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Ulsterbus and Metro services will be operating a holiday timetable on Boxing Day 2017, Tuesday 26thDecember.
Ulsterbus, including the X1, X2, X3 and X4 and Metro will run full schedules on 27th, 28th, 29th and 30thDecember and will operate holiday timetables on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, with an early evening close on New Year's Eve.
Northern Ireland Railways will run a regular service with some exceptions on Christmas Eve. There will be no train services on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Saturday timetables will operate on 27th, 28th, 29th and 30thDecember.
NI Railways will operate normal schedules on New Year's Eve, Sunday 31st December, with an early evening close and a Sunday service will also operate on New Year's Day.
Belfast to Dublin Enterprise Trains will run their usual schedules on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, with the last train leaving Belfast Central at 7.05 pm and the last train leaving Dublin Connolly at 7.00pm.
Enterprise services will not run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, while a limited service will operate on New Year's Day.
There will also be changes to Park and Ride services over the Christmas period. For full details of alterations and all festive season timetables, visit www.translink.co.uk or call our customer services team on 028 90 666630.


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I ran this race as a low key training run for reasons previously stated. I ended up with 13.25 miles in just over 2:05, or roughly 9:30 pace. Average effort was around 80%.
Well, it was hot and humid today, just as predicted. I'd resigned myself to not racing it, although a few minutes before the race, when it was only in the mid-60s I toyed with the idea of doing an all out effort. Then I decided against it; it's not like you can race the first 10K, then change your mind. Once you've exerted yourself in conditions like these you're in it for the haul, meaning the damage is done and running slower after a fast first half will be a lot harder than if you'd jogged the whole way, which is essentially what I did for most of the "race" today.
If you enjoy running on barren, completely exposed major roadways, then this is the race for you. But if you decide to take it on in 2011, be sure to get there early! We were trapped in a sluggish, single lane of cars crawling toward parking for at least 15 minutes after getting into the park entrance. Jonathan finally gave up and bolted from the car at 7:20. Unlike me, his plan today was to race and neither of us had a clue about where the start was. It turns out the race start was a five minute stroll from where I parked. He took the long way around. We wouldn't see each other again for another three hours.
Somehow we managed the separation and, in our own ways, both had a grand old time. Jonathan came in (he thinks) 13th overall, having managed an unofficial 1:20:03. He was, of course, unhappy with this, whereas I was astonished, considering the conditions and the fact that he hasn't actually been training for a half (or even a full). His paces were very even. I think it was among his most successful races, but he doesn't share this opinion.
In terms of his performance in a relative sense, one of the many quirks of this race is that obtaining "results" consists of lining up to use a machine into which you enter your bib number, which then burps out a printed receipt of your time and pace. But you have no idea how anyone else did. We assume he won the M50-59 AG, but won't know until the award shows up (or doesn't) in the mail eventually. Edited: Well, he won M50-54, but was beaten by a 58 year old!
There was apparently some drama at the start line. Jonathan was lined up near the front, and right before the start the race director surveyed those in front and pointed to a man who obviously didn't belong there (very overweight) and demanded that he move back, which he did. Then he approached a woman who in his estimation also didn't belong there (although Jonathan said he didn't think one could necessarily have made that assumption by looking at her). The RD demanded she move back as well, but she resisted. So he ripped her tag off and disqualified her on the spot.
Jonathan said the calling out of some vs. others seemed random and inconsistent to him, as there were other people on the line who didn't belong up there. I suppose it's the RD's prerogative to decide, perhaps for safety reasons, who can and can't be in the first row. But ejecting someone seems excessive. My guess? The LI race director is just another power mad jerk.
I was way back in the middle of the pack at the start. At 8AM we started walking toward the start mats and the women behind me were exclaiming how we had "perfect weather." That's when I hit "Play" on my MP3 player.
This is the first race I've run with music and let me tell you, I understand why people do it. Jogging for 13+ miles can be really boring. I knew this already, which is why I have an MP3 player in the first place, although I've heretofore been a purist when it comes to mixing music with racing. But I figured if I was going to play contented midpacker for a day, I may as well go whole hog and do it with headphones jammed into my ears. For today, I chose my "Sunday Run" mix (see below). It's what I listen to on Sundays. Easy decision.
The first few miles ticked by without incident. I distracted myself with judgmental assessments of the wide range of tattoos that surrounded me. There were lots of "tramp stamps" to be seen, but I was most impressed with one woman's "Farm / Ancient Rome" visual pastiche along her upper back, the centerpiece of which was two pigs with (and I can't explain this, so don't make me try) a large Doric column emerging from their spines. The other highlight was the woman with two tattoos on her calves: a Star of David (left) and Christ on a Cross (right). Mixed marriage?
The colorful visual treats so held my attention that I was taken by surprise by the sudden appearance of the 5 mile mark, only noticing it because that was when the sun emerged from the clouds, necessitating that I move to the shady side of the street, where I ran with a few 10K race stragglers. At mile 8 we turned into a headwind and for once wind was a refreshing, cooling force rather than an obstructive, energy sapping one.
I picked up the pace then, figuring on upping effort for the remainder of the race. Even in that weather, running the last 3-4 miles at higher effort wasn't going to kill me. Anything I can do at this point to acclimatize myself for the coming summer months is going to help. At 9:30, or around mile 9.5, the sun came out for good and it was beating down on us. I was running at around 80% at that point and started to pick things up, primarily to get this over with.
I started passing people, although other people were also picking things up, so I had lots of company. One thing I noticed was that most of the (much younger) people around me weren't running all that hard. Meaning they weren't really racing. I used to notice this when the pace I ran today was my race pace way back when and it used to drive me crazy. It still happens in some NYRR races, where I'm about to eject an internal organ, I'm working so hard, but I'll sometimes be running with guys who are chatting about where they had dinner last night. But nothing like this in terms of sheer numbers. My point is that I suspect a lot of "average" runners could run much faster if they tried. I don't know why they don't. Maybe because it's very uncomfortable? Yeah. I'll bet that's it.
At mile 11.6 I saw my first heat-related casualty, a guy who looked to be in his mid-20s, slightly overweight, flat on his back. He was surrounded by cops who hadn't bothered to try to get him into the shade and were otherwise making no visible effort to get him cooler. I listened for sirens, but heard none. Then at 11.75 miles I spotted Guy in His 20s #2. This time the cops were raising his feet (he was passed out cold), but, again, no ambulance.
The final straw was a man I saw at the 13 mile mark, clearly in big trouble. He was falling, then getting up, then falling again. The spectators seemed to find this funny, like he was some sort of trained bear. I found it alarming, but lucked upon a volunteer about a hundred feet along, around a curve. We had the following exchange, which would have been comical had it not been so frustrating:
Me: "There's a runner down at the 13 mile mark. You should call for medical help."
Him: "Where?"
Me: "The 13 mile mark."
Him: "Way back there?"
Me: "No, a hundred or so feet back, just around the curve."
Him: "Oh. I thought you meant mile 13 of the marathon."
Me: [Confused look] "They're the same finish."
Him: [Dashes off]
The LI event uses some sort of newfangled tracking system — an RFID strip is attached to the back of your bib rather than to your shoe. A little ways before the finish I spotted a trash can in which to dispose of the transmitter that would indelibly record my finishing time were it to pass over the finish mat. Still, I was surprised to hear my name called as I neared the finish — and pronounced correctly yet again (the planets must be in alignment) — so that was weird. I'm hoping they were just looking up bib numbers as we came in, as I don't want my cruddy finish time recorded. Because I'm obsessive that way.
Edited: Dammit. They managed to record my time somehow. I have no idea how that happened. Mystery solved: there are two strips on the back of each bib.
I'm a little tired now, but no more so than I'd be after any hot midlength run. For once I did the smart thing. For once.
Some news stories (and a blog report) from various races today. It wasn't pretty out there today:
- Heat, humidity make Long Island Marathon a rough road to travel
- Heat, exhaustion fells runners along marathon route in Long Branch
- Heat, humidity makes (sic) for tough Broad Street run
- Mountain Goat runners compete with heat
- Robert's tale of carnage in NJ
Sunday Run
Someday – Shawn Colvin
6 Underground – Sneaker Pimps
Blink – Yuji Oniki
Can We Still Be Friends? – Todd Rundgren
All I Really Want To Do – The Byrds
Modern Girl – Sleater-Kinney
Learning To Fly – Pink Floyd
September Gurls – Big Star
Bound By The Beauty – Jane Siberry
Fireflies (Live Version) – Fleetwood Mac
Rikki Don't Lose That Number – Steely Dan
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? – She and Him
Walk With You – Ringo Starr
Singing In My Sleep – Semisonic
Knocked Up – Kings Of Leon
Big Nuthin' – Maggie & Terre Roche
The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead – XTC
Time Stand Still – Rush
Home by the Sea – Genesis
Livin' Thing – Electric Light Orchestra
Beach – Mew
Where The Streets Have No Name – U2
Apocalypso – Mew
Don't Let Go The Coat – The Who
Figure Of Eight – Paul McCartney
Looking For Water – Carl Craig
Switch On [Featuring Ryan Tedder] – Paul Oakenfold
Fruit Machine – The Ting Tings
Paranoid Android – Radiohead
Airbag – Radiohead
Inni mer syngur vitleysingur – Sigur Ros
The Shock Of The Lightning – Oasis
Finer Feelings – Spoon
Read My Mind – The Killers
Nailed – Bob Mould
It's All In My Mind – Teenage Fanclub
Souls Travel – Bettie Serveert
Miracle Medicine – Jason Falkner


