic Reports are:
- Daily and Weekly trackers: Managers can set up automatic recurring reports for End-of-Day, End-of-Week, Week Planning reports such as:
- End of Day report scheduled every day at 6.30 PM showing resumes forwarded to clients for all positions by team.
- Beginning of Week Report every Monday at 10 AM on Jobs for team due for completion in coming week.
- Common Summary Reports: Managers can obtain commonly required summary reports such as:
- Candidates who are pending availability check by the team for last 10 days.
- Position offer not made after candidates have cleared all interviews for last 'n' days.
1.4 Exporting to XLS and Charting Reports
In case you need reports in graphical format such as Pie, Bar, Graph etc. you can easily covert the MS Excel reports generated from Talenture IH using the Charting feature in spreadsheet software such as OpenOffice, MS Excel etc.
Common scenarios where you may need graphical format reports include:
- Client presentations to be done showing high level process points
- For regular business analysis, seeing changing trends, doing forecasting etc.
Excel's charting wizard makes converting any report generated from Talenture IH a matter of just a few clicks which can be done by users at any level.
Please refer to the short video tutorial (link in Related Resources section below) to learn how to easily convert Talenture IH reports into graphical reports in MS Excel.
2. Related Resources


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Security Center
Security Center - Debit Card Security
How We Protect You:
At Connex Credit Union, we take your security seriously. That's why our debit cards come with security features that help protect your information.
Chip card technology
Get stronger security for your credit and debit card with chip technology that protects your information when used at a chip-enabled terminal.
Fraud monitoring.
Reviews how and where your card is being used and is designed to help block potential fraud if abnormal patterns are detected.
Privacy policy
Keeping your financial information secure is one of our most important responsibilities. For an explanation of how we manage customer information visit our Online Security Page (Links to Online Security page)
What you can do to protect the Security of your card:
Sign your cards immediately
Sign the signature panel on your credit and debit cards as soon as you receive them.
Check your statements
Save the receipts from your charges and keep them in a safe location. Check your statements to verify that they properly reflect the amounts you have authorized. Report any fraudulent transactions immediately. Once you have reconciled your statements, shred up all receipts and discard them at home.
Go paperless with estatments
Access your Connex Credit Union statements through Online Banking and ask us to stop sending paper. Checking your balances and viewing your account statements online is safer than having information sent through the mail.
Monitor Transactions with Online Banking / Mobile Banking
View all your recent transaction through Online Banking or Mobile Banking. Mobile Banking even had a Quick Balance feature which will let you look at the last 5 transactions on your account with a simple swipe of the screen.
Keep a list of all your card account numbers
Keep the list in a safe and secure place and include the telephone numbers to call if your cards are ever lost or stolen.
Use a digital wallet
A digital wallet stores information about your physical debit and credit cards so you can make purchases at participating merchants. Certain digital wallets use virtual card associated with a token. The token is the digital form of your physical debit or credit card and it has a unique card number stored within a digital wallet that's different from the physical card number. So, it cannot be accessed from your digital wallet if your mobile device is lost or stolen. You can use your virtual card with your digital wallet to conveniently make purchases, just like your physical debit and credit cards. You still get all the rewards, benefits and protections your physical card provides.
Learn more about Apple Pay™ »
Learn more about Android Pay™ »
Learn more about Samsung Pay »
Use ATMs safely
Use ATMs with surveillance cameras and be aware of people and your surroundings. When you enter or exit an ATM in an enclosed area, be sure you close the entry door completely. Do not open locked ATM vestibule doors for others or allow any unknown persons to enter the ATM area while you are making your transaction. Shield the ATM keypad with your hand or body while entering your PIN. Secure your card and cash after completing your transaction and before exiting the ATM area. Count your cash later in the safety of your locked car or home. Your Debit card is like cash, so keep it in a safe place.
Always be cautious
Never provide credit or debit account information to anyone who calls you. Connex will never reach out to you in this way to request sensitive account information.
Apple and Apple Pay are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android Pay is a trademark of Google Inc.
© 2020 Connex Credit Union.


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Sugar Daddy Mobile, AL, US
Welcome to Sugar Dating Sites > Sugar Daddy Capitals > Sugar Daddy Mobile, AL, US.
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text: Bon Secours will be holding its annual golf tournament at Riverfront Golf Course on June 10, 2016. The event registration is at 11:00 am with a shotgun start at 12:00 pm. Proceeds will benefit the Bon Secour's cancer treatment services and programs. For more information on playing or sponsoring the event, please call 757-889-5923 or e-mail email@example.com. The flyer is attached below.


