text:
Dispute with Deep Implications
I'm not certain that the decision-makers in the Kremlin have fully taken into account all of the consequences of their handling of the gas dispute with Ukraine.
In 2006, Russia takes over the chairmanship of the G8, and President Putin has already announced that energy security will be one of the key issues at the June summit in St Petersburg.
This is part of presenting Russia as a reliable supplier of energy to Europe, the US and Japan inte the decades ahead, and of attracting foreign investment into these state-controlled sectors of the Russian economy.
But if Gazprom really cuts supplies to Ukraine tomorrow, they will also cut part of the credibility of these efforts. There will not be a chancellery in the West that would not think twice before making their country overly and only dependent on energy supplies from Russia in the years ahead.
Many analysts already fear that the dispute provides a foretaste of how Russia will use its massive oil and gas reserves as a foreign policy tool in future disputes with the West.
"Energy co-operation has replaced military might as the mainstay of Russia's international credibility," Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Alfa Bank in Moscow, said. "It is using its importance as an energy partner to pursue its geopolitical and foreign policy agenda."
Gas politics has suddenly become the new geopolitics.
The conflict with the Ukraine has deep implications for the future of Europe.
The Kremlin certainly knows that it has strong cards in its immediate dispute with Kiev. But the stronger it plays these cards, the more it weakens its more long-term cards versus the entire West.
Kiev Ukraine News Blog
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First On Podcasting
There has to be a first with everything in life, and now it seems as if it is Nicolas Sarkozy in France who is the first senior politician to enter the podcasting world.
Well, if we should be correct it isn't really he who has done it, but there mere fact that he is interviewed by a blogger who then is podcasting the entire thing seems to have created a stir at the least in France.
But there is no doubt that he will not be the last.
The new technologies are busy transforming the media landscape, and accordingly they will affect the political landscape as well.
Sweden was long seen as in the forefront of most of these developments, but I'm far less certain that this is still the case. There is a distinct lack of interest in what the new technologies can offer on the political scene at the moment.
We'll see when it changes.
I'll certainly take note when we have the first more senior politician in the Nordic world entering the world of podcasting as well.
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Critical Debate in Turkey
It's encouraging to note that the debate is intensifying in Turkey itself over Article 301 in its penal code and the use that reactionary elements in Turkish society are now making of it.
To change the law is unlikely to be an easy process, but it is obvious that provisions like these have no place in a modern European democracy.
Once upon a time I guess the paragraphs was written in the belief that it would protect and strengthen Turkey.
But that was in old times. In our times, it should be obvious to each and everyone that it is exposing, weakening and damaging the country.
And that is not good either for Turkey or for Europe.
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Turkish press attacks insult law
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Coming Crisis with Turkey
One of the safest predictions for the coming year is that we are heading towards a crisis in the accession negotiations between Turkey and the European Union.
For this there are a number of reasons.
One is the shift in the European Union itself, where more Turkey-sceptical forces will be more in control of the process during the period ahead. It's difficult to see the Austrian presidency make much to help move the process forward, and the German presidency in the beginning of 2007 will not be too helpful either.
There will, accordingly, hardly be the helpling hand needed to smooth out the different difficulties ahead, thus increasing the risk that they develop into crisis.
But then there are the issues of substance.
One concerns the wave of legal proceedings using the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish penal code that has been launched by conservative and anti-European forces in Turkey recently, the most prominent of which is the one against author Orhan Pamuk.
These are deliberate efforts to throw sand in the machinery, and there is no doubt that it is making Turkey great damage at the moment.
Not everyone understands that these are actions by rather extreme groups, with the government of Turkey as appalled as most others. But in any system with a separation of powers, the judiciary operates independently.
The possibility that is there – and that Foreign Minister Gul has now alluded to – is of course to change the relevant paragraphs in the law.
That would be a wise steps by the democrats of Turkey. It wouldn't hurt if this leads to a review of whether there are similar pieces of old legalislation still existing among the present members of the European Union. That is by no means excluded.
The more serious and direct crisis ahead relates to the unresolved issue of Cyprus. Here, the efforts to reach a solution under the auspicies of the UN were sabotaged by the present Greek Cypriot leadership, and they have since continued their essentialloy obstructionist course.
One consequence of this is that the plans of the EU to help also the people in northern Cyprus, and open it up somewhat to the outside world, have been completely blocked. This has been the policy of both the European Commission and successive Presidencies, but has been vetoed by the Greek Cypriots.
