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Five Questions: Stamkos on secrets to his successby Dan Rosen
NHL.com periodically will be doing a series called "Five Questions With …," a Q&A with some of the key movers and shakers in the game today, aimed to gain some insight into their lives and careers.
This edition features Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos:
Steven Stamkos is experienced enough to understand that this season he'll be judged on the sequel, not the original production. It comes with the territory when you're an evolving superstar in the National Hockey League.
The 60 goals Stamkos scored last season, the fact that he became the 19th player in NHL history to hit that single-season milestone, won't mean nearly as much if he doesn't come back this season with similar production, albeit in a truncated 48-game schedule.
Stamkos isn't blind to this. He knows about high expectations and pressure. He's been living with both since he was a teenager.
Stamkos also knows how to live up to those expectations, how to handle that pressure and thrive in front of the scrutinizing eyes of fans and media.
He's been doing all of that since overcoming a slow rookie season to score 51 goals in his second NHL season. Still, it's fair to say that since Stamkos broke into the NHL as an 18-year-old No. 1 draft pick, the expectations placed on him never have been as high as they are right now.
Read on for Stamkos' thoughts on how he handles pressure and so much more.
Here are Five Questions With ... Steven Stamkos:
Krueger took an unorthodox pathBy Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer
As part of NHL.com's series called "Five Questions With …," a Q&A with some of the key movers and shakers in the game today, Edmonton Oilers coach Ralph Krueger talks about his long road to the NHL. READ MORE ›
What do you do, if anything, to manage the high expectations that are placed on you every game, let alone every season?
"I think I put the most pressure and expectation on myself, so I don't really feel the need to feel pressure from outside sources like the media. I know what I expect of myself. From Day One when I came into the League I had high expectations for myself, and that's why it was tough [in my rookie season]. But now you have some success, you realize what your teammates and your coaching staff expects from you, and I just set the bar so high for myself that each and every year I want to be a better player based on my experiences. I try not to worry about what other people expect of me outside of my team. I worry about doing the job that I know I have to do and being a difference-maker every night."
A few seasons ago it was your one-timer on the power play that people were writing about and talking about all the time. Then it looked like teams started to adjust to that and defend you on it. What did you do to change, to adjust to the way penalty kills were playing you?
"I think you have to evolve your game and you have to find different ways to score. You have to go into those areas where it's sometimes not fun to score, but you realize a goal is a goal. Just because you don't make the highlight reel doesn't mean the goal doesn't help your team win. That's something I learned. Obviously I'd love to score more power-play goals. Our power play struggled a lot last year. But teams are so smart now with watching video and taking note of your tendencies that you have to find different ways to score. I was able to do that and be consistent at that last year, and that's why I took a big step, I think."
When you score a goal, do you feel a sense of elation or do you feel what can be described as a sense of relief because of who you are and the feeling around the League that you are supposed to score in just every game?
"I think it's a little bit of both. With the pressure I put on myself I want to go out and score every game. I realize things aren't going to go my way every game, but as long as I'm getting the chances I know eventually they're going to go in. But there is, definitely, a little sense of relief. There is also a sense of excitement and a sense of hunger that now I want another one. That's something I think pushes you to keep going for more."
How does being an evolving superstar in the NHL affect you away from the ice?
"I get a little more attention, definitely. It was funny, I was talking to the guys in Tampa the other day, and when people think of the city of Tampa you don't think of it as a traditional hockey market, but from my first year here to now it's almost night and day. When you go out for dinner, to the supermarket or to the mall, people are recognizing you now. Obviously personal success helps that, but our team success and the way we have the support of the city now is pretty crazy. When you go to the Canadian cities people will always recognize you, but our city of Tampa is quietly becoming one of the best hockey markets, I think. It's fun to play there. We had a sold-out crowd the other night and I'm excited to keep playing there."
Vincent Lecavalier just played in his 1,000th game. It's a milestone that Washington coach Adam Oates called the greatest a player can get because of the longevity it takes to get there. When you look at Vinny now and you think about 1,000 games, do you think to yourself, "Can I do that with the Lightning? Will I do that with the Lightning? What will it be like when I do that with the Lightning?"
"Yes, for sure. You want to follow in the footsteps of a guy like that. He's played on the same team his whole career. He's a huge part of the community. He's had obviously great success on the ice, bringing the Stanley Cup to Tampa. Now he's our leader. He's had so many great memories in his career that this is obviously one that proves the true professional he is on and off the ice. And he's not even close to being done. Hopefully we can win a championship together and I can share that experience with him as well as the 1,000th game."


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Company information
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WebDAV is a protocol for remotely managing files over the internet. FTP is an earlier and less fully featured tool for the same thing, but more programs support it. You can read more about WebDAV at https://www.comparitech.com/net-admin/webdav/.
To access your stored files through WebDAV, you need to log in with your full FastMail username and an app password with WebDAV permissions.
You must use the username you used to sign up for your account: aliases will not allow you access.
Some software may have difficulty with the @ symbol. In these cases, you can other symbols in its place:
Connect to
https://webdav.fastmail.com/ using your DAV client. You will see all folders available to you, including shared folders from other users, and also special temporary files/folders. Because of that, to see your actual files, you have to navigate into the
username.domain.tld folder, and then the
files folder within that. To avoid having to navigate into these folders everytime, you can use the special hostname
myfiles.fastmail.com instead of
webdav.fastmail.com. This works exactly the same as
webdav.fastmail.com, but is rooted directly at the top of your files directory.
There are a lot of clients out there to help with WebDAV but here's a shortlist of some better-made products:
|NetDrive (free) or
|Finder (built-in)
|Dolphin (KDE) or
Konqueror (KDE)
Connect to
ftp.fastmail.com with your username and app password configured for your ftp client. Your
{My Files} directory will be in
CuteFTP and WS-FTP are popular for Windows. You can download free versions of both. WebDrive listed as a DAV client above, can also do FTP. Vista users can follow these instructions.
For Mac OS X, Transmit is excellent, although not free. Cyberduck is a reasonable free alternative.
Any Linux system will have heaps of ftp clients available: "gftp" seems good if you want a graphical interface, and "ncftp" is insanely powerful as a command line tool.
We've had a couple of users doing reasonable things which just happen to hit pathological cases in our filesystem implementation. To stop this happening, we've had to restrict the FTP server to one connection per user. Hopefully we can remove this limitation again soon, but for now it's needed to ensure that the service keeps working smoothly for everyone else.

subset: commoncrawl


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NICEVILLE � Saturday at 7:30 p.m., the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College will come to life with the sounds of Motown and soul.
�Souled Out,� presented by the Emerald Coast Concert Association is a musical ensemble that specializes in those great Motown sounds.
�Souled Out� is led by three dynamic performers whose vocals are unmatched. The seasoned R&B singers, perform � complete with dead-on vocals and smooth choreography � with the same panache and spirit as their Motown and soul predecessors, backed by the northeast renowned Souled Out Orchestra.
Leader of the band is Donald �Smoothie� McCall, who has been singing his whole life, performing with many groups as well as several theaters.
Joining him is singer Irving �Smokey� Lewis who grew up in an extremely musical family and started to sing at a very young age, performing in many talent shows. He continued his love for music and has been a front man for nearly 26 years.
The orchestra includes Ricky Marshall, drums; Rudi Weeks, bass; Pat Jennings, keys; Rod Caron, saxophone; and Dave Stangarone, trumpet.
�Souled Out� is the ultimate in musical nostalgia. Whether flawlessly reproducing the hits of the Temptations or energizing a room with the music of Earth, Wind & Fire, �Souled Out� is a show like no other.
Bringing the biggest and most memorable hits from the beloved Motown and soul legends, they entertain in a way that wows the audience and captures their hearts all over again.
Visit �Souled Out� and listen to their entertaining and catching music on their web page at www.souledoutgroup.com.
Tickets for $30 in advance are available at the NWF State College�s box office, or by calling 729-6000. The price for tickets the day of the show is $35. For more information call the ECCA line at 362-9356.