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Prince Khalid Al-Faisal receives UAE ambassador to the Kingdom
Mina, outskirts of Makkah,Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, who is also Chairman of Hajj Central Committee, received in the presence of Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, at Mina governorate headquarters the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan.
During the meeting, the Ambassador expressed thanks to the Kingdom's leadership, government and people for the services extended to pilgrims.
Source: Saudi Press Agency


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How to Crochet with Fuzzy Yarn Working with fuzzy yarn can be difficult- but oh my goodness, the result can be fantastic! This design for
Category: Tips and Tricks
Changing Colors in Amigurumi
Changing colors in amigurumi can be frustrating… extra time, jagged, edges, etc. It may even keep you from making fun projects like this crochet zebra!
My Absolute Favorite Crochet Stuff
As a blogger I get a lot of questions. When I start to see a trend I think to myself, "I should write a post
How to Make a Fur Pom Pom for Cheap
I love a good hat topped with a good pom pom! They are so in style right now, I see them on pretty much every
Making Money with Crochet
"How can I sell my crochet work? Can I make money with my crochet projects? How did you get started?" I get these questions in
Best Yarn for Crochet Dolls
It can be hard to find the right yarn for crochet dolls. There are a lot of shades and styles out there! and it can
Free Crochet Doll Tutorials
I love providing crochet doll tutorials because there are a few things that can make or break a crochet doll! There are also some things
How to Sew on Doll's Heads
The question I get the most from people is how do I keep the head from wobbling when I sew on the head? The dolls
Tips for a Succesful Craft Fair
I am the classic over thinker/ over researcher. I google, pinterest, facebook, encyclopedia pretty much everything before I dive on in. So when I decided


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If you are anything like me, you may be experiencing a 'crawl to the finish line', after a massive year? So I asked the CLARETY team to share their top secrets to recharging fully and quickly over the holiday season. So we can get back and firing for a ripper 2019.
Create the right mindset
Partner, Emma Hart says it's all about creating the right mindset to recharge…"RESPECT your recovery. It's essential if you are to perform and feel your best. Say NO to too many engagements and create the space to say a deep YES to things that really matter e.g., resting (aka doing nothing), does not mean you are lazy it means you are respecting your body and what it needs".
Emma also believes that "music is incredibly powerful for affecting your mood. Make yourself a relaxing summer playlist and feel your stresses melt away. here is a link to Emma's SoulfulSunday playlist enjoy!"
Nutrient charge your food
Whole foods chef, Ben Horne recommends taking some time to 'play' in the kitchen. He says, "good food takes time. Have you ever noticed how nourishing & recharging a meal made with love & integrity is? When I'm thinking about putting some of the good stuff back in I'm thinking "how can I nutrient charge what goes on the plate AND create some space and time to be creative".
Mindful cooking and eating has been linked to a number of health benefits and Ben says "in the holidays we obviously have more time to cook. My advice? Start with the best meal of the day. Breakfast. Perhaps surprise a loved one with breakfast in bed. Share a moment of connection over a great meal and feel all your worries start to evaporate." You can get 2 of Ben's favourite 'nutrient charged' breakfast dishes right here: 'Coconut Banana Bread' and '5 Seeded Maca Pancakes'
Mindfully manage down those stress levels
Meditation teacher, Jaye Carcary says, "The fastest way to start dissipating the anxiety and tension that may have been building up is taking a moment to acknowledge and tune into it. So in those early holiday days try a short and simple meditation like this to start mindfully managing down those stress levels".
Daily '5 to fast recharge'
Finally, "I usually have my daily '5 to thrive'. The small habits that maintain my energy levels throughout the year but the last few months have seen me trying to maintain my energy levels from a much lower base. So, if this is also you, I recommend trying '5 to fast recharge' to begin rebuilding those energy levels".
"Here's what's on my list this holiday season;
*This is purely what Clare does based on the advice of her naturopath. Make sure you seek out advice from a professional.
If you need ideas for your '5 to fast recharge' you can find more by clicking here.
Wishing you a relaxing and recharging holiday season and don't forget to join us for our FREE 'Make 2019 your best year yet' webinar.
P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can help you personally or the people within your company thrive more:


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When your lover does not comply, when you want everyone or a specific person to always agree with you, Amaga the love binding portion will make them comply. Amaga is a love binding formula that works perfectly and khokhovulas methodology and formulation. Amaga will make them agree with you in anything.