It's hardly surprusing that this in Turkey has been seen in less than positive light. In fact, they see it as the European Union has broken a promise.
And this in its turn has lead to rather strong opposition to Turkey allowing Greek Cypriot ships to enter its harbours. Under the existing customs union protocol, there is no doubt that they have a duty to allow them, but now there is a risk of the blockage of the Cypriot question leading to a blockage of this issue and this leading to a crisis in the overall relationship.
Well, risk is too vague a word. Certainty is more appropriate.
And that will come as the Union has to address also the difficult enlargement issues in the Western Balkans.
The post-Ottoman area will make itself known on the European political agenda in the year ahead.
Turkish FM criticises legal action against European lawmaker
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Galileo and China
The launch of the Galileo test satellite was evidently a big news item across the world.
One reason – which I did not mention in my blog entry on the subject – is the fact that a network of global collaboration now surrounds the project.
China is one of the nation that has deceided to join Galileo, and it was then hardly surprising that the launch is big in much of the Chinese media as well, as illustrated by this link to China Daily.
Galileo transforms the world – well, eventually, since it is by 2008 at the very earliest that we will see the real thing starting to work up in space.
Galileo shows peaceful technology pursuit
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Small Step for Europe
I was happy to note that yesterday the first test satellite for Europe´s coming space navigation system Galileo was placed in orbit from the Russian launch site at Baikonur in Kazakstan.
It's a small first step in the deployment of a system that will have major importance in the decades ahead.
There is of course already the US GPS system in operation. Funded and operated primarily by the US Navy, it was optimized from the beginning for military applications, although it has now also been opened up for civilian use.
The Galileo system is different in that it represents a later generation and is optimized for a large number of different primarily civilian applications. It will be Europe's own global navigation satellite system, providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control.
To add to the global advantage, it will be inter-operable both with the GPS system and with Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass). Galileo will deliver real-time positioning accuracy down to the metric range with unrivaled integrity.
An enormous number of applications are planned for Galileo, including positioning and derived value-added services for transport by road, rail, air and sea, fisheries and agriculture, oil prospecting, civil protection activities, building, public works and telecommunications.
Some years ago, I headed a so called wise men's group reporting to the European Space Agency on the future direction of Europe´s space activities.
Then, the idea of Galileo was still in its infancy and by no means uncontroversial. But our group was strong in our recommendation to go ahead with the project, and thus made our contribution to what we are now seeing starting to shape up.
In the meantime, most of the opposition to the project has been overcome. For a fairly long period, the US Departement of Defense was very keen on trying to kill the entire thing since they saw it as a threat to their dominance of these issues, and were not certain that they could either control or neutralize the system in a conflict situation or in a conflict zone. It was – in the political sense – a rather brutal battle that was played out.
But that issue has been sorted out to mutual satisfaction, and the DoD has now accepted the new realities. Everything in the world isn't warfighting – and this system is primarily for the civilian sector.
The launch yesterday was a small step for Europe – but potentially a most important one.
ESA Portal – First Galileo satellite on orbit to demonstrate key technologies
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A Poorer Kremlin – and Russia
Andrei Illarionov has been Economic Advisor to President Putin during his entire period, and has been a sign that there has after all been room for some internal policy debates also in the Kremlin.
Andrei has been and remains an outspoken man. He fought – wrongly, in my opinion – against the present scheme for transforming, modernizing and privatizing the entire electric power system of Russia. He was equally adamant in his opposition to Russia signing the Kyoto protocol – in his opinion the country simply wasn't ready for it.
But these were points on what in the great scheme of things were more more marginal issues. It was when he publicly started to take issue with the arrest of Khodorkovsky, the dismantling of Yukos and the trends towards de-democratization that he got into hotter water.
Now, it is obvious that he has reached the end of his career in the Kremlin. In Moscow today, he has announced that he has stepped down since he can no longer freely express his views on the policies that he increasingly disagrees with. In reality it is obvious that he has been dismissed.
But his voice on the future of Russia is an important one and should be heard. He is deeply concerned with the need to make his Russia truly a part of the modern world – and sharply critical of the now dominant trend of economic policy thinking in the Kremlin.
