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Stars line up to perform at Whitney Houston's funeral

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:19:58 -0500

Whitney Houston's funeral to be broadcast online; Gov. Christie defends decision to fly flags half-staff By Sarah Anne Hughes Whitney Houston's invitation-only funeral will be broadcast on the Internet so that fans worldwide can have the opportunity to

Whitney Houston's family has scheduled a private viewing for tomorrow at the funeral home where the singer's body is currently being held TMZ has…

Whitney Houston told friends she "really wanted to see Jesus" in the days before her death and claimed she had a feeling the end was near for her …

So, without further ado, let us turn to a decision by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to lower the flags to half staff in honor of the death of singer Whitney Houston. Fending off fierce criticism for planning to lower flags at

Oprah Winfrey has made the cut and is one of the stars who has received one of the coveted invitations to Whitney Houston's funeral on Saturday …

Bobby Brown performs, is expected at Houston funeral

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:19:55 -0500

Bobby Brown gave an emotional tribute to Whitney Houston during a New Edition concert in Maryland last night and then he totally RUINED the moment.…

Being on tour right after the supposed love of his life unexpectedly died? That´s his prerogative. Last night in Mississippi, Bobby Brown paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston, thanking

Bobby Brown appeared with his group New Edition in Maryland Thursday night, and paid tribute to his late ex-wife. Shomari Stone reports. Bobby Brown joined his R&B group New Edition on their reunion tour in Prince George's County on Thurday night.

Being on tour right after the supposed love of his life unexpectedly died? That´s his prerogative. Last night in Mississippi, Bobby Brown paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston, thanking

In the wake of Whitney Houston's death, there have been a lot of questions floating around, whether about her funeral or her family. On Friday morning, Geraldo Rivera took to Fox News to address some of the issues,

Media Matters reaps millions from liberal groups

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:20:14 -0500

Media Matters for America, the liberal media watchdog — under the spotlight in a weeklong series by The Daily Caller — was instructed by a donor to scrutinize religious outlets like the Christian Broadcasting Network and its founder Pat Robertson.

Left-wing foundations lavish millions on Media Matters | List of foundation donors reads like a Who's Who of the American progressive movement.

"Media Matters"Matters which is driving the right-wing crazies crazier. Posted by Brian Leiter on February 17, 2012 at 08:56 AM in Of Cultural Interest | Permalink. Paid Advertisements: Advertise on LR. Recent Comments. David Goldman

Liz Trotta, I am unsure if that would be your response but hundreds of military personnel participate in units where there are both men and woman and believe me, a rape charge against anyone is a very serious matter.

Media Matters parroted the party line: He has blasphemed! A Human Rights Campaign that bills itself as America's leading voice for lesbians, bisexuals, gays and transgendered people said that Buchanan's "extremist ideas are incredibly harmful to

STAGE TUBE: GODSPELL Cast, Sutton Foster Visit PROJECT RUNWAY!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:19:56 -0500

Broadway's Robert Creighton (Anything Goes), Lindsay Mendez (Godspell) and Betsy Wolfe (Encores! Merrily We Roll Along), join Tony nominee Adam Pascal (Memphis), Heidi Blickenstaff (Now. Here. This., [title of show]), Julia Murney (Queen of the

Front row seats remain available for the opening weekend of the Fredericksburg Theater Company's spring musical production, Godspell. Performances will be held Fridays through Sundays from Feb. 17-March 4 at 7:30 pm with 2 pm Sunday matinees.

Broadway's new revival of Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL were featured on Lifetime Television's acclaimed reality competition "Project Runway All Stars," last night, February 16. In the episode, the contestants competed for their 'Broadway debut' when

Daughter and I wondered why nobody from Godspell was at the judging. I'm sure there are very specific requirements. We thought it would have been waaaaay too much trouble taping in an actress in Austin's outfit, day after

Godspell, which runs until Saturday, February 18, features a cast of 40. The club was recently presented with an award for last year's production, Back To The 80s. National Operatic and Dramatic Association president Gerry Branton gave the award for

Man has apparent heart attack while eating at Heart Attack Grill

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:20:13 -0500

Menu warnings at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas nearly proved true for a man who had a medical episode that looked like a heart attack. John Blackstone reports on the caught-on-tape incident. (/CBS News) Correction: Clarification: SuperFan badge

LAS VEGAS — A man is recovering after suffering an apparent heart attack while eating a "Triple Bypass Burger" at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. The unidentified man suddenly began complaining of chest pains, started sweating and stuttering his

Heart Attack Grill: A diner appears to suffer a heart attack at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas.

Should the Heart Attack Grill — which is obviously encouringing irresponsible eating habits — close? Or should consumers just exercise a little self-control and bypass the restaurant in favor of something healthier?

Heart Attack Grill: A diner appears to suffer a heart attack at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas.

How to Do Your Taxes on the Cheap

LaTisha Styles — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Tax season is upon us and accountants are flooded with receipts. If you do your own taxes you are probably collecting all of your documents and W-2s so you can file soon. I recently read an article on Forbes about how to file your taxes on the cheap and it mentions the various computer-based programs that are available to you.

If your parents are still claiming you then you probably won’t be filing and claiming deductions, but it would still be good for you to start learning how to prepare your tax returns for once you do start to claim yourself.

As an investor, you will need several statements when you begin to file your taxes. Your brokerage should give you a form that will summarize your buys and sells for that year. If you traded stocks in an IRA then you won’t get your final forms until after April since you have until April of the current year to contribute to your IRA for the present year.

If you began a business this year or worked as a 1099 employee then you will definitely need the help of a professional tax preparer to make sure that you get all of the deductions you are entitled to. I like to use TurboTax.com, it pulls in all of my information from the previous year and guides me step by step through all of the deductions and credits I am entitled to. Even if you only worked at a pizza delivery boy, you may be able to deduct the cost of maintaining your car. 2011 tax credits and tax credits for each subsequent year is updated in the newest version of TurboTax.

For next tax year, begin saving all of your receipts and writing down your mileage and where you were going. You would be surprised at how many deductions apply to small businesses and 1099 independent contractors. See Pub 1799 for Independent Contractor and Pub 334 for Tax Guide for Small Business. If you decide to do your taxes on your own you should visit IRS.gov and research the forms you will need. They will mail you any IRS publications you will need free of charge.

How do you do your taxes? Do you use tax software or hire an accountant?

Photo Credits: http://justabouttaxes.com/

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Media Matters' Donors Revealed….

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:20:14 -0500

by Diana WestEmail | Archive Have you heard about the 23-year-old Saudi journalist who tweeted an imaginary conversation with Muhammad? It went something like this: He loved Muhammad, he hated Muhammad, he couldn't understand Muhammad, he wasn't going

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And finally tonight, the blatant bias of Media Matters has been exposed, thanks to shocking internal memos uncovered by the Daily Caller. And one of the main target of that left-leaning organization is none other than the Fox News

In an email to Media Matters, Michael Canes, Senior Research Fellow at the Logistics Management Institute, former Chief Economist of the American Petroleum Institute, and a supporter of increased offshore drilling, wrote: Most oil market experts

By Jamie Weinstein – The Daily Caller Published: 12:09 PM 02/14/2012 | Updated: 12:10 PM 02/14/2012 By Jamie Weinstein – The Daily Caller Liberal Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz says Media Matters could become the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of 2012 for

Media Matters' Donors Revealed….

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:20:10 -0500

By David Martosko, The Daily Caller Relying on tax returns and websites of wealthy US foundations, a Daily Caller investigation has revealed the sources of more than $28.8 million in funding collected by the liberal Media Matters for America since 2003

Left-wing foundations lavish millions on Media Matters | List of foundation donors reads like a Who's Who of the American progressive movement.

Media Matters tax-exempt status may face new scrutiny from Congress | Congressional Republicans now interested in examining liberal group's 501(c)(3) status, but progress would likely be tricky, legal experts say.

'Project Runway All-Stars' try out for 'Godspell' on Broadway

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:20:13 -0500

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The Queen of Pop moves closer to the Queen of Soul's Hot 100 record, while music from the King of Pop makes a royal return.

For the seventh challenge of "Project Runway All-Stars" Season 1, the seven remaining designers were brought to the Circle in The Square Theater on Broadway and asked to design a costume for the revival of "Godspell." "Godspell" composer Stephen

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'Project Runway All-Stars' try out for 'Godspell' on Broadway

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:20:04 -0500

A TALENTED cast is currently weaving its magic in a hugely enjoyable and thought-provoking production of Godspell. This former Broadway hit, first staged in 1971, is based around parables and teachings from the Gospel of Matthew and features memorable

By Dan Bacalzo • Feb 9, 2012 • New York The Broadway production of Godspell, at Circle in the Square Theatre, will allow a limited number of patrons to tweet live during the Sunday, February 19 at 7:30pm. Fifteen of the show's most vocal Twitter fans

htdig_noindex godspell godspell godspell Technology Our Mission SLT Laser Therapy for Glaucoma Photocoagulators Photodisruptors Combination Products SureSpot Op.

Pat Buchanan out at MSNBC

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:20:10 -0500

He has not appeared on the channel since October, when he began promoting a book called "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?"

Yes, Virginia, there is a religious war going on. It is for the soul of America. And traditional Christianity is besieged. In a January visit to the Vatican, American bishops were warned by Benedict XVI that “radical secularism” posed “grave threats”

By Jeff Poor – The Daily Caller According to Pat Buchanan, the Obama administration's decision to revise its mandate that religious institutions must offer “access” to conception, despite the mandate violating Church doctrine, still falls short.

Pat Buchanan. A moment of silence, please. It's officially the end of an era for MSNBC and Pat Buchanan. How anticlimactic: My days as a political analyst at MSNBC have come to an end. After 10 enjoyable years, I am

News and opinion about US politics from a liberal/Democratic/progressive perspective.

Stop, Limit, Profit and Loss

LaTisha Styles — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Trading without a stop-loss is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute, yet most first time investors don’t take the time to place this simple order.

http://www.ianbritton.co.uk/

Simply put, a stop-loss order is an order placed with your broker to sell your position once the asset drops to a certain price.

Well if trading without a stop-loss is like jumping out of a plane with no parachute, then trading without a profit-limit is like taking a hot air balloon up for the rest of your life. You may not think there’s such a bad thing about unlimited profit but if you don’t have a target goal price then you are really just jumping in and hoping the price goes up.

When you first evaluate your trade and decide to buy in the first place, you should have an “I’m wrong” and “I’m right” prices in mind. The “I’m wrong” price is your stop-loss. It is when you can say o.k. market stop twisting my arm! I’ll get out!

Your “I’m right” price is your goal price. It’s what you were hoping to see the price go to based on your initial evaluation.

Feel free to change these orders as you see fit. You may reevaluate and find out that your stop-loss is too tight or your profit-limit is too loose or vice-versa. That will have an effect on your overall stock returns and portfolio profitability.

You also will need to reevaluate an place these stop and limit orders every time they are canceled if you are trading stocks with certain brokers. You may have to selected Good Til Canceled and the time frame varies with brokers. Some will allow your order to stay in for anywhere from 30-90 days. In the futures and forex market, your stop and limit orders will stay with the trade you placed, once again depending on the broker.

Check your trades and don’t go in without some protection!

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Best of Weekend Reading Lifestyle Bloggers Edition

LaTisha Styles — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:04:27 -0500

Welcome to this week’s roundup!

Here’s what I posted at Financial Success for Young Adults this week.

1) Carnival of Retirement 5th Edition

I was honored to be the 5th host of the Carnival of Retirement. There are some great posts here on how to make it all the way to retirement smiling.

2) First Rental Property: Find Investors or Go It Alone?

Another great post from staff writer Shaun on finding and financing a rental property.

3) How I turned $1760 into 50 dollars

This was one of my posts from the archives about my first experience with trading foreign exchange.

Financial Success for Young Adults Around the Web

I was also featured in the Yakezie Carnival at 101 Centavos. Check it out and read the great posts featured in this Zombie Apocalypse Edition.

Here are several other carnivals that included my posts this week.

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie at Newlyweds on a Budget
Totally Money at 20′s Finances
Canadian Finance Carnival at Canadian Finance Blog
Carnival of Wealth at Control Your Cash
Carnival of Financial Planning at Skilled Investor Blog

Did you know that I am a staff writer at Fiscal Phoenix and Prairie Eco Thrifter? Here are the posts from me that are up on their sites.

The Ins and outs of Mutual Funds is up at Fiscal Phoenix. Mutual funds are often the starting point for beginners. Check out this post for a primer on them.

Lifestyle Bloggers

There is a great post today from Free Ticket to Japan highlighting some great lifestyle Yakezie bloggers. Check it out then enter your post in the new Lifestyle Carnival for inclusion this coming week!

Giveaway Winners!

Congrats to the lucky winners of the giveaway! I used Rafflecopter to compile the entries and select a winner at random. The 4 winners are below and I will be emailing you with instructions on how to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for a great week! See you next week!

The Wheel of Time Poetry

Dragutin Movrin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:32:11 -0500

As I wrote before, my favorite fantasy series is without a doubt, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. These are the few lyrics of a song, a dark prophecy and a chant, that are written all through the series.

Trust

Give me your trust, said the Aes Sedai.
On my shoulders I support the sky.
Trust me to know and to do what is best,
And I will take care of the rest.
But trust is the color of a dark seed growing.
Trust is the color of a heart’s blood flowing.
Trust is the color of a soul’s last breath.
Trust is the color of death.

Give me your trust, said the queen on her throne,
for I must bear the burden all alone.
Trust me to lead and to judge and to rule,
and no man will think you a fool.
But trust is the sound of the grave-dog’s bark.
Trust is the sound of betrayal in the dark.
Trust is the sound of a soul’s last breath.
Trust is the sound of death.

Give me your trust, said the king on high,
I say who'll live and who will die,
Trust me to guide my kingdom true,
and each subject shall receive his due.
But trust is the smell of hatred teeming,
Trust is the smell of turncoats scheming.
Trust is the smell of a soul's last breath.
Trust is the smell of death.

Give me your trust, said the lady and lord,
Your service to us is your reward.
Trust us to protect you all,
You will have no one should we fall.
But trust is the touch of sickness and grief
Trust is the touch of a sneaking thief.
Trust is the touch of a soul's last breath.
Trust is the touch of death.

Give me your trust said the love of your life,
For I will ease your toil and strife,
Trust me to love you in return
And when you're gone my heart will burn.
But trust is the taste of blood and ash,
Trust is the taste of the master's lash,
Trust is the taste of a soul's last breath.
Trust is the taste of death.

Prophecy of the Shadow

“Daughter of the Night, she walks again. The ancient war, she yet fights. Her new lover she seeks, who shall serve her and die, yet serve still. Who shall stand against her coming? The Shining Walls shall kneel. Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.”

“The man who channels stands alone. He gives his friends for sacrifice. Two roads before him, one to death beyond dying, one to life eternal. Which will he choose? Which will he choose? What hand shelters? What hand slays? Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.”

“Luc came to the Mountains of Dhoom. Isam waited in the high passes. The hunt is now begun. The Shadow's hounds now course, and kill. One did live, and one did die, but both are. The Time of Change has come. Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.”

“The Watchers wait on Toman's Head. The seed of the Hammer burns the ancient tree. Death shall sow, and summer burn, before the Great Lord comes. Death shall reap, and bodies fail, before the Great Lord comes. Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes. Now the Great Lord comes. Now the Great Lord comes. Blood feeds blood. Blood calls blood. Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be. Now the Great Lord comes.”

Wash the Spears

Wash the spears — while the sun climbs high.
Wash the spears — while the sun falls low.
Wash the spears — Who fears to die?
Wash the spears — No one I know!

Wash the spears — while life holds true.
Wash the spears — until life ends.
Wash the spears — Life is a dream.
Wash the spears — All dreams must end.

Wash the spears — till shade is gone.
Wash the spears — till water turns dry.
Wash the spears — How long from home?
Wash the spears — Until I die!

Wash the spears — till the sun grows cold.
Wash the spears — till water runs free.
Wash the spears — while I breathe.
Wash the spears — my steel is bright.
Wash the spears.

Till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit into sightblinder's eye on the Last Day.
-Aiel Oath

3 Time Saving Tips When Changing Health Insurance Carriers

woodstock939 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:46:55 -0500

3 Quick tips that will save you time when changing Health Insurance carriers

We at Georgia Health Insurance Advisors take pride in offering sound advice when advising clients at their health insurance renewal. We shop the Georgia Health Insurance market every year so that you have the best possible benefit for the best possible price. Most of the time that requires changing Georgia health insurance carriers to stay on top of the best deals each year. We have 3 quick tips that will save you time in the long run when changing health insurance carriers at your renewal.

1. Make sure to provide the new carrier with your certificate of preexisting credible coverage from your previous health insurance carrier.

Your old health insurance carrier will send you a preexisting credible coverage letter by mail after being notified with your intentions to terminate coverage. Make sure you send that letter to your agent so they can get that updated with your new carrier. If you don’t have an agent give us a call and we can help!

2. Apply online!

More and more carriers are pushing online applications to the front of the health insurance underwriting line. When applying online make sure you have a credit card or your checking account information ready. Your initial premium when applying online will have to be with one of those forms of payment.

3. Create an online account with your new health insurance carrier.

Health insurance carriers are offering more and more amenities through their online account portals. Once your approved with your new carrier you’re allowed to create an online account. You have access to temporary ID cards, health claims information, bill pay, and much more.

How I turned $1760 into 50 dollars

LaTisha Styles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Most people only highlight their investing accomplishments. But I’m going to talk about one of my failures and how you can avoid the same mistakes. I made the mistake in the foreign exchange market but this mistake could apply to practically every market because it involves trading psychology.

One thousand, seven hundred and sixty dollars was what I deposited into my first forex trading account. Most forex traders blow their first account and I was no different. By the time I had finished ‘trading’ I was down to $50 dollars. But if you listen carefully and take notes you might not make the same mistakes I did.

When I first learned about the foreign exchange market I was very excited, to say the least. At the time, with about $37 dollars you could control $10,000 dollars worth of currency. I had been introduced to leverage before with options and futures but most of the options and futures brokers require a higher amount of margin on deposit to get started trading.

Being a college student, I didn’t really have large amounts of cash to start investing, so I decided to get into forex to grow my capital and get rich fast.

Mistake 1: Focusing only on what I would make and not what I would lose

My first mistake was getting into forex with the idea that I would make tons of money and not lose any. All of my projections and profit targets never took into consideration any losing trades.

I planned budgets and future trades based on winning every single trade I made. I ignored the statistics that most day traders lose money and that most first time forex traders blow their first account. I was going to be different.

And it worked…for the first few days.

Mistake 2: Not Controlling My Emotions: Greed, Fear and Revenge

My first few trades were all profitable. My account went from 1760 to 2100 dollars in 3 days! Then I got cocky. I thought I couldn’t lose.

The next morning I made 81 dollars before I even got dressed for the day. I visited a friend and traded a few times before I got to his house. I placed a really big trade with my can’t lose attitude and lost 300 dollars in one morning. That was all the gains I had made to date. I was pissed, so I tried to get revenge on the market and I lost another 300 dollars.

Mistake 3: Not Following My Rules

I lost the first 600 dollars because I didn’t control my emotions and because of those emotions, I threw my rules out the window. A good trader is like a scientist. She formulates a strategy, back tests that strategy against history, forward tests that strategy with a paper trading account and then puts that strategy to work in a live account. If at any point the strategy doesn’t work, she fixes what was wrong in any of those steps and starts again. I had an airtight strategy that I had tested using each of these steps. But trading in a live account with large amounts of leverage can cause any new trader to forget every good habit they learned; especially when one loss wipes out all of your gains.

Mistake 4: Ignoring the Risk to Reward Ratio

It took me about 3 trades to make the first 300 dollars. It only took 1 trade to lose all 300 dollars. That was because I did not pay attention to my risk to reward ratio. I would place a trade with a 100 pip limit and a 300 pip stop. (A pip is the name for the smallest movement in a currency price. For my leverage 100 pips was 100 dollars.) If I paid attention in my statistics class I would have never set up my trades this way.

If I assume that 50% of the time the market will go up and 50% of the time the market will go down, I should also assume that I have a 50-50 chance of being right. With this probability, in order to grow my portfolio, I would have to make more money when I win and risk less money when I lose. I didn’t do that.

After losing a few more trades to fear and greed and statistics, I was down to only 50 dollars. I withdrew the last of my money, whipped by the market. But really I was whipped by my own mind.

Reformed Forex Gambler

I’m very proud to say that I have since learned my lesson. It cost me $1760 dollars to learn it but I am a very disciplined trader now. I follow my rules on every trade. I give every trade at least a 2 to 1 reward to risk ratio. I don’t let my emotions control me. And I’ve been profitable ever ~~on every trade~~ since! (I am profitable overall, I still lose trades and win trades. Check out the About Page to learn how to keep up with my trades.)

Let’s hope you don’t make the same mistakes I did. But if you decide to ignore me, at least you can say you were warned.