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What You Should Know About The Great Ocean Walk
One of the most iconic Australian walks is the Great Ocean walk as it travels through the Great Otway Park from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles. A known fact that easily comes to mind regarding this walk is that it covers a distance of 104 km and curves through Manna gums having only Koalas which are found some feet away from its track. This great walk offers way more than the above. Read on to find out what else is offered on this renowned experience.
Image Source:pexels
What The Great Ocean Walk Offers
This walk offers much more thrill than walking through meandering paths. It boasts of magnificent forests, diverse landscape and vast wildlife making it famous. One of the exciting prospects you will come across is walking beneath the world's tallest flowering plant, along with outstanding pristine beaches, and through gigantic Mountain Ash forest. The tide of the Southern Ocean on the Shipwreck Coast creates a never-leaving sight as it continually assaults the beach.
The Great Ocean walk also gives any explorer an unforgettable view to experience wildlife at its finest in their natural habitats. You can spot a number of species ranging from black cockatoos, koalas, wallabies, sea eagles, dolphins, to wedge-tailed eagles and not leaving behind Kangaroos. Some of the exceptional highlights of the great ocean walk include the 12 Apostles, Johanna, and Wreck beaches and the stunning Castle Cove as well as the Gables. At Loch and Gorge, you will encounter one of the breath-taking geological formations ever seen.
The Great Oceanwalk track is fully graded and very easy to maneuver. A pair of expert guides will lead you through the walk. You can expect to cover a distance of 17km for a full day walk and 20km for fit walkers to challenge themselves.
There is a 7-day arrangement in place to help you cover the great walk. You will walk through the tall Eucalyptus forest to Elliot river on the first day of your journey. You will move through the Mountain Ash forest to Parker Inlet through coastal paths on the second day. Manna Gum forests, Cape Otway Lightstation are also sites to be visited. The third day brings you to scenic Rainbow Falls and an opportunity for a great swim at Aire Valley. The stunning coastal view is one you cannot afford to miss.
The fourth day brings you to the Port Campbell after going through the lovely Johanna beach and its sandy expanse. Milanesia Beach, a surprise package is what you expect to finally see on the fifth day of the Great Ocean walk to Moonlight head through breathtaking views of high sea cliffs and coastal forests. The sixth day promises a start at Gables Lookout found at one of the country's highest sea cliffs to Wreck Beach. Wreck Beach affords you the opportunity to inspect shipwrecks. The seventh day is also fun packed as you peer through Loch and Gorge's fascinating geological formations.
To maximally derive the excitement offered by this great walk, you need to be prepared.
Great ocean walk is a lifetime experience and you sure will not want to embark on this adventure without preparation. This requires an open mind to explore nature and every item necessary to enhance your walking experience.


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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
the pulchritudinous turpitude of medusa in the tub
the first bath of an oddly promising spring
easily births its own peppery cascading joy-
what might have speckled in the constant winter
rushes into the copper stream and, lonely, drifts away:
the pesky mites that might have ravaged bloody roses
clamor onto crafty rafts of golden straw and, clutching, float away-
they will not burrow in the clay-skinned perfection of ageless models,
they only want to, quietly, stroke themselves and drift away.
ii. windows are made of abysmally slow liquid
reflections of a dead branch grasping,
held by green hands that will not let it drop:
these trees inside the water
that hints of other currents.
in the dry season the rooks come out to play-
it is not the dry season now:
the release of pent-up yellow on the weedy hill
has its own inner sense of play.
a shadowy plumb of straightened lines,
in the sinking house of stark soffits:.
skinned knees on cracked concrete are a plum reward.
iii. it's hard to deny the cyclical
there is no mortared vault of berries yet,
inscribed in autumn with the thumbing of beads
or the angled facts of a hooded ghost:
the jeweled sconce of red and blue and green
plastered in a room that has drifted obscene.
through the years no angle stays true:
the pedestal font begs for the dirt of your ablutions
and the adulation only, if at all, reflects back at you.
there may be a green salad at the picnic next door.
9 comments:
Hi Gerry,
"windows are made of abysmally slow liquid" I agree!
Thanks for this delightful and intense poem. It carried me away from the -10 celcius and snow outside.
- January 13, 2010 at 12:39 PM
- gerry boyd said...
PO: I do what I can. Negative 10, eh? That's about Positive 14 for us F-heads, no? Cheers, Gerry
- January 13, 2010 at 12:57 PM
- Akeith Walters said...
You really have put the "music" into this one. Very nice read. I love the "voice" in your style of writing.
- January 13, 2010 at 8:31 PM
- Francis Scudellari said...
This is a piece teeming with life. Like PO it turned my winter thoughts to spring. And you always come up with an amazing title.
- January 13, 2010 at 9:45 PM
- Jenny said...
"these trees inside the water"
"the jeweled sconce of red and blue and green/plastered in a room that has drifted obscene"
Lines (among many) that are both beautifully expressive and thought provoking. I often think of your poems as racy, warm, lush, twinkling.
- January 14, 2010 at 1:29 AM
- Garth said...
Angular, and very beautiful - a view from behind the slow flowing pane.
- January 14, 2010 at 12:47 PM
- Ande said...
beautifully written, with the curves and shapes in it.
- January 15, 2010 at 8:54 AM
strange and a solid poem at the same time. i once had a woman in the bath frequently. then she moved on to another one. oh well, this man is going strong.
- January 15, 2010 at 9:56 AM
Wow, you are good indeed, damn.
- January 15, 2010 at 11:03 AM