Earlier this year he wrote that "it dreams of imposing state control over money flows in the fuel sector, nationalizing it,putting under control its infrastructure, keeping up infrastructure monopolies, and managing energy resource flows inside and outside the country."
This is not the Russia he wants – since such a Russia will fail to modernize sufficiently, and risks being dragged down by the magnitude of the challengess it faces in the decades ahead.
Neither is it the Russia that is in the interest of the rest of Europe. We want a modern, open and successful Russia – not a stumbling, closing and failing one.
The Kremlin will be a poorer place without the honest voice of Andrei Illiaronov.
I hope voice will be more heard in the open and public debate on the future of Russia.
ITAR-TASS
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Weblogistan versus Ahmadinejad
Iran's hardline new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to make headlines with his increasingly outrageous statement, most recently that the Holocaust was no more than "a myth".
At the same time, the issue of the nuclear ambitions of Iran is high on the international agenda. There has recently been a resumption of low-level contacts between Teheran and the European Union to see if there is any possibility of resuming negotiations over the issue.
In Iran itself, the fast expansion of "Weblogistan" is an increasingly important development. It is estimated that there are already mjore than 100 000 weblogs in the country. As Western music is banned, the Internet and Weblogistan is expanding veryt fast.
Farsi is the 28th most spoken language in the world, but according to the linked report might be well on its way towards replacing French as the 2nd most common language in the blogosphere.
Sooner or later, there is change coming to Persia.
Opinion – Ben Macintyre Times Online
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Russian Gas War Against Ukraine?
The new year could well beging with an open and dramatic gas war between Russia and the Ukraine. If Gazprom turns off the gas supplies to Ukraine – as it is now threatening to do – the effects for the country will be very serious indeed.
On the surface it's all a dispute about prices.
At the present, Ukraine pays the state-controlled Russian energy giant a price of 50 dollars per 1.000 cubic meters of natural gas coming through the big pipeline systems.
This is undoubtedly a low price that is more a reflection of old Soviet practices than realistic prices. There is little doubt that Gazprom over time has the right to ask for a high price.
But the way the entire thing is handled invites speculation that other interests are more driving in the dispute. What Gazprom suddenly asks for is an increase with more than 400 % to 220-230 dollars from January 1st. This would be an immediate transition to the price level of Western Europe.
There is no doubt that this would have a very severe effect on the energy-thirsty Ukraine economy – and it can hardly be a cdoincidence that this will happen just before the crucial March election.
Russia says that Ukraine is now an independent country and would have to pay accordingly. But beneath the headlines Gazprom has signed a new contract with formally equally but more Kremlin-loyal Belarus at a price level roughly equal to what Ukraine is paying today.
It's very evident that some more equal than others.
Ukraine has some cards of its own to play. Close to 90 % of the Russian gas exports to Western Europe passes through the Ukrainian-owned pipeline system running through the country. And Ukraine is now seeking to increase transit fees for Russian natural gas transported via its territory to $3.50 per 1,000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers, up from the current $1.09. With the volumes in question, this already makes for a lot of transit money in the Ukrainian economy.
The pipeline system is the key Ukrainian asset in this drama. And in a move that clearly illustrates this, Moscow appears willing to accommodate Kiev on the gas price if Kiev accepts a loose agreement signed in 2002-2003 on turning Ukraine's transit system into a Russian-Ukrainian consortium, possibly with token German participation.
For Ukraine, that would mean losing control of its key strategic asset in this drama.
As the conflict escalates, there are all sorts of sub-dramas within the big drama.
Gazprom is saying that even if it shuts down supplies to Ukraine on January 1st it will continue deliveries to Western Europe. One does not want a dispute with primarily Germant at this time and over this issue.
But for Ukraine there is always the option of just taking the gas passing its territory and disregard what Moscow is saying.
The potential for a very major mess is certainly there. It might affect everything from the politics of Ukraine and the reputation of Moscow to the heating in Germany.
And it might well have major ramifications for how Europe looks at its future energy supply and security situation.
Gas politics has entered the European scene in earnest.
:: Write to Vladimir Putin: Tell Him What You Think About Blackmail With Gas :: Ukrayinska Pravda
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Coming Battle for Jerusalem
In a sunny Rome, everyone is preparing to celebrate another Christmas. Here, it will be the big-time premier of the new pope. Not a small thing around here – and elsewhere.
But it's not only in religious terms there is reason to look towards Jerusalem and the Holy Land these days.