What happened with your first forex account? Any tips for new forex traders?

Update 2/7/2011: This post was featured in the Carnival of Money Stories!

Photo Credits: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/08/0823_day_trader/source/1.htm

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First Rental Property: Find Investors or Go It Alone?

Shaun — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:44 -0500

The problem with starting any entrepreneurial venture is answering one key question “how to begin.” Often, the answer to that one enigma can be the difference between a thriving new business and failure. While putting together any successful venture is time-consuming and hard work, it is much easier put the pieces together once you know where to start. A good place to start is deciding on whether or not you want to take on investors.

Bridge Financing via Harshil.Shah on Flickr

Advantages of Investors

I know the first thing that comes to mind is “I can have investors? Who’d want to invest in my rental property?” and I’ll answer those questions in a bit. Regardless of whether you’ll find any investors, anyone can look for them. It’s best to first decide if you want to initiate a search. There are some good reasons to do so.

One of the biggest advantages to finding investment money is that you can reduce your risk of potential loss. Let’s say that you need $40,000 to initiate your first mortgage on a multi-family home. If your venture fails completely, you are out at least $40,000. What if investors fronted $30,000 and you put in $10,000? Your risk has reduced considerably. An influx of investment cash can also accelerate your property accumulation if you plan on scaling up a large operation.

Another important advantage is that taking on investors will allow you to draw a regular salary in addition to equity income. For example, on your own, you’ve been able to acquire three units. Your profits are your rent revenues minus your expenses. However with investors, you’ve purchased 12 units. As the company manager, you are entitled to draw a salary, usually a percentage of revenues. After you subtract your salary and other expenses from rent revenue, you receive a share of the residual profits in proportion to the size of your own investment.

If your investors have business or rental property experience, you can get free help. Investors don’t always want a passive income stream. Investors can be a great source for advice and guidance. Since they have an interest in the success of your company, they have an incentive to assist you.

Disadvantages of Investors

The advantages of taking on investors are convincing, but there are some drawbacks.

You run things, but you aren’t the boss. Regardless of how many investors buy into your company, you will always have to be attentive your investor’s questions and concerns. If you own less than 50% of your company, then your investors have the ability to fire you as company manager.

Each investor purchases a right to profits and a say in how the company is run. A good team works together to make sound business decisions and leaves you to handle the day-to-day operations. A poor team bickers with each other and treats you like a subordinate. You need to pick your investors well.

Finding Investors

If you’ve decided to look for investors, you need to know how to find them.

Owning rental property is a great investment. You are purchasing real estate, so your investment appreciates in value and is relatively safe. Everyone needs housing, ensuring that you won’t fall short with demand. It’s an investment that sells itself and finding investors is easier than you’d think.

There are plenty of people who want to be involved in rental property investments, but there are concerns that prevent them from doing so. They lack the time to manage a business, the knowledge to maintain properties or the funding to go it alone. Offering to be the business manager resolves these drawbacks, but you have to sell your business and your expertise.

One great way to break the ice with anyone you think could be a potential investor is to have a business plan. A business plan is like a giant research paper that explains who, where, what, when and how your rental property will operate and succeed in making a good return for investors. It takes a lot of time and effort to put one together, but once completed, you have all the details of how you plan to earn money spelled out in black and white.

Don’t just talk to family and friends about rental property. Pull from the business plan and talk about how your venture’s projected returns beat the stock market, and the investment buy- in can be a small as a single mortgage payment. Having details lets everyone know that you’ve thought out more than just what business you want to try. You’ve charted a roadmap to success.

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Why Get a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice?

CCU CAGS. — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:06:08 -0500

Are you thinking about getting a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice? If so, Colorado Christian University has an excellent criminal justice degree program where you can build a strong foundation of knowledge and application in the field of criminal justice. Our experienced, knowledgeable criminal justice faculty can provide real-world scenarios as they have been in the criminal justice field themselves. Criminal justice courses are taught from a Christian worldview, so you will study courses related to crime and justice but will explore topics such as free will, right vs. wrong and human nature. Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice can be the start of a very rewarding, exciting career in the law enforcement arena. A bachelor in criminal justice will prepare you for a number of jobs including law enforcement, security, criminal courts, homeland security, drug enforcement and corrections.

A Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice will be strong in the areas of math, social science, biology and psychology. You will study crime control methods and the various institutions associated with the criminal justice system. An exploration into the violent criminal mind will help to give you an understanding of what drives criminals to do what they do. Once you get your B.S. in Criminal Justice, you can apply for many entry level CJ jobs. Entry level jobs in criminal justice usually begin in the range of $35,000-40,000, and most jobs have opportunities for career advancement and raises. The criminal justice job outlook is very good and because the demand is so high, the salaries will be higher.

If you are concerned that you may not be able to pay for your college education, you should know there are criminal justice scholarship opportunities you can avail yourself of to help with tuition and related fees. A number of the criminal justice professional associations offer scholarships for undergraduates at the national, regional and chapter levels. Look for organizations associated with your specific field of study if you have already narrowed your interests. Please contact the CCU Admissions or Financial Aid Office t learn more about the criminal justice program at CCU.

Carnival of Retirement 5th Edition

LaTisha Styles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:09 -0500

Welcome to the most recent Edition of the Carnival of Retirement. If you want to submit a post for next week’s edition, please use the submission form. Next week’s edition will be hosted by My Retirement Blog. Let’s get right into it!

Kris from Simple Island Living published retirement savings during unemployment.

DollarDisciple from DollarDisciple published Preparing to Live on One Income.

MMD from MyMoneyDesign published Retiring on the One-Million Dollar Myth, saying, ‘Is retiring on one-million dollars just a myth, or could you really do it? Let’s explore how that would work.’

FG from Financial God published Is Canada Immune to a Financial Blowup?, saying, ‘My Own Advisor recently wrote about the heavy austerity in Greece, and thanks his lucky stars that things are nowhere near this bad in Canada. I agree that those in Canada are very lucky that the country has weathered the financial storm in relatively good shape, and not only that but the Canadian government has wasted less of the people’s wealth on ‘stimulus’.’

Don from MoneySmartGuides published What to Look for in Mutual Funds – Part 1, saying, ‘This is my first part of a two part series on what to look for in Mutual Funds.’

Eddie from Finance Fox published Airline’s Charge to Check Bags = One Big Cash Grab, saying, ‘Despite a pretty smooth trip overall, I had the pleasure of paying $25 to check my bag. Three different airports, three different starting points and that’s $75 less I had in my wallet.’

Photo via petrr on Flickr

Erika from Newlyweds on a Budget published How do you talk about money with your husband?, saying, ‘Who manages the finances in your relationship? And how do you decide how to spend your money?’

Jen from Master the Art of Saving published My Biggest Financial Fear, saying, ‘Sometimes fear can motivate us and other times, it can paralyze us or dictate our decisions. I have plenty of fears, and I’m not afraid to admit it.’

Shaun from Smart Family Finance published Mistakes Young Families Make When Financing Their First Home, saying, ‘Money mistakes made by young, educated and affluent families were a direct cause of our current economic turmoil. If families fail to learn from those home buying mistakes, we are doomed to repeat the consequences.’

Kyle from The Penny Hoarder published How to Make Money Buying Virtual Real Estate, saying, ‘Real estate is such a valuable investment, you no longer need it to be real to make money. Learn how real-life virtual real estate entrepreneurs have made millions.’

Aloysa from My Broken Coin published How ‘Do Not Need’ Lists Can Save You A Buck, saying, ‘I am on a three month no-buy resolution. I figured it is a good prelude to start implementing my next resolution – de-cluttering. Where do you usually start? I, of course, started with my favorite place which happens to be you guessed it, right! my closet.’

Jeffrey from Money Spruce published 37 Must-Read Posts for Tax Savings, saying, ‘A collection of the best tax tips posts that cover a wide range of tax topics, including deductions, tips for filing, and working with an accountant.’

A Blinkin from Funancials published Are You A Mental Accountant? Grand Finale, saying, ‘Remember when Jeff Foxworthy came out with his unforgettable series, ‘You Might Be A Redneck?’ It was a huge hit that led to book deals, TV shows, and enough riches to fund every redneck’s retirement. Read my take on being a mental accountant with a Jeff Foxworthy spin.’

Photo via Nextchanel

101 Centavos from 101 Centavos published Redneck Dividends, saying, ‘As I was editing the notorious 101 Centavos Dividend Portfolio that is featured on this site, it occurred to me that some of the dividend picks shared …’

KT from Personal Finance Journey published How to Host a Superbowl Party on the Cheap, saying, ‘The Super Bowl is just around the corner and if your house is about be invaded by party-goers, you might be worried about what hosting a huge party is going to cost you. Potlucks and BYOB are always a good way to host a party on the cheap!’

Dr. Dean from The Millionaire Nurse published Projects: Getting Started! A Growing Mushrooms at Home Case Study, saying, ‘Exotic mushrooms make a wonderful addition to a multitude of dishes. Unfortunately, they can be expensive and not readily available in our rural area. Grow them at home? Why not! Read all about getting a money saving project up and going-and how to become a SSD (spore spawn diddy).’

MR from Money Reasons published Why Taxing Dividend Income Hurts The Elderly, saying, ‘Taxing dividends at a higher percentage hurts the elderly and the young.’

Wayne from Young Family Finance published Cheap Romantic Dates, saying, ‘Cheap romantic dates are great on the budget and relationship. Find creative ideas here.’

krantcents from KrantCents published Protecting your home when on holiday: top tips, saying, ‘Whatever kind of neighbourhood you live in, you will want to protect your home while you are away from it. Should you be embarking on a big holiday in the coming weeks and months and you find yourself away from the house for two weeks or more, there are a number of things you can do.’

Daniel from Sweating the Big Stuff published Paypal Income Reporting Requirements for Bloggers, saying, ‘The IRS required PayPal to issue Form 1099-K to those making over $20,000 a year on PayPal. Since it was so confusing, the IRS did something smart.’

Small Business Resource from Small Business Resource published Top Tips For Small Businesses To Survive The Recession, saying, ‘Here are some tips for small businesses to survive the recession …. courtesy of the everywoman network!’

Darwin from Darwin’s Money published Confidence is Great, Right? Nope, It’ll Wreck Your Life, saying, ‘We’re all taught to be confident from childhood. You know, those confidence boosters like getting a trophy no matter where you placed, parents telling you that you can do anything in life and so on. On some level, having confidence in yourself and what you can achieve does allow you to think big, stretch your your limits and achieve great things.’

Hank from Money Q&A published The Beginner’s Guide – How To Find A Mutual Fund, saying, ‘There are tens of thousands of mutual funds out there for investors to choose from. It is very intimidating for new beginner investors to learn how to find a mutual fund.’

YFS from Your Finances Simplified published 10 Easy Tips for Saving Money on Car Insurance, saying, ‘Everyone has to have car insurance, but it can be a pain to find something that works for you and that you can afford. If you are tight on funds, or if you simply want to save some money, here are ten easy tips for saving money on your car insurance.’

Mich from Beating The Index published Investing in Canadian Well Completion & Drilling Companies, saying, ‘The oilfield services industry provides investors with exposure to the oil and gas commodity sector minus the inherent risks associated with exploration and development drilling.’

Photo via chaosandcreations on Flickr

Hank from Money Q&A published How To Raise The Next Millionaire Entrepreneur, saying, ‘Giving them a solid foundation to launch their creative ideas will help them achieve a financial freedom. A true millionaire entrepreneur knows that they can’t wait for opportunities to find them.’

Andy from My Retirement Blog published 2012 IRA Contribution Limits, saying, ‘Curious what the 2012 IRA Contributions Limits are?’

Kevin from Thousandaire published Cheap Things That Make Life Easier, saying, ‘Sometimes people get so caught up in the idea of saving money that they won’t use their hard earned cash to buy something that would improve their quality of life. What the heck are you working for if you can’t buy yourself something that will make you happier? ‘

Suba from Broke Professionals published Simple Home Maintenance Anyone Can Do, saying, ‘If you own a home, you can save time and money by learning to do some common and simple home maintenance. The time you save is the time needed to locate a repair person, wait for them to arrive and do the task. The money you save is their labor charge.’

PITR from Passive Income To Retire published Early Retirement, saying, ‘In preparation for early retirement, what are you doing? Find out what I am doing to prepare for early retirement.’

Jester from The Ultimate Juggle published Unexpected Crisis, saying, ‘Find out how I managed to take care of a lot of things in a short amount of time.’

John from Married with Debt published Frugal Living is All About Creating the Debt Free Magic in Your Life, saying, ‘This site is about helping people, both financially and in all aspects of their lives. Because I want this site to be a community, you will see from time to time, guest posts from readers and fellow financial bloggers. ‘

Amanda L Grossman from Frugal Confessions published frugalconfessions.com/retirement/double-tax-benefits-for-mid-to-low-income-households-who-contribute-to-retirement-accounts.php” target=”_blank”>Double Tax Benefits for Mid to Low Income Households Who Contribute to Retirement Accounts, saying, ‘When you think about retirement, are you stuck in disillusionment somewhere between your dreams and the reality of an empty retirement account? ‘

Evan from My Journey to Millions published The Worst Way to Invest in Real Estate, saying, ‘I love the idea of investing in real estate and earning my passive income through rent money, but there is a good way to go about it and an absolutely terrible way.’

Jason Meltzer from Life Over Work published Social Security isn’t going away, saying, ‘Much has been made about the impending doom of the Social Security program, but the rhetoric doesn’t exactly match what the Social Security Trustees Report says.’

Corey from Steadfast Finances published Fake Prosperity: U.S. National Debt Growth vs. GDP Growth, saying, ‘If you’re a member of Gen X and Gen Y, this is probably the scariest chart you will see in in the Economy, and possibly, right up to the time you’re old and gray.’

Jon the Saver from Free Money Wisdom published How Safe Is Spread Betting?, saying, ‘So is spread betting safe? Realistically it is only as safe as you make it. If you decide to invest in a spread betting firm, and begin to see which stocks appeal to you, there are limits you can set. You can set a limit on the amount of money you make before you take your investments out, and you can also set a limit on the amount of money you lose before your investment ends.’

Mr. Money from Smart on Money published Do You Save Your Pocket Change? For One Indiana Man, It Adds Up To a New Car Every 10-15 Years, saying, ‘What if you were always paying in cash, and every time you got change it went directly into your change jar? How much money would it add up to, and how much could you save in change alone?’

Peter from Bible Money matters published 401k Rollover to IRA: What to Do with Your Retirement Account when Leaving Your Old Job, saying, ‘When you’re leaving a job, you have several different options of what to do when it comes to your 401(k).’

Thanks for a great carnival!

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Best of Weekend Reading Blogaversary Giveaway

LaTisha Styles — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:00:13 -0500

Welcome to this week’s roundup!

Here’s what I posted at Financial Success for Young Adults this week.

1) The Ultimate Financial Plan for 2012

By the end of January most resolutions have already been broken. Check out this post for a great way to plan your finances for 2012.

2) The Five Components of a Credit Score

This was a great guest post from Jessica over at Everything Finance. Check it out and get some good info on how to improve or maintain your credit score.

Financial Success for Young Adults Around the Web

I was also featured in the Yakezie Carnival at Steadfast Finances. Check it out and read the great posts featured in this Super Bowl Clones Edition.

Here are several other carnivals that included my posts this week.

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie at My University Money
Canadian Finance Carnival at Canadian Finance Blog
Carnival of Financial Planning at The Amateur Financier

Did you know that I am a staff writer at Fiscal Phoenix and Prairie Eco Thrifter? Here are the posts from me that are up on their sites.

How to Open and Invest in a Roth IRA is up at Fiscal Phoenix. If you are interested in opening a Roth IRA this is a great post for you.

Bond Laddering for Retirement is up at Prairie Eco Thrifter. Even though yields are terrible now, it is still good to know how bond laddering works.

Giveaway Intructions

It’s time for our one year anniversary giveaway! I am giving away over $150 dollars worth of gift cards to a few lucky readers! It’s pretty simple to win! Here is how to enter. Winners will be chosen at midnight on February 11th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for a great week! See you next week!

Veterans Yellow Ribbon Program

CCU CAGS. — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:21:36 -0500

The Veterans Yellow Ribbon Program is a benefit in which universities may agree to fund any tuition and fees that exceed the private school yearly maximum allowed by the Veterans Affairs of $17,500. CCU is a member of the Veterans Yellow Ribbon Program, so the VA will match each additional dollar CCU contributes, up to 50% of the difference between the student’s tuition and fee benefit and the total cost of tuition and fees. To learn more about the Veterans Yellow Ribbon Program, please visit the Veterans Affairs web site.

Here is a brief explanation of the eligibility and benefits for adult and graduate students for the Yellow Ribbon Program:

At CCU, an unlimited number of students will be eligible for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Students in CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies will receive up to $2,500 per year in CCU benefits, beyond the base VA fund, which will be matched dollar for dollar by the VA, for a total of $5,000 per year. The benefit is used to cover any tuition and fees incurred.
The combined amount that CCU and the VA contribute toward student expenses may not exceed the student’s full cost of tuition and fees.
The benefit is renewable each year the student maintains satisfactory academic progress, conduct and attendance.

CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies offers reduced undergraduate tuition for active duty military and their dependents, and we are thrilled to announced that effective January 2012, the special tuition rate will be extended to members of the Reserve and National Guard and their adult dependents. Please contact the CCU Admissions Office for more information on how to become a CCU student!

What is a Criminal Justice Certificate?

CCU CAGS. — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:33:01 -0500

Certificate programs in higher education are gaining popularity across the United States because today’s workplace is ever-changing and employers are looking for workers who have invested time in improving their skill sets. Certificate programs provide you expertise in a certain area, which makes you more marketable in the workforce and sometimes a higher salary is offered to certificate holders. Colorado Christian University is proud to offer several certificate programs including accounting, Biblical studies, entrepreneurship and most recently, criminal justice. But what, exactly, is a criminal justice certificate and what does it allow you to do once you’ve completed the undergraduate criminal justice certificate program?

The CCU criminal justice certificate provides you with the basics of the United States criminal justice system including juvenile crime, criminal behavior and policing. You can take courses on campus or online, which is very convenient if you work full-time or are a full-time parent at home. You can enroll in the program by itself or along with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice or the Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Program. While a certificate alone may not get you the best paying job in the criminal justice field, as a supplement to another degree, it can set you apart from the rest. If you already work in criminal justice and want to specialize in a certain area, a certificate is an effective way to establish your credentials. You don’t even have to work in criminal justice to benefit from having the certificate. If you work in the corporate world, information technology, education, or social services, this added credential can open some career doors for you. Employers value the added area of expertise as well as the effort you put forth to earn the certificate.

The Five Components of a Credit Score

LaTisha Styles — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:12 -0500

There is no denying that a high credit score is important for purchasing a home, renting an apartment and even being hired by certain employers. When you have poor or no credit, it is important to know how to improve your credit score.

Improving your credit score hinges on 5 key components as outlined below.

History of Credit

Photo via Andres Rueda on Flickr

Determining your credit worthiness is, in part, decided on by how long you’ve been holding credit. The longer you have successfully been using varying types of credit, the better a consumer you will be, thus making your credit score higher.

If you have an older account that you are not using, keep it open. This will continue to help your credit history thus improving your credit score.

Payment History

Nothing affects your credit score more than your payment history. If you have maintained on-time payments over a course many years, your credit score is going to reflect that. The best way to improve a lower than desired credit score is to make on-time payments each and every month without fail.

Credit Limit to Balance Ratio

The ratio of how much credit you are provided to how much you actually owe is another large component of a credit score. Lenders are looking to make sure that you have not over extended yourself. Aiming for a 20% debt ratio or lower is best. That is to say that you should hold no more than 20% of your credit potential in debt. If you are extended $10,000 in credit, you would want to make sure that your total debt is less than $2,000.

Types of Credit

Credit lenders are also looking at the types of credit you are holding. A mixture of store credit cards, major credit cards and loans shows that you are capable of managing the different payment types and credit limits that comes with them. Credit cards typically have small minimum payments and a lender who is looking to extend a loan with a larger payment will want to feel confident that you can handle a regular payment that may be significantly higher.

Frequency of New Credit Received

Credit lenders are also looking at how often you are applying for and receiving new credit. A large number of new credit cards could indicate that you are having troubles with your financial situation. It could also indicate a potential for over extending credit. Conversely, lenders are looking to see if there are frequent inquiries into your credit as well. This could indicate financial problems as well.

The exact amount that each of these components affects your credit score is unknown but diligence with each one will ensure you a high credit score as well as maintain a healthy financial situation.

This article was written by Jessica at Everything Finance. Everything Finance is a site about just that, everything related to finance. You can get information about investing, saving money, shopping, blogging, and making money online. If you like what you see here, make sure to stop by or better yet subscribe to our feed so you don’t miss a thing.