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The Dangerous Allure of Tourism Promotion as a Post-conflict Policy in Disputed Azad Jammu and Kashmir
By Cabeiri Robinson, JSIS Professor.
Insight from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
In October 2005, an earthquake altered the landscape of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), a region administered by Pakistan and claimed by India. As efforts shifted from rescue and relief to long-term reconstruction, it became clear that the earthquake had transformed the social, economic, and political landscapes of AJK, too. For the international community, AJK became an acceptable terrain of engagement because the disaster was "natural." The initial emergency response was followed by a designated post-disaster reconstruction period that began in 2006 and is slated to end in March 2014.1 Reconstruction projects funded an array of economic, social-development, and scientific initiatives, and supported an emergent private sector. However, the reconstruction addressed neither the longstanding issues that have brought the region to war repeatedly nor the impact that over seventy years as a disputed region and high-security area has had on the sociopolitical systems and legal regimes under which people in AJK live. Now, at the close of the reconstruction period, the unsustainability of an apolitical peace is becoming visible.
Before 2005, Kashmiri refugees and human-rights activists had lobbied the international community for decades to turn its attention to the human impact of the Kashmir conflict. But international humanitarian organizations (with the exception of Islamic Relief) had avoided becoming directly involved with people who were displaced in AJK, because they considered their forced displacement a political issue. Four years into the War on Terror, however, international organizations saw offering aid to earthquake-affected people as an opportunity to demonstrate their will to care for Muslim victims in a time of crisis, as several aid workers told me. Formal humanitarian organizations, such as the UNHCR, ICRC, Mercy Corps, and Save the Children, arrived along with military-relief missions deployed by Turkey, China, Cuba, and the U.S.2
Within Pakistan, AJK became a place where Pakistani society's capacity for self-organization and self-care were mobilized to counter images of Pakistan as a place of perpetual institutional disorder or as the object of military interventions. Activists and student volunteers organized charity drives, which brought in donations from across Pakistan and diaspora communities to support small-scale relief initiatives. Also, members of Kashmiri militant groups had declared a temporary stop to their armed activities on the Indian side of the LoC in order to engage in the labor of relief and social welfare work—what they called "humanitarian jihad" (Robinson 2013). Their relief projects were supported by Islamic charities that competed with international aid agencies for philanthropic donations from Muslim communities around the world. Over the years, many of these workers, without renouncing the possibility of return to militant politics, continued to work as social-welfare volunteers and eventually secured employment in local development NGOs.
As foreign aid workers came to live in places like Muzaffarabad, providing them with secure and comfortable living quarters became integral to reconstruction. Private firms repurposed residences as guesthouses—with "international standard" communications and backup power—in sectors of the city targeted for governance-building development.3 After international organizations began downsizing their missions in 2010, this network of luxury accommodations served a domestic clientele in the emergence of a local tourist industry. Pakistani aid volunteers who had first come to AJK after the earthquake organized college trips from Lahore and Karachi, or brought their families on vacation to see the positive results of Pakistani aid to Kashmiri rehabilitation projects. The Pearl Continental became a destination for Pakistani corporate retreats as well as for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) training workshops, and students traveled to the northern valleys for adventure retreats. In response, the AJK Tourism Department staged cultural exhibitions and paragliding festivals. In fact, promoting tourism became a development goal; with the support of international non-governmental organization (INGO) livelihood grants and training conferences, over a hundred registered guesthouses opened in the Neelum Valley between 2010 and 2013. The media is framing tourism as a priority in stabilizing AJK as a transitionally post-conflict area, including crediting the tourist industry for a protest in Neelum Valley in August of 2013 in which locals objected to the threat that Punjabi militants posed to the ceasefire on the LoC.
What the coverage missed was that the protesters were also marching in support of local (Kashmiri) militants and protesting against Pakistan for its failure to include Kashmiris in negotiations about Kashmir's future. It also missed an embedded language of rights in people's demands for a permanent solution to what Kashmiris call the "Kashmir Problem":4 right of self-determination, protections against human rights violations, and the right of forcibly displaced people to return to their homes in Indian Kashmir. In fact, all of these old demands have been a part of new protests that have emerged among displaced-person advocate groups in AJK since 2010. In the words of one young refugee woman who joined a protest in Muzaffarabad, "Until the Kashmir Problem is solved for the Kashmiri people, there will be no lasting peace." Such protests intensified after January 2013, when LoC violations seemed likely to derail the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement. Indeed, Kashmiris, who have lived for more than three generations between the guns of two opposing national armies, have known for years that the so-called ceasefire is measured best not in the relative paucity of army deaths but in the numbers of continuing civilian casualties.
Tourism promotion has become an explicit policy recommendation for future peacemaking efforts in Kashmir (Chari, Chandran, and Akhtar 2011). But tourism doesn't make Kashmir safer for Kashmiris. It makes it possible for Pakistanis, especially the urban middle classes, to imagine Kashmir as a place where a longstanding conflict has ended and where demands for justice, reconciliation, and family reunification are already resolved. It makes it possible for members of the international community, be they state representatives or aid workers, to ignore Kashmiri people's desire to be included in shaping their own political futures by conflating it with their desire for economic development. The recent reemergence of explicitly political and militant activisms should remind us that, in the end, there are no apolitical solutions to political problems.
References Cited
Chari, P.R., D. Suba Chandran, and Shaheen Akhtar. 2011. "Tourism and Peacebuilding in Jammu and Kashmir." United States Institute for Peace, Special Report 281.
Hofmann, Charles-Antoine and Laura Hudson. September 2009. "Military Responses to Natural Disasters: Last Resort or Inevitable Trend?" In, Humanitarian Exchange Magazine, No. 44.
Robinson, Cabeiri. 2013. "Postscript: And, Humanitarian Jihad." In Body of Victim, Body of Warrior, Refugee Families and the Making of Kashmiri Jihadists. Berkeley: University of California Press. 237–242.
Cabeiri Robinson is an Associate Professor of International Studies & South Asian Studies in the University of Washington 's Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies.


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Black sea bass feature prominently on many menus, but wild populations of the fish are in decline and their availability is limited. Because of the high demand, they're a good candidate for aquaculture on the east coast. Except, that is, for one problem: they have a tendency to change sex unpredictably in captivity.
"In the wild, black sea bass are born as females and turn into males at around two to five years old," Berlinsky explains. "When you bring them into captivity, they change into males more quickly." Some captive-born fish emerge as males even before reaching adulthood, devoting energy toward reproductive development and away from growth. Such problems make breeding and growing the fish in captivity a tricky proposition.
"Black sea bass is a wonderful fish to culture and to eat," says George Nardi, vice president and director of GreatBay Aquaculture, a commercial fish farm in Newington, NH. But the sex change problem must be tackled if fish farmers are to bring a high-quality fish to market. "We invest in our brood stocks, the parents of the young fish, much as a thoroughbred horse farm invests in mares and stallions," he says. "It doesn't do us much good if we always have to go out and get new females."
With funding from NH Sea Grant, Berlinsky has teamed with Nardi and GreatBay Aquaculture to study what triggers sex reversal in black sea bass - and how to prevent it. Berlinsky and his colleagues have discovered that fish are more likely to become males if raised at constant temperatures. But temperature is hardly the only factor involved. Sex ratios and density also come into play. Berlinsky's team found that females were more likely to change sex when no males were present in the tank. Additionally, the fish were more likely to turn into males when kept in crowded tanks.
Berlinsky is continuing his experiments to clarify the role that water temperature plays and to further understand what factors determine the initial sex of captive-born fish. He's also collaborating with Canadian researchers to study the underlying biochemical mechanisms that cause the fish to change sex. In female fish, estrogen plays the major role, he said. In males, a steroid hormone called 11-ketotestosterone is involved. The scientists are now studying those hormones as well as the enzymes that control them.
By turning off estrogen production, Berlinsky says, he can turn a female fish into a male within a week. Giving 11-ketotestosterone to a female converts it into a male. "We're studying the ways to control the enzymes that control sex reversal," he explains. "We're coming at the problem both behaviorally and biochemically."
Though he still has details to sort out, Berlinsky believes he has already made important steps. "We have already made progress, determining optimal sex ratios and delaying sex reversal by controlling density," he notes. "We've already made strides toward making black sea bass aquaculture possible."


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Air Defence Destroyer (Type 45)
The Type 45 class is the largest and most powerful air defence destroyers ever operated by the Royal Navy and the largest general purpose surface warships (excluding aircraft carriers and amphibious ships) to join the fleet since World War Two cruisers.
The main armament of the class is the sophisticated and lethal Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS). PAAMS equips the Type 45 to defend itself and other ships in company from attack by existing and future anti-ship missiles of all types. The Type 45 can also operate close inshore and use PAAMS to give air cover to British Forces engaged in the land battle. The system is designed to defend against supersonic, stealthy, highly manoeuvrable missiles that could use sea-skimming or steep-diving flight profiles approaching in salvoes, simultaneously from several directions.
PAAMS is capable of controlling several missiles in the air at any one time, each one of which could engage individual targets, preventing attackers from swamping the fleet's air defences. MOD oversight of the three-nation PAAMS project is provided by Type 45 Anti Air Warfare Destroyer project team members working at the joint PAAMS Project Office in Paris, from where the programme is administered.
The Type 45 will succeed the Royal Navy's long-serving Type 42 destroyers, which were designed in the 1960s and came into service between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s. The Type 42's main armament is the powerful Seadart area defence missile system, which has served the Royal Navy well on operations from the Falklands conflict to the Gulf War, but which now needs replacement. But a new type of system is now needed, and PAAMS is a fresh design with the prime role of defending ships against salvo attacks by potent anti-ship missiles that are expected to come into service in the coming decades. The Sampson radar, the associated command and control system, long-range radar, vertical launch system and the very fast and agile Aster missiles combine to create a system several orders of magnitude more powerful and effective than Seadart.
The Type 45 also has a comprehensive suite of other weapons and equipment that ensures it can be deployed on a wide range of military tasks. Equipment selected already for the class will includes a main gun for shore bombardment - currently the 4.5" Mark 8 Mod 1 weapon - and either the Merlin HM Mark1 anti-submarine helicopter or the Lynx HMA Mark 8 helicopter. These aircraft will carry Stingray anti-submarine torpedoes. The ship is also equipped with the Surface Ship Torpedo Defence System, which is being procured by the Defence Procurement Agency Torpedo Countermeasures project team. This equipment protects the Type 45 against the threat of the most advanced current and future torpedoes. The ship is also capable of embarking a force of up to 60 Royal Marine Commandos or other troops and use its aircraft and boats in support them of operations. The Type 45 is large and spacious enough to accommodate lengthened vertical launchers that could carry cruise missiles, should the requirement for a land attack capability arise.
Advanced Radar
Sampson radar Sampson is a multi-function radar which is destined for the Type 45 destroyer. It brings together the roles of surveillance and tracking into one single system, with sophisticated anti-jamming arrangement. The two array faces of the radar sit back to back in an A-frame structure that rotates up to 30rpm.
The Sampson is described as the world's most advanced radar, but BAES say that Sampson should not be viewed as the end of a journey, merely the beginning of the next stage - with potential for development and growth over future decades.
|ships Name
|Pennant No
|c. 7,350 tonnes (deep delivery), c. 5800 tonnes (light delivery)
|approx. 190, space for 235, providing significantly better accommodation standards than before
SYLVER launcher and combination of up to 48 Aster15 and Aster30 missiles.
|BAE SYSTEMS SAMPSON Multi-Functional Radar (MFR) (for surveillance and fire control) and the Signaal/Marconi S1850M Long Range Radar (LRR) for air/surface search.
|1 Westland Lynx HMA 3/8 or 1 Merlin EH101 HAS 1
Sea Skua anti-ship missiles
Stingray anti-submarine torpedoes
Mk 11 depth chargesMachine guns