The twin elections to the Palestine and the Israeli Parliament in January and March will shape the political environment that may or may not make it possible to move forward with a peace process.
First is the Palestine elections on January 25th.
As expected, they are hitting problems over the issue of East Jerusalem.
Formally but illegally incorporated into Israel and the rest of Jerusalem, its inhabitants don't enjoy the rights of Israel and are now increasingly being dened the right to be part of Palestine. The Israeli authorities have announced that for the first time no sort of voting will be allowed in East Jerusalem.
This was a tricky issue in the Palestine presidential election last year, and now I guess that the Israeli attitude to some extent is influenced by the fact that there will be the Knesset elections in March.
While President Abbas has indicated that he might even postpone the entire election because of the dispute, the opposition in Hamas seems to want it to go ahead.
In a way it probably suits them just fine. They can agitate even stronger against the Israelis, and they can claim that President Abbas has achieved very little with his more moderate policies. It all plays into their hands – and increases the possibility that they will be the big winners in the election.
If that were to be the case, it would greatly complicate a number of issues. Officially, Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation, and we are not supposed to have anything whatsoever to do with such.
Some in Israel and the US are even saying that Hamas should not be allowed to run in the elections. But in the Iraq elections, even those that had both urged and practized violence against the US and others were allowed to take part. That they did so was even considered as some sort of success – they were drawn into the political process.
So we'll have to see what happens.
Key will be if the White House and the European Union can get Israel to modify its hard line on voting in East Jerusalem. As a bare minimum, they should allow in 2006 what they allowed in 2005.
We have no reason to play into the hands of the extremists.
Jerusalem should be a city of peace.
Haaretz – Israel News – Hamas pushes for immediate elections
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Those interested in my reflections on the state of Europe in this period of accelerating globalisation can read the speech I gave to a reception at Kreab in London recently.
It's taken some time to get it all down on paper, but since there was a big demand for the text I guess it was worth doing.
There is no doubt that we have been slipping behind in certain respects during the last decade. But we have every reason to point out that our overall achievements during that period have been remarkable in a number of truly important ways.
And even if you look at economic figures, the European share of global exports is holding up well in a situation where Asia increases and the United States decreases its shares.
But it's in and under the impact of its new East that we now see the transformation of the European economy. That's so far a rather underreported story.
The speech is available at my webpage.
As Christmas approaches, a somewhat uplifting message never really hurts.
bildt.net
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The Missing Link – Sectarian Divisions Confirmed
It's not entirely surprising that the preliminary and partial figures from the Iraqi elections show that the vote went heavily along sectarian and national lines.
This is almost always the case in situations like these.
To build up political parties based on ideas rather than on identity – which are the foundations of most Western democracies – not only takes time, but also requires circumstances somewhat different from those often found in immediate post-crisis or post-conflict societies.
In Bosnia, many had hoped that there would be the emergence of so called non-nationalist groupings after the war. But not only had the politics of the country been split almost totally along so called national lines in the only free election prior to the war, it split more or less along the same lines after the war, and has remained essentially so ever since.
The experience of both Bosnia and Iraq shows that the building of political parties based on ideas rather than identity is the missing link in almost all efforts at state- and democracy-building in fractured societies and regions. And we do not as yet have a good answer.
In Iraq, it now looks as if the Shia United Islamic Alliance will get a support over the critical third of the seats. And it looks as if the more broadly based groups went virtually nowhere. That the alliance between the two Kurdish groups consolidated their hold over the Kurdish provinces was hardly surprising.
Now the Sunnis are talking about election irregularities. But few such were reported at the time. It seems as if we are dealing with a genuine election result.
Genuine – but nevertheless problematic.
Aljazeera.Net – Iraq announces initial election results
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Sweden In Charge?
A key part of the EU budget compromise on the financial framework 2007 – 2013 was the agreement to do a review of the entire budget in 2008/09:
"Europeans are living through an era of accelerating change and upheaval. The increasing pace of globalisation and rapid technological change continues to offer new opportunities and present new challenges. Against this background, the European Council agrees that the EU should carry out a comprehensive reassessment of the financial framework, covering both revenue and expenditure, to sustain modernisation and to enhance it, on an ongoing basis."
"The European Council therefore invites the Commission to undertake a full, wide ranging review covering all aspects of EU spending, including the CAP, and of resources, including the UK rebate, to report in 2008/09. On the basis of such a review, the European Council can take decisions on all subjects covered by the review. he review will also be taken into account in the preparatory work on the following Financial Perspective."