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5 components of a credit score

Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

CCU CAGS. — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:23:17 -0500

If you are a member of the military or are a veteran interested in pursing a degree program at Colorado Christian University, there are various types of tuition assistance available to you that you may not know about. The Post-9/11 GI Bill, considered to be the most comprehensive education benefits package since the GI Bill was signed into law in 1944, is an education benefits program available to veterans who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2011. CCU is thrilled to offer our country’s veterans financial assistance, so they can pursue the degree program they have always dreamed about.

Here is the list of eligibility and benefits for adult and graduate students. To learn more about this, you can visit the Department of Veterans Affairs web site.

Post-9/11 veterans (served since September 11, 2001) are eligible.
Students who are eligible for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill must relinquish the Montgomery GI Bill benefits to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
For full benefits, veterans must have served on active duty for an aggregate of 36 months; if less than 36 months, benefits will be pro-rated.
CCU’s certifying official will not determine a student’s eligibility. The veteran student should contact the VA and their education officer to determine eligibility.
Veterans’ benefits may be transferable to their dependents.
Effective August 1, 2011, the Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay tuition and fees up to $17,500 per academic year at Colorado Christian University.
The book stipend equals $41.67 per credit hour up to $1,000 per academic year, and is paid directly to the student.
The Monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is determined by the zip code of the university where the student is enrolled, and is issued directly to the student on a monthly basis. Beginning October 1, 2011, housing allowance will be payable to students (other than those on active duty) enrolled solely in distance learning. The housing allowance payable will be equal to one-half the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents.
Tuition and fee payments made on behalf of the student will be issued to the school, not to the student.

To learn more about applying to CCU and what the admission requirements are for adult degree completion students, please visit the CCU web site.

Biblical Studies Degree at CCU

CCU CAGS. — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:48:39 -0500

If you have dreamed about a career in theology or something related to biblical studies, you should consider pursuing a Biblical Studies Degree from Colorado Christian University. The Biblical Studies Degree prepares you for a lifelong journey of growth and evolution in Bible study by providing you the basic knowledge and tools necessary to interpret biblical texts. A bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies will guide you through the major theological themes including Creation, Sin, Reconciliation and Hope. The Biblical Studies Degree at CCU involves in-depth Biblical study to enhance your exploration and understanding of scripture, and the Biblical Studies degree will equip you to be able to interpret the Bible for yourself and others. You can pursue this degree online or by attending traditional courses on campus. As with all online programs, you are able to study at your own pace and don’t have to physically be on campus to complete coursework.

The Biblical Studies degree at CCU provides the foundation for seminary, some ministry positions, missions, social service, and personal spiritual development. Biblical Studies degree students study the history of Israel, the literature of the Jewish Bible and the prophets of the Old Testament. You will explore the life and teaching of Jesus Christ as told in the gospel accounts. You will also explore the early Church’s development and theology including the New Testament writers. As a Biblical studies student, you will study apologetics from both historical and philosophical perspectives, and you will explore spiritual foundations of leadership and how to incorporate Biblical studies into your own personal, spiritual growth and development.

Here are just a few of the Biblical Studies Degree program benefits:

The program is specially designed for adult students who are busy with work and family commitments.
Students attend class only one night a week.
Students can choose to complete the coursework online. Online courses typically run for five weeks and weekly assignments may be completed around your schedule.
Small class sizes encourage individualized learning and networking.
Students have direct access to professors who are also professionals in the field.

Interested in a Biblical Studies degree? Read important information about admissions into the CCU Biblical Studies program.

The Ultimate Financial Plan for 2012

LaTisha Styles — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:30 -0500

Now that the hype and newness of the new year has worn off, its time to get down to business. Are you ready to write down your goals? Have you created a vision board to keep you on track? Have you already broken some resolutions? It’s ok. A new month will start in just a day and you can have a fresh start right away.

If one of your goals centered around getting your finances together, I am going to give you some easy tips to jump right in and get started. Here is The Ultimate Financial Plan for 2012.

Photo licensed via Creative Commons

I Have a Job

Check Your W-2

The first thing you will want to make sure you do this year is to check your W-2 and when you do your taxes see if you are paying too much during the year. I know it’s nice to get a lump sum back at tax time but you could be using that money during the year in each paycheck to pay down debt or save. If you get to much back this year, consider filing a new w-4 with your employer.

Check Your Health Coverage

Secondly, you will need to check your health coverage and make sure you are covered for injuries and what the deductible is if you need to use the insurance plan. We had some reps from our insurance provider stop by this past week at work and it really got me thinking about what the benefits are and if something were to happen to me, where would my finances be.

I Don’t Have a Job

Refresh Your Resume

If you are looking to get a job, you should make sure your resume is up to date and that you are filling in any gaps with volunteer work or part time gigs in your field. Check out the post I wrote on writing a job getting resume for more details on how to make it happen.

Check Your Auto Insurance Policy

You can shop around for a better insurance policy if you are paying too much for the one you currently have. Especially if you are driving a short distance each day. I will save 25% on my insurance just from enrolling in a driving monitoring program. It makes sense to check your insurer and see if there are any perks available before you decide to switch.

Open a New Savings Account

If you already have a steady savings plan then make it a point to squeeze and extra 2 to 5% into it. If you haven’t started saving 10% of every dollar you make then that should be your first goal. Put that into an FDIC insured savings account and if you can save more than 10% consider investing the rest.

Cut Down on Credit

If you are still struggling with credit, make sure to set up a plan to pay off your cards. Work on the smallest balance first or the highest APR first, whatever will give you that mental push to keep going. I am more motivated by a zero balance on each card so I work on paying of the smaller balances first and snowball them into the larger balances.

Have you started financial planning for your future? Comment below on the steps you are taking to make 2012 your best financial year yet!

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Criminal Justice Job Outlook

CCU CAGS. — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:55:58 -0500

The faculty and staff at Colorado Christian University believe it is important to keep our current and prospective students informed about the job outlook for their chosen field of study. Periodically, we will publish information in our blog that we have gathered from authoritative sites, mainly the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to let our students know if there is a high demand for jobs related to their degree program. Unfortunately, crime is a sad fact of everyday life, so there will always be a need for criminal justice degree holders to fill the positions the country needs to serve and protect its citizens. The following information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics will give you an idea of the criminal justice job outlook and hopefully help you make your decision to pursue a criminal justice degree at CCU.

Current Number of Employees (as of 2009)

Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers: 661,500
Transit and Railroad Police: 4,300
Fish and Game Wardens: 8,300
Detectives and Criminal Investigators: 112,200
First-line Supervisors / Managers of Police and Detective: 97,300
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialist: 103,400
Bailiffs: 20,200
Correctional Officers and Jailers: 454,500
First-line Supervisors / Managers of Correctional Officers: 43,500

There is a projected increase for all professions related to criminal justice for the 2008-2018 period. There will be average job growth for police officers and detectives. There are excellent job opportunities and faster-than-average job growth for probation officers and correctional officers.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also issues salary information for criminal justice-related jobs.

Median Annual Salaries According to BLS

Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers: $51,410
Transit and Railroad Police: $46,670
Fish and Game Wardens: $48,930
Detectives and Criminal Investigators: $60,910
First-line Supervisors / Managers of Police and Detective: $75,490
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialist: $45,910
Bailiffs: $37,820
Correctional Officers and Jailers: $38,380
First-line Supervisors / Managers of Correctional Officers: $57,380Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers: $51,410
Transit and Railroad Police: $46,670
Fish and Game Wardens: $48,930
Detectives and Criminal Investigators: $60,910
First-line Supervisors / Managers of Police and Detective: $75,490
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialist: $45,910
Bailiffs: $37,820
Correctional Officers and Jailers: $38,380
First-line Supervisors / Managers of Correctional Officers: $57,380

With such a positive criminal justice job outlook, why not look into pursuing a criminal justice degree from Colorado Christian University today? You can attend courses on campus or take your classes online. Please contact the CCU Admissions Office today to learn more about how to get started on your criminal justice degree today!

Best of Weekend Reading New Blogs Edition

LaTisha Styles — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:00:19 -0500

Welcome to this week’s roundup!

Here’s what I posted at Financial Success for Young Adults this week.

1) Money Mistakes and Smart Money Decisions That I Made in College

This is a great post from our staff writer Shaun about making good money decisions in college.

2) How You Can Build Wealth

Although building wealth takes time, it’s important to check along the way and make sure you are on track.

Financial Success for Young Adults Around the Web

I was also featured in the Yakezie Carnival at The Amateur Financier. Check it out and read the great posts featured in this Winter Wonderings Edition.

I was also featured in the following carnivals:
Totally Money at Passive Income to Retire
Festival of Frugality at Squirrelers
Carnival of Wealth at Control Your Cash
Carnival of Financial Planning at Credit Cards Canada
Carnival of Retirement at 20′s Finances

Did you know that I am a staff writer at Sustainable Personal Finance, Prairie Eco Thrifter and Fiscal Phoenix? Here are the posts from me that are up on their sites.

Determining the Proper Stop Loss is up at Sustainable Personal Finance. Traders and those that buy and hold should be aware of the upside and prepare for the down side.

Bull vs Bear Market is up at Fiscal Phoenix. Check it out for a refresher on the ups and downs of the market.

I also take the time to read interesting posts from my fellow bloggers. Now that the Yakezie Delta class is being integrated into the network of personal finance bloggers, it’s time for a new round of challengers. Here are some posts from them.

Posts from Around the Web: New Blogs Edition

One Frugal Girl posts 1 Million by the Time I’m Ready to Retire?

Stock Trend Investing posts Stock Market Trend and Crash Predictions for 2012.

Black Freelancer posts 3 Tips for Ending Client Relationships.

Jai Catalano posts Husband vs. Wife. Sorry Jai but Wife always wins. Just remember, happy wife, happy life.

Thad Thoughts posts Random Thoughts from the Biography of Steve Jobs.

Fiscal Phoenix posts Why it Is Important to Feel the Pain of Getting Out of Debt.

Saving Advice posts 44 Inexpensive Ways to Improve Your Home.

Personal Finance Discussion answers frequently asked questions about Private Mortgage Insurance.

Married With Debt posts Meal Plans Sample: 200 for 2 Weeks.

Insanely Nutritious posts A Place for Kids With Nutritious Foods.

No Finish Line 345 explains Why I Run.

Thanks for a great week! See you next week!

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VA-GI Bill Benefits at CCU

CCU CAGS. — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:13:05 -0500

Colorado Christian University is approved for Veterans Affairs Educational Benefits provided by the Montgomery GI Bill and Post 9/11 GI Bill, so all certificate programs, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree programs in the College of Adult and Graduate Studies are approved for payment of GI Bill benefits. If you are applying for admission to CCU or are already approved for GI Bill eligibility, you may seek benefits assistance by contacting a VA Certifying Official at the Service Central Office at CCU.

There are some requirements that must be satisfied before using GI Bill benefits. You must first complete the Veterans Affairs application for education benefits, a form referred to as VA Form 22-1990. You can get this form from the Department of Veterans Affairs web site or you can complete it online at the Veterans ONline APPlication (VONAPP) web site. If you apply directly online, your form will most likely be processed more quickly. It typically takes Veterans Affairs 8-10 weeks to process a new application; however, classes can be submitted for benefits during the processing period.

Here are the requirements for receiving VA-GI Bill Benefits for Education:

Students who are applying for benefits while on active duty must have VA FORM 22-1990 signed by their Education Officer.
Students who are applying for benefits and are not on active duty must also submit their DD-214 (Member 4 copy).
Students who are in the Reserves will be issued a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) FORM DD-2384.
Students who are eligible for benefits as a dependent of a disabled veteran (Chapter 35) must submit application FORM 22-5490.
Students who are eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation benefits (Chapter 31) will need to contact their VA Case Manager to obtain authorization FORM 28-1905. The toll free phone number to begin the application process for Vocational Rehabilitation benefits is 1-800-827-1000.

If you have used your benefits at another school, notice must be sent to Veterans Affairs to report the “Change of Program” and to establish Colorado Christian University as your parent school. If you have completed the necessary forms already, the next step requires that you submit your classes to initiate your claim for benefits, a process referred to as “enrollment certification.”

To learn more about VA-GI Bill benefits information, please view the VA’s GI Bill web site.

CCU offers military financial assistance through a reduced undergraduate tuition rate, also, for military service members and their adult dependents.

Benefits of a Career In Nursing: Intrinsic and Extrinsic

CCU CAGS. — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:04:19 -0500

If you enjoy taking care of others and have a knack for comforting the sick, you may want to look into the nursing degree programs offered at Colorado Christian University. If you are already a registered nurse and are looking to advance your career or simply expand your knowledge base and experience in the field, you may consider pursing the online RN-BSN nursing program at CCU. If you are an LPN or feel your calling is the health care field, then maybe it’s time to start thinking about pursuing a BSN degree from CCU. The benefits of a nursing career are numerous and varied. Obviously, the intrinsic rewards of helping others who are in pain, dying or in recovery from surgery or illness, or are celebrating happy medical news never end in this extremely rewarding career path. But there are also extrinsic rewards including generous salaries, wonderful benefits, a number of different nursing specialties to pursue, and a growing demand for nurses that is only expected to increase in coming years.

If you have been “on the fence” about beginning a nursing education (or continuing your education in this field), the information contained here may be just what you need to make the decision to take on the challenge of advancing or beginning your nursing education at Colorado Christian University. Nursing has actually become one of the better paying careers in the U.S. over the last several years. LPNs typically earn $35,000-40,000 a year without overtime, and rookie RNs can make $40,000-60,000 upon graduating from nursing school. Just last year, the median salary for all RNs was a little over $55,000 annually, and these figures are likely to increase due to a great shortage of nurses.

Generous salaries are just one of the many benefits of a nursing career; the demand for nurses is another benefit of a nursing career. It is estimated that the shortage of nurses will increase over the next ten to fifteen years. Some experts have estimated that by the year 2020, the U.S. will be a million nurses short of what it needs, and because wages are based on supply and demand, salaries will continue to increase because nurses are needed so desperately. What better time to explore this career than at a time when the demand is so much greater than the supply? Signing bonuses are another benefit of nursing. One facility in Ohio offered nurses $30,000 if they would agree to work in its cardiac care unit for a minimum of three years. Signing bonuses for nurses are not uncommon.

Intrinsic rewards, salary, health insurance, 401Ks, job security, and job demand are just a few of the many benefits of nursing careers. Nursing is one of the most respected professions in the world, and who would not want to spend their day comforting others. Imagine a life in which each day presented numerous opportunities to do good deeds and to put everyone else’s needs before your own. Check out the nursing degree programs at CCU. You can even get your nursing degree online, so you can continue to work while you take classes. If you are considering this exciting career opportunity, please read the RN-BSN admission requirements and get started today!

CCU Extends Military Tuition Assistance Program in 2012

CCU CAGS. — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:46:26 -0500

The faculty and staff at Colorado Christian University know the value of higher education and understand that many, if not most, students require some type of financial assistance to attend a good college or university. If you do not require financial assistance, you are fortunate and in the minority. Because most CCU students do require some type of financial assistance—either full or partial—we are proud to offer various military tuition assistance programs to help make higher education more affordable for our students.

CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies offers reduced tuition for active duty undergraduate military (for instance, $250.00 per credit hour) and their dependents. CCU is extending the military tuition assistance program to include members of the Reserve, the National Guard and their adult dependents effective January 1, 2012.

More so than ever before, the brave men and women who choose to serve our country and protect our freedom can pursue an undergraduate education that is not only affordable but one of the best in the nation. For a thorough explanation of the educational benefits afforded to military service members, veterans and their dependents, please read our Web page entitled, “Military Service Members and Veterans Educational Benefits.” Here, you will learn all about the academic programs online and on campus that CCU offers military service members and their adult dependents. CCU works collaboratively with the education specialists at these military bases in Colorado and Wyoming:
• Buckley AFB (CO)
• FE Warren AFB (WY)
• Fort Carson (CO)
• Peterson AFB (CO)
• Schriever AFB (CO)
• United States Air Force Academy (CO)

If you have questions about CCU’s special military tuition assistance for active military members and dependents, we think you’ll find most of your answers on our website. If you do not find the answer to a question you have about this CCU military tuition assistance program for our hard-working military men and women, please contact the CCU Admissions Information page for more information.

Pic of the Day – Pete and Re-Pete Were On A Boat…

Captain Painway — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:10:48 -0500

In case you can’t read this, it says “Re-Pete’s Pete”. I have no clue what that means. I also know that you can’t read it because I had to tailgate this guy to figure out that it didn’t say “Ro-Poto’s Poto”. Seriously, guy, font FAIL.

New Energy Farms hosting Open Days this Spring

New Energy Farms — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:06:00 -0500

New Energy Farms Energy Crop open days in 2012

New Energy Farms (NEF) have four open days this coming spring in the US, Canada and EU. This will give landowners, farmers and end users, a chance to learn more about the different energy crops supplied by New Energy Farms. NEF provides a complete solution to energy crop growers with over 15 years experience. We will be demonstrating a mix of our current technology, commercial crops, and new NEF product developments as detailed below.

•Large scale plantations of energy crops with harvesting

•Current energy crop machinery

•Economics of energy crop production

•Large scale biomass heating using Miscanthus

•Energy Crop Bioprocessing centre

•Energy crop breeding program

•Expert presentations

•New machinery developments for low cost energy crop establishment

All open days are on NEF sites, and will be a chance for any interested parties to see the potential for energy crops on farm and for project biomass supply. NEF are the only company with experience in all of these regions. NEF supply low cost Miscanthus and other energy crops, current cultivars are supplied on a royalty free basis with no complicated licensing required. We also supply a full range of equipment for establishment and crop processing for purchase or lease. The dates and locations are,

•Canada, Leamington, March 8 2012

•USA Tifton, Georgia, March 30 2012

•EU, Somerset UK, April 11 2012

There is no cost to attend and refreshments will be provided. To register for any open day please go to our website and click on "Open Days" (Bottom left), we will send you details of how to get to the open day sites and the program for each location in the coming few weeks.

C-Pain’s Derby Vlog, Ep. 1

Captain Painway — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:07:32 -0500

Pic of the Day – Roller Derby Bruise

Captain Painway — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:02:25 -0500

First practice, first bruise. Ass meets skate wheel. Skate wheel is an abusive lover. Also, this frame looks dumb. Pixlr-o-matic fail.

Friday Favorites #8

Captain Painway — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:57:22 -0500

My Drunk Kitchen <3 <3 <3

So cute I want to hump it like a nerdy Chihuahua.

(via ThinkGeek)

DC’s new logos. Suck it nerds, I like them. And this is my blog. So there.

(via IGN Comics)

Sorry it’s a short Friday Favorites, but I’ve got a vlog to record and a 52 Pick-Up to finish.

I’ll be posting my first roller derby vlog, “Passed Out At Practice”, sometime this weekend!

New Member of the Dance Tonight Family

Nina — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:27:22 -0500

We would like to welcome our newest member of the Dance Tonight family, Mike Housel! We are excited to have him as part of our team. Mike has recently moved to Jacksonville from Tampa, with his family.

He has been dancing for 18 years now. He has participated in many competitions and shows, including Professional Rising Star where he placed in the top 3.

If you have not had a chance to meet Mike yet, please stop by and say hello, and welcome him to our family.

Pic of the Day – Skrillex: The Ultimate Hipster Skillet

Captain Painway — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:49:39 -0500

Because nobody could tell me what a Skrillex is I had to go look it up myself. It’s not bad. I’m still disappointed that it’s not a hipster skillet, though.

Executive Women International Scholarship

CCU CAGS. — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:20:28 -0500

If you are an adult student in need of financial assistance for tuition and related expenses, Colorado Christian University has a scholarship opportunity you may be interested to help you begin a degree program at CCU. Executive Women International (EWI) was founded in California in 1938 to recognize the importance of women in the business community. EWI’s vision is to be the premier worldwide business women’s organization and promote members’ personal and professional development and encourage community involvement. Since its inception in the late 1930′s, EWI has formed chapters in cities in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe and now celebrates women in a variety of careers throughout the world.

Colorado Christian University would like to announce an exciting financial assistance opportunity provided by the EWI ASIST (Adult Students in Scholastic Transition) Scholarship Fund, which helps non-traditional adult students in a “transitional” time in their lives. Through educational support and mentoring, adult students are better able to face the challenges that accompany returning to college after spending time in the workforce and/or at home raising children. The ASIST scholarship, in the past, has been awarded to adult students who have experienced difficult life experiences such as the death of a spouse, divorce and/or financial hardship. Selection criteria varies but typically involves financial need; social, physical and economic challenges; and adults facing a displaced household with small children. Funds awarded by EWI ASIST go directly to the institution of higher learning they attend in their name.

The ASIST Scholarship Fund is made possible through a variety of fund-raising activities by the organization and various committees such as the Ways & Means Committee, but the primary fundraiser for this scholarship is an annual golf tournament sponsored by Executive Women International. Click here to learn more about the ASIST Scholarship Fund and to apply for this financial assistance opportunity for adult students.