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Our fifth story OutFront – ready to rumble?
After a bruising election year, we're dusting ourselves off and getting back into the ring to look at the top political rivalries that will be playing out in the new year.
Here to break them down are CNN contributors Reihan Salam, Roland Martin, and Margaret Hoover.
Our fourth story OutFront: bracing for impact.
Fears of falling off the fiscal cliff are taking a big toll on the financial markets. Stocks closed lower for the fifth straight day, ending the week down nearly 2%. The Dow suffered its steepest loss since November 14th?
Will the president's scaled-down deal stem the bleeding? OutFront tonight are Daniel Altman, adjunct associate professor of economics at the New York University Stern School of Business, and Stephen Moore, Senior Economics Writer for the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page.
Our third story OutFront: allegations of abuse.
Two caregivers at an army day care center in Virginia are under arrest and charged with assaulting children, and at least 30 other workers among two centers have been taken off the job after background checks found criminal records, including sexual assault and drug use.
Military families are shocked, frustrated, and asking a lot of questions. Our own Barbara Starr went looking for answers in this exclusive OutFront Investigation.
Our second story OutFront: gun control.
Politicians said the Newtown massacre would change everything. But since it happened, Slate Magazine is reporting 277 people in this country have died because of gun violence.
And Americans are sending mixed messages about where they stand on the issue. A recent Gallup poll shows 54 percent still have a positive image of the National Rifle Association.
On the other hand, a poll by ABC News and the Washington Post shows 52 percent of people favor banning semi-automatic handguns, while 59 percent support a ban on high-capacity clips used in assault-style rifles.
OutFront tonight to debate whether legislative change is likely or even possible are CNN contributors Roland Martin and Margaret Hoover.
OutFront tonight: the eleventh hour.
In a press conference today, the President put pressure squarely on the Senate to broker a deal on the edge of the fiscal cliff, showing visible frustration with the lack of action in Washington so far.
That followed a rare last-minute, face-to-face meeting that took place behind closed doors today between all the key players of the fiscal cliff drama. With just four days to go before we go over the fiscal cliff, the President, the Vice President, the Treasury Secretary, and all four Congressional leaders huddled together for an hour and five minutes.
CNN's Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin is OutFront tonight with the latest information.


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Medical background
The amount of microorganisms that reside in and on our body strongly outnumbers the amount of our 'own' human cells. New insights show that our microbial communities are very individual, like a fingerprint. We cannot live without them as they take care of some very important functions in our digestive tract and for acidification of the skin and vagina. Ideally we live in harmony with our microbiota. The balance in this ecosystem keeps harmful bacteria in control.
In the vagina, the useful bacteria are the lactic acid producing lactobacilli that keep most unwanted bacteria and other microorganisms like yeasts at bay. Disruption of the vaginal microbial balance is often noticed by a change in the discharge and symptoms like itch, malodor or burning. Best known is the condition of overgrowth of anearobic bacteria called bacterial vaginosis (BV) which is accompanied by the fishy odour that is caused by the amines that are produced by these bacteria. (Pinkster 1998). External factors for this disruption are hygiene and coitus. After coitus the pH of the vagina increases significantly from acidic to slightly alkaline. (Tevi-Benissan 1997). In this alkaline environment BV flora – which thrive at an elevated pH- may increase explosively with a growth peak at some 36 hours after the "alkaline shock" of the sperm.
The composition of the vaginal microbiota is highly dynamic and changes in reaction to hormonal fluctuations, and external factors like sexual activity and vaginal hygiene. In case of dysbiosis, the beneficial lactobacilli are outnumbered by harmful microbes such as the BV flora or yeast cells. Such dysbiosis is often accompanied by vaginal discomforts such as itch, malodor, abnormal discharge and pain. For both bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candida problems the standard medical treatment is prescription of antimicrobial drugs. Antibiotics and antimycotics can however severely affect the composition of the microbiota and also disrupt the beneficial microorganisms. In addition, these strategies are often only effective on the short term, as both for metronidazole treatment of BV and antimycotic treatment (e.g. clotrimazole) of candidiasis very high frequencies of recurring infections are reported. New approaches that correct the vaginal dysbiosis have become available in recent years. These strategies include the use of acidic gels, prebiotic stimulation of vaginal lactobacilli and natural barrier formation that prevent harmful microorganisms from colonizing our body surfaces . Barrier formation based on natural products are the innovative, patented basis of the Multi-Gyn product line and are combined with other functional components such as acidic and prebiotic ingredients to prevent and treat vaginal infections and related discomforts.
More professional information:
For Healthcare Professionals Only.


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I did not intend to make Dorie Greenspan's Torte Noire from Baking…From My Home to Yours. True, it's one of the original Tuesdays with Dorie recipes I still needed to make. True, it's very delicious–a chocolate ganache tart with a chocolate crust.
It didn't strong arm me nor show up at my office begging me with a raspy voice like an old-school femme fatale. It simply was a matter of convenience. I had leftover chocolate dough from chocolate truffle tarts. I wanted to use it to make a tart or something similar out of TWD v1.0 to cross another recipe off the list.
I made two mini 4″ tarts–one for Paul, one for me–and made 1/4 of the recipe for the filling. The filling is a simple ganache with nothing simple about the taste. Because of the rainy day and rushedness (new word!) of the photo shoot, we didn't get any good shots. Paul's solution? "You'll just have to make these again." And we will. It's the little black dress of chocolate tarts. Not fussy, perfectly simple, and with great taste.
The TWD bakers made the tarte back in July 2010 when I was still baking with the group and I don't recall (other than my life was a mess) why I didn't make it then. Dharmagirl of Bliss: Towards a Delicious Life hosted the TARTE NOIRE RECIPE.


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"Sparkle and Shine in the Summer Heat"
Our Summer Jewelry Picks for 2015
Jewelry is one of the most versatile ways to express personal style, and Savannah's own unique personality is expressed in its array of accessory boutiques and upscale jewelers.
Zia's designs are known for being both sleek and fierce. The accessory store's latest selection, Sticks and Stones, is made up of breathtaking body chains and cascading necklaces and earrings inspired by nature. This is evident in different pieces named after elements such as Falling Leaves, Waterfall, Luna, and more.
Inspired by L.A. and the West Coast, jeweled and stoned chokers have been particularly popular among customers at Villa. The stones are wrapped in silver or gold, and are a fun way to make a statement without being too fussy. Chokers made a name for themselves in the '90's, and we're happy to see them back in a much classier way.
We're seeing a lot of animal inspired jewelry this season, like at M. Liz Jewelry in collaboration with Mamie Ruth. All natural elements, like unpolished and uncut stones, are accented with metals that are 14K gold filled and sterling silver. For these particular collections, porcupine quills and beetle wings are used in their natural state and from exotic locations.