text:
Read all about Clifford's BIG ideas! Classic Clifford reissued!
It only takes a little to BE BIG!
Meet Clifford and Emily Elizabeth in the original Clifford book! Clifford is big. Clifford is red. But most of all, Clifford knows how to BE A GOOD FRIEND.
The BE BIG campaign invites everyone, big and small, to take action and raise awareness for how CLIFFORD'S BIG IDEAS can make the world a better place.


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National Association of Retired Postal Inspectors
Useful Links
Home Page
National News
Regional Reunions
Meetings & News Reports
Atlantic Region
Mid-America Region
Western Region
Retirees & New Members
In Memoriam
Published Articles
Website Resources
Job Opportunities
NARPI Yellow Pages
Useful Links
Computer Corner
Dollars & Sense
Food for Thought
NARPI Constitution
Special Downloads
Special Announcements
NARPI-Net Msg Log
USPIS Memorabilia
USPIS Newletters (old)
New Members
Change Your Password
Request New Password
Login (optional)
Logout (optional)
Admin Menu
The following hyperlinks have been made available to facilitate access to what we hope you will find to be useful Websites. Any thoughts or suggestions you may have regarding possible additions will be most welcome. Other sites will be added as warranted.
Your Blueprint To A Better Night's Sleep & Improved Mental Health
Seniors' Guide to Medication Management
Concealed Carry for Retired Postal Inspectors
Relocated from Home Page
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA)
Based upon information from Wikipedia with cites of case law. Added 1-7-2019
The Emerald Society of the Federal Law Enforcement Agencies
. We are the only National Organization representing Federal Law Enforcement, Public Safety, Military, and Support Personnel of Irish and Gaelic descent.
is a new USPS sponsored website for USPS retirees. It includes links to Stamps News, Employee Deals, Postal Bulletins, and many other subjects related to the USPS and employee highlights.
Retired Inspector Badges & Commemoratives
The vendor, Gerard R. Davis Ltd., has a website but it doesn't afford access to any of the Postal Inspector memorabilia. If you
, however, you can download a color JPEG graphic showing all of the items they have produced for active and retired Postal Inspectors. If you don't have a hi-speed internet connection or would prefer to download a smaller file (the color graphic is 1.4MB)
. Both the color and grayscale graphics include a section for ordering the item(s) you wish to purchase. If you have trouble printing either of the graphics,
to download a copy of the order form only which should print on a single sheet without difficulty. In any case, however, it's best to save the file to your desktop and then open it with whatever photo software you use before attempting to print it.
Their website includes an email address (firstname.lastname@example.com) and telephone number (401-766-8760), either of which it is recommended you use in order to verify that the item or items you're interested in are currently available and that the prices shown on the graphic are still good. At this writing (5-31-05) the prices shown are current.
Are you taking an automobile trip in the near future? Would you like to know exactly how to get from one place to the next, right down to the street address? Get this and more by going to MapQuest.
Free On-line Virus Scan
Trend Micro PC-cillin offers a free virus scan to any home user who has reason to believe their computer has developed a virus. The initial scan might take a while (depending upon the speed of your computer and internet connection) but it's definitely worth the wait if you have any doubts about the condition of your system.
Sleep Help
Sleep Help, a web portal devoted to increasing sleep health awareness and wellness.
Life Expectancy Calculator
Whether you're planning to live to the ripe old age of 100 or not, this website will, based upon your answers to a simple questionnaire, give you their best estimate of how long you can expect to grace NARPI with your presence. If you register with them (you can remain anonymous) they will add you to their E-mail list for bulletins containing information of interest to seniors.
Recalls and Safety Alerts
Would you like to whether there's been a recall on your automobile, toaster oven or your grandchild's baby carriage? This website provides that type of information for all consumer product areas. Check it out before you sink $200 into that jogging stroller your granddaughter has been hinting about.
Urban Legends, Folklore and Outright Hoaxes
Have you received one of those Gloom and Doom E-mail messages recently? You know, the ones that tell you the sky's going to fall if you don't immediately sign a petition or forward the E-mail to everyone on your address list. Well guess what: many of those messages are inaccurate if not completely false. This website will help you sort the wheat from the chaff.
Looking for an old friend or classmate? Using only a first and last name and supposed state of residence, you have a good chance of locating that person through People Find website. Some of their services come with a price attached but their White Pages search engine is free for all. Good hunting!
Reverse Lookup (phone number or address)
Who are they? A quick, easy and FREE way to find out.
Elderhostel, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization with 25 years of experience providing high-quality, affordable, educational adventures for adults who are 55 and older. These short-term educational programs are a fun and exciting way to share new ideas, explore new places and make new friends.
Computer Virus Hoaxes
Forwarding virus warnings you receive from unofficial sources often only serves to spread and perpetuate hoaxes, and flood the already overburdened Internet with unnecessary traffic. Go here first to determine whether the warning you received is valid and worth forwarding.
For those who might be interested, this is the only Website that reflects the official opinions and positions of NARFE, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
As you know only too well, this is Federal Government's Human Resources Agency and, more importantly, the people who generate our monthly stipends.
The official Website of the Social Security Administration. If you're a so-called Double Dipper (it's not a dirty appellation), you'll want to visit this one.
Need we say more?
Everything you ever wanted to know and then some, including a link to the Copyright Office where you can register your pearls of wisdom.
These folks consider you fair game when you hit 50. Nevertheless, they are very influential and are certainly worth a look-see.
You never know when you might need it.
Postage Rate Calculator
This is especially useful if you have any overseas correspondents.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield Mail-Order Pharmacy
For those of us who carry Federal Blue Cross and take prescription medicine (Is there anyone who doesn't?), this is a very convenient means of ordering your 90-day refills.