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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs for 2011
Good News! Family Tree Magazine has just announced its nominations for the Top 40 Best Genealogy Blogs contest, and Mississippi Memories is on the list! Nominated in the My Family History category, this blog is included on a list of other blogs authored by some of the genealogy community's most talented family history researchers, writers, and technology experts. I am both humbled and honored that my little blog was among those nominated. Voting for the Top 40 began yesterday and continues through 11:59 P.M. on Monday, December 20, 2010. If you choose to vote for Mississippi Memories (and I really hope you do!), please go to this link, where you may vote as many times as you choose betweenow and next Monday's deadline. A big Thank You goes out to all of my readers, and especially to those of you who nominated this blog. And thank you in advance for voting for Mississippi Memories as one of Family Tree Magazine's Top 40 Genealogy Blogs!
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Palenque: Eternal City of the Maya
Thames & Hudson, 2008 - History - 272 pages
Sunday, June 15, 1952. Having spent four years clearing a secret passage inside Palenque's Temple of the Inscriptions, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz gazed into a vaulted chamber. There, beneath a gigantic carved stone block, he would make a spectacular discovery: the intact burial of King Pakal, complete with jade jewelry and an exquisite burial mask.
Pakal was one of the greatest ancient rulers and the most prominent among a long line of monarchs who held sway at Palenque from AD 300 to 800. This "queen of Maya cities," as Palenque has been called, fell into ruin and was abandoned along with other great urban centers when Maya civilization suffered a mysterious collapse more than 1000 years ago.
Through the eyes of David and George Stuart, we travel with pioneer artists and archaeologists from the eighteenth century on as they rediscovered Palenque and attempted, in the oppressive tropical heat, to document the city's graceful and ornate palaces, temples, bas-reliefs, and hieroglyphic inscriptions. These inscriptions lay largely unread until, in the late twentieth century, major breakthroughs in decipherment revealed Palenque's history. David Stuart, one of the leading decipherers, portrays a lost world of palace intrigue, of brilliant architects, of gods and revered ancestors.
Today Palenque, proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a place of new reverence and relevance for millions of modern Maya, New Age spiritualists, and all those fascinated by the history of the Maya.
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accession Ajaw Ajen Yohl Mat Alberto Ruz Lhuillier ancestors ancient Maya archaeologist architecture Armendariz Baakal Blom buildings Calakmul carved Catherwood central century ceramic Chiapas Classic Maya Classic period Comalcalco construction Copan Cross Group death decades decorated dedicated deity depicted Dupaix dynasty Early Classic excavations figures Foliated Cross glyphs House A-D images important Inscriptions K'an Joy Chitam K'atun K'inich Ahkal Mo K'inich Janab Pakal K'inich K'an Joy K'inich Kan Bahlam kingdom Late Classic later Lord maize Maudslay Maya area Mesoamerican Mexico monuments Nahb Otolum Palace Tablet Palenque king Palenque Triad Palenque's Palenque's history panel perhaps piers plate platform political portraits pyramid Rafinesque record reign ritual royal ruins ruler rulers of Palenque Ruz Lhuillier sarcophagus Schele sculptures slab stairway Stephens stone structure stucco symbol Tabasco Temple XIX Temple XVII Temple XXI Teotihuacan three temples throne Tikal tomb Tonina Triad gods Usumacinta River Waldeck wall Yaxchilan


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Cascade Yarns - Pluscious - 0001 Princess
Pluscious is so incredibly soft and fun to knit or crochet with! It is reminiscent of chenille, with the added bonus of being machine washable, machine dryable and comes in a wide variety of solids and variegated colors. This yarn is an ideal choice for baby blankets and garments or those with sensitive skin!
- 100% Polyester
- Weight: 100 g / 3.5 oz
- Approx: 148.7 yds / 136 m
- Knitting Needle Size: US 9 / 5.5 mm
- Knitting Gauge: 14 sts = 4" (10 cm)
- Machine Wash. Tumble Dry Low.
Laura did up some very cute mitts out of Pluscious! She was kind enough to write up the pattern for it. Find Laura's Pluscious Mitts on Ravelry.
1 Review Hide Reviews Show Reviews
Beautiful yarn!
This yarn was used for a crocheted baby blanket. It was incredibly soft and light! Just beautiful!


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The Industry Briefings from Business Insider Intelligence are currently read by thousands of business professionals first thing every morning. Fortune 1000 companies, startups, digital agencies, investment firms, and media conglomerates rely on our newsletters to keep atop the key trends shaping their digital landscape — whether it is apps and platforms, digital media, e-commerce, payments, fintech, the Internet of Things, transporation and logistics, or digital health.
Our subscribers consider them a "daily must-read industry snapshot" and "the edge needed to succeed personally and professionally" — just to pick a few highlights from our recent customer survey.
Click this link to learn all about our Industry Briefings today.


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AIA Houston and Architecture Center Houston last week partnered to host the 5th Annual Gingerbread Build-Off. The event pitted 32 architecture teams against one another to see who could design and build the most unique and creative structures using gingerbread.
Gensler, PBK, Page Sutherland Page (now dba Page), Seeberger Architecture, and Kirksey were among the major firms to participate. Students and design enthusiasts also competed in the event, which drew more than 2,000 spectators.
The team from Kirksey took the top prize with its gingerbread interpretation of the London Tower Bridge. In all, nine teams were honored:
Grand Prix de Show:
London Tower Bridge
1st Runner up:
Art Institute of Houston
Falling Water
2nd Runner Up:
Hogwarts Castle
Public Favorite:
Seeberger Architecture
Despicable Me
Best Traditional:
The Classic
Best Non-Traditional:
Best Architecture Icon:
Jingle Bell Demo - Foley's
Most Creative Use of Materials:
Page Sutherland Page Gingertects
Blizzard of Oz
Tallest Standing Structure:
Kung Fu Candy Crushers (50")


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COLUMBIA - A Jasper County paramedic who was suspended after an arrest is far from alone in running into legal trouble on the job.
Heather Shuman of Ridgeland had appealed to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control board to let her challenge state regulators' suspension of her Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic certificate. On Thursday, the board voted not to give her a hearing.
Shuman was arrested in January by DHEC's Bureau of Drug Control for using "misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge" to obtain a two vials of the anti-anxiety drug Ativan.
State records say she had documented wasting the medicine in the presence of a nurse. But a quality control check determined the nurse had not witnessed the wasting, and her signature had been forged.
In her appeal, Shuman said the charges are unfounded and she expects them to be dismissed. She could not be reached at the phone number associated with the address listed on her correspondence with the state.
"The medication that I supposedly acquired was placed into a biohazard container to be disposed of by the hospital," she wrote to regulators on Feb. 13. "I have been certified as an EMT since March of 2004, and I have an excellent record throughout that time. I pose absolutely no threat to the public or my patients."
She also argued she has not been convicted.
Steve Lanford, executive director of the S.C. Emergency Medical Services Association, declined to comment on Shuman's case without having all of the particulars.
"I will state unequivocally, that the administering or handling of any controlled substance by an EMT in South Carolina is considered a very serious responsibility that is understood by all paramedics that are certified," he said in an email.
Rebecca Dinan Schneider with the Mississippi-based National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians said incidents involving drugs, like the one in Jasper County, were an anomaly.
"Maybe one a year," she estimated.
In South Carolina, however, it's more frequent.
Monthly DHEC health sanctions list regular suspensions of EMTs for a range of infractions, including those involving controlled substances.
In September, a Dillon EMT was suspended after he was accused of "smoking what was suspected to be marijuana" while riding in an ambulance.
"The department determined that a clear and present danger would exist to the public health, safety or welfare," stated the agency sanction report.
In August, a Lamar EMT was suspended for willful abuse of a vulnerable adult, and for theft of a controlled substance.
In July, a Camden EMT was suspended for theft of a controlled substance. In May, a Latta EMT was pulled from service for unlawful distribution of a non-controlled, imitation controlled substance.
The same month a man in Rock Hill had his certification suspended for theft of a controlled substance. In March, a Little Mountain EMT was cited for two counts of the same crime.
But while the DHEC board refused to hear Shuman's appeal, the panel granted the chance to former Bluffton firefighter Bob Pairman in 2011. But despite the opportunity to plead his case, Pairman did not show up for the hearing.
His problem wasn't connected to prescription drugs.
DHEC staff had denied Pairman's re-certification, based on pending felony charges. It stemmed from an arrest for arson and ill treatment of animals, when he was accused setting the fire that burned down his Okatie house and killed a pet dog.
Those whom regulators flag for criminal behavior at the front end of the certification or re-certification process, however, represent a small portion of the group.
In the first nine months of 2011, DHEC completed 2,511 criminal background checks for EMT initial certifications and re-certification.
Since the agency began implementing the criminal background check statute in December of 2008, only four were denied re-certification.