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The Anointed begotten Son of God
41. What to believe
Do we really believe the words of the Bible or has our tradition made it difficult to hear the text of Scripture without the interfering voices of later tradition? There is the constant danger for us believers that the words of the Bible can be drowned out by the clamorous and sometimes threatening words of ecclesiastical teaching, which mostly goes unexamined. At stake here is the whole nature of the Saviour. Is he really a human being, or did he have the benefit of billions of years of conscious existence before deciding to become a man? Is this latter picture anything more than a legendary addition to Apostolic faith?
The Son of God, Messiah and Saviour, is defined in precise theological terms by Gabriel, laying the foundation of the whole New Testament and fulfilling the promises of the Old.
Christians should unite around that clear portrait of Jesus presented by Gabriel. Jesus is the Son of God on one basis only, his miraculous coming into existence in Mary's womb. This was God's creative act, initiating His new creation and providing the model of Christian Sonship for us all. Though obviously we are not, like Jesus, brought into existence supernaturally, nevertheless we, like him, are to receive a supernatural birth from spirit by being born again under the influence of the Gospel (Galatians 3:2; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Romans 10:17; Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:11, 12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; James 1:18).
The "divine" nature of Jesus has no other foundation than the stupendous miracle granted to Mary and to humanity. A Jesus who claims to be Son of God for any other reason should be rejected. A natural son of Joseph cannot qualify as the Messiah, nor can a person whose existence did not originate in his mother's womb by a divine creative miracle.
42. Inhuman
From chapter 31 and 32 we could see that we do not have an incarnation from God into a human body, called Jesus, in the human Mary. And that coming out of the womb, coming into birth we got a human body which grew up, by eating and drinking, to come to an end by being put on the tree or on a piece of wood, afterwards he was liberated from that death by his Father.
"The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom you slew, hanging him on a tree:" (Acts 5:30 LO) "But God raised him up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it." (Acts 2:24 Noyes)
It was a man, born out of a woman, who really could feel pain and horror and died in agony. He was put in the grave or sepulchre and in a miraculous way taken out of it. Nobody can kill God but Jesus was killed and descended into the earth or 'hell', which is the grave . [38. Sjeool, Sheol, Hades, Hell = sepulchre or Grave. "he foreseeing [this] spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption." (Acts 2:31 ASV)
"he was speaking in advance about the resurrection of the Messiah, that it was he who was not abandoned in sh'ol and whose flesh did not see decay." (Acts 2:31 CJB)
"he seeing this before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption." (Acts 2:31 Webster)]
"But when the completion of the time came, Elohim sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under Torah," (Galatians 4:4 The Scriptures 1998+)
""For as Yonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, so shall the Son of Ad'am be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40 The Scriptures 1998+)
"Then He warned His taught ones that they should say to no one that He is יהושע the Messiah. From that time יהושע began to show to His taught ones that it was necessary for Him to go to Yerushalayim, and to suffer much from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and to be raised again the third day." (Matthew 16:20-21 The Scriptures 1998+)
"And when the captain and those with him, who were guarding יהושע, saw the earthquake and all that took place, they feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of Elohim!" And many women who followed יהושע from Galil, attending Him, were there, watching from a distance, among whom were Miryam from Maḡdala, and Miryam the mother of Yaʽaqob' and Yosĕph, and the mother of Zab'dai's sons. And when evening came, there came a rich man from Ramathayim, named Yosĕph, who himself had also become a taught one of יהושע. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of יהושע. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given. And having taken the body, Yosĕph wrapped it in clean linen, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock. And he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and went away. And Miryam from Maḡdala was there, and the other Miryam, sitting opposite the tomb. On the next day, which was after the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Master, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I am raised.' "Command, then, that the tomb be safeguarded until the third day, lest His taught ones come by night and steal Him away, and should say to the people, 'He was raised from the dead.' And the last deception shall be worse than the first." So Pilate said to them, "You have a watch, go, safeguard it as you know how." And they went and safeguarded the tomb, sealing the stone and setting the watch." (Matthew 27:54-66 The Scriptures 1998+)
"He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption." (Acts 2:31 AVRLE)
"foreseeing this he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah, that His being was neither left in the grave, nor did His flesh see corruption. (Acts 2:31 The Scriptures 1998+)
"And the messenger responding, said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek יהושע who was impaled. "He is not here, for He was raised, as He said. Come, see the place where the Master lay." (Matthew 28:5-6 The Scriptures 1998+)
You could call it inhuman that Jesus his flesh did not see corruption, but that happened by the force of God again. As he was given life by God the first time and it was taken out by humans, God gave him life again as an example what can happen to us as well. All humans shall be able to become resurrected in the hope of their fellow brother or fellow human Christ Jesus.
The constitution of Jesus as the unique Son of God is given its basis by the superb words of Gabriel in Luke 1:35. This definition of the Messiah, Son of God, should be allowed to stand.
It was later, post-biblical tradition which interfered with the definitive, revealing statement of Gabriel. Once Jesus was turned into a pre-existing Son of God who gave up one conscious existence for another, Christology immediately became problematic (as witnessed by the centuries of disputes, excommunications, and fierce dogmatic decisions of Church Councils). A Son of God who is already Son of God before his conception in his mother is a personage essentially non-human. Under that revised scheme what came into existence in Mary was not the Son of God at all, but a created human nature added to an already existing Person. But Gabriel describes the creation of the Son of God himself, not the creation of a human nature added to an already existing Son. The two models are quite different.
Preceding article: Jesus begotten Son of God #17 Adam, Eve, Mary and Christianity's central figure
To be continued: 43. A compromising fact
Who is Jesus Christ? #1 What does the Bible say the only man who is called "the Last Adam" , the only man who was ever born of a virgin
Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
Around pre-existence of Christ
Pre-existence of Christ #1 Intro #1 Athanasian Creed
Christ begotten through the power of the Holy Spirit
Da Vinci Code: Was Jesus Human or Divine?
Jesus son of God Six simple words. However, they are much more than simple words
Christian thought: acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God
Related articles
- Jesus begotten Son of God #4 Promised Prophet and Saviour (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Jesus begotten Son of God #8 Found Divinely Created not Incarnated (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Jesus begotten Son of God #10 Coming down spirit or flesh seed of Eve (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Jesus begotten Son of God #11 Existence and Genesis Raising up (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Jesus begotten Son of God #12 Son of God (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Jesus begotten Son of God #13 Pre-existence excluding virginal birth of the Only One Transposed (christadelphians.wordpress.com)
- Jesus begotten Son of God #14 Beloved Preminent Son and Mediator originating in Mary (christadelphians.wordpress.com)


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In looking for a quote by Pius XII, a reader directed me, us, to a speech of Ven. Pius XII delivered on 14 October 1953 (Acta Apostolicae Sedis 45 (1953) pp 679 ff.) at the opening of the North American College in Rome.
Here is the main part of the speech, after the intro and before the usual conclusions.
Pretty inspiring stuff.
My emphases.
[The completion of the North American College] lights a stronger flame of hope for the Church in the United States of America and in the world. All this, it seemed to Us, adds up to a grave and sacred responsibility that rests on you, Our dear young seminarians, and on those who are to follow you. Will the sacrifices cheerfully offered for your sake be repaid in kind and with interest? Will the hopes and plans cherished by your Bishops, cherished by Us, be fulfilled? Your eager hearts are quick to answer: yes. But reflect a moment. That will be true only under one condition, that you become priests worthy of the name.
In the priesthood man is elevated to an almost staggering height, a mediator between a world in travail and the celestial kingdom of peace. Christ's ambassador, steward of God's mysteries, he exercises a divine power. Heir to the priestly and kingly offices of the divine Redeemer, he is commissioned to carry on the task of salvation, bringing souls to God and giving God to souls. Never, then, unmindful of the supreme importance of such a vocation, the priest will not busy himself with useless things. Modeling his life on that of Him he represents he will gladly spend and be spent on behalf of souls. Souls he seeks everywhere and always, not what the world can offer him. «To be a priest and to be a man dedicated to work is one and the same thing», wrote Bl. Pius X; and he liked to quote the words of the synod presided over by St. Charles Borromeo: «let every cleric repeat again and again: he has been called not to a life of ease and leisure, but to hard work in the spiritual army of the Church».
Those words, beloved sons, recall another fact one dare not forget. We belong to the Church militant ; and she is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass her destruction. Not only in the far-off centuries of the early Church, but down through the ages and in this our day, the enemies of God and Christian civilization make bold to attack the Creator's supreme dominion and sacrosanct human rights. No rank of the clergy is spared ; and the faithful—their number is legion—inspired by the valiant endurance of their shepherds and fathers in Christ, stand firm, ready to suffer and die, as the martyrs of old, for the one true Faith taught by Jesus Christ. Into that militia you seek to be admitted as leaders.
Imprisonment and martyrdom, We know, do not loom on the horizon that spreads before your eyes. In an atmosphere of untrammeled freedom, where «the word of God is not bound», the Church in your country has grown in numbers, in influence, in strength of leadership in all that makes for the good of the commonwealth. The college on the via dell'Umiltà has seen your priests increase from twenty-fìve hundred to forty-fìve thousand and more-proud and glorious tribute to the unselfìsh, clear-visioned Catholic family life that prevails among you; a mission country become a seminary of apostles for foreign fìelds. But the Church militant is «one body, with one Spirit … with the same Lord, the same faith, the same baptism».(Eph 4, 4 ff.) And that Spirit calls for more than a dash of heroism in every priest who would be worthy of the name, whatever the external circumstances of time and place.
The spirit of the martyrs breathes in every priestly soul, who in the daily round of pastoral duties and in his cheerful, unrelenting efforts to increase in wisdom and in grace, gives witness to the Prince of shepherds, who endured the cross, despised the shame «when He gave Himself up on our behalf, a sacrifice breathing out fragrance as He offered it to God». (Eph 5, 2.)
We raise a fervent prayer to Mary Immaculate, under whose patronage you have placed your country, to Mary gloriously assumed into heaven, whom you have wished to honour in your chapel here, that she would always show a mother's loving care of the clergy of America, and guide you, beloved seminarians, bearers of such high hopes, along the way that leads to that holiness which will bring her to recognize in you a greater and greater resemblance to her own divine Son.
Pius XII describing the Church in the USA in 1953. My my how times have changed.
When I was in my gawdawful American seminary in 1980's I was accused on more than one occasion of wanting the 1950's back. Though I was born in 1959 and was a convert and never knew the Church of the 1950's, what Pope Pius is talking about was the sort of vision I wanted for my Church and from my seminary and in my country.
And, animi caussa, some footage of Pius XII at the NAC. No sound, alas.
I sense that there is something of this spirit stirring in seminarians and young priests and new bishops in the United States.