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What questions should you ask in your next hotel guest survey?
Asking your guests to fill out a survey can sometimes feel like nagging, but did you know that properties who ask for feedback actually do get more reviews? Not only this, but gathering guests' opinions has been shown to lead to better scores and a reduction in extreme reviews on public forums like review sites.
The way you structure your guest survey can even influence the way travellers recall their experience, while sending a survey mid-stay can turn the experience around altogether – giving you an opportunity to address any problems while the guest is still there.
But what should you be asking to get the most from your guest surveys? Here are the questions research suggests you should include, as well as a few tips on collecting and measuring your results.
Find out your Net Promoter Score
The main questions you should be asking are around your Net Promoter Score (NPS). The NPS is all about gauging how likely your guests would be to recommend your property – and research suggests it can really influence your overall business growth. For example, an average NPS increase of 7% has been shown to result in a roughly 1% rise in revenue.
This boost in income comes from accommodation owners asking the right questions and taking prompt action on feedback. Guests leave feeling happier, more satisfied, and therefore, more likely to want to tell the world about their stay.
To start measuring your Net Promoter Score, you'll need to ask the following question:
"On a scale of 1-10 how likely are you to recommend {property name} to friends, family or colleagues?"
The responses can then be divided into three groups:
Detractors (0-6 out of 10).
These guests are unhappy and could potentially damage your property's reputation by leaving negative reviews, or through word-of-mouth.
Passives (7-8 out of 10)
Passive guests are satisfied but not particularly enthusiastic. They're unlikely to damage your property's reputation, although they might not recommend you either – and could easily stay with a competitor next time.
Promoters (9-10 out of 10)
Promoters are very happy! They loved their stay with you, and are likely to come back again. They'll enthuse about your property in reviews and recommend you by word-of-mouth, too.
You can then use this calculation to work out your overall score. If you're using a special guest review solution, it will likely have this feature built in already.
To discover more about why your guests gave the scores they did – and give you valuable action points – follow-up with open-ended questions like:
- "What changes could we have made to make you more likely to recommend us?"
- "What did we do really well?"
The average NPS for US hotels is 36 – how does your property compare? Keep an eye on how your Detractors, Passives, Promoters and your overall score change over time.
Other important focus areas
Effective guest surveys are short, so use your space wisely by asking about what matters. The following areas each play a big part in satisfaction, and can sometimes make or break the stay for your guests.
The check-in/check-out process
Ask questions about the check-in and check-out process to see if there's anything you could streamline.
The room or whole apartment
Find out about overall satisfaction, as well as specifics like cleanliness and amenities.
Your staff
Are your staff friendly? Can they answer questions and solve problems effectively? Ask your guests!
Food (if applicable)
Gauge whether you're selling the right dishes for the right price by asking about the range of food and value for money.
3 tips for getting the most out of your surveys
- Try to limit your survey to 10 questions or fewer. To make sure people finish it, it should take a maximum of 5 minutes to complete.
- Only ask questions about things you can change – your property's location, for example, isn't something you can do anything about.
- If you've already identified a specific issue, don't ask questions about it again until it's resolved. That way you'll be able to gather new information, instead of hearing what you already know.
Collecting survey data
It might seem difficult to set up a guest survey yourself, but there are solutions out there that have been specially designed to make it as simple as possible.
These tools allow you to send pre-, during- and post-stay surveys, customised with your own hotel branding. They also help you sort your positive and negative feedback into themes, so you can easily identify what's going well and what needs to be addressed immediately.
You might even be able to connect your survey results to your Property Management System, where you'll be able to create profiles for your guests. That way, if a guest stays again, you'll get a clear picture of their expectations before they even arrive – so you can compare any new feedback with their existing comments and ratings.
Ready to start building your next guest survey? You can find solutions to help you collect and measure your data in the BookingSuite App Store. Take a look here.