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Last year, I posted a blog post called 100 Reasons to Hate the Bruins.
Now, less than a year later, they've given us even more reasons. So heading into Game 7 tonight, I thought this would be a good opportunity to update the list and add a few more.
That being said, here are more than 100 reasons for you to hate the Bruins.
1. The 2011 Stanley Cup.
2. Cam Neely being in the Hall of Fame, despite not deserving it.
3. Cam Neely and Peter Chiarelli getting more screen time in the playoffs than Ron MacLean.
4. They have a winning percentage of above .500 for 33 of 37 NHL teams they've ever faced.
5. The only reason the Bruins beat the Habs in 94 was because Patrick Roy had appendicitis.
6. You like the fact Michael Ryder won a Cup, but hate it was with Boston.
7. P.J. Stock on Hockey Night in Canada.
8. You feel guilty about cheering for Happy Gilmour while he's wearing a Bruins jersey.
9. Once drafted Shaone Morrisonn, whose name was misspelled more than any other NHL player in history.
10. Bruins fans thinking the comeback against the Leafs in the first round was the greatest comeback ever.
11. This song:
12. Homer announcer Jack Edwards.
13. Once had Mike Milbury as a coach.
14. Once had Don Cherry as a coach.
15. Bruins fans think the Boston Garden was better than it was.
16. Raymond Bourque. Hated that he was so good.
17. Marchand being too stupid to know what knee to grab after he dives.
18. Eddie Shore.
19. The Bruins four-game sweep of the Habs in 2009.
20. Owner Jeremy Jacobs.
21. Andrew Ferrence flipping off the fans.
22. This rally towel suit.
23. The 1972 Stanley Cup.
24. Nathan Horton for scoring the OT goal in Game 7 against the Habs in the first round in 2011. (He also scored the OT winner in Game 5. The bum.)
25. Forgetting to pay their power bill and having a blackout during the 1988 finals.
26. David Krejci once complaining about the ice after a loss to Montreal.
27. Mike Milbury hitting a guy with a shoe.
28. Thinking the Kessel deal was the biggest one-sided deal in NHL history (Note: not even close).
29. Chris Nilan was cool until he became a Bruin.
30. The three straight years in the early 90s they eliminated the Habs from the playoffs.
31. The Neely for Pederson trade.
32. This Kyle McLaren hit on Richard Zednik, and not being suspended for it.
33. Having a bunch of hall of famers (Paul Coffey, Brian Leetch, Guy Lapointe, etc.) finish their career in Boston.
34. Giving up nothing for Phil Esposito.
35. Fog games at the Boston Gardens.
36. Milan Lucic.
37. Terry O'Reilly in the Hall of Fame.
38. They raised a banner for finishing first in the East.
39. Eddie Lebec never actually played a game for the Bruins.
40. The 1970 Stanley Cup.
41. Never getting suspended for any of their illegal activities.
42. Causing Rocket Richard to be suspended.
43. Their ugly third jersey.
44. The Bruins used to get preferential treatment because of Colin Campbell's son, Gregory, playing on the team.
45. The fact this was pas proven when emails were released where Campbell complained to NHL referees when his son got a penalty, and the NHL did nothing about it.
46. Marchand's low blow hit on Sami Salo.
47. Marchand's low blow hit on Alexei Emelin
48. The finger wagging in the 2011 playoffs after Claude Julien said his team would never do such a thing.
49. Their embellishing.
50. Claude Julien says his team would never embellish.
51. CBC hiring too many former Bruins.
52. Anthem singer Rene Rancourt.
53. Trading for Tuuka Rask.
54. Bruins fans tweeting racist things when Joel Ward scored an overtime playoff goal against them.
55. The racist reaction after Subban scored the overtime game winner.
56. The 1941 Stanley Cup.
57. Phil Esposito. No reason, but I figure the greatest Bruins scorer in their history deserves to be mentioned.
58. Tim Thomas not going to the White House.
59. Derek Sanderson when he used to call Bruins games.
60. The Big Z is a stupid nickname.
61. Marchand diving.
62. Orring.
63. They don't have any great nicknames for their players.
64. Having Brad Marchand as a player.
65. This Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty.
66. Chara not being suspended for that hit.
67. Dr. Mark Recchi saying MaxPac was faking his concussion.
68. Milan Lucic running away from Georges Laraque.
69. The 1939 Stanley Cup.
70. Ben Affleck is a fan, but admits to being a bandwagon jumper.
71. Dane Cook is a fan.
72. So is Mark McGrath.
73. Pushing Leafs fans down stairs.
74. The whining about the too many men on the ice call.
75. This song:
76. Brad Marchand punching a Sedin numerous times with no penalty. (I don't mind the fact he kept hitting Sedin, just that he didn't get a penalty).
77. Being happy Ray Bourque won a Cup with another team.
78. One Ranker.com guy has Jean Ratelle and Zdeno Chara as the two greatest Bruins of all-time.
79. Bruins fans are sore losers.
80. Once naming Jason Allison as captain.
81. Ric Flair's wooooo after every goal, even though he has nothing to do with Boston.
82. Ken "The Rat" Linesman
83. Jack Edwards once comparing Matt Cooke to Sirhan Sirhan.
84. Andy Moog.
85. I just know I'm going to hate Torey Krug within a few years. I can feel it.
86. The 1929 Stanley Cup.
87. Thinking they're a great all-time team even though they've won six Stanley Cups in 90 years.
88. Glen Murray as a Bruin. I just never liked the guy.
89. Bill Simmons will only write about hockey when the Bruins are involved in the Cup finals.
90. Milan Lucic's hit on Ryan Miller
91. Never played Pascal Pelletier (from my hometown) more than six games.
92. Bruins goalies being sore losers when they lose in a shootout.
93. This Bobby Orr goal was not that great. He scored before he was tripped.
94. This photo is also overblown.
95. The year Milbury chose a bunch of undeserving Bruins for the all-star game.
96. By eliminating the Leafs in the first round last year, we got to see less of April Reimer and Elisha Cuthbert.
97. Spoiled the Subban name by drafting Malcolm Subban.
98. Shutting off the hot water for visiting teams in the old Boston Gardens.
99. Shawn Thornton thinking he's part of a code, saying "People could probably criticize that I'm a little too honorable."
100. Then he does this.
101. And this.
102. Terry O'Reilly going into the stands to fight someone.
103. Their mascot is second-rate compared to Youppi.
104. You conveniently overlook the fact that Jacques Plante once played for them.
105. People thinking Rask is better than Price.
106. Lucic feels the need to spear a guy from behind.
107. Of course, the league decides to do nothing, so Lucic knows he is free to do it again.
108. Bruins fans thinking Bobby Orr was better than Wayne Gretzky.
109. Bruins fans in general.
110. They're the Bruins.


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This is about the lovely boy band and all the members...
Hair, Make-Up, and Love
- by danielle1327
- Rating:
- Published: 22 Nov 2012
- Updated: 20 Feb 2014
- Status: In Progress
Hairstylest for a member of a famous boyband. They fall in love read to find out more!!
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To the apparent surprise of everyone, the Walt Disney Company has announced a deal to purchase Lucasfilm Ltd. According to the official press release, Disney has agreed to fork over $4.05 billion in cash and stock for George Lucas' studio in a deal that brings together two of the world's most important intellectual property libraries.
As you might expect, Disney is itching to take advantage of its new toys. "This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney's unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value," said Disney CEO Robert Iger in this afternoon's announcement.
Under the terms of this agreement Disney will acquire control over all Lucasfilm iterations. This includes both its traditional film-making studio facilities, as well as the various technologies Lucasfilm has created over the years to further its various media properties. Thus, the gigantic Disney family now includes Lucasfilm itself, special effects house Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and LucasArts, the company's video game creation division.
This acquisition alone would be huge news, but as if to pre-empt fan speculation on the future of Star Wars the same announcement also mentions that a new Star Wars movie is scheduled to appear in 2015. Though the vast majority of recent Star Wars media has been focused on the property's various animated iterations and LEGO crossovers, this new film will be the first official cinematic continuation of George Lucas' original Star Wars trilogy. Though very few details are offered on this film, it has officially been dubbed Star Wars: Episode VII, and barring any major catastrophes it should hit theaters at some point in 2015 (if we had to guess, we'd assume an early summer release in keeping with the tradition established by its predecessors).
Perhaps even more intriguing however, is the announcement's claim that Episode VII's release will herald a new era in which new Star Wars movies hit theaters "every two to three years." It specifically mentions Episodes VIII and IX by name, though offers no solid details on either film.
While the effects of the move won't be fully known for at least a few months, we can think of a number of a things this new union might change. For instance, currently Dark Horse Comics publishes all Star Wars comic books, but with Disney owning Marvel Comics we can't see that agreement lasting for long. Likewise, both Disney and Lucasfilm have sizable divisions dedicated to creating video games based on their various media properties. Normally these companies have had to seek outside publishing agreements, but now that they've joined forces and massively expanded the number of games either company is capable of releasing in any given year, it makes a lot of sense for Disney to invest in its own games publishing wing.
Finally, this agreement almost certainly heralds future crossovers between Disney and Lucasfilm characters. We don't know any specifics, but it's only a matter of time before we see toys depicting Mickey Mouse dressed as Darth Vader. Whether that sounds awesome or stomach-churningly disgusting is entirely up to your rapidly waning sense of childhood whimsy.
Update: Scratch that last prediction. Apparently Disney characters dressed as Star Wars characters is already a thing.
Update 2: Remember that bit about Dark Horse Comics we mentioned above? The Oregon-based comics publisher just offered the following, somewhat reassuring message via its official Twitter account:
Our partnership with LucasFilm has produced over 20 yrs worth of stories. We have Star Wars for the near future, and hope for years to come.