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There's almost no Internet access in North Korea, but that hasn't stopped the isolated nation from producing its version of an iPad, called the Samjiyon. Ruediger Frank, a professor of East Asian economy and society at the University of Vienna and head of its Department of East Asian Studies, took a deep look at the tablet after he bought one on a recent trip to the closed-off nation. Writing for the website 38North.org, which analyzes North Korean issues, Frank was pleasantly surprised by his purchase, despite its inability to use the Internet. It runs a custom version of Android, has 14 games including Angry Birds, and comes pre-loaded with 488 dictionaries, reference works and e-books. Among the e-books is Margaret Mitchell's 1936 classic, 'Gone With the Wind.' Yes, you read that right, 'Gone With the Wind.' The e-book comes with an introduction that explains that the book is 'particularly useful for understanding how modern capitalism spread to all of the United States,' because it shows how the exploitation of black slaves was the economic foundation of the American colonies and describes the Civil War as 'a struggle between the bourgeoisie of the North and the landowners of the South.' It might seem an anachronistic inclusion to the tablet, but 'Gone With the Wind' is actually one of the best-known pieces of American literature in North Korea, according to a report from Tim Sullivan at the Associated Press. The book was translated by the government in the mid-1990s, just before the collapse of Soviet Union support to North Korea resulted in widespread famine. The motivations behind its importation remain unclear; it may have been meant as a peace offering or as an insult to the United States. But regardless of why it was translated, once it was available it became incredibly popular – perhaps because the Civil War narrative and survival story rings true with the general population for whom life is a near-constant struggle with poverty and starvation. This isn't the first time 'Gone With the Wind' has shown up in unexpected places because of its cult status in North Korea. Although the movie remains forbidden to the general public, it is sometimes used in English-language training material for elite government officials. And North Korean officials meeting with U.S. envoys have been known to quote from the novel during negotiations.
North Korean tablet has 'Gone With the Wind'
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FAME & FLYING: You reach a certain amount of success in this life and you're going to wind up on an airplane. For athletes, politicians, actors and musicians, flying is part of the package, whether it's glamorous jet-setting or just part of the drudgery of city-to-city, country- to-country touring that comes with the job.
When Long Beach native Jenni Rivera died with six others in a plane crash Sunday in Mexico, she joined the long and sad list of stars who died in aviation accidents.
In the field of pop music, we tend to think of drug and alcohol abuse as being the cause of death when musicians die in the prime of life and, while that is a huge list, plane crashes are another form of death by success, one that's taken the lives of several musicians who were still at their greatest success or ascendancy when they fell from the sky.
The most recent pop star fatality was singer/actress/model Aaliyah (Haughton) who died in August 2001 when her Cessna crashed during takeoff following a video shoot in the Bahamas. The plane was reportedly overloaded and a subsequent investigation found traces of cocaine and alcohol in the pilot's body. Nine people died in the crash. Aaliyah was 22.
Otis Redding's career was already a success but was about to become an even greater one when, three days after he recorded what would become his biggest hit, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," his Beechcraft H18 crashed into Lake Monona en route to Madison, Wis., where he and his band the Bar-Kays were to perform with the Grim Reapers (featuring future Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen). Redding and four members of his band died in the crash, and the cause was never determined. Redding was 26.
The stupidest pop star aviation death was that of Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads. His Beech Bonanza F35 was trying to buzz Osbourne's tour bus in Leesburg, Fla., when a wing clipped the bus and the plane crashed into the garage of a nearby mansion. Rhoads, who was afraid of flying and agreed to get on the plane only after the pilot agreed not to try anything crazy, was killed, along with two others. Rhoads was 25.
On New Year's Eve, 1985 rock 'n' roll singer/guitarist Ricky Nelson, his fiancee and five members of his Stone Canyon Band were killed when a heater malfunction caused a fire on board a DC-3 taking the group to a New Year's Eve concert in Dallas. Nelson was 45.
The most famous rock 'n' roll air disaster – it inspired Don McLean's "American Pie" ("The Day the Music Died") – came on Feb. 3, 1959. Following a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P Richardson ("The Big Bopper") and their pilot were killed in the Beechcraft Bonanza Holly had chartered out of nearby Mason City. No one heard the crash and it wasn't discovered until the following day. Holly was 22, Richardson was 28, Valens was 17.
The better part of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band died on Oct. 20, 1977, at the peak of the band's popularity when, following the band's performance in Greenville, S.C., its chartered Convair CV-300 ran out of fuel and crashed in a swamp in Gillsburg, Miss. Killed were lead vocalist/
songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister and band's back-up vocalist Cassie Gaines. Ronnie Van Zant and Cassie Gaines were 29, Steve Gaines was 28.
The list goes on: Patsy Cline and members of her band died in 1963 when their Piper Comanche crashed in bad weather near Camben, Tenn. Patsy was 30.
Jim Croce was 30, as well, when he and three others died in a crash when their plane failed to gain enough altitude and hit a tree while taking off from Natchitoches, La. on Sept. 20, 1973.
John Denver was 53 when his experimental single-engine plane crashed near Monterey on Oct. 12, 1997.
And the great blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan died on August 27, 1990, when the Bell helicopter – one of four being used to transport his band and crew – failed to gain altitude and crashed shortly after takeoff near East Troy, Wis. All five people aboard were killed. Vaughan was 35.
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Last Friday, after 27 years of service, NASA powered down space shuttle Discovery for the very last time. This week, space shuttle Atlantis — which five months ago today touched down at Kennedy Space Center, marking the end of the US Space Shuttle Program — will share the same fate.
In the coming weeks, Atlantis will be disemboweled, its interior stripped bare to ensure that that the craft is light enough to be displayed safely at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Here's your chance to catch a rare glimpse of Atlantis' intact insides, powered and lit for the very last time.
The images, which were were captured last week by collectSPACE.com's Robert Z. Pearlman, reveal the impressive array of screens and instrumentation sprawled across every visible surface of the shuttle's flight deck.
These are just a few pictures from a larger photo gallery that explores Antlantis' flight deck, middeck, and 60-foot payload bay. The entire gallery is excellent, and is definitely worth checking out. [collectSPACE]
All images by Robert Z. Pearlman via collectSPACE