text: I had all but forgotten about the rad Chris Doyle X Anthem pivotal seats that Demolition had done a few years back; that was until they posted on Instagram yesterday about them being on clearance for only $14.99. You'd be hard pressed to find any pivotal seat that cheap, let alone one that looks as good as this. Demolition's web store is where you'll find the deal!


text:
This last weekend I went to the Lone Star Ruby Conference 2013. It was a good conf. Of course, there were some weak talks and bad wifi issues, but overall, it was the most enjoyable and useful conference I've been to.
- Sandi Metz's keynote looking at the history of writing and tech - Always great to hear that you're going to be obselete and thus, you need to remember what your priorities are.
- Dave Thomas's talk on Exlir - Showed off the power of the language by live-coding and having a good time doing it.
- Brandon Hays' talk on Ember.js and Rails - perhaps the best beginner talk I've ever seen. Great combo of funny, interesting, informative and technical enough to be useful.
- Sarah Mei's talk on fostering creativity and problem solving - Just a great talk–well delivered and interesting. Best soft talk of the conf.
- Nell Shamrell's talk on RegEx - Super informative, well delivered and highly technical without alientating anyone. 200 devs paying attention to every word she's saying about how a RegEx parser works. That's mad skills.
- Sam Livingston-Gray's talk on Refactoring - Wonderful talk that dove deep enough to give you an idea of HOW to refactor something. I always forget that it is one small thing at a time.
- Getting to meet and visit with people I had only known on twitter before like @_zph and @avdi.
- Getting to meet lots of people interesting in #pairwithme.
- Bryan Helmkamp: "Your goal is to make refactoring invisible. It should happen every time you touch the code. Little improvements here and there."
- Getting to give my Lightning Talk on #pairwithme
Overall a great conf. It seemed like the best and most interesting talks weren't focused on Ruby–with the exception of @geeksam's talk on refactoring. Nearly every talk worth it's salt was either talking about broadening your horizons or improving your code quality. That's a tall order, and it's a great thing that the Ruby community embraces it.
There will be no LSRC 2014, but the hope is that there will be one in 2015. I wonder if the Ruby Community will thrive to a point that makes all these regional conferences possible over the next two years. Maybe it will and maybe it won't. We'll see. Here's to hoping.