CCU is committed to providing a comprehensive education to develop and enrich the spiritual, intellectual and professional lives of our students. If you are an adult considering pursuing a CCU degree program, please contact our Admissions Office today to learn more about the admissions and financial aid process, so you can get started on an academic and spiritual journey that will change your life forever.

Pic of the Day – Fancy S’mores

Captain Painway — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:46:17 -0500

For the uninitiated, “fancy s’mores” involve Nutella and poofy heart marshmallows. These just needed a *bit* more Nutella.

Mythbusters TeeFury Shirt!

Captain Painway — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:28:55 -0500

Today on TeeFury they have a new Mythbusters/Dexter’s Lab mashup shirt! Since I’m a Mythbusters junkie (and that needs to be the topic of a blog post at some point) it’s a definite must-have for me. And yeah, this blog is totally sponsored by TeeFury, so go get you some!

Thank You, SNL, For This:

Captain Painway — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:29:11 -0500

Daniel Radcliffe as Casey Anthony’s new adopted dog. Saturday Night Live, I love you.

Pic of the Day – Dual Screening

Captain Painway — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:37:31 -0500

The Broncos/Patriots play football and Team Bionic/Tough Cookies play roller derby. Who said nerds aren’t into sports?

WTF Internet?

Captain Painway — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:52:09 -0500

Today I’ve just had way too many WTF moments on the internet.

On an acting website, wanting to see how long a “minute long” monologue was in writing, I clicked on a random monologue title and got this:

“How Dumb Are You?” Well, I have a large enough vocabulary to tell you to go fuck yourself. *smiley*

I went on YouTube, since that is my new brand of internet crack. Have you ever tried “Transcribe Audio”? Sometimes it’s boringly accurate, but every so often, especially if someone has an accent, you can get some hilarious captions.

I have to admit that Sarah Silverman is talking about penises.

I don’t even know what’s going on here. It’s from “Bummed in the Face”.

And then I get onto Facebook and see this:

Womb-piggy? My little porker? I just… so much facepalm it’s unbelievable. Do people actually think that’s cute?

At least now I have another term to use interchangeably with “crotchfruit”.

UPDATE! Right after I posted this I found a sleezy tourism ad from North Dakota. Extra bonus points!

(via BoingBoing)

So… all girls from North Dakota are skanks. Duly noted. Also, sweet chinstrap/neckbeard, brah.

Order Free Re-Mission Game CD & DVD (Worldwide)

Ramkumar.M — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:37:00 -0500

The Re-Mission video game for teens and young adults with cancer was released by the nonprofit organization HopeLab on April 3, 2006.

The game is a Microsoft Windows based third-person shooter based in the serious games genre.

Now, HopeLab is distributing free CDs and DVDs of this game.

Minimum Configuration

The minimum system requirements listed below are required to run the Re-Mission game. The game will not run properly on systems which do not meet these minimum specifications.

OS:	Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP
CPU:	1.4 GHz Pentium IV or AMD Athlon
RAM:	256 MB memory
Hard Drive: CD ROM: DVD ROM:	100 MB of hard drive space (DVD only, 4GB required for CD version) 24X speed CD-ROM or higher (CD version) 2X speed DVD-ROM or higher (DVD or CD version)
Video:	Direct3D compatible video card w/64MB
DirectX:	9.0c or higher
Sound:	DirectX compatible sound card or onboard sound
Input:	Keyboard, Mouse

Recommended Configuration

The recommended system requirements listed below are recommended. The Re-Mission game will run best with these specifications or higher.

OS:	Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP
CPU:	2.4 GHz Pentium IV or AMD Athlon XP
RAM:	512 MB memory
Hard Drive:	4 GB of hard drive space
CD ROM: DVD ROM: Video:	24X speed CD-ROM or higher (CD version) 2X speed DVD-ROM or higher (DVD or CD version) Direct3D compatible video card w/128MB, 8xAGP,
	and Pixel Shader 2.0 support
DirectX:	DirectX 9.0c or higher
Sound:	SoundBlaster Audigy 2 or compatible
Input:	Keyboard, Mouse

How To Order

Visit HERE
Select quantity (better if you select no more than one) & click submit
Click continue as guest.
Fill up your details.

I got Mine for two DVD's.Get Your's Now.....

Free 3G Airtel Gprs Trick get 4GB internet january 2012 | Airtel Gprs Trick 1

Ramkumar.M — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:35:00 -0500

Hey friend we have great new about airtel users.on the starting of 2012 hackers get new trick to get free internet on your account without any proxy or vpn.You can get free 10Gb internet on your airtel account without any cost.You can use this internet balance in mobile or PC.

Instructions:

Step 1 : activate 3G in your mobile by sending message
send 3G to 121
Step 2 : you will receive message from airtel and your 3G will activated soon.
Step 3 : you got message about various 3G options
Step 4 : Choose '1' for 3G data plans
Step 5 :Next choose '12' for 2.5 GB or '13' for 4 Gb
Step 6 : any one of is working for you..

Note: If you have any query plz comment belows.

###

Idea launched new 3G phone IDEA BLADE and ID 280 in india

Ramkumar.M — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:31:00 -0500

The Idea Blade and Idea ID 280 are the mobile phones which are announced by Idea and these comes with introductory offers from Idea. Both the mobile phones are powered with Android 2.2 Froyo Operating System.see all features and price given below.

Idea Blade

The Idea Blade has 3.5 inches capacitive touchscreen display along with multi touch input andaccelerometer with auto rotate. This phone includes 3.2 mega pixel camera along with Android 2.2 makes it easy to use this phone as Wi-Fi router.

You can enjoy 7.2 Mbps HSDPA connectivity with high speed seamless 3G data transfer. With this mobile you get access to Live TV from Idea to watch you favorite programme anytime anywhere. It includes the microSD card slot supported up to 32 GB in size and includes 1250 mAh Lithium ion battery.

Among the various other features of this mobile phone it has Wi-Fi enabled, 3G, Bluetooth for wireless file transfer, GPS navigator, FM Radio, MP3 player, Opera Mini browser, Idea TV and integrated social media apps. Idea Blade is priced at Rs 7990 in India.

Idea ID 280

The Idea ID 280 introductory mobile phone has 2.8 inches capacitive touchscreen display with multi touch input method. It includes good enough 3.2 mega pixel camera with features of Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi router. You can enjoy 7.2 Mbps HSDPA connectivity with high speed seamless 3G data transfer. With this mobile you get access to Live TV from Idea to watch you favorite programme anytime anywhere.

Along with that this 3G mobile phone is capable of data streaming through 3G data plans from Idea, Wi-Fi and includes options like Bluetooth for wireless file transfer, GPS navigation, FM Radio, Mp3 player and Idea TV live. ID 280 from Idea is priced at Rs 5850. It includes the microSD card slot supported up to 32 GB in size and includes 1250 mAh Lithium ion battery.

Hello world!

syamu — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:54:08 -0500

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Hello world!

How To Use Google Search From Mobile Via SMS (Tips N Tricks) [USA and India]

Ramkumar.M — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:20:00 -0500

So you though you can use Google search only on your internet-enabled device and when you are online.
SMS is one of the most preferred mode of communication among people now-a-days.

Google has too realized it.

Recently Google has launched a new service that gives you access to Movie show times, Locations of local businesses, Word meanings, weather forecast, Product prices and much more on your mobile phone through SMS.

This service is currently available in 2 countries only : India & USA

The service is certainly useful in India as SMS packs are very common and don't cost much.

To perform Google search, you will have to send your search queries to a particular number and search results will be sent back to you via another SMS

India users can send their queries at : 9773300000

USA users can send their queries at : 466453

We bring you 5 Great New Year’s Resolutions You Should Consider

Nina — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:54:29 -0500

Whether you believe it or not, it’s January, and the year is already upon us. This means it’s time to start reflecting on the past year and begin looking into your future. Here are the top 5 New Year’s resolutions you should set for yourself to improve your mind, body and overall life.

1. Get Healthier!

Alright, this one is a NO BRAINER! Losing weight is ALWAYS the #1 resolution for millions of people, year after year. And the reason? Because it’s really hard to do. Why not make it easier on yourself this year and try something that it is actually fun to do? Dancing is the answer to your prayers. It will do more for you that what you think. You will feel a difference! Dancing increases you energy, improves your mood, and toning up never hurt anyone! It will increase your self-confidence, and your perspective towards life. So what are waiting for? Go and hit the Dance Floor at Dance Tonight!

2. Make Time for Yourself

Whether you go to church or start taking a yoga class, having time for yourself is sometimes crucial to stay sane in today’s society. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, people get so tied up with school, work, family, friends etc. Don’t forget to take some time every day for yourself to pray, reflect or even read a book.

3. Set Goals

Tired of being just an “average” student or bored with your mediocre job? Change it! Make yourself over, work on your resume, submit to a new job. Or if you’re a student, start taking school more seriously and really think about what you want your career to be. Take up an extracurricular activities – You never know what you may discover about yourself.

4. Be Proactive

Are you known as the “flake” of the group” – Saying you want to go, then end up sleeping at home? Make it a pact to yourself to not say “No” – Become more open minded, try new things. Go rock climbing or sky diving or horse riding. Try something new! It’s a great way to stay active and possibly discover new hobbies.

5. Save Money

Ever complain about never having money… for anything? Do something about it. Set an amount per week or month that you want to save. Have it deducted from your account at the beginning of the month and forget about it. Make sure to check the account after 6 months and you’ll see how much you’ve accumulated and maybe it you can treat yourself to something you’ve always wanted, never were able to afford.

Use Of Liferay Service in Velocity File

Jitendra Rajput — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:50:00 -0500

While dealing with Liferay theme sometime we need to access data from liferay table.
let say if we need logged in users detail inside our velocity file then in that case we need to fetch user data using user services.

Here is one example by which you can invoke liferay services from velocity file.

Let say you need logged in user's detail .

.#set ($userLocalService= $userLocalService.findService("com.liferay.portal.service.UserLocalService"))
.#set ($user = $userLocalService.getUserById($request.get("theme-display").get("user-id"))) 
.#set ($emailAddress = $user.getEmailAddress())

First of all you need to load services that you want to access.In first line you can see the same. Here we have retrieved logged in user's email id from user object.

If you want to access layout details then below code may help you.

.#set ($layoutLocalService = $serviceLocator.findService("com.liferay.portal.service.LayoutLocalService"))
.#set ($plid = $request.get("theme-display").get("plid"))
.#set ($layout= $layoutLocalService.getLayout($plid))

Note : Please ignore "." in above code.
i added just because # was creating an issue with syntax highlighter.

Social Traffic Plugin – Part two of Review

lisalomas — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:51:30 -0500

Part one was done when I first got this product, it is now a few days after using the tool Social Traffic Plugin. My previous post was an introduction to the Social Traffic Plugin. This is a WordPress plugin, no one actually sees what it does. If you use wordpress you will like what [...]

Hello world!

kalchatech@kalchadreamz — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:09:02 -0500

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

January 4 – Hebrews 6:1-12

Charles — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:47:59 -0500

Hebrews 6:1-12

Once again, the writer of Hebrews gives us a terrible warning about the ultimate sin of apostasy, or turning from God, having once been enlightened. Lest we become too snug and smug in our faith, we must remember the real possibility of our falling away from God. This is not a merely hypothetical possibility: it is the real-life tragedy of countless Christians, or else why would Scripture contain so many warnings against it?

And you are not exempt from this possibility.

But the writer of Hebrews is confident of better things concerning the Hebrews to whom he was writing. He was confident that the things that accompany salvation were present in their lives. Why does he have such confidence in the Hebrews? Because of their labor of love which they have shown toward His Name. In other words, the writer of Hebrews is confident that the Hebrews will persevere in their salvation because they have demonstrated the fruits of salvation and participation in Christ: laboring to love as He loved.

This is the real message for this morning: seek to imitate those who labor in love for Christ’s sake. Though the danger of apostasy is real, especially if you allow yourself to drift away from God and His Church, the cure for apostasy is to participate in Christ. In this case, that means participating in Christ by loving as He loved us.

What is this labor of love which is the proof and fruit of salvation and without which apostasy is lurking at your door? It is ministering to or serving the saints of God. Do you remember what Jesus Christ said to Saul of Tarsus when he was on his way to continue persecuting the saints in Damascus and was confronted by Jesus? He said “Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me?” Persecuting the church, which is the Body of Christ, means persecuting Jesus Christ.

But in the same way, ministering to the saints, God’s holy ones, means ministering to Jesus Christ. Jesus is telling us today that “Whatever you do to the least of these (Christians), you have done it to Me.” By ministering to the saints, you are ministering to your High Priest, who first ministered to you.

This ministering to the saints is not to be a casual helping little old ladies across the street when we happen to think of it: it is, instead, to be an intentional life dedicated to serving the saints because it is dedicated to serving Jesus Christ Himself. Such a life will not happen by itself. The life that happens “by itself” is a life of drifting into apostasy.

No, this life of ministering, of being a disciple of Jesus Christ who serves as He came to serve, is a labor, and it is work. I’m reminded of the old Dobie Gillis TV show, in which the beatnik Maynard G. Krebs always said “Work?!” whenever the word “work” was mentioned. I’m also reminded of Mad’s Alfred E. Newman, whose favorite I’m adapting to say: “What, me work?!” (Suddenly, I feel old, and yet thinking about working to serve Jesus Christ makes me young again!)

Jesus Christ, who worked for your salvation is calling you to join Him in His present work. He’s looking for a few good men, and He’s pointing His finger at you, saying “I WANT YOU!” He is recruiting you, as His disciple, to go out and do His work today, and that work is ministering to His saints. You are to do His work with diligence: “Do not become sluggish” (verse 11).

When you become sluggish in the work that God has given you, then two terrible things happen. First, a saint whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ was nailed to the Cross doesn’t get ministered to. By being sluggish in doing the work of God, you are like a kink in God’s hose of Living Water that refreshes and blesses His saints. But secondly, and even more terribly, when you are sluggish in the work of God, you begin to drift, and drifting always carries with it the possibility of being carried away by the current of apostasy and spiritual slumber.

Doing God’s work is laborious. It is a labor of love, and it comes at a price, just as Christ’s labors of love came at an astronomical price. It’s difficult to remember to do God’s work, and not just your own, and it’s difficult, having remembered, to put down the joysticks of life and turn off life’s video games and go out to minister to Jesus Christ in love by ministering to His saints. Just as difficult is being willing to design a life for yourself in which you come into contact with the saints frequently and intimately enough that you know their needs and love them enough to want to minister to them.

How much easier all of this – the remembering, the turning from self and games to the work of life, and the knowing how to minister – if we actually began to live as the Body of Christ, and not just as a random collection of body parts that mysteriously re-assemble themselves for an hour a week, only to disintegrate again for another 167 hours.

How much easier it would be to do the work of Christ by ministering to the saints if we had the saints always before us to remind us of our godly calling to labor in love for the good of others. For this reason, the writer of Hebrews gives us one way to prevent ourselves from becoming sluggish in doing God’s work: imitating those who through faith and patience inherit the promises (which is a harbinger of Chapter 11’s great memorial to the Old Testament saints).

But you have many saints in your life, and not just the ones in the pages of the Bible or in heaven above. I challenge you to pick a saint, a holy one of God, who is worthy of imitation, and go out and imitate that saint in laboring in love to serve the saints.

Prayer: O Lord, who spent your life ministering to the saints, and ministered to me through your life and through your death on the Cross, arouse me from my spiritual sluggishness and raise me to diligence that I might labor in love for you, on behalf of Your holy saints whom You have ordained to be in my life. Amen.

Point for Meditation:

1. Pick one saint on whose life you can meditate today. How is God calling you to imitate this saint?

2. Meditate honestly on the diligence and vigor with which you have been ministering to Christ by ministering to His saints. Have you been more diligent or more sluggish?

Resolution: I resolve to find one practical way to minister to one saint today.

Foot Washing by the Bishop of St – Wikipedia entry on foot washing

Send Unlimited Free SMSes From Facebook Through ChatSMS To Anyone, Anywhere, Worldwide (Tips N Tricks) [Worldwide]

Ramkumar.M — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:49:00 -0500

FaceBook with Free SMS :)

You must have come across many Free SMS services which offer services in one specific country only, require you to register with them or having a tricky interface.
Today I am sharing with you a way through you can send SMS to anyone, anywhere in the world, from within your popular website, Facebook.

Plus, the interface of this Facebook app is so simple, that you will fall in love with it.

How To Send Free SMS

To send free SMS from Facebook, just install this Facebook app known as ChatSMS

The only limitation this app has is character limit of 100 characters per SMS.
But I don't think that its much of a problem.

The sent SMS will contain the First name of your Facebook with your message.

This is great app !!!

Happy messaging.

How To Reset Memory Card Password (Forgotten Memory Card Password) On Nokia Mobiles (Tips N Tricks) [Worldwide]

Ramkumar.M — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:45:00 -0500

Most of the mobile phones, including ones from Nokia have a feature that allows you to add a little security in terms of assigning a password to access the memory card contents in the phone.
Although this is a very good feature but it has a slight side-effect too.
It may happen that you set a password to access the memory card but later yourself forget what the password was.
It will simply mean that the memory card will become useless and you will lose the data which was already there on the memory card.

WHAT WILL YOU DO THEN ???

Curse Nokia
Or curse yourself

Well, you don't need to do any of this.

I am sharing with you trick to reset memory card password.

THIS TRICK WORKS ON NOKIA SYMBIAN MOBILES ONLY

First of all, you need to have :

X-plore application (You can find its trial version HERE)
Nokia symbian mobile phone.

Steps To Recover Memory Card Password

Install the X-plore application in your nokia phone.
Now launch the X-plore application and press 0 (zero) button and select “ show the system files ”. This will make the X-plore application to show your system files.
Now, head over to C:/Sys/Data/MmcStore
Now press 3 button from your keypad and you will see options. Now select the Hex-viewer option. This will make your phone to show files in hexadecimal.
Look at the 3rd Column On the screen you will see a code like ! TMSD02G (c??”?x???6?2?6?2?6). Note down the numbers excluding the ?(s) This is your memory card password. For example, here the password is 62626.
Now you can enter the password and view your memory card files or you can reset your memory card password to a more memorable password.

January 3 – Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Charles — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:51:17 -0500

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Do you remember the vision of Jesus Christ thatSt. Johnhad in Revelation 1? I want that image to be seared into your memory forever. Maybe we should all go out and stare at the sun for a few seconds to remind us of who Jesus really is. He is not the baby-faced, Bearded Girly Man Christ of Victorian pictures: He is the visible glory of God the Father. He is the retina-dissolving sun!

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (verse 13). He is the Judge of all creation, under whose feet God has put the earth like a sapphire floor. He is the One who is seated at the right hand of the Father, sitting on His throne, the Judgment Seat. He is the Holy, Living, Fire that will purge all sin and unholiness with His refining fire.

And He’s coming to get you!

But in one of the greatest instances of theological whiplash recorded in the Bible, immediately after verse 13, we hear verse 14 (duh!): “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”

This Jesus, who is infinitely more glorious than the angels or the sun, is sitting on His Judgment Seat at the right hand of the Father. But it turns out that this Judgment Seat is also a Mercy Seat, the one which was enthroned between the cherubim and pictured in the tabernacle and temple. Though we tremble and quake and fall down as if dead before Him, and His hand is heavy upon us, He also offers us that hand and says “Come on up here with Me.” After making sure that you find your way to the lowest seat in the House, He invites you to the best seat in the House, beside Him.

Though we come whimpering and wailing in weakness before Him to whom we must give an account of every thing we’ve ever said and done on earth (let that settle in a minute, and see how you feel!), He tells us to approach Him with boldness and confidence, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (verses 16). Martin Luther explains the theological whiplash of verses 13 and 14 like this: “After terrifying us, the Apostle now comforts us. After pouring wine into our wound, he now pours oil.”

But we come boldly, not on our own, but only through our great High Priest. If you come before God boldly and confidently in your own self, you will be prostrated before God, never to rise again. God will smack you down! If you waltz into the presence of God and say “Here I AM, now bless Me like you said you would!” Duck! God will not let such unbelief and pride go unpunished. How arrogantly we come before God, though! How much we cheapen the price that Christ paid for us, whenever we let His goodness go to our heads and we think that we have made ourselves acceptable to God.

But if you come, laying hold of the Judgment Seat which is Christ Himself, and clinging to the Mercy of God which is Christ, then God will indeed bless you. Jesus Christ, your High Priest, God Almighty, humbled Himself that you might be exalted. But not without going through Him. This Jesus Christ humbled Himself by becoming a man for you. He learned obedience because of your disobedience. He suffered for your sins, and He who was perfect became sin for you.

He is your sacrifice, and it was a costly one. This High Priest Himself offered up petitions and prayers to the Father, for you. Consider the night on which He was betrayed. Jesus, the Lamb of God, knowing your sin and disobedience because you, like Judas, are His betrayer, set His face to endure the Cross. But because He was a man, He came before the Cross with unspeakable anguish.