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I come from Poland, some of my hoobies are - Egypt, Games, Animals, Music, Singing - i have many hoobies :-) I like this Games: Tomb Raider series, Mass Effect series, Vampire the Masquerade series, Chronicles of Riddick series, FEAR series, Prey, Hellgate London latest version :-) and many more titles. Mostly i spend my time bouldings maps for Tomb Raider, my nick on the TR sites is Lukasz Croft for who knows me :-)
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Free Entry
Mackay City Centre's Yellow Brick Road was officially opened by Mayor Greg Williamson on Tuesday, September 19, 2017. The Elton John-inspired mural was commissioned by local business, Sun City Signs, and is located on the external Westpac building wall in the City Centre. This colourful and quirky legacy art piece is a fantastic and unique addition to the Mackay City Centre and can be found in Fourth Lane, off Wood Street. Be sure to check it out!


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258 Charming : Pink 1500mm Cotton Oxford Fabric
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Fabric Type: Oxford (100% cotton)
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Fabric will be cut in a single continuous piece up to the maximum continuous length of 9000mm (9 metres).


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Kevin Youkilis
In his final full season in Boston, back in 2001, Duquette's regime drafted Youkilis in the eighth round. The 33-year-old is definitely Duquette's type of player. He is super intense and gets on base at a ridiculous clip (his career mark is .384). Injuries have limited his effectiveness, but he still hit 19 homers in 2012 and played good defense. After being dealt by Boston to the White Sox, Youkilis put up a respectable .346 on-base percentage. Orioles' bottom line: The Orioles will first have to make a decision on what to do with current first baseman Mark Reynolds. But it wouldn't be a surprise to see Duquette make a run at a key member of the old Red Sox, and he wouldn't clog the DH role like, say, David Ortiz would. The White Sox declined Youkilis' $13 million option after the season.
Jose M. Osorio, MCT
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Staying home this summer but wishing you were lounging on a tropical island?
Staying home this summer but wishing you were lounging on a tropical island?
Turn your backyard into a tropical oasis with just a few additions from stores near you.
Fill a large pot with sand and insert a festive-looking beach umbrella. Sprinkle a few seashells purchased at a craft store on top of the sand.
Embellish the entire area with summer-flowering hibiscus and mandevilla, tropical plants that will entertain you with hundreds of flowers now until late fall.
The new Tropic Escape Patio Collection from Costa Farms, grower and supplier of indoor and outdoor tropical plants, helps you create that perfect "staycation" environment at home.
"These plants bloom nonstop and are easy to care for," says Karen Weir-Jimerson, garden editor and expert for Costa Farms — costafarms.com
Here's a close look at these timely tropicals:
These brightly colored flowering shrubs burst open with some of the biggest, most flamboyant blooms you will ever see — up to 7 inches across in many cases. And color ranges and mixes rival any rainbow. The leaves are just as showy, providing a deep-green shiny background for the flowers.
The plants are usually sold in their own decorative pots, so adding them to your patio or porch is as easy as 1-2-3. Pot them in your own containers or slip the pot they come in right into a bigger one. Groupings create an instant garden look.
Tropical hibiscus is not cold hardy when temperatures outdoors dip below 35 degrees; they can be wintered indoors — cut back on water and allow them to go dormant — and put back outdoors when warm weather stabilizes.
During summer, they prefer lots of sun, and need to be kept moist but not wet or in standing water. Apply a bloom-promoting fertilizer as directed on the product label. If you keep hibiscus indoors over winter, replant into a larger-sized pot with fresh soil in spring.
With summer sunshine comes more trumpet-shaped flowers from mandevilla. In fact, one plant pumps out dozens of flowers in pink, red, fuchsia or white day in, day out.
Mandevillas make themselves right at home no matter where you put them — in eye-catching pottery, long window boxes or in a garden bed.
They twine, climb and splash everything with jewel-like color.
"Have them climb along a trellis or fence, trail from containers and window boxes, or crawl along and over a garden bed — wherever they land, these mandevillas sparkle," Weir-Jimerson says.
Mandevilla prefers temperatures 50 degrees and above, weekly waters and a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks. Repot into a larger container as soon as you bring your new plant home.
For a really lush island look, Weir-Jimerson suggests you pair hibiscus and mandevilla together in the same combo pot or in-ground planting. The more you plant, the more you feel those tropical breezes.
"A humdrum porch becomes a tropical paradise instantly — and with very little fuss," she says.
Follow Van Mullekom at Facebook@Kathy Hogan Van Mullekom, Twitter@diggindirt and Pinterest@digginin; her blog can be read at firstname.lastname@example.com. Email her at email@example.com.


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Welcome to Download Adobe
Thanks for visiting Download Adobe.
To start your download, click the "DOWNLOAD" button in the BLACK box to the left. It's that easy!
We have Adobe Reader available for download. Adobe Reader can be downloaded through our website along with MORE great software! Please go to the download page and start your download.
We have the best resources for you to use on Adobe Reader. Browse around and check out reviews, our user guide, and tips.
Don't forget to join our newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest free downloads.
About Adobe Reader
Adobe Reader 8 allows more securely view, print, search, sign, verify, and collaborate on PDF documents, online as well as offline, from your home or office. Reader 8 has a completely redesigned interface, new tools, and new options for viewing information more efficiently. Access to an online, real-time meeting in seconds. Reader 8 is now integrated with Adobe Connect software, which enables users to instantly communicate and accelerate approvals with virtually anyone, anywhere, at any time. Add more security to your documents, forms, and drawings with digital signatures. Leverage Adobe LiveCycle Policy Server and the new Adobe Online Services Document Center to enforce access rights at the document level.


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There comes a day when you realise you just don't have anywhere proper to put all your make up…so you end up with a bit on your top drawer….a bit in your car….a bit in the kitchen bread basket…..a bit at your nan's…you get me?
I would not step into an Ikea at this time of year, but I did fall in love with this drawer:
It comes with 15 compartments, and each drawer has dividers too. The mirror comes with it!
It is fully turnable.
The down side is it's £290! £290!! You can look at it . Come to think of it, it is not as easy to move around as I'd like.
If anyone has better storage ideas let me know cos I have an overflowing collection and a MAC collection arriving any day.