There is thus the possibility to do also major changes taking into account enlargement needs, impact of world trade talks or any other factor considered relevant.
The fact that farm spending is likely to take a bigger share of the EU budget in the years ahead than in the past few years is among the factors that should give pause for thought. This was of course the result of lower overall levels of spending while preserving farm support spending.
The agreement says hardly anything about how the review should be done.
But it does mention 2008/09. One possible – I would say even likely – scenario is that the Commission presents its proposal under the review during the later part of 2008, that this is widely debated during the run-up to the European Parliament election in June 2009, and that a decision is taken by the European Council in December 2009.
That's when Sweden has responsibility for the EU Presidency.
The last – and first – time Sweden had the presidency was a period when no particularly challenging decisons had to be made.
This time could be very different indeed. It might in fact be among the most challenging presidencies overall during the rest of this decade.
Whichever government comes out of the elections in September 2006 – it has better start to get itself prepared!
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Christmas Coming!
Behind us lies a week in which things, after all, moved forward somewhat.
There was a budget deal for the European Union in Brussels, as well as an agreement on candidate status for Macedonia. There was an orderly election in Iraq, although the major issues are still in front of the country. And there a limited deal at the World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, allowing the global trade talks to move forward.
Forward movement on all of these fronts.
But now I would expect things to slow down. In large parts of the world we are rapidly approaching Christmas. At the least for the Protestant and Catholic Christians – the Orthodox prefer theirs to be a little later.
As for myself, I'll be going to Rome in Italy to spend at the least part of Christmas there. No snow, but numerous other attractions.
There will be time to reflect on other things than the state of the world, the turmoils of Europe or the prospect of politics.
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Yes, the First Merkel Summit
My assumption yesterday evening that this would be seen as a Merkel summit – with new German Chancellor Angela Merkel playing a key role – has turned out to be correct. It's not only in the German media that she is portrayed as having played a key role in actually getting the agreement.
After an interlude of some years we are thus returning to a situation in which Germany is a major player in its own right in Europe. Not simply an annex to Paris, but a player able to play a somewhat broader play.
In the first half of 2007 Germany will have the EU presidency, and the summit in June of that year, presided over by Angela Merkel, will be the one where the newly elected new President of France makes his or her first European appearance.
This is where we should expect the critical decision on how to move forward on the important constitutional/treaty issues. We might well see some discussions on the procedure taken during the upcoming Austrian presidency, but in all probability it will the German one that will be the truly important.
The year thereafter it will be time to do the review of the budget – the financial framework – that now has been agreed to.
By that time we might very well have a new Prime Minister in the United Kingdom, we will certainly have a new President of France and it's far from unlikely that we will have a new Prime Minister of Italy.
In many ways it will be a new ballgame – but Angela Merkel will be there.
So it is probably right to see the meeting of the European Council in Brussels during the last few days as the first in a series of Merkel summits in the European Union.
It's Berlin that will count in Brussels.
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Congratulations, Europe and Macedonia!
It was indeed high time to put an end to the soap opera of budget dispute in the European Union. Tony Blair managed to secure a deal on the 2007 – 2013 budget for the Union.
Perhaps these soap operas are unavoidable. It's many different interests coming from 25 member states that have to come together in a unanimous decision. It's distinctly good that there isn't yearly major budget decisions, but instead a multi-year process that then clears the table for a considerable time.
I haven't as of yet had time to look at the details of the budget deal. It's expenditure on the level of 1,043% of the anticipated GDP of the Union. Minute if you compare it with the level of – often much too high – public spending in the member states.
But most important was that candidate status was given to Macedonia. The French lifted their veto.
Macedonia is to be congratulated!
Further steps – as you can see in the text of the conclusions – will be taken in the light of a more general debate in the Union on the future of enlargement. Not necessarily wrong, but very important how that debate is prepared and conducted.
But for the time being we can only note that the European Union has left one drama behind and has kept the perspective of further enlargement open.
Good work, Tony Blair. And Angela Merkel.
87642.pdf (application/pdf objekt)
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The Merkel Summit?
Reporting from Brussels indicate that a budget deal might be emerging after all.
There have been intense meetings between Prime Minister Blair, President Chirac and Chancellor Merkel. And obviously these have succeeded in moving some of the most difficult issues forward.