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2012 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit: Top 10 Sleepers
J.D. Martinez has a chance to be a very productive player this season.
We're back with another batch of the 2012 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit. So while you Chris Carpenter owners can feel a tiny bit better about your hurler's prospects, let's take a look at a few players we consider sleepers heading into the 2012 season.
One of the rites of spring is scouring the player depth charts in search of that next diamond in the rough. When you're looking for sleepers, two factors should enter into the equation – playing time opportunities and potential upside. On draft day, in the latter rounds all bets should be off. It's time to throw caution to the wind and gamble on those players that have the potential to return hefty dividends. Realistically, the worst that can occur is you've now made a date with the waiver wire. With that in mind, let's give some of our top 2012 sleepers the proverbial once over.
J.D. Martinez, OF, Houston Astros: The word coming out of Houston is that Martinez will be occupying either the third of fourth slot in the Astros' batting order this year. Yes, we know it's Houston — no one's idea of a prolific offense — but someone has to drive in runs, so as a fourth or fifth outfielder in five-outfielder sets, Martinez will have value. In three seasons in the minors prior to his promotion to the big league club last August, his lowest OPS was 937 in 2010. Last August we saw a glimpse of Martinez's potential when he smacked five homers with 28 RBI. Is a 20-90 campaign in the cards for the young outfielder?
Denard Span, OF, Minnesota Twins: In his first two full-time seasons patrolling centre field for the Twins, Span scored 97 and 85 runs respectively. Toss in the 23 and 26 stolen bases and he was well on his way to being a solid Fantasy producer. Then came the trainwreck called 2011 and a concussion that pretty much made it a lost season for Span. Early on this spring, he ran into a chain link fence and survived, always a good sign for a player coming off concussion issues. If he's healthy and back hitting in the leadoff slot – which it appears he will be – Span is a solid outield option ripe for the picking.
Alcides Escobar, SS, Kansas City Royals: There is definitely a dearth of talent at shortstop heading into 2012, but that doesn't mean all is lost. In the latter rounds Escobar's great speed potential is more than worth of gambling on. In 2009, he managed 42 thefts with a great .298 BA at Triple-A Nashville and last year he swiped 26 bags in his first season in KC. If the top-tier middle infielder options escape your grasp on draft day, Escobar and his 35-steal potential should be on your radar.
Tommy Milone, SP, Oakland Athletics: Our on-going man crush with Milone resumes. Heading into 2012, the A's rotation is anchored by Brandon McCarthy with Bartolo Colon penciled in as the No. 2 starter, however, it's a wide open competition to fill out the rest of the rotation. In 306 1/3 IP over the past two seasons in the minors, Milone managed to strike out 310 batters while allowing only 39 walks. No, that's not a misprint. Not all that bad for a soft-tossing lefty, huh? In a brief audition in Washington last fall, he held his own and now that he's in Oakland, the window of opportunity is wide open, so don't be surprised to see Milone break camp owning one of those rotation spots.
Henderson Alvarez, SP, Toronto Blue Jays: The soon-to-be-22-year-old righty made a successful transition from Double-A to the Jays' rotation in mid-August. In 10 starts, Alvarez posted a 3.53 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and solid 40/9 K/BB ratio. The Jays have him penciled in for a rotation slot and the upside his more than warranting of a late draft pick or bench slot.
Jonathan Sanchez, SP, Kansas City Royals: The ankle injury that cost Sanchez most of the second half of the 2011 campaign appears to be in his rear view mirror. Any semblance of a return to his 2010 level of play is instrumental in the Royals' plans to take that next step in the AL Central. The free passes are always a concern with Sanchez, but his 200+ strikeout potential can't be ignored when looking at the latter rounds in 2012 drafts.
John Mayberry, Jr., OF, Philadelphia Phillies: Raul Ibanez has moved on to the Yankees and Domonic Brown is still deemed not ready. Will Brown ever be ready? The job is Mayberry's to lose and the Phillie hierarchy will be giving him a long leash in 2012. If he can build on his 15-homer, 49-RBI, eight-theft 2011 campaign, you could find some serious value this season with this pick.
Adam LaRoche, 1B, Washington Nationals: Prior to 2011, LaRoche was one of the most consistent middle-tier producers at first base. From 2005 through 2010, he averaged 25 homers and 87 RBI including three consecutive 25-dinger season prior to being derailed by shoulder woes last year. The Nationals are committed to LaRoche and if his shoulder is fully healed a bounce-back campaign could be right around the corner. In NL-only formats special attention should be given to him as first base is quite shallow following the offseason defections of Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols to the Junior Circuit.
Bryan LaHair, 1B, Chicago Cubs: In 456 at-bats at Triple-A Iowa, LaHair pounded the ball to the tune of 38 homers and 109 RBI. Toss in another 15 big flies in Winter League Ball and that's a mighty impressive total. Top prospect Anthony Rizzo is going to start and quite possibly finish the 2012 season in the minors. New Cub Manager Dale Sveum is prepared to give LaHair a long leash and given that he's slated to hit cleanup, LaHair could be just what the doctor ordered if your team needs a power boost.
Rex Brothers, RP, Colorado Rockies: What would one of our sleeper lists be without at least one off-the-radar type middle reliever with closer potential? In 68 2/3 IP between the minors and bigs last season, Brothers struck out an incredible 104 batters. The Rockies' closer-of-the-future is one stumble by incumbent Rafael Betancourt from being the go-to guy at Coors Field.
Honourable Mention
Johnny Giavotella, 2B, Kansas City Royals: The Royals just keep getting better and better.
Wei-Yin Chen, SP, Baltimore Orioles: The O's are getting their first look at the skill set that made him an ace in Japan, and are enjoying what they're seeing in the early results.
Munenori Kawasaki, SS, Seattle Mariners: Being good friends with Ichiro Suzuki does have its perks. Can the vaunted skill set of Brendan Ryan hold off the speedster from Japan?
Ryan Doumit, C, Minnesota Twins: A full-time DH with catcher eligibility makes for a great opportunity in two-catcher leagues.
Tyler Greene, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals: Greene had 14 homers and 19 thefts at Triple-A Memphis last year and is the early favourite to break camp with the job at second base.
Tyler Pastornicky, SS, Atlanta Braves: Whether Pastornicky's ready or not, the Braves appear to be committed to giving him the job at shortstop out of the gate in 2012. The 27 thefts he racked up between two levels in the minors in 2011 are intriguing.
RotoRob's Fantasy Baseball Weekly Podcast
Crave more in-depth Fantasy analysis? Then join us every Thursday at 9 p.m. EST for RotoRob's Fantasy Baseball Weekly Podcast on Blogtalkradio. Tim, Buck and I will entertain and edify you for an hour or more each week. Tune in here.


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This post was written by Lindy Shopper.
That's right, I said corn – I found this great 1940's sequin applique dress, but instead of the typical bows or flowers, this one features what could either be corn or yellow grapes. For our purposes, I'm going with corn and this is the sparkly equivalent of a novelty print. If I were heading to the Hawkeye Swing Festival or the Heartland Swing Festival, I would pick this up in a second. Adorable!


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Sales Associate-lime Ridge
The Children's Place (Place) has always been, and continues to be committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all of its associates and applicants for employment. It is therefore the policy of The Children's Place to hire, train and promotes all of its associates and to administer all other personnel policies regardless of age, sex, disability, race, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sexual orientation, marital status or any other ground as described in the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Children Place supports the full inclusion of persons with disabilities as set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Accommodation is available upon request for applicants and internal employees with disabilities. The Children's Place (« Place ») s'engage comme toujours à offrir l'équité en matière d'emploi à tous les associés et candidats à l'emploi. En conséquence, la politique de PLACE est de recruter, former, donner de l'avancement et appliquer toutes les autres politiques relatives au personnel sans considération d'âge, sexe, invalidité, race, origine ethnique, citoyenneté, croyance, orientation sexuelle, état matrimonial ou autre motif décrit dans le Code des droits de la personne de l'Ontario. The Children's Place appuie la pleine intégration des personnes handicapées, conformément au Code des droits de la personne de l'Ontario et à la Loi sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario (LAPHO). Les aménagements nécessaires sont disponibles sur demande pour les candidats et les employés internes touchés par une invalidité. Location: Hamilton, Ontario Job Summary: The Sales Associate will be responsible for supporting the Store Leadership Team to achieve all company goals and initiatives. The Sales Associate will model and maintain excellent customer service with effective communication, product knowledge, and appropriate selling techniques. The Sales Associate will maintain company standards of all merchandise presentation, replenishment, and sizing while maintaining a new and clean store and backroom. Responsibilities: Key Accountabilities: Be aware of customer activity and respond with a sense of urgency, prioritizing assisting customers over other tasks Greet and acknowledge customers while providing the appropriate level of service Effectively communicate value and quality of our merchandise while sharing our current promotions and offer solutions for "out of stock" items when necessary Exercise sound judgment in effectively addressing customer concerns Demonstrate the appropriate level of selling skills to positively impact conversion Provide fast, friendly, and accurate service at the cashwrap while educating customers on the benefit of the PLACE Card Maintain appropriate stock levels and ensure that all sizes and styles are represented Follow company standards of merchandise presentation, signage, and display Support and maintain a neat, clean, and organized stockroom while adhering to a customer ready environment, and adhering to safety requirements Perform daily housekeeping duties to company standard Guarantee company assets by ensuring adherence to all Loss Prevention procedures Inform Store Leadership Team of maintenance and facility needs promptly to ensure that customers and associates are provided a clean and safe environment Contribute focused, well-managed efforts towards achievement of store goals Exhibit flexibility by processing stock when necessary Education and Experience: High School diploma or equivalent Previous retail experience preferred Must be at least 18 years of age Skills and Behaviors: Excellent customer engagement Demonstrated time management and organizational skills Ability to work in team environment Must be adaptable and flexible to changing priorities Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet business needs, including weekends, overnights, evenings, and call-in shifts Ability to maneuver on sales floor and stockroom; climb ladder, lift and carry up to 50 lbs