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The Metadata Bubble
In an ideal world, scholars deposit their papers in an Open Access repository, because they know it will advance their research, support their students, and promote a knowledge-based society. A few disciplinary repositories, like ArXiv, have shown that it is possible to close the virtuous cycle where scholars reinforce each other's Open Access habits. In these communities, no authority is needed to compel participation.
Institutional repositories have yet to build similar broad-based enthusiastic constituencies. Yet, many Open Access advocates believe that the decentralized approach of institutional repositories creates a more scalable system with a higher probability for long-term survival. The campaign to enact institutional deposit mandates hopes to jump start an Open Access virtuous cycle for all scholarly disciplines and all institutions. The risk of such a campaign is that it may backfire if scholars should experience Open Access as an obligation with few benefits. For long-term success, most scholars must perceive their compelled participation in Open Access as a positive experience.
It is, therefore, crucial that repositories become essential scholarly resources, not dark archives to be opened only in case of emergency. The Open Archives Initiative (OAI) repository design provided what was thought to be the necessary architecture. Unfortunately, we are far from realizing its anticipated potential. The Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) allows service providers to harvest any metadata in any format, but most repositories provide only minimal Dublin Core metadata, a format in which most fields are optional and several are ambiguous. Extremely few repositories enable Object Reuse and Exchange (OAI-ORE), which allows for complex inter-repository services through the exchange of multimedia objects, not just metadata about them. As a result, OAI-enabled services are largely limited to the most elementary kind of searches, and even these often deliver unsatisfactory results, like metadata-only placeholder records for works restricted by copyright or other considerations.
In a few years, we will entrust our life and limb to self-driving cars. Their programs have just milliseconds to compute critical decisions based on information that is imprecise, approximate, incomplete, and inconsistent: all maps are outdated by the time they are produced, GPS signals may disappear, radar and/or lidar signatures are ambiguous, and video or images provide obstructed views in constantly changing environments. When we can extract so much actionable information from such "dirty" information, it seems quaint to obsess about metadata.
Databases automatically record user interactions. Users fill out forms and effectively crowdsource metadata. Expert systems can extract, from any document in any format and in any language, author information, citations, keywords, DNA sequences, chemical formulas, mathematical equations, etc. Other expert systems have growing capabilities to analyze sound, image, and video. Technology is evaporating the pool of problems that require human intervention at the transaction level. The opportunities for human metadata experts to add value are disappearing fast.
The metadata approach is obsolete for an even more fundamental reason. Metadata are the digital extension of a catalog-centered paper-based information system. In this kind of system, today's experts organize today's information so tomorrow's users may solve tomorrow's problems efficiently. This worked well when technology changed slowly, when experts could predict who the future users would be, what kind of problems they would like to solve, and what kind of tools they would have at their disposal. These conditions no longer apply.
When digital storage is cheap, why implement expensive selection processes for an archive? When search technology does not care whether information is excruciatingly organized or piled in a heap, why spend countless hours organizing and curating content? Why agonize over potential future problems with unreadable file formats? Preserve all the information about current software and standards, and start developing the expert systems to unscramble any historical format. Think of any information-management task. How reasonable is the proposition that this task will require direct human intervention in two years? In five years? In ten years?
For content, more is more. We must acquire as much content as possible, and store it safely.
For content administration, less is more. Expert systems give us the freedom to do the bare minimum and to make a mess of it. While we must make content useful and enable as many services as possible, it is no longer feasible to accomplish that by designing systems for an anticipated future. Instead, we must create the conditions that attract developers of expert systems. This is remarkably simple: Make the full text and all data available with no strings attached.
Real Open Access.
This October 1, 2014 article by Eric F. Van de Velde has been reposted from the SciTechSociety website at http://scitechsociety.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-metadata-bubble.html.


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As a new blogger, you probably like to choose a Free blog service to get started. Both Google blogger and WordPress.com provide this kind of Free service you can get. However, you may want to find out the similarities and differences between them before you decide to pick one. Since I own both Google Blogger and WordPress.com blog, I can tell you what the similarities and differences between them:
|Google Blogger
|Requires minimal HTML knowledge
|No need to know anything about HTML
|Allows CSS edit
|Don't allow CSS edit unless you upgrade it
| Allows Google AdSense & new Amazon products
|Don't allow any third-party codes
|Allows you to edit HTML code
|Can't access any files
|Allows you to add your own footer
|Can't do anything about the footer
|new Now it allows you to create pages
|Allows you to create pages
|new Now it allows you to import and export other blogs
|Allows you to import and export other blogs
|Layout is narrow but can be modified
|Has more variety wider themes
|No trackback service instead it has backlink services
|Has trackback service
|No comment spam protection
|Offers free anti-spam protection (Akismet)
|Can add images & videos
|Can add images, videos, audio, and media
|Labels (can be Categories/Tags) is available
|Tags and Categories are available
|Can add your own widgets
|Some themes came with certain widgets. Allows you to add text widgets
|Hard to redirect to your paid-hosting server
|Can easy redirect to your paid- hosting server
|Allows you to schedule future-dated posts
|Allows you to schedule future-dated posts
|Has OpenID Service
|Has OpenID Service
|new Now it has undo/redo function in its editor
|Has undo/redo function in its editor
|No table function in its editor
|No table function in its editor
|Comment editor is in-line
|Comment editor is in-line
|Allows you to moderate comments
|Allows you to moderate comments
|Offers feed service
|Offers feed service
|No Blog Stats, no Blog Surfer, and no Tag Surfer services
|Offers Blog Stats, Blog Surfer, and Tag Surfer services
|new Now it allows your readers to sign up
|Allows your readers to sign up
These are all I can recall so far. Make a wise decision before you choose one. For me I prefer Google Blogger since it allows me to hack the codes the way I like. I also like my self-hosted WordPress blog too for it also allows me to study those PHP files there.
However, if you are thinking to temporarily use a Free blog service and eventually transition it to a paid-hosting service. Then I suggest you to get WordPress.com blog since it will make your life easier when one day you are ready to pay for your own hosting.
WordPress.org blog doesn't give those limitations listed above from WordPress.com. See The Difference Between WordPress.com and WordPress.org here. WordPress.org gives all the freedoms you need; no limitations such as posting third-party codes. Moreover you can have full access to all the files.
Would you like to use Google Blogger or WordPress.com blog? Please leave a comment below.
Update: I'll add updates to this post whenever I recall some features about Google Blogger vs. WordPress.com. More updates have been added. See the items marked new.
Related articles
WordPress.com vs Blogger.com
Blogger.com vs. WordPress.com
Blogger vs. WordPress.com Comparison Chart
Free Blog Services Rated: Blogger, Livejournal, WordPress.com


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Online musings under the name of terrorist suspect Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari point to more Middle East uprisings, this time in Saudi Arabia, and this time with a date in advance: March 20.
Aldawsari, 20, a Saudi national living and attending college in Lubbock, is accused of buying chemicals off the Internet to create explosives as part of a terrorist plot aimed at targets across the United States. He appeared in federal court on the charges Friday.
In addition to supporting Muslim extremism, online posts show Aldawsari is a fan on a Facebook page calling for Saudi revolution starting March 20. Among other demands, the page asks the Saudi government to address unemployment and provide legislative elections, public freedoms and a constitution approved by the people.
In a notebook discovered by authorities in his Lubbock apartment, Aldawsari derides Saudi King Abdullah as "the traitor of the two holy places," according to a federal affidavit. The king ordinarily is referred to as the servant of the two holy places.
Aldawsari's journal writings reflect discontent that has stretched across the Arab world into one of its most stable corners, oil-rich Saudi Arabia. While some Facebook pages refer to a March 20 date, others not linked with Aldawsari's profile point to March 11, referring to a "day of rage" in one instance, a "revolution of longing" in another. One message calls for "the ousting of the regime."
Syed Tariq Anwar, a Pakistan native who teaches international business at West Texas A&M University, said he believes the uprisings will spread to other Islamic nations soon. Anwar said the countries in the Middle East and North Africa are governed by laws that limit freedom. From an economic standpoint, expanding democracy is beneficial, he said.
"As far as people are concerned, (those protesting) are just asking for a few things like democratic freedom and access to good living," he said.
In tacit recognition of the surge in anti-royal sentiment, Abdullah on Wednesday announced a $37 billion package of social benefits, including raises.
But there are fears that won't be enough, especially with the kingdom running a surplus of $450 billion and rising oil prices expected to add to the king's wealth.
The strength of the Saudi government, a stable and supportive military and the country's immense wealth provide an apparent safeguard against insurrection, but nothing is assured, said Rachel Bronson, the author of "Thicker Than Oil: America's Uneasy Partnership with Saudi Arabia."
"It's hard to block out flashbacks of President Jimmy Carter's 1977 New Year's Eve statement that Iran under the shah was an island of stability in a troubled region," Bronson wrote in Friday's Washington Post.
Carter's statement preceded the overthrow of the shah and the taking of American hostages.
And while unrest in the Middle East is hardly unusual, there are new forces feeding the fire this time, Anwar said.
Protests have spread quickly, mostly because of demographics and technology, he said. In addition, many Middle Eastern countries have high populations of young people who are easily influenced by movements, he said. Technology such as cell phones and social media are used to quickly spread messages and inform other politically active people, he said.
"Libya is covered almost 100 percent by cell phones. In Pakistan, 60 percent of the people there have at least one cell phone," Anwar said. "The median age in Libya is 24, and that age in Saudi Arabia is below 25. Technology and demographics, those two things have changed the ballgame."
It once took years and sometimes decades for people of developing countries to act, Anwar said.
"In these days, it takes a few weeks and sometimes hours," he said. "You can mobilize a lot of people."
While supportive of some of the demands for reform, Anwar concedes that uprisings can provide breeding grounds for terrorists: "Any uprising is going to excite a lot of people because they can be influenced very fast."