It wouldn't surprise me if this afterwards will be described as the summit of Angela Merkel – the new broker of power in Europe.
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Brussels and Balkans
In Brussels it is now hard going over the future of the EU budget. From the outside there are few signs of a softening of the positions, although that was not to be expected at this time.
In the background is the debate about enlargement. The draft conclusions talks about having a more comprehensive debate, effectively on the limits of enlargement, before opening up further accession negotiations.
That might not in itself be bad – it all depens on the outcome of that particular debate.
But it all underlines the significance of the recommendations the Commission will be making on future Balkan enlargement to the informal Balkan summit the Austrian presidency is planning for early March.
My views on what should be done are no secret. The link takes you to a more recent report on them.
B92 >> News >> Archive
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After the Iraq Elections
It will evidently take several weeks until there is a clear result from the Iraqi National Assembly elections yesterday.
What we know so far is that they were conducted orderly, that turn-out to vote seemed high and that it was a calm day throughout the country.
And all of that is certainly good news.
It was a true election. There were 7 605 candidates on the lists of the 307 parties or individual lists that were presented.
The election system was in fact very similar to the one used in Sweden. Out of the 275 seats in the Assembly, 230 are elected directly on lists from the 18 different provinces, while the remaining 45 are used to make the overall result as close to proportional as possible.
In political terms the critical issue is how the election went in the four provinces of Anbar, Salahuddin, Nineveh and Diyala which have 45 % of the population and were most of the violence occurs. It's here that one encounters the sharp encounter between Sunni pessimism over the future and somewhat more of Shia confidence.
In itself, the election will do little to overcome this.
Overall, the best election result would be a substantial weakening of the Shiite religious coalition that received 48 percent of the vote in January's election and has dominated the interim government.
Its leading party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, is closely linked to Iran; with Iranian encouragement, it is pressing to create a nine-province Shiite "region" in the south of Iraq. With its own constitution and security forces, this ministate would be uled by clerics and would control Iraq's largest oil fields. Meanwhile, the Supreme Council's leadership threatens conflict to wipe out Sunni resistance in Baghdad and western Iraq. According to media reports, it is using its control of the Interior Ministry to set up torture chambers and death squads staffed by its own militia.
It is highly likely that the US and others will see to promote the setting up of a more broadly based government that includes substantial Sunni elements as well as the Kurdish parties.
And it's then that one would be able to judge if the political process is truly moving forward. The key will be how a government is formed and how it starts to tackle the major issues.
This will not be an easy process. First there has to be an agreement encompassing thwo-thirds of the members of the assembly on a Presidential Council, and when this is in place it has to task of nominating a Prime Minister. And in the government there is certain to be a hard battle over the key positions.
And then comes all the challenges of substance. Some of them are outlined in the linked article by the US Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad.
It's worth noting that he stresses not only the security challenges, but also those in the economic area. So far very little has been done to move Iraq away from the heavy subsidies and thus de facto state control that was the core of the Saddam control of the economy and thus society of Iraq.
I'm fairly certain that the Constitution will be one of the most difficult issues. It was a very quick deal that was done earlier this year, and it did not resolve some of the most critical issues on the governance of the future. This has to be sorted out.
In a last-minute deal in order to prevent the Constitution from being rejected by the referendum, a review process was promised. The Assembly will form a committee that within four months should present a report with possible changes, and if these are approved by a single majority in the Assembly, they will within a month go to a new referendum.
In this, the changes will be approved if not rejected by two thirds majority in three of the 18 provinces.
This will – no doubt – be highly controversial. And highly important. It will not be easy to get both the Shias and the Kurds to back down even marginally from the substantial gains they made with the Constitution.
But for all the very major challenges that lie ahead, what gives hope is that there now seems to be something that could be the beginning of the emergence of a somewhat more inclusive political process in which nearly everyone takes part.
The optimist could describe that as a slowly emerging democracy.
After the Elections
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The Baltic Pearl
In a speech I gave in London recently I illustrated my thesis on the dynamic developments in the East of Europe with some examples taken from the Gulf of Finland – the key area where the Nordic area, the Baltic countries and Russia comes together.
One of the examples I gave in passing was the impressive Chinese investment in St Petersburg.
The link below shows the details, although I understand that a more recent version of the project means that it will be even bigger.