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Editor's note: Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. His new book is "Arsenal of Democracy: The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism" published by Basic Books. Zelizer writes widely about current events.
(CNN) -- The first decade of the 21st century in the United States was defined by terrorism, crisis and uncertainty. The exuberance of the 1990s, with its strong economic growth and the sense of American military omnipotence, came to an end.
Most Americans have been left reeling from nine very difficult years, even though the decade neared its close with a presidential election that spoke to the promise and potential of the nation.
We must remember that any "most important" list should be seen as the beginning of a conversation, not a definitive judgment.
Historians learn that it is extraordinarily difficult to discern exactly which events will be transitory and which will have the most long-lasting effects.
iReport: Share 10 photos from the past 10 years
Some moments that seem to be turning points shortly after they happen, such as Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991, seem less important over time. Others that we don't pay as much attention to, such as the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, look much more consequential with the passage of time.
September 11, 2001
The tragic moment when terror struck in New York and at the Pentagon will be at the top of everyone's "most important" list. When terrorism caused such devastating damage, the perpetrators defined the central national security challenge confronting the United States and much of the world: Stateless terrorism.
Even though the nation had faced terrorism for several decades, including the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, nothing compares to 9/11 in scale and scope.
The event shattered the sense of confidence that many Americans had about being able to avoid the kinds of attacks on civilians that had become commonplace in the Middle East. American national security policy was reconfigured as a result.
The federal government vastly expanded and reorganized its homeland defense system. It instituted an aggressive program of interrogation and surveillance to combat terrorist threats and refocused foreign policy to concentrate on destroying these networks and the states that support them, including the invasion of Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime. Eight years later, we are still fighting.
Iraq War
The war with Iraq quickly became one of the most controversial aspects of the war on terrorism. The difficulties that the United States encountered in the reconstruction period, and the falsity of the Bush administration's claims in the build up to war that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, opened up the administration to intensified attacks from the left and the right.
The war eroded Bush's political capital and constrained his ability to achieve other objectives, including domestic proposals such as Social Security privatization. Equally important, the difficulties the nation encountered in achieving its goal of creating a stable democracy and combating insurgents has raised serious doubts -- domestically and internationally -- about the capacity of American military power in conflicts, including the war in Afghanistan.
Hurricane Katrina
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, it revealed the horrible conditions under which many inner-city Americas were living after decades of neglect. The failure of so many levels of government to properly respond to the hurricane and its aftermath also exposed the limited interest of the government -- and the public -- in protecting these African-American communities even after a tragedy this severe.
The unwillingness of the federal government to commit substantial resources to the reconstruction effort confirmed that urban America was not central to the national agenda.
Financial crisis of 2008
The financial crisis constituted a huge shock to the economic system. As September 11 ended a false sense of physical security within our borders, the financial crisis shattered the economic confidence which had emerged in the 1990s and established the parameters for President Obama's administration.
The plummeting market fundamentally challenged decades of policies that centered on deregulation and market-based solutions. The fact that President Bush's administration put forth a hugely expansive financial bailout package revealed how Americans have come to expect federal intervention in times of economic crisis and showed that there were limits to the Reagan Revolution.
Election of 2008
The 2008 election is the one defining event that spoke to America's potential. Even though the United States clearly has not entered any kind of post-racial period, as Hurricane Katrina revealed, the election of an African-American to the presidency in a country whose economy once revolved around slavery was historic.
Combined with other developments -- such as the growing acceptance of gay rights, despite the setbacks to same-sex marriage -- the election signaled a movement away from discriminatory attitudes that have been so deeply rooted in the American psyche.
Any most important list is inherently incomplete, and only captures a small part of what the nation experienced. Should Congress pass health care reform, which seems likely, that could become a crucial moment in the history of our government. Nonetheless, these five events will certainly be ones that historians will look back to for years to come.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer.


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Passengers | T-Shirt Grey
Archbuddies x maezenCollection: "Through the Window".
- Limited stock
- Quality embroidery (45.872 stitches) from Germany
- Soft Touch 100% combed ring-spun organic cotton, 220gsm
- Free from dyes, textured with tiny specks of the original plant (black dots)
- Relaxed fit (unisex)
- 15% of profits go to the Artist | Wear Art
Note: Contrary to classical printing, embroidery is imperfectly perfect, which makes it much more unique. So in case one or two threads stick out, don't panic - this is the end of the embroidery thread and you can simply cut it off. :)
- machine wash 30 degrees max
- iron inside out
- do not tumble dry
Be aware that Hoodies have an oversized fit. In order for you to obtain a normal fit take one size smaller than the fit you are used to.
T-Shirts have a normal fit. If you want them to be oversized, take one or two sizes above the fit you are used to.
Caro - 162cm: Hoodie L | T-Shirt XL
Cristian - 184cm: Hoodie L | T-Shirt XL
Every product is made-to-order. This means: We produce it for you and only after your order. This helps us waste as little material as possible and respect our environment in the best way.
Therefore, please understand that production and delivery may take a little longer.
Based on your location the parcel can be with you within 2-4 weeks. Once your package has been handed over to DHL, you will receive a tracking link via e-mail.
We ship environmentally friendly with DHL GoGreen, find out more about shipping prices here.


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Impact, the ABC miniseries that premiered last night, made a couple of convincing cases: that a "brown dwarf" hitting the Moon could doom humanity. And that these self-centered, vapid, sniveling humans completely deserve obliteration. Spoilers ahead.
I have to say Impact's greatest achievement was making me appreciate The Core anew. Not that I need much help to do that, since The Core, starring Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank, deserves a high place of honor among right-thinking global-disaster movie fans everywhere. But Impact was basically like The Core, only much cheaper and much slower. People have been comparing it to Armageddon and Deep Impact, but The Core is really the greatest point of comparison, in my book. Weird global disasters, birds flying upside down, communities in ruins, people freaking out, and worse disasters on the way. So a group of flawed, messed up scientists has to make it right. The difference is, The Core is zippy and totally loony in its logic-avoidance, and it features Swank and Eckhart tunneling into the center of the Earth (seeing massive diamonds along the way) pretty early on. Impact, meanwhile, sort of drags along and weaves in tons of soap-operatic plots.
Okay, I'll stop rhapsodizing about The Core and actually talk about last night's steaming pile of brown matter... sorry, brown dwarf.
So Impact, famously, was supposed to be a Syfy Channel miniseries, but ABC outbid Syfy for the rights to air it. Based on part one, I'd say they should have had a bidding war to decide who was forced to run this thing. That said, the parts where CG asteroids hurtle through the sky and crash into the Earth and the Moon are pretty great, and I liked all the stuff where scientists stand around and talk seriously about how unprecedented this all is, and how the Moon is now in an elliptical orbit.
The parts that were tooth-pulling unbearable, though, were all of the long stretches where the miniseries tried to make us care about its characters, who just got more and more hateful the better we got to know them.
So in a nutshell, there's a huge meteor shower, and everybody around the world is watching in excitement. But unbeknownst to the watching masses, a brown dwarf is hiding in the meteor shower, and it has a huge mass and magnetic attraction. (But somehow it manages to avoid disturbing any of the other planets in the solar system, or otherwise announcing its presence.) The impact causes huge flaming asteroids to come rocketing down to Earth, smashing people. But then it gets worse — somehow the Moon gets into an elliptical orbit away from Earth and then towards it, and whenever it comes closer to Earth, there are freak gravity effects and electrical storms — see the totally awesome clip above — and everything goes hellzapoppin.
And at the end of all this horror, we discover that actually, the Moon's elliptical orbit is going to bring it closer and closer to Earth, faster and faster, until it finally crashes into us and obliterates the planet.
But as I said, by the time the spectre of global annihilation has reared its brown dwarfy head, we've already had two hours of wishing all of these people would die. Especially since this elite squad of science geeks is supposedly our only hope of avoiding total decimation, and all they ever do is sit around drinking wine, and whiskey and various other spirits, and talking about how science has been proved wrong lately. There are a hundred discussions that go roughly like this: "I used to believe in science, but in the past few days, science has totally been called into question." "But it's only by questioning science that we get science." "But what if science is wrong?" I found myself wanting to operate the remote control with my cranium, since ether fast-forwarding through this drek or giving myself brain damage would be an acceptable response to what I was seeing.
I brown-dwarf you not, there are two separate scenes where a very serious military person looks very seriously at the camera and says the same line: "You can't hide from gravity!!"
But meanwhile, every one of our hard-drinking, Newton-questioning science types has an incredibly annoying personal life. There's Natasha Henstridge's character, who for some reason was married to this totally douchey reporter with a soul patch, who keeps chasing her around wanting to get the inside scoop on the brown dwarf thing. David James Elliott plays Alex Kinter, an astrophysicist who's helping his two kids get through the death of their mom by calling them "Buddy" a lot, and by keeping them around their brain-damaged, agoraphobic grandpa (James Cromwell, utterly wasted in both senses of the word.) And then Roland the Euro-git (Benjamin Sadler) has a pregnant fiancee, who cares about flowers and wedding catering the exact same way he cares about science and saving the planet. Yee Jee Tso (from the Doctor Who TV movie) plays Jared, who has issues too, but we don't really find out what they are. I think they have something to do with Jesus.
Their Hallmark-channel storylines are utterly cloying and dull, and they drag the space-rocks action to a grinding halt, forcing us to pay attention to these whiny, narcissistic characters. Why won't grandpa go outside? Will little Sadie keep believing in the man in the moon? What about little Jake, will he keep hitting home runs in the face of armageddon? And will Martina understand that Roland the Euro-git has to put saving the planet from a lunar impact before planning their wedding? Blah blah blah, and who the fuck cares?
That said, I'll probably watch the second half this coming Sunday, just hoping against hope that all of these people get blasted out of space by the brown dwarf, leaving what's left of the planet totally pristine and lovely for some sympathetic aliens to come along and reclaim in a million years or so.
Anyway, it's a good thing this tripe got pummeled in the ratings, losing out to golf and 60 Minutes, so ABC will never try to beat the Syfy Channel at its own game again.