Sometimes, we imagine that what Christ suffered was only what a man would suffer. And yet many men have faced death and even died on the Cross and have not resisted it as fiercely or with as much anguish as did Jesus. Is He somehow less than we suppose Him to be? No, but His anguish and what He endured is much greater. He knew that He was not merely facing physical death for Himself but that on the Cross He would take upon Himself every sin you’ve committed today, and not just the 1 or 2 that you just barely managed to remember but the other 1000 that you can’t even remember or acknowledge. He took upon Himself all of your yesterdays’ sins and all of your tomorrows’ sins, and all of mine and all of every humans. And not just the sin but also the penalty for them, which is death. He who knew no sin became your sin and guilt and judgment, all in one, and this is what he feared and dreaded.

And so He prayed so that He dropped drops of sweat like blood and offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death (verse 7).

Now if Jesus, being God and being perfect, knew how to pray (and in fact prayed more than we do), don’t you think that it would be a good idea for you to learn to pray? If Jesus turned to the Father as He took your sins and guilt and death upon Himself, don’t you think that you can manage to pray for those same sins and guilt and death? He actually paid the terrible price for those things, but all you have to do is to come with vehement cries and tears and come boldly before your High Priest.

How did Jesus come before the Father? With godly fear (verse 7)! He who was God came before God with godly fear, knowing the Holy One to whom He had come, and knowing what it would feel like to come before the All-Holy One carrying the sins of the world.

And yet we come with our sins as if they are nothing. Worst of all – we don’t come at all, as if we don’t still need to, as if God’s grace is automatic, even if we don’t cry out with anguish and vehement tears and cries. But I believe that the root of all sin and evil is prayerlessness. The ultimate sin, the one unforgivable sin, is unbelief. It is refusing to come before God and throw ourselves on His mercy. It is to take His good gifts without returning to His Temple, which is Himself, and return thanks. It is to believe that we don’t need His help and can manage in life without Him.

But the Son of Man, God Incarnate, needed to pray. And He was heard because of His godly fear. God, give me godly fear! Because of Jesus’ godly fear, the Father delivered Him from death.

Wait a minute! Not so fast! I just said that Jesus prayed with a godly fear and that because of that godly fear He was heard. But I’m forgetting something. Jesus died.

Here’s the pattern:

Jesus saw what taking on Himself the sin and guilt and death of the world would mean.

He cried out to the Father with vehement cries and tears and in godly fear that the Father would take this cup from Him.

Because He came in humble prayer and with godly fear, the Father heard His prayer.

Then the Father says “No, I won’t take this cup of suffering from You.”

Then, in a few hours, the Father sends Him to die on the Cross.

When this happens to us (and it does all the time), do we believe that God has heard us? The Father heard the anguished, godly, fearful prayers of the Son. He heard, and said “No.”

And yet He did deliver His Son from death: He raised Him from the dead. But not before He suffered and learned obedience through what He suffered. Now if the Father so treats the Son whom He has loved for eternity past and with the love that only God can have for God, then how do you suppose He will treat you? Being united to the Son, I hope He treats me exactly the same way.

What if God had heard the anguished prayers of the Son and said “Yes” to them (in the way that we, and not God, mean “Yes” – that is, my will be done)? You and I would still be in our sins. You and I would have no right to come boldly before the throne of grace and appear before our High Priest. You and I would still be on the Highway to Hell.

Maybe we’d better re-think how we approach God in our prayers. Maybe we’d better re-think how we want Him to respond. God’s “Yes” is not our “yes.” His ways our higher than our ways.

If even, especially, the Son had to suffer and learn obedience through His suffering, then I’ll gladly have the same. I want to eat all of Jesus, not just the icing. If the Son can suffer all things for me, then I’ll gladly suffer a miniscule amount for Him. If He had to suffer to learn obedience for me, then I’ll gladly enroll in His School of Suffering that I can learn to be like Him.

I’m ready to graduate from the School of Milk to the School of Solid Food. In Hot Springs, there’s a homeschooling group called Solid Rock Academy. But I want to enroll in theSolidFoodAcademy. I’m ready to sink my teeth into the banquet that Christ has spread before me, which is nothing less than Himself. But when I eat Him, I’ll be eating all of Him, and that means I’ll have to eat His suffering before I can feast on His glory.

Bon appetit!

Prayer: Almighty God, Lord Jesus Christ, my great High Priest, who sits enthroned in glory in heaven: hear my prayers and supplications today. I ask that You would give me a godly fear such as You had; be with me in my temptations and overcome them as You overcame the Tempter; teach me obedience in Your school of suffering, as You yourself learned obedience; and grant me grace in my time of need, which is always now and in all things. Amen.

Points for Meditation:

1. Examine the way that you’ve been approaching God in prayer. Have you been praying as you should? Have you come with humility and confession? Have you come with boldness and faith?

2. Consider the vision of the Christ to whom you come for prayer. Meditate on both His power and glory, but also His humanity and mercy.

3. In what ways is God calling you to maturity, perhaps in prayer, obedience, or suffering?

Resolution: I resolve to come boldly before the throne of grace in prayer today.

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January 2 – Hebrews 4:1-13

Charles — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:29:45 -0500

Hebrews 4:1-13

Having chronic fatigue, I can definitely relate to rest. It makes me tired just to think about it. And yet what a heavenly concept!

Unfortunately, we are a culture and a people who can find no rest.

Despite having more leisure than most people have had and despite having labor-saving devices, our lives are ones of constant activity. But unlike God, we can’t always find rest by being able to say what we have done with all of this activity “is good.” We’re not settled in a particular place but have instead become modern nomads. The average American moves or “migrates” every 5 years, a statistic that speaks of a culture that knows no rest.

We do find rest from our labors. We have plenty of leisure, and yet curiously this does not lead to true rest. The average American spends 4 hours watching TV per day (they say, though this number seems high): obviously we have leisure time – but it has not produced rest.

Especially, we are a people who find no rest for our souls, and people everywhere are looking for a community to settle down in. We seek help from therapists from the bad habits, behaviors, and relationships that plague us and give us no rest. And we have become spiritual consumers, Shopping for God in the supermarket of religion – but finding no rest for our souls

And yet God desires, promises, rest for His people. And that is God’s message for you this morning: that in this life where something is obviously missing, God offers you true rest – in Him.

The Old Testament or Old Covenant was a Covenant of Unrest. Though God gave His people a Sabbath day, and though He gave them a Promised Land of rest, they were a people who found no rest. Though God’s promises of a Promised Land and salvation were fulfilled to some degree, the story of the Old Testament is largely one of unfulfilled longing and expectation.

For most of the time from Adam to Malachi, God’s people were sojourners, in exile, or under the hand of their enemies. It began in the Garden of Eden. Though God created aParadisefor mankind in Chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis, it only takes man until Chapter 3 to sin and Fall and to be kicked out of God’s perfect garden.

Righteous Noah comes along, it’s true, but he is one of only 8 people saved because mankind was so corrupt. Abraham was given the Promised Land, but his heirs had to flee toEgypt, of all places. The people do enter the Promised Land, but not until the unfaithful generation of the Exodus all dies out, except Joshua and Caleb: even the great Moses is not allowed to enter into the rest of the Promised Land

Israelwas at constant war, trying to subdue the Canaanites, all through the period of the judges, through the kingship of Saul and David. It was not until Solomon became king that there was finally peace. And the generation after Solomon, because of the foolishness of the son of the wisest man in the world, the kingdom is torn in two, never to become one again.

IsraelandJudahare both carried away into exile. Israelis never heard from again, and only a small remnant ofJudahreturns to the Promised Land. The Old Testament ends with God’s promises to His people unfulfilled; it ends without the Messiah. The Old Covenant ends, therefore, without a true Rest for the people of God

Sometimes, 2000 years after Jesus Christ has come, after 2000 years of the activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church, we feel just as restless and without peace as the Israelites. Who among us hasn’t felt that sometimes life is this impersonal force that bears down on us, oppressing us, offering no rest? How often do we get caught up in the whirlwind of activity of each day, staggering and panting to reach the end of it? How often do we come to the end of each day and ask ourselves – “What was today really about? I know I did lots of things, but what happened that I can find rest in?”

Or we say that we’ve given our lives to Christ, and yet in our inmost heart of hearts, our Holy of Holies, we know no rest, and we feel as if something is missing. And if this is true for us, we can only imagine the utter lack of rest that others, who are not Christians, are experiencing.

Think of the characters in the movies: they are always moving, always trading out relationships, always going from thing to thing to try to fill their lives. But they don’t know how to find true rest.

How can this be? How is it that in spite of our labors; in spite of our great leisure; in spite, even, of our profession of faith in God, that we, like the Israelites find no rest?

We have failed to find rest because we have failed to seek the only source of true rest. Time and again, Israel in the Old Testament found no rest because they were looking in the wrong places: they wanted to do things their way.

God, of course, kept His promises to Israel, and there was some degree of rest for the people of God. But it was never the Promised Land itself that could give rest; it was never the mere fact of being Israel, the chosen people of God, that could give rest. Something even more fundamental and powerful was needed, and that something was God Himself who was the Rest of Israel.

There are moments even in Old Covenant when God does give His people rest, because God is with His people. In Exodus 33, God promises Moses rest, at just the moment Moses most needed it.Israel was on the move. They had just leftEgypt and were going through the wilderness, en route to the Promised Land. Moses had just been given the Law; he found the people in rebellion with their golden calf; and now God had given the signal that it was time to move again, to the land that God has promised Abraham. God promised to send His Angel before Moses but says that He Himself will not go up, lest He consumeIsrael on the way, because they are so stiff-necked. Moses and the people were rightly fearful at this, and the people cry out – Moses most of all.

In Exodus 33:12 – Moses cries: “But you have not let me know whom you will send with me!” “If I have found grace in your sight, show me your way that I may find grace in your sight!” And God responds by giving Moses – and to us – the secret of how to find true Rest and true contentment in life, regardless of our circumstances.

In Exodus 33: 14, God says to Moses: “My Presence [face] will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Do you want to find Rest in this life – and the next?

Then hear what God has to say: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you Rest.”

God Himself is to be your rest – and nothing else. Whatever else in life leads to true rest – it will come from God’s gracious hand. As Jesus says: “seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you” – and, “Come unto me, all that are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.”

It is God Himself that was supposed to be Israel’s rest, and it is God Himself who is to be your rest.

Though the family is often a place we find rest, sometimes it is a place of strife and even violence, and it cannot give what only God can give. Though the Church is the family of God, where God is worshiped and served, it is no substitute for the Presence of God Himself, and it will only be the Presence of God if it rests in God. It is only as we, the Church, become a place where the Presence of God is found, that the Church becomes a haven for weary souls, as it was created to be.

Hebrews 4:1-2 says: “Therefore, since a promise remains of entertaining His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.” It’s not enough even to come to Church or to hear the gospel: we must find God Himself in the Church and in His Word.

Hebrews 4:9 says: “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God,” and this is nothing other than God Himself.

Some in the Old Testament could not fully enter into God’s Rest because the Messiah had not yet come. But this is no longer true for us today. Some could not enter into God’s rest because of sin and unbelief. This is an all too real option for us today.

Hear Hebrews 4:1-2 again: “Therefore, since a promise remains of entertaining His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”

Be diligent to enter into God’s Rest. You are commanded by God to seek God’s rest, and that Rest is Himself. Whatever your circumstances – find your rest today in God. If you are facing a major decision in your life today – rest in God. Seek Him and His ways. If you are in the middle of a trial or tribulation that is troubling you – find your rest in God. If you have a relationship that is troubling you – find your rest in God. Make it your resolve this New Year to find rest in He Who is Rest.

Whatever causes trouble in your life, seek God and find your rest in Him. For He is your loving heavenly Father who has sent His loving Son and the Holy Spirit who is the Comforter.

Prayer: Father, allow me to enter into the Rest that Your Holy Son, Jesus, accomplished for me, proving it by His sitting at Your right hand. Help me to lose myself that I might find You, and finding You, find Rest. In prayer and praise, in Word and Sacrament, in sacrifice and service,

may I learn to participate in Your comings and goings in my life and enter into the promise of Your rest in glory. Amen.

Points for Meditation:

Meditate on the sources of unrest in your life. As you remember each one, release it to Jesus Christ, who will gladly carry it with you.
Meditate on the reasons for unrest in your life. What is God calling you to do to seek His Rest? Don’t focus on what you can’t do but on what God is asking you to do and what He is willing to do.

Resolution: I resolve to seek God’s Rest today through at least one practical means.

God resting on the 7th day from Russian Bible – Wikipedia article on Sabbath rest.jpg

Multiple File Upload without using SWF in Liferay

Jitendra Rajput — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:02:00 -0500

This is post is the alternate solution for those who dont want to use Liferay's in built Multiple file up loader.

Liferay's in built multiple file up loader uses SWF (Flash) in background and there some issue with flash and other third party tools.

So we decided not use liferay's DL Multifile uploader instead we developed our own.

Basically I have used jQuery plugin at front end and in java code simply to store file in Document Library.
You can download jQuery plugin from here ...jQuery Multiple FileUpload


 








Upload File

@ActionMapping(params = "myActions=uploadMultipleFile")
    public void uploadFiles(ActionRequest request, ActionResponse response) throws PortletException
    {
        _log.info("Inside UploadMultipleFiles()..");
        // HttpServletRequest httpRequest =
        // PortalUtil.getHttpServletRequest(request);
        UploadPortletRequest uploadRequest = PortalUtil.getUploadPortletRequest(request);
        File tempFile;
        Map fileMap = new LinkedHashMap();
        Enumeration paramEnum = uploadRequest.getParameterNames();
        while (paramEnum.hasMoreElements())
        {
            String parameter = paramEnum.nextElement();
            if (parameter.startsWith("uploadFile"))
            {
                tempFile = uploadRequest.getFile(parameter);
                tempFile = renameFileName(tempFile, uploadRequest, parameter);

                if (tempFile != null)
                {
                    fileMap.put(parameter, tempFile);
                }
            }
        }

        for (Map.Entry entry : fileMap.entrySet())
        {
            singleFileUpload(request, response, entry.getValue());

        }

    }

Above method will simply identify file inputs from the request. It will iterate each and every file input and store in DL. Even though its not a good approach but any how you can stay out of that flash using this.

public File renameFileName(File sourceFile, UploadPortletRequest uploadRequest, String paramName)
    {
        File destination = null;
        String path = sourceFile.getPath();
        path = path.substring(0, path.lastIndexOf(StringPool.BACK_SLASH) + 1);
        String fileNm = uploadRequest.getFileName(paramName);
        if (Validator.isNotNull(fileNm))
        {

            path = path.concat(fileNm);
            destination = new File(path);
            FileUtil.copyFile(sourceFile, destination);
            FileUtil.delete(sourceFile);
        }
        return destination;
    }

Above method will rename the uploaded file to its actual name as name of the uploaded file is getting changed if you use UploadPortletRequest.

    public void singleFileUpload(ActionRequest actionRequest, ActionResponse actionResponse, File file)
    {
        ThemeDisplay themeDisplay = (ThemeDisplay) actionRequest.getAttribute(WebKeys.THEME_DISPLAY);
        DLFileEntry fileEntry = null;
        String title = "Jit" + StringPool.UNDERLINE + file.getName();
        // title= requestId + StringPool.DASH + fileName;
        try
        {
            DLFolder dlFolder = DLFolderLocalServiceUtil.getFolder(themeDisplay.getScopeGroupId(), 0, "TestFolder");
            ServiceContext serviceContext = ServiceContextFactory.getInstance(DLFileEntry.class.getName(),
                    actionRequest);
            fileEntry = DLFileEntryServiceUtil.addFileEntry(dlFolder.getFolderId(), file.getName(), title,
                    StringPool.BLANK, null, file, serviceContext);
        } catch (Exception e)
        {
            _log.error("Error while adding file : " + e.getMessage());
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

    }

Above code is to add file into document library.

Photography

Guest — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:06:23 -0500

Authored by Greg Fletcher I have recently been considering getting into photography. My husband gave me a really nice camera right before our first child was born and I love using it to take pictures of our kids. The more pictures I take, the more comfortable I am with the camera and I think that [...]

Watching Sons of Anarchy with my boyfriend

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:59:12 -0500

Guest post written by Kim Sturgill There are so few shows that my boyfriend and I can both agree on wanting to watch together. Most of the time I’m watching The Real Housewives series. It started out as a guilty pleasure and now it’s just turned into a pleasure. He really likes to watch sports [...]

December 31 – Hebrews 3

Charles — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:43:03 -0500

Hebrews 3

Good day, partakers of Jesus Christ! Partakers, that is, if you hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast to the end and if you do not depart from the living God. But I am persuaded of better things for you.

God has called you to be a partaker of Jesus Christ. If you partook of the Holy Communion recently, then you were a partaker of Jesus Christ at that time. But that’s not the only way we are made partakers of Jesus Christ. You have a heavenly calling from God, and every time you are faithful to this calling, you are partaking of Jesus Christ. This is such an important truth, that I’m going to repeat it, as if I were a preacher, slowing it down for emphasis: You . . . have a heavenly calling . . . from God . . . and every time you are faithful to this calling . . . you . . . are partaking . . . of Jesus Christ.

Moses had a calling from God, and he was found faithful. Jesus Christ had a calling from God, and He was found even more faithful. Moses was a reluctant hero and martyr and saint and failed God at least a few times. But Jesus Christ was completely faithful to Him who appointed Him. Moses was a servant in God’s house. But Jesus is the house of God, and the Builder of that House, the holy Temple where God comes to be with man.

What is this calling? This calling is to faithfully confess that Jesus Christ is the heir of all things, the One who made the worlds, the brightness of the glory of the Father, the express image of the Father’s person, the upholder of all things by His Word, the One who has purged our sins, and the One who is sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high. We faithfully confess this Christ not only with our lips, in praise and thanksgiving, but also with our lives, by what we actually do.

It is possible, therefore, to deny Jesus Christ in either word or deed. You can depart from God by unfaithfully proclaiming that He doesn’t exist or isn’t the Savior or isn’t God Almighty or saying “I tell you, I do not know Him.” But a more common way of denying Him is to deny Him by the way we live. Once again, faith means faithfulness, doing what God has commanded us to do.

What else does this calling involve? It involves living faithfully in every detail of the very life that God has specially given to you. It means faithfully proclaiming Him to others, it means living a holy life, and it means obeying the Lord in your daily tasks, whatever those might be.

The writer of Hebrews asks us to consider Jesus Christ, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Consider Him. Considering Jesus Christ means meditating on Him. It means slowing down, pushing aside all other obligations and concerns, and considering Him in detail: who He is and what He’s done.

But then it means considering what He is commanding you to do. And what He is commanding you to do is to follow Him in being faithful to your calling, as He was. God the Father sent Jesus as His Apostle, the One He “sent” into the world to redeem it. So Jesus did it. God the Father called Him to be conceived in Mary’s womb as a holy zygote. So He did it. God the Father called Him to be born as a helpless infant. So He did it. God the Father asked Him to spend 30 years maturing as a human and growing in stature and wisdom. So He did it. God the Father asked Him to proclaim the Good News that the Kingdom of Heaven was here and that salvation was now available to those who had faith in Him. So He did it. But God the Father also asked Him to suffer and die on the Cross. So He did it.

Consider the heavenly calling that God has given you. Obey the will of the Father in your life, and in this way, you will be made a partaker of Jesus Christ, who made the good confession before Pontius Pilate and who obeyed the will of the Father to the point of death, a death on the Cross.

You, too, must make the good confession before all men. Don’t be a wimp about it. This is not a time to be shy or of those who shrink back. This is the time to be bold and courageous, a hero, a saint, and a martyr.

Because we are all together God’s Temple, one of the greatest things we are called to do is to exhort one another. Some of us will be tempted to depart, that is, to leave God’s holy presence. Some of us will drift away. But He has commanded us to “exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through deceitfulness of sin” (verse 13). The saddest thing I experience in my life as a pastor is not the suffering or death I see: it’s those who I see drifting or walking or running away from God. I give my most loving, impassioned exhortations to turn from deadly sin and disobedience to God and His holy commandments, to turn from deadly substances, to turn from deadly self – only to see many people choose to continue in their sins and continue to have an evil heart of unbelief.

But in order to be able to exhort one another daily, we must intrude into each other’s daily lives. This was the way it was in the early church, where they broke their bread daily from house to house with gladness. Only in such an intimate Body in which our lives are truly shared, do we have enough leverage with one another to hear the exhortations of others and to have ours be heard.

If you want to be a partaker of Jesus Christ, you must be a partaker of His calling, which is to obey the will of the Father in your life – in all its aspects. You must be faithful to your heavenly calling, as was Jesus Himself. This is the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer, when we pray: “thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” For you to do God’s holy will as it is done in heaven, that is, to do God’s holy will faithfully as Jesus Christ did, there are 4 things you must do with all that God has commanded you to do in your life.

1. There is the speed of your obedience. You must obey God immediately, not only when you find it convenient. Though Moses hesitated when he was called, Jesus Christ did not. When the first disciples were called, they immediately followed Jesus.