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Dear Slice: Two More Frank Pepe's
Slice mail answered.
Editor's note: Mark H. (aka Famdoc), is back with another field report. You may be familiar with Mark's dispatches from the Reykjavik Pizza Company in Reykjavik, Iceland; Jule's Thin Crust in Bucks County, Pennsylvania; and the Kula Lodge on Maui. Here, word on upcoming locations of Frank Pepe's --The Mgmt.
Hey Adam, On our way back from picking our daughter up from school in Boston (the more you pay for tuition, the less school they actually provide), we stopped in New Haven for our favorite lunch. Having been to Pepe's a few times before, we had hoped to try Sally's, but found it closed. Hours posted in the window are 5PM-11PM only. Our hands were forced: another trip to Frank Pepe's. The line snaked out the door, but we were seated in ten minutes. We ordered three individual pies: tomato/spinach, tomato/mozz and clam.
All were delivered in fifteen minutes. All had delightfully crisp crust, with just the right amount of char. Unfortunately, I found the tomato sauce a bit bland and the ratio of cheese to sauce on the tomato/mozz to be tipped to far in the direction of the mozz. The clam pie was loaded with garlicky/salty clam chunks.
We took a few slices home in the famous Frank Pepe box and noticed that the box was now emblazoned with the news that Pepe was opening two more outlets, adding to its original New Haven and more recent Manchester and Fairfield locations: they're opening one at the Mohegan Sun Casino in a few months and one in Yonkers, NY a few months later.
A veritable Neopolitan Pizza empire on the rise.
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NEW YORK (CBS/AP) — Rosie O'Donnell is getting a Tony Award.
The award's administration committee announced earlier this week that the former talk-show host will receive the 2014 Isabelle Stevenson Award, an honorary prize given to members of the theater community for their philanthropic efforts.
The committee cites O'Donnell's commitment to arts education for New York City's public school children. In 2003, the Emmy Award-winning O'Donnell launched a nonprofit arts education organization now known as Rosie's Theater Kids, which provides training in dance, music and drama for students attending public school in New York City.
O'Donnell has hosted the Tony Awards three times (1997, 1998 and 2000). She won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for the 52nd annual Tony Awards in 1998. Her theater credits include performing in "Grease," "Seussical" and "Fiddler on the Roof" as well as producing the musical "Taboo."
The nominations for the 2014 Tony Awards will be announced live on Tuesday, April 29th from New York City.
"The 68th Annual Tony Awards," hosted by Hugh Jackman will be broadcast from Radio City Music Hall June 8th at 8pm ET/PT on CBS.
Find more Tony Awards coverage on CBSNewYork.com
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- 'Going To The Moon Became A Tribute To JFK's Dream': Author Charles Fishman On Apollo 11, Book 'One Giant Leap'
- 'I've Never Seen Kevin Bacon Like This Before': Mark O'Brien On Showtime's 'City On A Hill'
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The ruling Chinese Communist Party met behind closed doors on Tuesday to select a new generation of leaders who will take the country forward in the next decade, amid growing debate over the need to disclose the personal wealth of its political elite, analysts said.
Political commentator Tan Zhiqiang said he believed that a recent New York Times article alleging that the relatives of outgoing premier Wen Jiabao own U.S. $2.7 billion in hidden assets could be driving debate.
"Most of this is aimed at Wen Jiabao," he said.
"Wen Jiabao wants to leave behind a legacy, what he stood for," Tan said. "Some people aren't happy about this and the Shanghai faction under [former president] Jiang Zemin wish he would keep quiet, because he will be the first to be hurt by any 'sunshine laws' [that reveal politicians' assets]."
He said plans to set up a reporting system for the assets of politicians were a nod to public opinion following dire warnings from outgoing president Hu Jintao last week that the Party and the country could be "brought down" by public anger over rampant official corruption.
But some reports suggest such a system would only make politicians' wealth known to the upper echelons of leadership, not to the general public.
Out of touch
Joseph Cheng, political science lecturer at Hong Kong's City University, said the debate over disclosure had dragged on in China for more than a decade now.
"A more important issue is whether or not they will allow enough freedom to mainstream media in China so that they can really start fighting corruption," Cheng said.
He said that China's political elite was largely out of touch with the struggles of ordinary Chinese.
As the leaders debate behind closed doors who will lead them for the next 10 years, ordinary Chinese are faced with skyrocketing food and property prices, a slowing economy and growing social tension over pollution and official corruption linked to lucrative land deals.
"[The lack of transparency] also reveals just how little the state and Party really know about the daily lives of ordinary people," Cheng said. "That's why no one really cares what they are talking about at the 18th Party Congress."
"They all think there's nothing new in it, and that they have no way to influence the outcome, so it leaves them cold."
'Going through the motions'
A commentary in Hong Kong's Economic Journal on Tuesday agreed, saying that the hype around the Congress generated by China's state-run media had done little to interest ordinary people.
"They don't really care what goes on in the congress hall, and they think that the 18th Party Congress long ago lost its links with the masses," the article said.
"The over-emphasis on security and the traffic controls imposed [on Beijing] has also made people unhappy, and a lot of people are complaining," it said.
"Some people are saying that they go through the motions, raise their hands, and that's it. They can't wait for it to be over, so as to ease the strain on Beijing."
New members
Nine members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the all-powerful decision-making body which is widely expected to be headed by Xi Jinping as China's new president and vice-premier Li Keqiang as premier in charge of the economy, are due to step down at the congress, where 2,270 delegates are meeting to vote on their replacements, although delegates rarely vote against leadership guidelines.
The new leadership is expected to be announced on Thursday.
A political source in Beijing who declined to be named said the past two days had been spent in internal "campaigning" and the handing out of approved lists of candidates for the top jobs.
"Overall, the new leadership will be centrist and conservative," the source said, meaning it would not include left-leaning candidates close to fallen political star Bo Xilai, who was ousted from the party amid political scandal, or of liberal reformers like Guangdong provincial chief Wang Yang.
"Wang Yang [is out] basically because of the Bo Xilai problem," the source said. "The left is doing all it can to pull him down as a tit-for-tat measure [after being excluded itself]."
He said that while Xi Jinping and premier-in-waiting Li Keqiang were politically moderate, they would likely be joined on the standing committee by Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Zhang Gaoyu, and [propaganda czar] Liu Yunshan.
"These are all pretty awful people, who haven't really achieved much politically, or at a local level," the source said. "People were feeling quite optimistic, but the more we know the less optimistic we get."
But he said outgoing president Hu's ally Li Yuanchao also looked unlikely to get into the final line-up. "I've never thought they'd manage to keep Li Yuanchao out of the Politburo as well," he said.
Hu Jintao
Willy Wo-lap Lam, former China editor of the South China Morning Post and author of five books on China, said that recent reports that Hu would retain his post as head of the armed forces made little difference to the dent put in the outgoing president's support base at this congress.
"If Hu retains the chair of the Central Military Commission, this will be his consolation prize," Lam said in an e-mailed comment.
"Hu has lost out hugely in the Politburo Standing Committee sweepstakes, because only one person from his Communist Youth League faction is there, Li Keqiang."
"So it is a balancing act, if Hu gets to keep the military for two or three more years," Lam said.
Bo scandal
Analysts say that Xi, who takes over at a time of divisive power struggles sparked by the fall of former political star Bo Xilai, will be the weakest president in contemporary Chinese history.
The Party last month expelled Bo from its ranks following accusations of corruption and sexual misconduct, removing his parliamentary privilege and paving the way for a criminal trial.
Bo was also judged to bear "major responsibility" in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, for which his wife Gu Kailai was handed a suspended death sentence on Aug. 20.
His former police chief and right-hand man Wang Lijun was jailed for 15 years in September for "bending the law for selfish ends," "abuse of power," and "defection," after his Feb. 6 visit to the U.S. consulate in Chengdu brought the scandal to public attention.
Reported by Fang Yuan and Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin service. Translation and additional reporting by Luisetta Mudie.


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While I'm away, readers give the advice.
On getting through to your teenager without harping:
One thing my father did all throughout my teen years was take a walk with me after dinner. He said HE needed to get some more exercise and was more likely to get it if he had company.
I enjoyed having 45 minutes of his time every night. I knew I would have a chance to talk to my dad every evening. More to the point, I knew that time was important to him. I was important to him.
I was very fortunate to have a mother who I called the "kitchen table psychologist," because she was able to tap into our emotions to enable us to vent. She was nonjudgmental and understood the basic need to express our emotions, and perhaps problem solve, but as soon as the words were out the "problems" were lessened by just putting them out on the table. She would say, "There is nothing that bad that we cannot talk about," and it was usually not that bad.
She would usually end the discussion with a humorous anecdote, usually about herself, and we would have a good laugh at the end of the conversation. That was so great to have.
On all those evil mothers-in-law:
Admittedly, I was not close to my husband's (weird and difficult) mother, but I always was respectful, patient and kind to her, given that she was the mother of my spouse and grandmother of our children.
Now that I am of age to become a grandmother, I see the other side and am much more sympathetic to all the older moms out there who maybe feel a little lost, a bit lonely. Aging can be a scary process, and having to redefine oneself and find new ways to find purpose can be daunting as people age.
While certainly those buttinsky mothers-in-law need to be dealt with using a firm hand, I do wish young moms would understand that the way you feel about your babies and little ones is just how we felt about our children, who are now all grown up and who may have forgotten there was once a close bond between us. Sure, establish healthy boundaries, young moms, but please show a little compassion and understanding.
Future MIL?
On feeling like the bad-luck fairy has moved in with you and is sleeping on your sofa:
People with plenty of money have crummy luck all the time, too, but it's just an inconvenience for them. My parents are millionaires. Last week their heater, car, and garage door broke. So what?
If they were poorer, each problem would've caused two more problems. People living on the edge are vulnerable to every mishap in a way that is catastrophic. It's very hard to break the cycle. You need a string of good luck that lasts for years.
By the way, I've always tried to live within my means and got hit with the housing crisis in a perfect storm that reduced me to zero. So I'm not saying here that poorer people are doing something wrong; it's just about having more than enough money to be able to recover.
Write to