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LEIB CAN EXHAUST PRO valve flap control for BMW X3 xDrive30i | G01
LEIB CAN EXHAUST PRO - for full control.
Plug & Play installation in about 30 minutes without cutting or soldering. The Installation is possible wihtout any prior knowlegde through the online available and illustrated installation instructions. Alternatively, we recommend installation by a specialist workshop or one of our dealers. Automotive connectors are guarranteeing full functionality. The LEIB CAN BUS module ensures with the E1 approval and CE marking the highest standards in the BUS system of the car.
Main functions:
- EXHAUST VALVE FLAP CONTROL | Adjustable in modes: open - series - closed
- START STOP OFF | The engine start stop function can be deactivated (can be set in the menu)
- STAGING | After 'ignition on', the needles (speed and rev) of the instrument cluster moves to maximum and back
- DELETER | The error entry that occures by changing the catalyst(s) will be disabled - no error entry, no check engine light (CEL)
- TEMPERATURE GAUGE | A selectable temperature can be displayed via the instrument cluster by an LED on the speedometer
Additional functions:
- The LEIB CAN EXHAUST modules module can be operated toghether with the LEIB CAN BOOST module (boost gauge)
User informations:
- EXHAUST VALVE FLAP CONTROL | Controlled via rocker on the multifunction steering wheel
- TEMPERATURE GAUGE | Available temperatures: [1] Engine oil [2] Intake air [3] Transmission oil [4] Cooling water [5] Exhaust
- RES Button on the multi-function steering wheel pressed shortly, stores the valve flap mode for the next engine start
- Optical confirmation of the selected valve flap mode by flashing the turn signal - only at the instrument cluster (not visible outside)
- All functions can be adjusted in the menu (instrument cluster) if required (please download the functional description online)
Important informations:
- There will be NO error entry by using the LEIB CAN EXHAUST module
- The LEIB CAN EXHAUST module is automaticly DISABLED, if a BMW Tester is connected to the car
- To prevent a double function, the functions of the exhaust valve flap control are only operable and the temperature gauge is only visible if the cuise control and the limit function are off
Here you can download the suitable installation instructions in German as PDF.
Here you can download the suitable installation instructions in English as PDF.
Here you can download the suitable functional description in German as PDF.
Here you can download the suitable functional description in English as PDF.


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Hand, Wayland Debs
Hand, Wayland Debs, 1907–86, folklorist, b. Auckland, New Zealand. Hand wrote Popular Beliefs and Superstitions from North Carolina (1964), which is ranked among the finest published studies of superstition. It is remarkable for its logical arrangement of material, accurate comparative information, and completeness of informant attributions. Hand also wrote two volumes of essays on folklore and literature, Humaniora (1960) and Folklore International (1967), as well as Eyes on Texas: Fifty Years of Folklore in the Southwest (1967).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Scholars, Antiquarians, and Orientalists: Biographies


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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Wednesday that British investigators are heading to Pakistan to help clear up the confusion surrounding Thursday's assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Pakistani police stand guard outside the presidential palace in Islamabad on Wednesday.
"I am very thankful to [British] Prime Minister Gordon Brown that when I made this request he accepted that," Musharraf said in a nationally televised address.
The Scotland Yard team, he said, "will solve all the confusion" surrounding how Bhutto died last week.
Britain's Metropolitan Police Services confirmed that it is sending a small team of counterterrorism police "to provide support and assistance in the investigation into the death of Benazir Bhutto."
The United States welcomed Pakistan's decision to consult with British investigators.
"It's very important that a transparent and comprehensive investigation move ahead quickly," said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino.
Asked if the United States would aid in the investigation, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said he had no information on whether Pakistan had requested U.S. assistance.
The United States has offered to send forensic specialists from the FBI, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan. See photos that could hold clues to assassination
Pakistan's decision to accept Britain's help in the investigation is a dramatic turnaround from the government's position laid out last weekend by Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema.
"We understand our environment better than the international community," Cheema said Saturday. "Scotland Yard cannot investigate in Waziristan. They don't understand Pashto."
The following day, Brown telephoned Musharraf, who was more receptive to the idea of Scotland Yard's help, according to a press release from Downing Street.
Bhutto, 54, was killed Thursday in a targeted attack that involved a gunman and a suicide blast in Rawalpindi, outside the capital, Islamabad. Her party disputes Pakistani government statements on the cause of her death. See timeline of how Pakistan's crisis developed
In his television address Wednesday, Musharraf expressed his condolences about the killing of Bhutto, who he said "has been martyred by terrorists."
"I understand the tragedy and the sadness and anger it has brought to the People's Party activists and among the Sindhi population," Musharraf said. "I would like to say I personally am very sad and angry about this assassination, and I value the emotions of the nation." Watch Musharraf talk about Bhutto's death
Musharraf also announced that the government has deployed army rangers to Sindh province -- Bhutto's main support base -- which has been heavily damaged by looters in the wake of her assassination.
The military's mission is "to protect the lives and property of masses," he said.
Pakistan's Election Commission on Wednesday postponed upcoming parliamentary elections until February 18 because of the unrest following the assassination.
The elections were originally scheduled for January 8, but holding them then would have been "impossible" because of the time needed to replace burned ballot papers and repair ransacked election offices, Chief Election Commissioner Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq said.
The violence that followed the assassination caused more than $200 million in damage and claimed at least 58 lives, according to the government.
Provincial officials also wanted the elections delayed until after the Muslim holy month of Muharram, which will begin around January 9 and end about February 6.
Hours after the Election Commission announcement, Bhutto's party said it would take part in the February 18 elections.
Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, made the announcement at a press conference from the family's compound in Larkana, Pakistan. He has taken control of her Pakistan People's Party in the wake of her death.
Despite its participation, the PPP stands by its objection to the government's decision to delay to the vote.
Both major opposition parties wanted the elections to go ahead as scheduled next week, hoping to capitalize on the sympathy following Bhutto's killing.
"We will consult with the party leadership and the other political parties of Pakistan to evolve a strategy to protest against this delay in the election," said an official with Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party.
Kanwar Dilshad, the commission's secretary general, had earlier said a decision would be made after consulting with all the political parties.
However, spokesmen for Bhutto's PPP and the PML-N party said neither had been formally consulted before the announcement.
Sharif earlier told reporters that he believed Musharraf intended to delay the vote because his party would not garner enough seats in parliament to rule.
The United States, which had feared that the government might delay the vote indefinitely, welcomed Pakistan's decision to announce a specific election date.
"It's important that there is a firm date for elections," Johndroe said shortly after Wednesday's announcement. "We hope that all the political parties will work together to ensure a free and fair election." E-mail to a friend
CNN's Brian Todd and Zain Verjee contributed to this report.
All About Pakistani Politics • Benazir Bhutto • Pervez Musharraf • Nawaz Sharif


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The MRC@25: The Worst Media Bias of 1993
Once a day for 25 days, the MRC is showcasing the most egregious bias we have uncovered over the years — four quotes for each of the 25 years of the MRC, 100 quotes total — all leading up to our big 25th Anniversary Gala on September 27. (Click here for ticket information)
So far, we've published the worst quotes from 1988 through 1992 (you can check those out here). Today, the worst bias of 1993, including the Washington Post smearing Christian conservatives as "poor, uneducated and easy to command," Dan Rather fawning over Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Helen Thomas disavowing any tilt, saying she does not "know what a liberal bias is."
"If we could be one-hundredth as great as you and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been in the White House, we'd take it right now and walk away winners...Thank you very much and tell Mrs. Clinton we respect her and we're pulling for her."
— Dan Rather at a May 27, 1993 CBS affiliates meeting talking via satellite to President Clinton about his new on-air partnership with Connie Chung.
"Corporations pay public relations firms millions of dollars to contrive the kind of grass-roots response that Falwell or Pat Robertson can galvanize in a televised sermon. Their followers are largely poor, uneducated, and easy to command."
— Washington Post reporter Michael Weisskopf, February 1, 1993 news story.
"In the plague years of the 1980s — that low decade of denial, indifference, hostility, opportunism, and idiocy — government fiddled, medicine diddled, and the media were silent or hysterical. A gerontocratic Ronald Reagan took this [AIDS] plague less seriously than Gerald Ford had taken swine flu. After all, he didn't need the ghettos and he didn't want the gays."
— CBS Sunday Morning TV critic John Leonard, September 5, 1993.
"A liberal bias? I don't know what a liberal bias is. Do you mean we care about the poor, the sick, and the maimed? Do we care whether people are being shot every day on the streets of America? If that's liberal, so be it. I think it's everything that's good in life — that we do care. And also for the solutions — we seek solutions and we do think that we are all responsible for what happens in this country."
— UPI White House correspondent Helen Thomas on C-SPAN's Journalists' Roundtable, December 31, 1993. [Thanks to MRC intern Jeffrey Meyer for rounding up this video]
Check back each morning for more classic bias quotes, or visit our "25th Anniversary" section for the entire collection.