2. There is the quantity of your obedience. You must obey God completely. Yes, this means you must fold all of the laundry or clean up the toys under the bed, too. Don’t look for the minimum you can do to qualify as having done the job God gave you: go the extra mile. Good businesses, especially ones that sell information, know that you give the customer more than he expects. If we know that in our petty human businesses, then maybe we can figure it out when it comes to the business of heaven.

3. There is the quality of your obedience. You must obey God to the best of your ability (which is often much greater than you believe!) Do you remember the excellence with which you pursue your leisure time activities or hobbies or goals in life? Pursue obedience to God with an even greater intensity and passion.

4. There is the attitude of your obedience. You must obey God cheerfully. Don’t obey God or give yourself to Him begrudgingly, for God loves a cheerful giver. Don’t obey God only because He’s stronger than we are, or because we’re mercenaries, saying, “O.K., I’ll obey – but you owe me big time!” We are to obey cheerfully, out of love for God.

On this, the last day of the civil year, let us examine ourselves once again, remembering that if you obey God in the way described above, then you will have become a partaker of Jesus Christ, the Apostle and High Priest of your confession.

Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Point for Meditation:

Consider in detail the speed, quantity, quality, and attitude of your obedience to God.
Consider one way in which you may exhort another Christian who is drifting or walking away from God, even if in a seemingly small way.
Consider one way in which you may faithfully confess Jesus Christ before someone today.

Resolution: I resolve to consider Jesus Christ today and His heavenly calling on my life. I further resolve to set aside time to consider the way in which I have been obeying His will in my life.

The Annunciation – Jan van Eyck – Wikipedia entry on Annunciation, van Eyck

December 30 – Hebrews 2:9-18

Charles — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:24:24 -0500

Hebrews 2:9-18

Jesus Christ, the God-man, is a mystery, but thankfully a mystery that God Himself has revealed to us. The God who made Himself man for us continues to amaze and mystify us. More importantly, He continues to save us!

In Chapter 1, the writer of Hebrews composed a superb description of the supremacy and glory of Christ, who is the brightness of God’s glory – because He is God Himself. As with John’s illumination of Christ in the book of Revelation, we should lie at the feet of Jesus, worshiping Him for who He is, acknowledging Him to be the all-glorious King of kings, and singing His praises. He is the All-powerful and All-glorious One.

But what’s even more amazing than this is that this All-powerful and All-glorious One became man, for us. We see in Jesus Christ, therefore, the startling marriage of great power and great mercy, of great glory in great humility and suffering.

What do we find this Most-glorious God of Chapter 1 doing in Chapter 2? We find the One who is far above the angels made a little lower than the angels. We find the King of Glory suffering and dying for us in humility and humiliation, that through this death and suffering He might be crowned with glory and honor.

But wait a minute. If the only payoff for Him was to receive glory and honor, why didn’t He just stay in heaven? Already, He shared the glory everlasting of the Father. Why all the suffering and humiliation and death before the glory – a glory that was already rightfully His?

This is the most amazing part of all: He who made man became man for man. He who was all-glorious suffered that man might also be crowned with glory and honor. He who is the Life Everlasting tasted death that we might have eternal life with Him.

Because the children of God partake of flesh and blood, He chose to partake of flesh and blood. Because we partake of suffering in this life, He partook of suffering. Because we partake of temptation, He was tempted in every way. And because we partake of death, He died on the Cross for us.

It is the glory of God that He is not only all-powerful but also all-merciful. The One who was perfect in Himself for all eternity became one of us, that we too might be perfected. The Son of God who was begotten, not made, for all eternity, was also made man for us.

And so we see that in God, power and mercy come together. In fact, God’s power is shown to us precisely in His mercy. In His mercy, God became a man, and by this the power of God was demonstrated to weak and merciless men. In His mercy, Jesus Christ was tempted for man, by whose temptation sin and death entered the world He had created, and His power was demonstrated because though tempted, His obedience and holiness was shown to be more powerful than temptation or the Tempter. In His mercy, Jesus Christ suffered for us, and in His suffering, His power and glory were made manifest. In His mercy, Jesus Christ died for us, and by dying as the sacrifice for the sins of the world, His power over sin was revealed. In His power, Jesus Christ rose from the dead that He might conquer death and be merciful to us who were still dead in our sins.

This Almighty, All-Glorious, All-Holy God, in His mercy, is not afraid to call us brothers and sisters (verse 11.) By His temptation, He sanctified you. By His suffering, He brought you to glory. By His death, He brought you to life. This is the power of our All-Merciful God.

The Son of God became man that He might make you His brothers and sisters, fellow children of God. The God who is as far above us as heaven is above earth became like you that you might share in Him and His life.

It was for us, for humans alone, that He came to be our High Priest. He did not come for the angels, great as they may be. I heard the story once of a man who encountered an unusual demon at an exorcism, the only demon I ever felt compassion for. During the course of this exorcism, a demon spoke to one of the exorcists, asking: “Why didn’t Jesus Christ die for us? (meaning the fallen angels or demons) The answer is that He came for man.

This is the power of your God, that He came in mercy for you. This is not merely intellectual theology. I’m not going to give you a pop quiz over the difference between expiation and propitiation or over theories of the Atonement (though the teacher in me is begging me to!) This is about your life. This is about the ways in which you are tempted to sin against God – the ways each day that you deserve the wrath of God, the ways you fail God every day. But it’s also about the power of mercy of the One who was tempted in every way that you were, and yet was without sin. It’s about the One who was made perfect through temptation because He rode further into the black heart of temptation and Satan’s domain than you will ever be able to – and rode out again victorious and untarnished.

This is about the ways in which you suffer and moan and groan about it, forgetting that what you suffer in this life is only a drop of Tabasco sauce on the tongue compared to the whole body and soul fire in Hell that is your birthright. But it’s also about the One who suffered for you, though He was without sin. It’s about the captain of your salvation who suffered, that He might bring many sons to glory. It’s about the Sanctified One who has sanctified you and made you a saint that you might live for Him. It’s about how your suffering is now a participation in the sufferings of Christ, just as His sufferings were a participation in yours.

And it’s about the power in your life of your High Priest who even now suffers with you, just as He suffered for you. He is the one who offers His aid to the seed of Abraham. He is the Man of Sorrows, well acquainted with suffering and temptation and grief – that He might better help you in yours.

This High Priest is the Almighty, All-Glorious God, in whose presence you ought to prostrate yourself in worship. But He’s also the All-Merciful Christ, your brother who offers His right hand to you that He might raise you up with Him.

In all of your temptation and sin and suffering, come to Jesus Christ, your merciful and faithful High Priest today.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, my High Priest, for suffering as the Sacrifice for my sins and the sins of the whole world. Thank You, for taking on Yourself flesh and blood that You could better help me and I could better receive Your help. As You have been made like me in all things, may I be made like You in all things, by Your faithfulness and mercy. Amen.

Point for Meditation: Meditate on how God is asking you to respond to His mercy to You today.

Resolution: I resolve to come to my High Priest today and present before Him the temptations, sins, and suffering that are oppressing me today.

Geertgen tot Sint Jans – Nativity at Night – Wikipedia entry on Geertgen

December 29 – Hebrews 1

Charles — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:02:07 -0500

Hebrews 1

Get your hymnals out now, because at the end of this meditation, you ought to feel like singing songs of praise to Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ is God’s Final Word to us (the “last days” actually occurred in the 1^st century, according to the writer of Hebrews), who are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In the past, God spoke through the prophets, and God’s people were to listen to and obey every word from God, and to respond with confession, praise, and thanksgiving.

But now, God has spoken through His Son, who is The Prophet. He is not only The Prophet, but also the Word that the Prophet speaks, and the subject about which the Prophet speaks. He is, in Himself, the complete Word of God, proclaiming and making known the Father and His salvific will.

He is the heir of all things. Having been obedient, having died for the world, having been raised in glory, and having ascended and been seated at the right hand of the Father, Christ is the heir of all things. To Him alone now, and not Satan, belong the heavens and the earth. Chief among His inheritance is us, His people, who through Him have inherited life with Him. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Through Him, the Father made the worlds. He was the Word that was present at Creation, the Word that is so powerful that when He speaks the world not only listens but also is created or sustained. He is the one Hindus are really seeking when they say or seek the sacred words that sustain life. He is the voice of God in our lives and the mouth of God through whom we hear God’s voice. He is the one who thought of black holes and neutron stars and supernovae, and He is the one who thought of quarks and quantum physics. He is the one who buried gold in the earth and delights in the color of flowers and myriad shapes of insects.

He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, the Shekinah glory seen through the Bible. He is the glory ofMt.Sinaithat made Moses’ face shine, and He is the glory that so filled theTemplethat the priests had to skeedaddle out of there. He is the Christ of the Transfiguration, the blinding light that knocked downSt. Paul, and the Sun of eternity in the book of Revelation. He is the radiance of God that radiates out from heaven and cuts through all time and space and the darkness of men’s soul and whose glory is in all the earth.

He is the very image of the nature of God: He is the Father made visible to us, so that having seen Him, we have seen the Father. He is the stamp of God upon Him, so closely identified with the stamper that the One Who Is and the One Who Is the Image are one and the same.

He is not only the Creator but also the Sustainer, upholding all things by His Word. The world does not have an existence of its own: it is not a self-organizing, sentient, entity but is utterly dependent on the will and the Word of its Creator and Sustainer. If He who created stopped sustaining, then quarks would come unglued, the four elementary forces of physics would lose their grip, and the universe would dissipate into nothingness. He is what Hindus and Buddhists seek in the atman, the One, only they do not see Him for Who He Is.

This One who is God Almighty, the image and brightness of God and His glory, the Creator and Sustainer, is also the Redeemer. He is the One who bled and died on Good Friday and took upon Himself not only human flesh but also human sin. He is the Holy One of Israel who purges away the sins of the polluted ones who He had created good but who we had ruined. He is the perfectTemple, the perfect Priest, and the perfect Sacrifice.

This one, once He had been raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father. From there He now rules as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Compared to Him, angels are nothing. When men see angels, they are tempted to fall down and worship them. But every good angel immediately explains that he is also a creature and is not God. But when men see Christ, they fall down and worship, and they can’t get up until He has helped them up. He is farther above the angels than the angels are above the amoebae. When the angels see Him, they are the ones that fall down on their faces and can’t look Him in His face.

This is the Jesus Christ you have come to this morning.

Now go and sing His praises!

Prayer: Help me to see You today, Lord, and to worship You, who are the Son of God, whom the angels worship, who sits enthroned in heaven, who created the heavens and the earth. You who are the Prophet, Priest, and King, and Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, and have purged away my sins. Amen.

Point for Meditation: Take a few minutes and meditate on each of the phrases concerning Christ in verses 2-4. Pay attention to how you respond to each. Allow your meditations to lead to worship of Him. You may even want to space the meditations throughout the day so that you meditate on a different phrase at different times of the day, and in this way the whole day is made a day of worship to Him.

Resolution: I resolve to worship Jesus Christ today. I resolve to make an opportunity to sing His praises, to worship at His feet, to hear and obey His Word, to repent and go and sin no more, or do whatever else He is directing me to do as I worship Him today.

The Review of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Dragutin Movrin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:02:30 -0500

It has taken me almost 20 years to pick up The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, part of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series and read it again. After watching the first movie few days ago, I decided to do a review of both.

So, this is the review of the book.

It is clear to me now that Lewis used the Narnia series to explain Christ’s love for humankind to children, who are the series’ principal readers. The theme of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” centers around four children, the Pevensie siblings, who get caught up in a land of magic. Entering “Narnia” through a wardrobe (a tall cabinet that holds clothes) — located in a home where they are boarding — the children enter a land where it is always winter, but never Christmas.

Under the spell of the White Witch, Narnia is forever in the grip of evil. The land is occupied by talking animals(beavers, for one), spirits, goblins, sprites, but no humans. That is until Lucy Pevensie shows up followed by her brother Edmund and, later, Susan and Peter.

Quite obviously the White Witch aka the Queen of Narnia is most interested in humans so she resorts to all sorts of magic and trickery to lure them in. Edmund, the most impressionable of the siblings, is quickly captivated by the White Witch and then sets out to betray the others.

Without giving away the storyline, the theme of Narnia clearly reflects the captivity of this present world under Satan, but its past and future deliverance through Jesus Christ. In the form of a lion, Aslan, Lewis brings a savior to Narnia who eventually releases the land from its winter grip and vanquishes the White Witch.

For those unfamiliar with the gospel message, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe may be hard to follow. However, Lewis wrote the book in 1950 immediately after the horrors of Word War II and with the Nazi air battle for London fresh in the minds of British citizenry. Lewis may have been responding to a strong spiritual hunger of his time when he wrote the series as “Narnia” successfully points seekers to Aslan, much as the Bible points readers to Jesus Christ.

But, even thou it is a book with religious message, I like this book.

Book becomes a movie

This great children's classic by C.S. Lewis, is brought to the screen in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Set in wartime England, its plot has the four Pevensie children sent out of London for their safety. They end up in the country house of the eccentric Prof. Digory Kirke, and like all children removed from their usual source of fun and amusement, they're bored, bored, bored.

Then one day, Lucy begins poking into things, and one of them is the very odd wardrobe of the professor's. What she sees inside, is not the professor's clothes, but a world encased in snow. The others of course, don't believe her, since they haven't found anything half so interesting. But eventually they give in to their own curiosity, and all enter the wardrobe to find themselves transported to the world of Narnia, where an evil White Witch has created an eternal winter, that will never see a Christmas.

Meeting up with the kind and caring lion Aslan who rules the strange land, the children begin their trek towards defeating the witch. But along the way, one will fall behind and join the very forces of evil they are trying to defeat. Amongst the mysteries of talking animals, mythical creatures and magic spells, the children must free Narnia from the perilous cold, and one of their own, from dangers that could destroy them.

This movie was extremely engaging from beginning to end, even at a long 2 hour and 20 minute running time. Perhaps, it's because it was one of my favorite novels growing up, but the young actors were quite engaging and Tilda Swinton was superb as the White Witch.

I find that this is good movie adaptation even thou the book is better. Well, book is always the better then movie.

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Shubzi — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:03:00 -0500

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

The Anglo-Catholic Spirituality

Charles — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:42:59 -0500

The Anglo-Catholic Spirituality

In my last blog I presented the idea that among orthodox Anglicans there are now 4 spiritualities that are presenting problems of diversity for a coherent orthodox Anglican identity: Anglo-Catholic, Evangelical, Charismatic, and Global. There are 2 other, older spiritualities I should mention before I discuss the Anglo-Catholic spirituality. The first is what might be called the High Church or Reformed Catholic spirituality; the second is the old school version of the Evangelical spirituality. While adherents of these “parties” may have had their differences in the past, they were held together in a classic Anglican consensus.

Beginning in the 19^th century, however, the Anglo-Catholic spirituality was born as an heir to the Oxford Movement of the 1830s and 1840s. While Keble, Newman (while he remained an Anglican), and Pusey maintained a classic High Church spirituality in most ways, they also paved the way for an Anglo-Catholic spirituality that has often challenged a traditional or classic Anglican identity.

A precise definition of Anglo-Catholicism may not be possible, but Anglo-Catholics appear to range from those who would appear little different from traditional High Church Anglicans to those referred to as “Anglo-Papalists,” who seek to approximate Roman Catholicism in various ways. Often, Anglo-Catholics attempt to impose a Catholic (often Roman Catholic) ethos of worship and religious life on Anglicanism, and therefore Anglo-Catholics are in general associated with beliefs and practices related to the Roman Catholic Church.

One way in which some Anglo-Catholics challenge a coherent Anglican identity is in their rejection of the Prayer Book, which I regard as essential to any coherent Anglican identity. Some Anglo-Catholics prefer the Missal, and an assortment of other Anglo-Catholic communities use the Anglican Breviary. This is basically an English translation of the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic Breviary, whose official publishers stating that “there is almost a negligible difference” between it and the Roman Catholic Breviary. Some Anglo-Catholics in London, for example, don’t accept either the Prayer Book or Common Worship but instead use the mass prescribed by Vatican II.

Anglo-Catholics seem almost unanimous in their rejection of the Thirty-nine Articles. Where they do affirm the Articles, they usually affirm them in a Newmanian sense (Newman!) that’s contrary to their intended meaning. Others, such as most of the Continuing Churches, choose simply to ignore them. Even those who are in the ACNA and formally hold to them as part of the ACNA seem to do so with a great deal of mental reservation about them.

Anglo-Papalists are Anglo-Catholics who are especially desirous to approximate a Roman Catholic spirituality and may be seen as those who believe the true nature of the Church of England can only be recognized when it is once again united with the Roman Catholic Church. One of the most visible reminders of this goal was the re-establishment of the piety of the Roman Catholic Church is the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham and the pilgrimages to this shrine.

A list of some of the innovations characteristic of Anglo-Catholics includes: perpetual reservation of the Sacrament on the high altar; Benediction; the Rosary; shrines of the Sacred Heart, Our Lady, and of St. Joseph; Corpus Christi processions; the complete disuse of the English language; the regular use of the Latin Missal; and others. The Roman Catholic tendency of some Anglo-Catholics is also represented by the desire of some Anglicans to formally become part of the Roman Catholic Church. This has recently been facilitated by Rome’s offer of the Anglican Ordinariate (that could be a whole blog in itself!)

An Anglo-Catholicism that usually rejects the 39 Articles, sometimes rejects the Prayer Book, and often employs services that are outside of Anglicanism as established in the 16^th century and practiced until the middle of the 19^th century has already necessitated an enlarged definition of Anglicanism and Anglican comprehension. For the most part, however, Anglo-Catholicism has been assimilated into the Anglican mainstream, although tensions still remain. The question for the future is not only will they continue to want to remain in communion with Evangelicals and Charismatics but also to what degree will they accept the 39 Articles as a theological norm for Anglicanism.

Despite the ways in which Anglo-Catholicism has enlarged and perhaps confused Anglican identity, the Evangelical spirituality, as it has existed since the 1960s presents what are probably even greater challenges to Anglican identity. I’ll examine some of these challenges in my next blog.

Anglo-Catholic Rite of Benediction from Wikipedia article on Benediction.jpg

Feast of the Holy Innocents – Mark 10:13-16, 23-31

Charles — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:25:37 -0500

Mark 10:13-16, 23-31

I find it helpful in understanding the love Jesus has for children to remember that I am a child of God. Jesus loves the little children as children, but He especially loves all who come to Him as children, regardless of age.

The main point about children and their relationship to Jesus, in the context of Mark 10 and the Feast of the Holy Innocents, is that children are helpless. They were helpless when Herod the Great Evil came to slaughter them in a vain attempt to kill the King of the Jews, and they are helpless now to enter theKingdomofGod.

The problem we have in understanding Jesus’ teachings about children is that we fail to realize that we are as children before Him. But being adults in human terms, we don’t quite like being reduced to children and being lumped together with them.

“Who then can be saved?” the people ask, greatly astonished, when Jesus says how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter thekingdomofGod. If even the most “adult” among us can’t be saved, those who are rich and have it made in earthly terms, then who can possibly saved?

Jesus’ answer is, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” It is not possible for men to save men. If we exchanged the term “infant” for “men” we might more clearly see the point of how we are to come before God. What if we understood Jesus to mean, “It is not possible for infants to enter theKingdomofGodon their own power”? That seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? How can an infant choose God and choose salvation, apart from the gracious work of God in his life?

We understand this when it comes to infants, but when we return to the world of men and adults, suddenly we think that we are more able to come to God. But the truth is that we are like infants before Him: helpless, on our own, to come before Him. Actually, for us adults it’s worse. An infant may be incapable by lack of intellect and understanding to come to God, but as adults we are capable of understanding God and our need for Him but still actively choose to trust in ourselves.

The difference, then, between children and men, is that children know they are helpless before God, while men pretend that they are not. For this reason, Jesus says, “for of such is the Kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

There is a word for this child-like entrance into the presence of Jesus, which is the Kingdom of God: “humility.” What children often have that adults often lack is humility, which we like to replace with pride. While the humility of a little child may come more naturally to him, for us adults it must be a conscious choice. Being less humble by human measures, we think ourselves grander and more capable than we are.

But at the center of the Kingdom of God stands humility. The Law of the Kingdom of Man is this: “he who exalts himself will be exalted.” But the Law of the Kingdom of Man is this: “he who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” This Law is the Law that the King, King Jesus, Himself chose to live by, for He made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a bondservant, came in the likeness of men, humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. But after so humbling Himself, the King was exalted and given the Name that is above every name, that at the name of humble Jesus every knee should bow.

And now it is our turn to be humble. It is our turn to bow our knee before King Jesus and come before Him with humility. Denying self, letting go of and not considering the privileges of adulthood something to be grasped, let us come as little children before Him. Let us come, knowing ourselves to be helpless and loveless, and yet knowing the One who has promised to help and love.

If we will only come before Him as children, then in the end He will exalt us to true maturity, which is coming to the fullness of His presence and image.