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It's trade deadline time, a full baseball weekend, and Grey is at a crawfish festival asking ladies whether he has any chum in his moustache. Anyway, the Indians spoiled the Yanks and Sawx plans by nabbing Ubaldo for a bunch of prospects including their top two pitching prospects (Drew Pomeranz and Alex White). Moving to the AL Central is definitely better for Ubaldo's stock than the AL East and you'd think moving a mile closer to sea level for home games would help in the long run. I expect a good finish this year for him as ALers adjust to his stuff.
As for Pence, what a shocker that Philadelphia and Houston made a trade! Ruben Amaro Jr. is like the jerk in a fantasy baseball keeper league who keeps tapping the same goober (Ed Wade) for advantageous trades. The Phillies got Brad Lidge and Roy Oswalt the past two years and the Astros have Brett Wallace, JA Happ, and (had) Michael Bourn to show for it. Time will tell whether the prospects in this trade are worth it but the change in scenery should definitely help Pence. He hit 5th on Sunday which should give him some solid RBI opportunities behind Utley and Howard. Plus, he can look forward to many Pence-sylvania puns!
In other news…
Erik Bedard – The Red Sox nixed a trade with Oakland for Rich Harden because of injury concerns and then ok'd a trade to Seattle for Erik Bedard. When pressed on why they signed off on Bedard but not Harden, Red Sox doctors pointed out that Bedard's right arm looked a lot healthier than Harden's. We're disappointed they didn't pull off both trades. They could put Erich Bedarden as the probable starter and then start the healthy one. Suffice it to say, going from Seattle to Boston should only help Bedard's Wins, hurt his ERA/WHIP, and maim non-New Englanders' eardrums during unsuccessful home starts (You sahck cahk Bedahd!).
Michael Bourn – Traded to Atlanta for Jordan Schafer and the Atlanta B-prospect orchestra. This was all news to him when he woke up today in the wrong part of Atlanta, not knowing how he got there. Luckily he outran all his attackers until he was able to surmise his past role as a SAGNOF operative.
Rafael Furcal – Traded to the Cardinals. McCourt offered to send a $10,000 check as well if the Cards could just wire him $5,000. No real change in value for Furcal. He's barely startable when healthy and barely healthy when he starts.
Dee Gordon – With Furcal traded, the Dee Gordon era has arrived in LA. Dodger fans, SAGNOF fans, and What's Happening fans, rejoice!
Doug Fister – The Mariners traded Fister to a team (Tigers) where he might have a chance at the occasional win. Fister has 3 wins and 12 losses (only 2nd in the AL to Jeremy Guthrie's 13 losses) despite a 3.33 / 1.17 ERA/WHIP. Fister's lack of K's (5.5 Ks) makes him only spot start worthy in shallow mixed leagues. I just wish Seattle would've added catcher Adam Moore to the deal to preserve possibly the best pitcher-catcher battery of all-time (Fister-Moore).
Chris Davis – He'll finally get his 3rd chance to prove he's a major league hitter after getting traded with Tommy Hunter to Baltimore for Koji Uehara. If he's your best option at cornerman, my condolences. I can see Chris Davis and Mark Reynolds becoming great friends, swapping tips on how to walk back to the dugout after striking out.
Brandon Allen – Man, just when Arizona started playing him, they trade him to the A's for Brad Ziegler. Allen is getting sent to AAA for now but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets called up soon.
Paul Goldschmidt – With Allen out of town, the Diamondbacks plan to call him up to take over at 1B. He's shown great power and I'd give him a flier as a corner power option. I predict he'll surpass Jason Schmidt (7) and end up with the 2nd most career HRs for someone with Schmidt in their last name.
Mike Adams – Traded to the Rangers for two pitching prospects where he apologized to all owners who held onto him in mixed leagues hoping he'd inherit the Padres closer job when Heath Bell was traded. He's still worth owning as a middle reliever – especially as a handcuff if you own Feliz.
Ryan Ludwick – Traded to the Pirates. His value moves from yaaawwwn to yawn. Once Tabata comes back, this is going to mean a big drop in playing time for Garrett Jones.
Derrek Lee – Also traded to the Pirates. He's been hitting of late and is serviceable when on a hitting streak. In related news, if your beer league softball team needs a 1B, Lyle Overbay is available.
Orlando Cabrera – Traded to the Giants as Sabean is looking for the right mix of Tejada's over-the-hillness and Brandon Crawford's weak bat.
Lance Berkman – Returned after a few days off to hit a 3-run HR on Sunday. That's 28 HRs in 308 ABs. See Colby, that's what happens when you listen to the Cardinals coaches. Although, it should be said, that McGwire's success with Berkman is largely because Lance pictures a Big Mac in place of McGwire's face when getting batting tips. If only the Astros had hired Mayor McCheese as batting coach…
Justin Verlander – Took a no-hitter into the 8th inning for the 3rd time this year, outdueling AL Cy Young front-runner Jered Weaver in a 3-2 win. He's now 15-5 with a 2.24 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 178 Ks in 181 IP. Almost every award prediction I made this preseason looks awful except Verlander for Cy Young. If only I drafted him on one of our teams.
Jered Weaver – Lost the duel against Verlander to 'fall' to 14-5 with a 1.88 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. Worse yet, he got ejected for throwing one high and tight on pitch after Carlos Guillen took a few minutes to admire his HR. While I can see why Weaver was mad, he needs to realize that might've been one of the only notable accomplishments for Guillen in like 4 years. Let the man have his moment.
Domonic Brown – Sent down to AAA as the Phillies decided John Mayberry at least lets them put out an MVP outfield (Mayberry, Victorino, Pence).
Joe Saunders – Oh the joys of pitching in the NL West. He's followed up a complete game victory @SD with a 7.2 IP, 2 ER win against LA. He's got another start coming up against the Dodgers which makes him a pretty solid streaming candidate.
Jeremy Hellickson – The H-E-double hockey st-ickson is bringing the Devil back into the Rays. He got his 10th win of the year albeit against the Mariners and with only 2 Ks in 7 IP. At 10-7, Hellickson and Pineda are battling for top non-Roofie this year.
Brett Wallace / Chris Johnson – The ineffective corners of Houston were sent down to AAA. This will finally give some playing time to top prospects…..oops, those are their top prospects. That's the bad karma you get when you play in the park formerly known as Enron Field. Unlike Ed Wade, at least the Enron executives got to feel like the 'Smartest Men in the Room' for a little while.
Jason Bourgeois – Slam and legs with an extra side of legs for the upper class Astro. With Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence gone, Bourgeois should get plenty of time to hit at the top of the lineup and steal bases. Given the current state of the Astros lineup (Bourgeois hit 3rd on Sunday!), he better steal during his first 3 ABs because there may not be a 4th AB.
Emilio Bonifacio – His hitting streak was snapped at 26 games but he did hit a HR on Sunday. Mr. Dimaggio, you dodged a bullet. Mr. Bonds, hope you're ready for some Boneface.
Johnny Cueto – Threw a 3-hit shutout against the new look Giants offense. Why can't Volquez take a sip of whatever Cueto is drinking (1.72 ERA / 0.98 WHIP)?
Coco Crisp – 3 SBs to tie his career high from last year at 32 SBs. No wonder why Ice-T loves him so much.
Juan Nicasio – 7 IP, 1 ER and 10 Ks at San Diego – his first good road start this whole year. I'd say he's a great bet for K's but he has only K'd more than 6 in one other start…[email protected] against the Padres (9 Ks). The R0ckies should rest him for a few weeks and then start him every game in their next series with San Diego. Also, not for nothing, if his parents had gringo'd his name to John, he could have had the best 80's keyboardist name of all time (Johnny Casio).
Roger Bernadina – In the midst of an 0-for-17 slump (or 8-for-50 if you want to go back further), the Nats sent him down to AAA. For the love of SAGNOF, WTF?! Ankiel owners should benefit the most from this although, if anyone owns Ankiel in a shallow mixed league, they probably checked out 3 months ago. On Sunday, the Nats decided to start Brian Bixler in CF. This is the Brian Bixler whose awful bat (.177/.237/.227 in 203 ABs) wasn't good enough for Pittsburgh's SS position (when they sucked). This was the equivalent of Bixler taking a bat and hitting Bernadina in the balls – assuming Bixler would actually make contact.
Brandon McCarthy – Two straight wins for McCarthy after dispatching the Twins yesterday with a 9 K effort. He's doing his part to rid the McCarthy name of its embarrassing affiliation with Communist witch-hunts, vaccination witch-hunts, and falling for redheads from the wrong side of the tracks. If you leave Brandon, don't leave now!
Dustin Moseley – The NL Doug Fister (3-10 despite a 3.30 ERA) went on the 15 day DL with a bad shoulder on his non-pitching arm. That's weak. Jim Abbott pitched just fine with a bad arm on his non-pitching shoulder.


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This was contributed by Neo Prodigy, originally posted in 2005 in his LiveJournal.
The following is my response to KC's letter. A significant portion of the information and research I used in my reply is courtesy of cmpriest. Mad props to her and her immeasurable brilliance. Hopefully I did it justice. Hopefully I did good.
Dear Denny,
Hey, I know that I can't talk you out of your delightlful lifestyle, but please don't give real Catholics, ones who believe what the Church teaches, a bad name. If there is a classification for Pagan, I would suggest that is more appropriate.
This is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2357 … Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to CHASTITY. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
[I think you have at least 3 of these 4]
2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.
1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.