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Shoe to Room
Leave a Comment
- Unknown said...
WOW! where in the world do you find all of these incredible shoes??!! Fantastic match-up, lady :) XO brynn
- March 2, 2012 at 1:23 AM
- fashion-meets-art said...
i looooove these shoes. so special. thanks for sharing <3
kisses to you
maren anita
Please have a look at my GIVEAWAY:
YSL lipstick & Nelly leather bracelet
- March 2, 2012 at 3:26 AM
- Megan@TwoDelighted said...
You are so good at these! Awesome. We need to get together soon to discuss/plan our project. :)
- March 2, 2012 at 10:28 AM
- The Peak of Tres Chic said...
What a fun feature! Those heels are out of this world.
- March 2, 2012 at 10:29 AM
- Michelle @ Ten June said...
Love this series! Such a cool transition : ) I can see it with a pair of wedges and a fun jute rug... or some fab red soled Louboutins with a modern room... so cool!
- March 2, 2012 at 11:50 AM
- Anna @ IHOD said...
ooo fantastic Drew!
Love the chairs in ice blue.
Unexpectedly cool!
- March 3, 2012 at 6:07 PM
- Anna @ IHOD said...
ooo fantastic Drew!
Love the chairs in ice blue.
Unexpectedly cool!
- March 3, 2012 at 6:07 PM
- Lindsey Regan Thorne @ be pretty said...
I WANT TO EAT BRUNCH THERE!!!!! Gorgeous.... and the shoes... ta'die for! xo
- March 6, 2012 at 11:48 AM
- Sam said...
It is very informative and quality content, I ever read in my life. Thanks for sharing this content.
Gazebo NZ
- June 30, 2018 at 6:57 AM


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LANCASTER >> Electric bus manufacturer BYD Motors revealed its first pair of vehicles manufactured in California on Monday during an event that may be significant for both the production of zero-emissions vehicles and U.S.-China trade relations.
"It's a small beginning. A few buses. But like many things, it holds promise as something very big and very important," Gov. Jerry Brown said during a ceremony Monday at BYD Motors' manufacturing plant in Lancaster.
The new 40-foot buses, according to BYD, can hold a charge for 24 hours and run for 155 miles before needing to be recharged.
The company has a contract with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and is seeking to rebid on a contract to sell the buses to Long Beach Transit.
BYD Motors is seeking a foothold in the growing market for electric transit vehicles. The company is traded on the Hong Kong stock exchange and the company reports that some 60 percent of its traded stock is owned by U.S.-based investors. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway holds nearly 10 percent of its shares.
The company has established its North American headquarters in Los Angeles and the firm has not only converted a former Lancaster RV plant into its bus assembly facility for future U.S. customers, but has also invested in a battery plant in Lancaster as well.
Brown, who traveled to China about one year ago on an official visit to improve economic ties between that country and California, also spoke highly of Lancaster's embrace of environmentally friendly technology.
"I hope to come back in a few years, when hundreds or maybe thousands of buses are rolling off the line," he said.
The Lancaster plant is the first Chinese-owned plant to produce vehicles within the United States, said company Vice President Micheal Austin, who introduced himself as the company's first American employee.
Senior Vice President Stella Li told Monday's gathering that BYD Motors employs some 60 people in California and that number may increase to 100 by year's end and 200 by the end of 2015.
Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said before the ceremony began that one of his policy objectives is to make his city a center for Chinese firms that want to produce goods within the United States.
Parris, who said he has visited China five times, said he has received criticism for dealing with the People's Republic of China, perceived by many Americans as an international rival. But he emphasized his desire to attract investment in his city that could lead to job growth and, consequently, reduce the need for Lancaster residents to commute to and from Los Angeles.
"We like money," Parris said in an interview. "It's not a parochial nationalist view; it's a market view."
BYD Motors has a deal to provide up to 25 electric buses to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also sent a bus to Los Angeles for a trial run earlier this year.
BYD Motors had a $12.1 million contract with Long Beach Transit for 10 buses funded through a federal grant. That deal, however, was canceled in March after the Federal Transit Administration put Long Beach officials on notice of their view that the contracting process was flawed. Long Beach officials plan to rebid the contract, and BYD has announced that it will compete a second time for the contract. Spokesman Kevin Lee said in an email Monday that officials do not yet know when the second bidding process will begin.
In contrast to Long Beach Transit, Antelope Valley Transit Authority did not rely upon a federal grant for its new buses.
Antelope Valley Transit plans to test the buses for the next several weeks before putting them into service as early as Aug. 1, said Norman Hickling, chairman of the Antelope Valley bus agency. In addition to the agency's own tests, he wants to wait for BYD Motors to complete safety evaluations at the federal Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center in Pennsylvania before paying customers get a chance to ride.
The Antelope Valley agency had a $1.9 million budget to acquire the new buses, Hickling said. The contract was not put up for open bidding and the money was directed to the agency from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.


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Barbara Johnson's Symposium Appearance Is Highlight of the Closing Day
New Ways Ministry's Seventh National Symposium, From Water to Wine: Lesbian/Gay Catholics and Relationships, ended on St. Patrick's Day, with plenary talks by Luke Timothy Johnson and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who each received richly-deserved standing ovations from the assembled participants.
The largest ovation, however, was reserved for the appearance of Barbara Johnson, the Catholic lesbian woman who had recently been denied communion at her mother's funeral.
Ms. Johnson thanked the participants for the outpouring of support that she received from them and from Catholics all over the country.
She told how throughout the ordeal she felt the love of her mother leading and guiding her. She told how faith in knowing of God's love for her and her family kept her strong when the going got rough in recent weeks–including times when she received hate-filled and threatening messages from detractors who were purportedly "defending" the church. Bondings 2.0will provide excerpts from the text of her talk and photos of the event when they become available to us.
After her remarks, Ms. Johnson was joined on the Symposium stage by her partner, and both received a blessing from the assembled participants. The text of the blessing follows:
"For you, Barbara, your partner, and your family, we, the People of God, the Church, raise our hands in blessing.
"We believe our Life-Giver and Love-Maker God is present; may every breath we take, flow into our world full of peace, hope, compassion and courage. Amen.
"We believe that Jesus' love can heal all our hearts and all our losses. May we be open to the gifts of new life that the Resurrected Christ wants to share with us. Amen.
"We believe all are welcomed and invited in this space and around this table of sharing; may we all become the Church inclusive, where the outcast and the stranger bear the image of God's face. Amen.
"Go now, in the name of Jesus, Our Christ, who said 'follow me' without saying where he was going, just promising transformation and relationship with the Triune God along the way. Amen.
The Washington Post today carries a front-page story, "Denying Communion: A priest and a lesbian set off a Catholic culture clash." The article focuses more on Fr. Guarnizo, the priest who denied Ms. Johnson communion, than it does on Ms. Johnson herself. Most interesting is a quote from Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ, a scholar at the Woodstock Theological Center of Georgetown University:
"If I was Cardinal [Donald W.] Wuerl, I'd buy him a one-way ticket to Moscow. . . .These days, arch-conservative priests feel much more comfortable attacking their bishops than do liberals because they feel they'll get support from conservative Catholic blogs and maybe some in the Vatican."
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry


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How cold of a temperature do you think you can survive exposure to? 0°F? -20°F? -50°F? How about -166°F, and you do it intentionally? A group of French scientists studied various ways that people recover after intensive workouts, including whole body cryotherapy, which sounds like something out of Futurama. Tested on a group of experienced runners, the cryotherapy involved exposing them to temperatures as low as -166°F (-110°C) to aid recovery from a workout.
Whole body cryotherapy involves placing the athlete in a special chamber (pictured), and exposing them to intense cold for three to four minutes a session, and remarkably it dramatically reduces their recovery time. The cryotherapy allowed the runners to reduce pain and recover muscle strength within an hour after running a race, returning to a level of fitness that took 24 hours with the infrared therapy.
This will doubtless validate the practitioners of this technology, which it turns out has been around since the late 1970s. So while professional athletes can now be assured this method helps them heal, I still stand bewildered that someone thought blowing liquid nitrogen-cooled air over people's bodies was a good idea in the first place.


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The Household Economy, a series of posts, is one of the main focuses of mine for 2012, as outlined in A New Year's Plan: Death, Poverty and the Household Economy. In these posts, I'll be documenting the various activities I engage in that fall within my household economy, such as gardening, various homesteading activities, and possibly some building projects utilizing salvaged and recycled materials. This series of posts will serve as something of a companion to the How To Be Poor series on voluntary poverty, in that it will catalogue the actual activities I engage in as I attempt to lower my energy and resource usage, as well as my monetary needs.
The full archive of The Household Economy posts are linked below. New posts will be linked on this page as they are published.
— ∞ —
The Introduction
- The Household Economy: A Return to Normal – March 2, 2012
The Series
- The Fermentation Prelude: How to Extract Whey from Raw Milk – August 8, 2011
- The Cult of the Expert – April 9, 2012
- Considering Butter: A Philosophy of Homesteading – April 13, 2012
- How To Make Raw Butter – April 26, 2012
- The Long Game – March 13, 2013