Prayer: I do not presume to come into Your Presence, O Lord, trusting in my own righteousness, but in Your many and great mercies. I am not worthy to gather up the crumbs under Your Table. But You are the same Lord who is always merciful. Grant me, therefore, gracious Lord, to enter into Your Presence today, where I humbly beg for Your assistance to do and receive those things I cannot do or obtain for myself; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Point for Meditation:

How humble have you been in your relationship to the Lord? You might want to explore your faithfulness in prayer, Bible reading, public worship, good works, etc.
How humble have you been in relation to the people and circumstances into which God has currently placed you?

Resolution: I resolve to find one way in which the Lord is asking me to be humble before Him and then to act humbly in this one way. It is likely that there is something He has been asking you to humble yourself in for a long time but which you have been avoiding, something related to a sin in your life, or a way that you have been relating to others, or a work to which He has called you.

Holy Innocents by Giotto – Wikipedia entry on Holy Innocents

Christmas Tree Cake

Pam — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:36:00 -0500

Made for my husband's family Christmas. Red velvet cake with vanilla buttercream frosting. Fondant accents. I got the idea from a cake on one of my favorite websites cakecentral.com

St. John the Evangelist – Revelation 1

Charles — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:40:43 -0500

Revelation 1

Who is Jesus Christ?

There are many ways in which He has revealed Himself to us, and all of these are important. Sometimes I think the dominant way contemporary Christians see Jesus is as a good friend. He’s kinda just one of the guys, though definitely the leader of the pack. We can almost picture Him in blue jeans, and we’re sure He would never be caught dead wearing vestments! At other times, particularly in contemporary praise choruses, it’s almost as if He’s our lover, and we sing passionately about our feelings for Him.

On St. John’s Day, I like St. John’s way of seeing Him. Now before we see Jesus as John saw Him, we should remember a few things about John. This is the same John who Jesus saw fishing with his brother James and father Zebedee when He called John to Himself. This is the John who spent 3 years of his life following Jesus as His disciple and the same John who saw the many miracles of Jesus and heard His teaching. He is the John who saw Jesus transfigured in all His glory on the mountain, the John who witnessed His Crucifixion, and the John who took Jesus’ own mother in with him to his home. He is the disciple whom Jesus loved and who reclined intimately on the breast of Jesus at the Last Supper.

Because John hung out with Jesus for 3 years, and was one of the 3 closest friends of Jesus, we might expect John to see Jesus as He appeared to him when He was still on earth. We might expect him to see Him as the one who now called Him “friend” and no longer a slave or servant.

But how Jesus Christ actually reveals Himself to John is so glorious, so awesome, so terrifying, that John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, when he sees Him falls at His feet as if dead. This is not a conscious act of prostration before Jesus that John commits: it’s an unconscious, involuntary reaction that St. John has when he sees Jesus Christ in His glory. It is a reaction of fear, the kind of fear that makes a grown man who has seen persecution and has been exiled toPatmos quake in his knees and lose control of his bodily functions.

What was it that John saw? Why would he have this reaction to one he loved so much and was so intimate with?

What John saw was Jesus Christ as He is. What he saw was one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. What John saw was One whose head and hair were white as wool, as white as snow and whose eyes were like a flame of fire. He saw One whose feet were like fine brass as if refined in a fiery furnace, and what he heard was One whose voice is the sound of many waters. He saw the One who had seven stars in His hand and a sharp two-edged sword that is living and powerful and can pierce, even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and can discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.

John saw all this and One whose countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. So he fell at His feet as if dead.

Is this the way we see Jesus Christ? Is this the way we come into His presence? I don’t think it is most of the time, or, for some of us, ever.

It’s important to realize that John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and, as other parts of Revelation make clear, he is partaking of a heavenly worship service. John is seeing a vision of Jesus Christ as He is when He comes to us in our worship on the Lord’s Day.

But is this how we see Him? “Come as you are,” we’re told. “We’re a church that’s for people just like you. Come in your blue jeans, as Jesus would come. Come slurping your Starbucks, and come at the last minute. Come with your head filled with your plans for what you’ll do with what’s left of your weekend. Come and sing happy, uplifting songs that will make you feel good about yourself and get you in the right mood.”

“Come, sit casually, and listen to a lecture about how to lead the good life or an inspirational talk about how you can solve life’s problems. Come be entertained by our light rock band and preacher who knows a lot of good jokes and anecdotes.”

The Jesus that John came to – the Resurrected, Ascended Christ who sits enthroned on the right hand of God and is the King of kings, surrounded in glory by the 4 Living Creatures and 24 elders and a rainbow and lightnings, thunderings, and voices – is the same terrifying God that the Old Testament prophets saw. This Jesus Christ is the God of Glory who Moses saw on Mt. Sinai, when He saw the God of Israel, under whose feet was a pavement of sapphire (Exodus 24:10), and who made the top of the mountain a consuming fire (Exodus 24:17) and made Moses’ face shine. The Jesus Christ that John saw was the One who holy Isaiah saw, surrounded by cherubim and seraphim, the sight of which made Isaiah cry out: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (6:5).

This is the Lord of Glory who Ezekiel saw, the One sitting on the throne, surrounded by angels and the living creatures, lightning and the noise of many waters, and fire all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When Ezekiel saw it, he fell on his face (1:28).

This Jesus Christ who John saw, and whose presence made John fall at His feet, this Jesus Christ is the Resurrected and Ascended Lord who we worship. Let us come into His presence seeing Him for who He is.

This is the Lord who has revealed Himself to us. Mercifully, He is also the same Lord who laid His right hand on John and said to him: “Do not be afraid.” And so, knowing that we come before a Terrible, Consuming Fire who makes us want to fall down dead, we also come boldly before the Throne. This same Jesus who is the Shekinah Glory and is Heaven itself, is also the One who was born a baby and made man for us.

Let us come before Him today and every day with both fear and trembling, with praise and thanksgiving, and with quiet confidence in His mercy and goodness to us.

Resolution and Point for Meditation: I resolve to spend some time today meditating on who Jesus Christ is, especially as He has revealed Himself in glory. As I do this, I will listen for His voice and what He is telling me today is pleasing in His sight.

Prayer: O God, who on the mountain revealed to chosen witnesses Your only-begotten Son, wonderfully transfigured in dazzling clothes and burning fire; Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the distractions of this world, may be permitted to behold the King in His beauty, who with You, O Father, and You, O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, world without end. Amen.

Merciful Lord, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church, that it, being illumined by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Stephen’s Day – Acts 7:59-8:8

Charles — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:39:24 -0500

Acts 7:59-8:8

How blessed St. Stephen was to be the first Christian martyr, and how blessed the world was by his faithful witness and life! At the end of St. Stephen’s life, it becomes clear that he died like Jesus Christ: speaking the Truth in love, gazing into Heaven, asking the Father to receive His Spirit, and asking that the sins of his murderers be forgiven them.

We don’t know much about the life of St. Stephen, but we can properly surmise that he must also have lived a Christ-like, that is, Christian, life before his martyrdom, or else he never would have been able to endure martyrdom for Christ. We know that he had a good reputation and was full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and faith (Acts 6:3-5).

This morning, I’ve noticed a strange connection between the effects of the death of Jesus and the effects of the death of St. Stephen. In both cases, the most apparent effect was the triumph of the Enemy and of evil and the scattering of the sheep if you strike the shepherd. Just as Satan appeared to have triumphed over Christ at the Cross, so he appears to triumph over Christ at the death of Stephen. Just as the disciples headed for the hills (or at least the upper room) when Jesus was struck and killed, so the disciples are scattered in the persecution that follows the martyrdom of Stephen.

But a funny thing happens when Christian fruits die: they scatter their seeds and produce more Christians. Tertullian said: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” When Joseph was persecuted by his brothers, the whole nation of Israel was delivered by God; when the Israelites were persecuted by the pharaoh who knew not Joseph, the people of Israel were delivered and began the Exodus to the Promised Land; when Jesus Christ was crucified, the sins of the whole world were atoned; and when St. Stephen was martyred, not only did God’s Kingdom expand, but He began to work on the one who had more influence on spreading God’s Kingdom than anyone besides Christ Himself.

We often assume that the conversion ofSt. Paulwas a sudden thing, and certainly it was, in one sense. But we forget the many years in which Paul studied the Law, as well as the philosophy and poetry of the Greeks. And we forget that most inauspicious meeting between the 1st Christian martyr and the greatest Christian apostle. Who knows what effect St. Stephen’s martyrdom, his faithful witness, had on the soul of Saul? We aren’t privileged to know. What we do know is that the young Saul is presented with two ways of life, testified to by two different kinds of witnesses. Those false witnesses who accused and murdered Stephen laid their clothes at the feet of Saul. But that faithful witness who was both falsely accused and murdered laid his blood and his blameless witness at the feet of Saul.

Who knows what seeds of true faith, what seeds of the Church were planted on the day of Stephen’s martyrdom, only to come to fruition on the road toDamascus?

Who knows what seeds of faith and what seeds of doubt in atheism and agnosticism and self-ism are planted whenever Christians faithfully witness? Every day, among your spouse, your children, your relatives, your co-workers, your friends, your acquaintances, and the members of your church, you are witnessing to them about Jesus Christ. What you do and don’t do every day, how you live as a witness as Jesus Christ has eternal consequences not only for you but also for people you meet. The indisputable fact is that you are a witness to Jesus Christ: the only question is how faithful of a witness have you been in thought, word, deed, and relationship?

People are always watching you and studying you and learning from you. In fact, you and I are the living epistles, the living wills and testaments of Jesus Christ, and they will judge Him by us. There is no demilitarized zone, there is no “Off Duty” sign to the sign of the Cross that was seared into your soul at baptism. You are and forever will be a witness to, a martyr of, Jesus Christ, and the only question is “How’s my driving?”

Often, we don’t know what effect we are having on people. One day as I was teaching school, at an odd moment at the end of the day, a senior student of mine, Ian Knowles, came up to me in the hallway and said simply, “I’ve been watching you.”

Immediately, my heart was filled with both a hot fear of “Oh no!” and a cool curiosity of “Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve been watching you because I think we have the same personality type (I had just given the class the Myers-Briggs test), and I want to learn how to be a leader.”

Ian Knowles had been studying me for 6 months, trying to learn how to be an introvert and still be a leader – and I never knew it until that day! And I’d have never known it if he hadn’t bothered to tell me!

I don’t have too many exciting stories in my life (which seems both a curse and an incredible blessing), so permit me one more. One day in August in Hot Springs, Arkansas, at a time when I had been feeling particularly poorly (so poorly that I almost decided to take a year off from writing my Ph.D. dissertation), I finally decided to go to the Poet’s Loft downtown and read some of my poetry.

I managed to drag a priest friend of mine, and we showed up: Men in Black. We were definitely a sight to behold! It turns out that the night we went was the largest attendance they had had in a while. There was a rainbow in the sky that evening, in fact a glorious double rainbow, just before I arrived at the Poet’s Loft. Later that night, one of the proprietresses told me that a wooden board that had covered a window had spontaneously fallen down to reveal the rainbow. All on the night we first arrived.

After the reading event was over, we hung out and struck up a conversation with some of the young people there. Our ears pricked up when we heard one of them say that he was studying to be a priest. So we began talking, telling who we were, Fr. Charles from the Reformed Episcopal Church and Fr. Denny from the Charismatic Episcopal Church. It turns out that 2 of the young men were studying to be priests – Wiccan priests!

Undaunted, we struck up a friendship with a group of them, and they were impressed that we weren’t like other Christians or pastors they had met.

The interesting thing is that three times by chance (or was it “chance,” hmmmmm?) in the next 2 years, I met one of the young men we had spent some time with. Both times, he seemed more “clothed and in his right mind.” He wasn’t a Christian, but he seemed somehow more open. I remember him and his friends saying of me and my priest friend that we were different, and they really listened to what we had to say. Part of my intention when talking with these young people was to act unintimidated, confident without being cocky, not contentious, respectful of them as people, reasonable, and willing to just to hang out with them. All those years of teaching high school students really paid off!

Many Christians would only have seen a bunch of pagan freaks (for such they were). They would be correct in seeing this, but incorrect in seeing only this. Many Christians would have been afraid or condemning and simply have written them off. And many Christians would have missed an excellent opportunity to act as a witness to Jesus Christ.

My point isn’t that we should all go find the Poet Lofts and pagan freaks in our town and strike up a conversation. By my point is that we should all go find our Poet’s Lofts, the places and people in our lives who God has brought to us. In other words, we should all love our neighbors by acting as witnesses of Jesus Christ.

When we do, we might occasionally meet with persecution, as did St. Stephen. But then again, we just might be witnessing to another Saul of Tarsus. Most of all, we will be extending the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who was born on Christmas to save the world!

Prayer: Grant, O Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon earth, for the testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed: and being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors, by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succor all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Point for Meditation:

Examine your life as a witness of Jesus Christ. How much have you hid your light under a bushel, and how much have you lived as a star in a dark world?
Reflect on some times in your life when you, or someone you know, has acted as a faithful witness. What were the tangible fruits? What were the fruits for your own life?

Resolution: I resolve to find one way in which God is calling me to be a more faithful martyr (“witness”) to one person who God has made my neighbor. Remember that witnessing can take many different forms.

The Stoning of Saint Stephen – Rembrandt’s First Painting – from Wikipedia entry on The Stoning of Saint Stephen.jpg

Dance Tonight has a new mascot and friend: Kingsley!

Nina — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:17:24 -0500

Dance Tonight welcomes a new friend – Kingsley – a 12-week old AKC certified French Bulldog. Dance Tonight Orange Park Owner Brittany Bines – also Kingsley’s mom – says Kingsley is very friendly and welcomes everyone as they enter the studio. When he’s not wearing his Dance Tonight jacket, he’s getting into the holiday spirit with his Santa suit, though sometimes he’ll bark inexplicably at the studio’s Christmas tree – perhaps he’s asking St. Nick for more treats? Brittany says he gets his fair share already, as more than a few students bring him treats before their dance lessons.
Speaking of dancing, his favorite is reportedly the waltz. After taking a spin on the dance floor with Dance Tonight Dance Instructor Don, Kingsley said the waltz’s grace and poise was totally “pawesome.”

You can say hi to Kingsley most days at the Orange Park studio – be sure to stop by for a group class or your next private lesson if you’re in the area – and Learn Today, Dance Tonight!

New Energy Farms to commercialize new Miscanthus cultivars

New Energy Farms — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:52:00 -0500

New Energy Farms to commercialize new Miscanthus cultivars.

New Energy Farms (NEF) has established an agreement with Performance Plants Inc. to commercialize new high yielding elite clones of Miscanthus energy crop. NEF have been evaluating new clones of Performance Plants’ Miscanthus to identify those with specific yield and quality characteristics that have commercial applications in the near term to meet the requirements of end users of the next 2-3 years. Already, interesting clones have been identified with improved yield and growth characteristics. Clones of interest are being bulked up and taken to market volumes with NEF’s proprietary propagation technology, with market expansion delivered via the IT system developed jointly between NEF and Muddy Boots. The clones developed are vegetative and sterile, to allow easy establishment and utilization.

NEF are using this model to bring a pipeline of new cultivars of energy crops to market from a range of genetics providers, delivering this rapidly with a secure means of generating onward royalty payments for plant breeders.

NEF supplies products and services to customers developing or operating biomass conversion facilities. These customers are typically utility or development companies who generate renewable electricity, heat, road fuels or industrial materials, using plant biomass as raw material. The crops supplied by NEF are energy crops; these have been specifically developed to produce fuel and industrial products not food. They are high yielding perennials; growing for over 10 years without replanting, that produce large volumes of clean biomass feedstock with a low energy and environmental footprint. The production of this feedstock can occur on lower quality or surplus land and consequently does not impact on food production. Studies in the EU and US have identified over 30 m Ha of land (75m Acres) is available for production of these crops without influencing food production.

Performance Plants Inc. is a global leader in discovery and development of second-generation agricultural biotechnologies. The company's patented technologies enhance plant productivity (including seed yield and plant biomass) and weatherproof food and non-food biofuel crops through periods of drought and heat stresses resulting in a more abundant, consistent and cost-effective harvests for farmers. The company has a robust gene discovery and technology evaluation pipeline, and has licensed multiple breakthrough technologies to many worlds’ leading seed companies. The privately-held Canadian company is headquartered with R&D facilities in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

For further information contact NEF at either the Canada office at 519-326-7293 or the Georgia office on 229 518 4233. Email inquiries should be made to sales@newenergyfarms.com with further company details atwww.newenergyfarms.com. Further details on Performance Plants available at www.performanceplants.com

Part one: Review of Social traffic Plugin

lisalomas — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:32:00 -0500

Time & Date of Review: Evening 8th December 2011. Time taken to install: 5 minutes Instruction Manual: Yes Clear Instructions in Manual : Yes I followed each instruction clearly as stated for the Testing of Bill Crosbys product launch, as this is a post this is also my first time using the plugin, firstly I [...]

Tex Willer, The Legend of Italian Wild West

Dragutin Movrin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:36:54 -0500

When in 1948. was created comic strip by the name of Tex Willer, the authors Gianluigi Bonelli and Aurelio Galleppini haven't laid alot of hope in him, but were primarily concentrated on the comic strip called Occhio Cupo (Dark Eye) whose operation was located in Canada in the time of Franco-English wars. The main character was irresistibly reminiscent of Robin Hud. Now referred to as a hero who is remembered very little while Tex has grown into a legend and one of the most famous Italian and European comics.

The first number appeared in the sale of 30th September 1948 and was called the "Totem Il Misterioso" (The Mysterious Totem ") and was in the form of" Striscia "or" belt ". A genre is defined as a western, Tex initially had little success and was in the shadow of comics such as Captain Miki and Ken Parker, who were famous for the simplicity of scenario and the absence of strong violence.

However, the early sixties of the last century, along with the flourishing of the "spaghetti" Westerns, Tex has just exploded and reached monthly sales of almost one million copies. Since November 1960th, Tex began to come out in his usual printing style, that means in the format of 16x21cm at 110 pages, which is still called "Bonelli format" in Italy.

Most responsible for this huge success was the screenwriter Gianluigi Bonelli, who wrote a series of phenomenal story that marked Tex as a leading hero of Italian Westerns in general and a leading comic book by publishing house Bonelli. It is especially important to the background to the series, is that the protagonist is presented as a ranger, Commissioner for Indian issues and the Navajo tribe chief who called him "Aquila della notte" or "Night Eagle", so he enjoys a great reputation among whites, and among Indians. Tex is the man in the early forties, who was fighting against injustices of all kinds and is often used less lawful means to prevent the crimes or to obstruct criminals to achieve their intentions.

The story takes place in almost entire region of North America, although the central venue is Navajo reservation in Arizona, while the time in which series is located in the period of the early eighties of the 19th century. The authors always like to give this comic some historical background, so that in some episodes appear personalities who are really involved in the creation of the myth of the Wild West, such as for example, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Buffalo Bill, George Armstrong Custer, Geronimo, Cochise and many others.

Through many of his adventures Tex is followed by three of his inseparable companions: an experienced ranger Kit Carson, an incorrigible pessimist and complainer, but always handy in the decisive moments; Tex's son Kit who was born in a marriage between Tex and Lilith, the daughter of the chief of Navajo Red Arrows, and the intrepid Navajo, Tiger Jack , Tex's brother by blood. From minor characters stand out El Morisko, Mexican scholar and occultist; Montales, Sonora governor and one of the most influential people in Mexico; Pat McRyan, enormous Irish who tends to make troubles; Jim Brandon, Colonel of the Canadian Mounted Police; Gros-Jean, a Frenchman who lives close to Canada; Nat McKennet, Sheriff of New Orleans, Tom Devlin, Sheriff of San Francisco.

Of course, during his long saga Tex have clashed with a large number of enemies which are the most memorable Mefisto, illusionist and magician, Tex's biggest rival, Proteus, a master of disguise, Maestro, mad scientist with the deformed face, Black Tiger, Malayan prince in exile who wants to undermine the United States from the inside. The main comic book creators aren't among the living anymore, so that the writing of new episodes is taken care by a celebrated screenwriter Claudio Nizzi, Mauro Boselli and Antonio Segura, and at one time the script was written and Gianluigi's son Sergio Bonelli, to fans of comics known under the pseudonym Guido Nolitta, under which he created Mister No and Zagor. For the graphic realization are responsible well-known artists such as Guglielmo Letteri, Ticco Giovanni, Vincenzo Monti, Fernando Fusco, Claudio Villa, Fabio Civitelli, Jose Ortiz, Carlo Marcello, Alfonso Font, and others.

Until now, the 492 issues published in the regular series, 15 giants that are made in A4 format, which are usually done by great names of world of comics, 8 almanac and 5 Maxi edition. Today, 53 years after the release of the first number, Tex still continues to ride firmly in the saddle, forever young in the Wild West, always ready to help the vulnerable and unprotected whenever it's needed .....