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How to Diagnose a Possible Problem with Your Power Steering System
Many years ago, you needed to be relatively fit to even drive a car. The technology had not yet materialised to help you turn the steering wheel with no effort, and if you were driving twisty roads all the time, you'd be able to have an upper body workout without knowing it. However, this is not the case these days, so if you're sweating too much trying to turn the wheel, it indicates a potential problem with the power steering system. What could be going wrong here?
Assessing the Fluid Levels
It could be something as simple as low fluid levels in the system. Have a look under the bonnet at the reservoir, and put some more of the proper grade inside, if it's low. If the problem comes back, you will have to take the vehicle in to find out where your leak is.
Looking at the Belt
Sometimes, the belt that runs the power steering itself may be slipping and in need of readjustment. With the aid of a friend, have a look underneath the car when the engine is running and the steering wheel is being turned from one side to another. You may notice some unusual noises when this happens, and if so, the belt itself will need to be tightened.
Having a Closer Look
While you're down there, have a look at the hoses that connect the steering pump to the steering rack. These should be in good condition, and if you notice any dampness on the exterior, this could be the source of a leak. It almost goes without saying, but if you can see any parts that appear to be loose when your friend is turning the steering wheel as mentioned before, these will need to be fixed by a qualified mechanic.
Could It Be the Actual Steering?
It's not inconceivable that the problem could be traced to the actual steering system itself, rather than the power assistance. Many vehicles are equipped with a conventional "rack and pinion" steering geometry, which is usually very reliable. However, this unit is sealed and filled with lubricant in order to keep temperatures down and promote efficiency, and it is possible that some of the seals may have worked themselves loose or become damaged. Once again, you may be able to see visual evidence of this during your quick inspection.
Getting the Expert Fix
Don't just grin and bear it if you find that your steering is too heavy and you're working harder than you should. Get in touch with a mechanic for repairs as soon as possible.


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Toy Vault, a company that specializes in merchandise for many cult fandoms, announced the release of The Princess Bride RPG in 2017. Toy Vault isn't new to creating games for The Princess Bride property having made Storming the Castle and Princess Bride-opoly. However, an RPG is branching out for the company, although they have some familiar names working on it.
Creating an RPG tied into a popular license is always a sort of hit or miss for consumers. However, I feel it's promising that there is new artwork being done for it, rather than just recycling the same promotional images and screen shots that have existed since the 80s. The Drew Struzan like box art is quite stunning and a welcome departure from a lot of the current game art. Attention to the art usually speaks to the attention the design of a game overall. So I'm making my view on this subject, one of my top ten favorite movies, as tentatively encouraging. I want it to be good and do well.
To be otherwise would be…
(You all expected me to say, "Inconceivable" right? Well, sorry. I refrained from using that particular phrase in any play on words, purposely. Get used to disappointment.)


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Check it out!NEW! "Blog Stories"
Carmel Finley Links
Bob Hitz
By Carmel Finley
Coming Feb 2017
At Amazon
By Captain George Moskovita
Republished and
Available from OSU Press
By Carmel Finley
Available at amazon.com
- Albacore tuna boat building California sardines Carmel Finley Cold War Dayton Lee Alverson Environmental History Exploratory Fishing Base Fisheries policy fisheries science Fishing George Moskovita History of Science History of Technology Japanese fishing Marine Policy Maritime History Nick Bez Ocean fishing Overfishing Pacific Explorer Pacific Fishing History Project R/V John N. Cobb Resources About Fishing Rosefish Sebastes rockfish Soviet environmental history Soviet fishing Soviet history' World History
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Category Archives: Columbia River Packers Association
Another Astoria, 1947, moment
What I love most about writing history is the way information connects and how stories can be woven into frameworks for a greater understanding. History is not about the past, it is a powerful lens that allows you to understand … Continue reading
Still another voice from Astoria in the 1930s
We love it when families retrace their involvement in the fishing industry. The family of Lyle Anderson, who worked at Bioproducts in Warrenton, have been compiling information about their father's career as a chemist making fish oils, pet food, and … Continue reading
Moskovita book for sale at history conference
You have no idea how pleasant it is to see a book you have worked on for sale. Even better would be watching somebody buy the book, but that has only happened to me once, when we went to a … Continue reading
Nick Bez, friend of presidents
The Pacific Explorer, the world's largest fishing boat, was eventually sold for scrap, but Nick Bez stayed in the news.[i] He sold his stock in Astoria's Columbia River Packers Association in 1951 and bought P. E. Harris, one of the … Continue reading
Astoria, 1947
There are many ways of looking at history. We can look at events, or at the people who were involved in the events, and we can look at how things came together in significant ways. There is often another dimension … Continue reading
Posted in Albacore tuna, boat building, Columbia River Packers Association, Dayton Lee Alverson, Environmental History, Exploratory Fishing Base, fisheries science, Fishing, George Moskovita, History of Science, History of Technology, Nick Bez, Ocean fishing, Pacific Explorer, Pacific Fishing History Project, Sebastes rockfish, World History Tagged Astoria, Columbia River Packers Association, Dayton Lee Alverson, Fisheries Science, George Moskovita, George Yost Harry, George Yost Harry III, Jergen Westrheim, Nick Bez, Oregon State University, Pacific Explorer, Pacific Fishery History Project, Pacific Ocean Perch, trawling Leave a comment
Captain George Moskovita Memoir to be republished by OSU Press
We are extremely pleased (thrilled, actually!) to announce that Oregon State University Press is going to republish Living off the Pacific Ocean Floor, the memoir by pioneer Astoria trawler, Captain George Moskovita. We are big fans of George, and grateful … Continue reading
Posted in Carmel Finley, Columbia River Packers Association, Environmental History, fisheries science, Fishing, George Moskovita, History of Science, History of Technology, Marine Policy, Maritime History, Ocean fishing, Oregon pilchards, Pacific Fishing History Project, Rosefish, World History Tagged Astoria, Carmel Finley, Fisheries Science, George Yost Harry III, groundfish, Jergen Westrheim, Pacific Fishery History Project, pilchards, rosefish, Sebastes rockfish Leave a comment