Gingerbread House Cake

Pam — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:14:00 -0500

We were invited to my brother's house to have an early Christmas celebration with his wife's family. I decided to make this at about 8 o'clock the night before. I just wanted to do something cute that the little ones would like.
It's made with yellow and chocolate cake and vanilla buttercream frosting, then I pieced the fondant as I would a gingerbread house and made all of the "candy" from fondant.
If I would have given myself more time, I would have made a gingerbread cake with a maple buttercream. Maybe next time ! : )

Wide Selection of Storage Cabinets

Arkansas Renters Insurance — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:19:49 -0500

Is your garage a mess and you seem to not have any room to store anything? Well Arrow Spacemaker has a great selection of Garage Cabinets that will help you get organized. They also provide a great selection of storage sheds and buildings. It does not stop there, Arrow also designs and builds patio covers and carports. They have some wonderful designs that you are sure to find to your liking.

Arrow provides you with Garage Storage Cabinets that are very sturdy and durable for any of your toughest storage needs. Things can get rough in the garage and they want to make sure that you have good Steel Storage Cabinets that can take any kind of beating and hold up to it. The same can be said with the storage sheds and buildings they make available too.

When you go looking around at the home improvement stores or get online for a set of storage cabinets make sure you check out what Arrow Spacemaker has to choose from. These designs will give you years of satisfaction and you can sit back with everything being put a good spot for quick finding as you search for your stored items.

This guest post is sponsored by Arrow Spacemaker Storage Cabinets.

A Few Airtel GPRS And 3G Tricks / Hacks For December 2011 : Enjoy Free Internet

Ramkumar.M — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:04:00 -0500

We are now bringing some more hacks for free GPRS/3G on Airtel Mobile/Data Card for December 2011
There are 4 different tricks.

1. GPRS Trick (Works when your Balance is 0)

Create Personal Configuration Setting as

Apn – airtelgprs.com
Proxy – cinipac.net
PORT – 80
HomePage – fb.me

2. GPRS Tricks for Both Mobile and Data Card

For PC use this string in your address bar.

http://125.21.241.25.lodgeus.com/cgi-bin/nph-get.cgi/000000A/http/[your site name here]

For Mobile

Step 1:- Download any Mobile Handler Application.
Step 2:- Now in Front query put this string and save the setting and enjoy the free gprs on both pc and mobile.

125.21.241.25.lodgeus.com/cgi-bin/nph-get.cgi/000000A/http/

3. GPRS Tricks for Both Mobile and PC 2:-

This trick is working for mobile and pc both, just follow the below setting

Apn – airtelgprs.com
Proxy – 85.31.186.21
Port – 80
HomePage – 0.facebook.com

3. Free GPRS Tricks for Default Browser :-
Use this trick in your default browser and enjoy free gprs on mobile..

Apn – airtelgprs.com
Proxy – 199.119.224.213
Port – 80
Homepage – http://0.facebook.com

4. Airtel Free 10 GB 3G Tricks

For this trick you have 3G enabled mobile and keep your balance minimum.
Step 1:- Send a sms as 3G to 121.
Step 2:- Now you will recieve a message rpl with datanames and then you will recieve a message with available plans.
Step 3:- Select the 10 GB Plan and rpl and your plan will be activated within 4 hours.

Source : http://www.hackillusion.com/airtel-latest-december-2011-free-gprs-tricks/

Winter Wonderland Covered Dish Party

Nina — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:27:16 -0500

The air is getting colder the holidays are near a time for celebration with friends we hold so dear! …

Come celebrate the joy of the season with a night of dinner and dancing! at our Winter Wonderland Covered Dish Party Thursday December 15th. Cocktails will be starting at 7:30. Party time is from 8:30 to 10:30!

The biggest party of the year is here, and you do not want to miss it! The attire for the night is white.

RSVP appreciated. Please contact us at (904)276-1515 to let us know what you are brigning or if you have any question about it.

North Pole Cake

Pam — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:29:00 -0500

I made this for our family Christmas get together for the kids. They just loved it. Fought over who would get to eat Santa, so we had to put him aside. Just let them know that if we ate Santa, he wouldn't be around to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. : )

The Review of Keepers of the Maser

Dragutin Movrin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:37:45 -0500

How do you usually begin review in such cases? Aha ...there was one (that is, it will be a) planet named Kolony, which was not occupied by Megan Fox, on it was a place called the Tower, where they performed a complex genetic experiments and created the entire new races.

One of these races were the elves, tiny and very nasty temper. And as usually happens in fiction, one of the creations turned against their creators in a war that lasted eight years and that took a lot of victims among people and among the dwarfs, and Tower has remained completely cut off from the surrounding villages, a good lesson for all who believe that GMOs are safe.

It's been sixty years, and residents of Kolony scattered, often in the belief that no one else had survived, and do not believe that the Tower ever existed. But one village named Maser refuses to accept it, and here and there one of his people went in search of the Tower, and more never to return.

In the first episode of the series, The Second Moon, The Keeper (Keeper Chief) Maser, a grumpy old Zerit, finds a remote station in which lives not particularly intelligent Fango and his robot CIRO (Computer Intelligence Operative Reader). After Zerit tries to steal part of the machines, which surrounded Fango who didn't known how to use it, three of them end up on the shoals, on the remains of destroyed Zerit's aircraft .

In the sequel, The Isle of Dwarves, Zerit, Fango and Zerit's adopted daughter Erha were captured by a group of dwarves (who themselves usually call themselves people, and people longlegs) led by grotesque Ivoline Yugher who claims to know where is the Tower, and intends to destroy it with the help of their captives. Zerit learned more about War humans and dwarves and the mysterious "white plague" that struck the Dwarves, while Fango is experiencing an interesting experience with a creature type Muridae Auratus known as a Sewer Rat.

In the third part, Eye of the Sea, the prisoners escape and end up on an island. There Zerit and Erha, each in its own way, face their past, and Fango meets a red-haired (ah, the red-haired) Tytua. Our heroes discover the location of the Tower, but the end of episode suggests that they may not be very pleased about it.

The fourth part, The Iron Tower, finally we see Zerit, Fangoa and Erhu going to the coveted Tower. While elves, eager for revenge, come closer, Erha is caught in a telepathic connection with yoks, creatures like whales which the experiments of former residents of Tower threatened with extinction.

Part Five, The Edge of the World, resolves all, or does not solve anything, depending on your perspective, and in the end, as well as throughout the series, the series does not end point, but is a question mark.
I think i said enough to interest you and does not spoil you reading pleasure. The story line is mostly science fiction, partly fantasy, and fully extremely tense adventure, which nevertheless is featherweight entertainment, but a strong and complex narrative in which the embroidery and interwoven by Frezzato and plenty of imaginative detail, as expressed in environmental and ethical message, not losing a step.

In Appendix to the second part, called Kolony: the essential survival guide, you can also find information about the flora, fauna and geography Kolony, technical information about robots, and aircraft, vivid details, such as Dwarf ritual enjoyment of sand in the eyelids (hence those awkward nature), as well as biographies of the main characters. However, the real forte of this comic is still great in the full sense of the word sumptuous Frezzatov drawing, which is more evolved than, say, his earlier works of Margot. Clean, smooth lines are complemented by excellent drawings of color and richness of detail is obviously required a lengthy work on the series.

Scenery, exacting effects such as smoke or a storm at sea, the characters, everything is beautifully done, and I would particularly like to highlight an extremely beautiful woman who Frezzato line (which, I think, see the accompanying pics) in a way that is miles far from cheap prescription enormous breasts and buttocks in clothes three numbers too small.

However, women (at least in human) are far from being eye candy, the more serious, relaxed, and maybe even smarter than male counterparts. Frezzato comic is great and humorous in detail that is softened by the seriousness of the story, just look at a scene in which Zerit kicked dwarf with a tower, or one in which a Rat kissed Fango, Fango's battle with elves, or facial expression Fangoa high on clim.

Real comic relief is unfortunate dwarf Vyon, whose fingers bird mistook for worms in one moment, just like in real Warner Bros. cartoons, and in the second moment he fell out of the aircraft above the sea, while in third he's playing hide and s. .. Now, that you have to discover for yourself.

Second Moon (Keepers of the Maser Series, Volume 1)
Eye of the Sea (Keepers of the Maser)
Isle of Dwarves (Keepers of the Maser)
The Edge of the World (Keepers of the Maser)
Keepers of the Maser: Lost Village
The Keepers of The Maser 7: Young Queen
The Iron Tower: The Keepers of the Maser 4

The Review of Djinn, Adventure and Eroticism Reborn

Dragutin Movrin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:36:29 -0500

What happened to the exoticism of comics? Where did abundant tropical locations dissapeared on this planet that we admired as a kids? Where are all those deserts, rainforests, wild animals? And above all, where are all these exotic women? Dark ladies that by their sexuality and ekstravagance seduced Phantom, Flash Gordon, a Corto Maltese, who just for a moment, knew how to entice indecent thoughts?

Is the world so much explored, mapped so that only the exotic can be seen through the elite vacation destinations that Largo Winch visits? At what point did dark ladies moved into what is in U.S. comic today called "Bad Girls", which is a euphemism for a half-naked heroine who can't handle their sexuality, but obeys the rules so barren of political correctness, in which the erotic as a tool of marketing is allowed, but as a tool of erotic storytelling is strictly forbidden?

Probably the lowering of women from inaccessible pedestal in the era of gender equality lead to the fact that the female characters in comics have to obey the male criteria - use of a sexuality that fascinates their enemies is not something that the male character could do. So we get anemic tomboyish heroine who is trying to be "role models" for young girls - but only if they are half naked, to get them buying audience of mainly of male adolescents. As it usually happens with political correctness, she just destroyed what she was supposedly defending - the woman has become the object of sexual desire, but one devoid of mysticism, which are dark ladies always had, devoid of femininity, turned into huge breasts and long legs, with a few honorable exceptions early in Miller's "Sin City".

Which brings us to the Dufaux & Miralle's "Djinn". Specifically, in this comic has a more exotic, womenly and ambiental, that was seen for a long time. Ultimately, would you expect anything less from the comics that are going on in the harem? The story follows two women at two time periods. Approximately 1999th, Kim Nelson, a young British citizen, comes to Turkey to discover the truth about her grandmother, a certain Jade, favorite in the harem of the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Murad, also known as the Black Sultan.

But Murat prepares leave to the Germans, their future allies in the First World War, important treasure, the treasure that was entrusted to Jade, which has never been found, and that even at 1999. many people are still looking for. Plots in the present, lead Kim Nelson in connection with Ibram Malek, professional scoundrel, and they start the search for the truth about Jade and treasurery of the Black Sultan, through the hidden remnants of the Ottoman Empire, which still survive in present time.

A machinations in the past put Jade in connection with the Lady Nelson and her husband, British Ambassador Harold Nelson. Specifically, although willing to enter into an alliance with Germany, Murat does not want to lose sight of the other side, and sex appeal that Jade possesses is his secret weapon - her mission is to seduce both spouses ... But Jade has her own plans, and political intirge, as well as to the fabulous world of the Orient before its collapse it will not prevent her realize them... She is man-eater, she is the embodiment of the mythical Djinn, demon in the body of a woman who uses her sexual charms to get what he wants. And Kim has to become one, if she wants to understand who and what was her grandmother, and find the treasure ...

These are the basic premise of any better pulp novels from old times. Exotic Ottoman Empire in his last days, beautiful women who use sex as a weapon, missing treasure, a healthy dose of erotic and just a wisp of black magic - what more do you need? Nevertheless, the Djinn offers more. Dufaux us effectively evokes the dying days of a great empire at the time when the Empire still existed, the death of one epoch that will stagger to the Spanish Civil War and later definitively disappear, and even though the sultan Murat never existed, a coup d'etat, who was performed by the Young Turks that took placa on the 1913th, not the 1912th, succeeds to show the politics that led to the death of the empire..

Mutiny on all sides, meddling of Britain and Germany, the annexation of Bosnia and Hercegovina, preparations for the bloody Balkan war, as well as folly called First World War ... Everything is here. At stake are his dying gasps of a great civilization, whatever we may think of it, in time when the traces of its size is still seen, and it was not just another candidate for the EU, the unsuccessfuly adjusting to the norms of Western democracy - which had never been her standard...

It is a story about women, and the powers that have over the men. In one scene, Kim looking at photo of Jade, all amazed says that she is naked. And her interlocutor, Amin Delvan, likable villain of the story, which is also searches for the treasure of the Black Sultan, notes that this is exactly was her greatest power. Jade, using her body managed to throw on the knees Sultan, Ambassador, robbers, and all together, all the men who found her on the road. It is the power of a beautiful woman. Kim will learn that power, she will pass through 30 ritual bells, each bell for one night spent in pleasuring a different man, until she becomes a courtesan worthy of the heart of the harem, earning the rights of Djinn, incapable of loving anyone but themselves. In the world created by Dufaux & Miralles, first sentence of each of the album is practically the same, 'I am looking for a Djinn,' says the first, 'I looking for one woman,' said the second and third, 'I looking for a treasure,' says in the fourth. The woman is a treasure trove and a Djinn, the evil spirit and atreasure.

But Dufaux's scenario, at times imperfect, would have never succeeded to complete this story without illustrations of Ana Miralles. 'In Djinn, naked bodies need to speak, need to engage in dialogues, tobe able to influence the environment in which they are located,' said the artist. And its clean lines, devoid details in physiology and anatomy of the characters, manages to portray the eroticism and the emotional turbulence of the characters.

But that's not the it's charm, it's not what makes her perfect for drawing this comic. Miralles comes to the fore in drawing clothing, interior and exterior designs in which are simply breathtaking. Her characters are perhaps a slight influence of Manara, but the design skills aren't. Ultimately, look at the pictures. Look at the patterns on veils and wonderful, and the markings on the tattoo.

A picture speaks more than a thousand words. Woman who illustrates the story of the harem is not acting as a logical choice, but Dufaux said that the contribution that Miralles had been an essential. "Djinn" is erotic, but never goes into pornography. Ana would never allowed to go too far. In some signs of the first cycle, we had a couple of very sensitive discussions. Ana did not want to cross some boundaries, she felt that he must remain a little intrigue.

Miralles, on the other hand, says: 'I like to draw naked female body, but do not want to smut it if i don't have to.' And so, Djinn has numerous erotic passages, mostly lesbian nature (because it is still in a harem where the women are left to each other), but never becomes vulgar. Who wants to see something concrete, degrading woman during intercourse, may buy Druuna, here it will not be found, not in its full explicitness. Erotica is an art of unspoken sexuality, And Djinn never talks too much.

Not everything is perfect, far from it. If you look too closelly, Miralles drawings can apear too static. A Dufaux has a couple of gaffes in the script, one of the biggest is rushed speed of Kim's transformation to a Djinn.and Jade in a normal woman. It should have enough inserts for a serious psychological development of personality, which is much needed for the sake of transformation or some symbolism would be able to play same role.

But no, after the formation of two solid complex female characters, Dufaux changes them in the middle of the series, and this in only a few pages, without any particular explanation, except that one is doggedly searching for a darkness (why?), And that the other at the moment of love sees the light (only now?). The end does not work best, where he puts the postmodern position is a scene in which the treasury turns into what it is in the present time. But nothing is perfect, a feeling of adventure and eroticism that pervades the series compensates for everything Dufaux overlooked.

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Druuna, The Heroine of Apocalyptic Future

Dragutin Movrin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:32:36 -0500

Paolo Serpieri describing himself said that he had always been drawn to adventure, and that is quite normal that she finds a place in his comic books, which are probably the most intriguing comics in Europe, whose appearance followed a sharp debate between diverse social groups. Asked once to explain the power of their art Serpieri said that drawing as its product provides superior images of, say, an aphrodisiac, because it implies constant activity of thought flow. The drawing is a reflection of artist's emotions. He carries within himself the ability to absorb these emotions so they then injected into the subconscious of the viewer.

Serpieri provokes emotions that get very violent reaction from readers, among other things, because his vision of bleak and hopeless future. He doesn't have a lot of faith in times to come, because, he says, in the present he sees too many errors. People are the only species that is senselessly destroying the natural environment, and also a species that is prone to self-destruction. In modern times, as a sort of catalyst that promotes the destruction, there is a specific environment which makes multi-million megalopolises. What would then the world's future become if it's built on such a basis? It is best felt by the most famous Serpieri's heroine Druuna.

As an author of comics, Serpieri is constantly on the harsh attack feminist, conservative and puritanical of all possible organizations for his flirting with taboos and human sexuality. Often his work is considered pornography and Serpieri responds that there are many different definitions of the term pornography. Prevalent, unfortunately, one that has the notion of sex as something unclean and obscene. Patriarchal traditions and religious environment requires the prohibition of corporal enjoyment and satisfaction. For Serpieri to the contrary, the sexual act was natural and wonderful. Most fantastical expression of life!

Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, was born in Venice 1944th year. He studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Rome to classical painter Renato Guttuso. In addition to painting, his attention was occupied with architecture. He also studied the anatomy, which will among other things, determine the directions of his future works. Together with writer Raffaele Ambrosio has created a series of stories about the history of the Wild West, which were published in magazines Lancia West and Skorpio. In 1980, he joined the team of artists Larroussea, work on the strip collections with historical themes, such as L'Histoire du Far-West and Découvrir la Bible. Inspired by the history of the United States, he did a series of stories published in magazines L'Il Fumeto Eternauta, the two most famous L'Indiana Bianca, and L'Uomo di Medicina, which shows a great knowledge of the ethnology of North American Indians, published by the French house Dargaud.

The first engaging of Paolo Serpieri in the SF genre occurred in 1982. year with a short story Forces, in which only seven pages to a couple with no clothes survives attack of monsters. Then, 1984. published another SF strip, La Bestia. Then, according to him, he decided it was time to create something that will bring him greater success and therefore more money. Next, 1985. began the saga of Druuna, releasing their first album Morbus Gravis L'Eternauti, as well as Chip and Charlie in France.

The story of Druuna is financially worthwhile, and it grew into a franchise, a Serpieri went to the top European comic creation, as a counterpart of Milo Manara, another great author of erotic comics. His works have won awards at many festivals, and the crown of an international festival in the Italian town of Lucca, whose program 1992. The retrospective was devoted to Serpieri's oeuvre. Today Serpieri teaches painting at the Institutio d'Arte in Rome. He says he has not given up on westerns and would certainly return when he finishes a series of Druuna.

Paolo Serpieri's style is realistic, graphically rich detail, technically accomplished of his academic education. In the drawing at first glance you cn recognize the love of the human figure. Especially women. Especially from behind! He is also a great landscape painter. The beauty of the female body in the comic is contrasted by morbid mutation of the people infected with plague that turnes them into monsters. There is yet another Serpieri's "perverse" obsession. Drawing the most terrifying creatures and monsters that live in his own imagination. The harshest critics have complained that the series made up of just that and nothing more.

Several pages of violence, sex in number of pages, several pages of violent sex ... banal sci-fi tale laced with a mixture of horror and pornography. But those who love this comic, like it just because of that, because of its unusual combination science-fiction, horror and eroticism. At moments very hard erotica. The scenario is not really strong point of Serpieri's series, it is more a function of highlighting the brilliant drawings. The story is sometimes intriguing, sometimes a bit boring, and mostly confusing. In some moments it is really hard to follow the action at constant interweaving fantasy and reality. The reader can then hesitate, whether Druuna is a waking dream or is this whole apocalyptic Druuna's dream. Druuna is a mystery of life, love and satisfaction in a sick atmosphere environment degraded by the perverse personality. All characters in this world of the future are more or less bizarre. Druuna's freedom and naivete are a strong contrast to the universal decay. Serpieri's Druuna was entrusted the role of warning messages of the future.

Comics are filled with Druuna's curves, rarely covered by clothing. Comic to the first place undoubtedly could be determined as erotic. Or pornographic, that anyone prefers. It abounds in scenes of sado-masochistic and fetishistic obsession by Serpieri with woman's buttocks. "I find that place terribly feminine. From an aesthetic point of view are very interesting to draw ... because they can play with shadow and light ... or the fullness of shape ... "Druuna's buttocks, however, are often vulnerable to abuse by a galaxy of monsters and brutal hiperrealistic phallus of a semi-human creature.

Because of that, the Druuna comics in some countries are labeled 18 +. Paolo Serpieri himself appears in a comic book as a character of doctor, who, purely in order of mention, does not participate in orgies. Regarding Druuna's unusual name, the author says that he initially wanted to call Bruna (in Italian, Bruna-black, dark). Then he took into account the Luna, the Earth's natural satellite, the mythological personification of women and mystical opponent of the Sun. He dropped out of both ideas, but they were incorporated into the Celtic name Druna, then he added one more 'u' in it.

Comics about Druuna published in fifteen European countries, then in Brazil, which is a country with enviable comic publishing, and the first two episodes were released in the U.S. in the magazine Heavy Metal. In America Druuna is not popular, which is not surprising when one considers that are out there even the well known European comics often met coldly.

The series is completed and is expected to be released in eight albums. What might be even worth mentioning in the story of Druuna is the appearance in video games in whose creation participated Paolo Serpieri himself.

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