text:
A fine block of luxury investment apartments The Denizen might have been too if it had been properly designed and constructed rather than jerry built to save money. Hearing so much talk about it often makes us feel as if we know every flat in the building, though it has fallen to ruin. Only one man ever lived in it after it was built. Nobody wanted to stop in the place. There used to be awful noises, as if something was being pitched from the top floor, down the lift shaft and into the entrance hall. There would be a sound as if a hundred people were clinking glasses and talking all together at once. And then it seemed as if barrels were rolling in the basement although it only contained a private cinema and games room. There would be screeches and howls, and laughing, fit to make your blood run cold. They say there is gold hidden away in one of the derelict apartments, but no one has ever ventured to find it. Children won't come here to play, when they are cavorting in Fortune Street Park opposite The Denizen, nothing will make them stay once the light begins to fade. When the night is coming on, and the shadows creep over the park, many believe they've seen mighty queer things on the site of The Denizen.
Tag: dead
An Account of Strange Disturbances in Golden Lane, London EC1 Part 2
But the spell was not yet broken. The valley of the shadow of death was not yet traversed. The abhorred phantom was before me still in my luxury Denizen apartment which had been built over a plague pit by Taylor Wimpey. The spectre was standing near the balcony door, stooping a little and with one end of a rope round its own neck, was poising a noose at the other, as if to throw this over my head. While engaged in this baleful pantomime, it wore a smile so sensual, so unspeakably dreadful, that my senses were nearly overpowered.
The Haunting of The Denizen
Digging deeper beneath The Denizen's foundations, the labourers found some bones attached to and intermingled with fetters. Believing that burying the bones elsewhere would lift the curse of The Denizen, Johnson ordered the men he'd hired to carry them out of the basement. But when those charged with removing the human remains touched them, they dropped dead. The same fate befell Alex when he attempted to pick up the bones. The ghost was happy enough with The Denizen for its home. It was a quiet location because no one lived there….
Golden Lane's Empty Ghost Homes Part 2
The full moon was now high above The Denizen. Through the open window they could see the comforting stars like friendly eyes watching in the sky. One by one the clocks of the City struck midnight, and when the sounds died away the deep silence of a windless night fell again over everything. Only the roar of car engines, far away and lugubrious, filled the air with hollow murmurs. Inside Taylor Wimpey's The Denizen development the silence became awful; awful, he thought, because any minute now it might be broken by sounds portending terror. The strain of waiting told more and more severely on the nerves; they talked in whispers when they talked at all, for their voices aloud sounded queer and unnatural. A chilliness, not altogether due to the night air, invaded the room, and made them cold. The influences against them, whatever these might be, were slowly robbing them of self-confidence, and the power of decisive action; their forces were on the wane, and the possibility of real fear took on a new and terrible meaning...