For up towards 2 billion dollars, a new city for 35 000 people will be built, along with major commercial centers and different public services.
It's de facto a new and very modern town that will rise up by the Gulf of Finland.
Impressive. Who would have believed this 15 years ago?
Multifunctional complex �The Baltic Pearl� – St-Petersburg.ru
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text:
Ewangelikalna Wyższa Szkoła Teologiczna we Wrocławiu (dawniej: Biblijne Seminarium Teologiczne we Wrocławiu) – niepubliczna ewangelikalna szkoła wyższa prowadzona przez związek wyznaniowy pn. Unia Ewangelikalna w Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej zlokalizowana we Wrocławiu. 19 października 2006 decyzją Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego została wpisana do rejestru uczelni niepublicznych i związków uczelni niepublicznych pod nr 186.

Charakterystyka
Uczelnia nie identyfikuje się z żadną konkretną konfesją protestancką, choć przyjmuje w swoim wyznaniu wiary fundamentalne dla ewangelikalnego protestantyzmu doktryny, przy szczególnym podkreśleniu roli Biblii jako ostatecznego autorytetu. Szkoła jest otwarta na dialog międzywyznaniowy, kładzie nacisk na rozwój w trzech wymiarach: wiedzy, duchowości i praktycznego zaangażowania. Program akademicki obejmuje studia w zakresie z biblistyki i teologii chrześcijańskiej oraz przygotowanie do służby duszpasterskiej. Absolwenci uczelni otrzymują dyplom licencjata teologii i mogą kontynuować naukę na poziomie magisterskim w Chrześcijańskiej Akademii Teologicznej w Warszawie oraz uczelniach zagranicznych. Uczelnia wydaje także recenzowane czasopismo naukowe pt. Theologica Wratislaviensia (ISSN 1734-4182) oraz utworzoną w jego obrębie serię Monografie.

Historia i siedziba
Pierwotnie, uczelnia nosząc nazwę Biblijne Seminarium Teologiczne działała jako jednostka organizacyjna Kościoła Chrześcijan Baptystów w RP. W 2001 siedziba szkoły została przeniesiona do barokowego budynku zlokalizowanego na Wyspie Piasek, gdzie mieszczą się sale wykładowe, gabinety wykładowców, sala nabożeństw oraz akademik. Od 2006 funkcjonuje pod obecną nazwą i jest jednostką organizacyjną Unii Ewangelikalnej w RP. Jej pierwszym rektorem był pastor dr Zygmunt Karel.

Władze
 Rektor: dr hab. Wojciech Szczerba, prof. EWST
 Dziekan: dr hab. Piotr Lorek

Oferta
 Studia licencjackie – skierowane są przede wszystkim do osób pragnących zdobyć podstawy teologiczne oraz praktyczne umiejętności do pracy we wspólnotach i organizacjach chrześcijańskich. Program licencjacki oferuje przedmioty z zakresu biblistyki, teologii systematycznej, języków starożytnych i nowożytnych, historii, misjologii, duszpasterstwa, psychologii czy apologetyki, które pozwalają zrozumieć rzeczywistość teologiczną, zarówno w jej historycznym ujęciu, jak i w odniesieniu do współczesnych wyzwań. Zaangażowanie praktyczne pod okiem opiekunów pomaga przełożyć zdobywaną wiedzę na praktykę życia. W ten sposób program licencjacki łączy w sobie sferę akademicką, rozwój duchowy oraz zaangażowanie praktyczne. Program licencjacki można realizować w trybie niestacjonarnym (4 lata). Po uzyskaniu dyplomu, absolwenci mogą kontynuować studia na poziomie magisterskim w Chrześcijańskiej Akademii Teologicznej w Warszawie.

 Szkoła liderów – służy poszerzeniu wiedzy głównie z dziedzin misji i ewangelizacji chrześcijańskiej oraz pogłębieniu wiadomości z podstawowych zagadnień i problematyki pracy duszpasterskiej we współczesnych wyzwaniach Kościoła. Kurs dokształcający Szkoły Liderów składa się z przedmiotów obowiązkowych i dowolnych, co pozwala każdemu uczestnikowi na jego indywidualne modelowanie w zależności od zainteresowań i potrzeb. Szkoła Liderów pozwala poznać podstawy teologii i zdobyć narzędzia do służby. Program można realizować w trybie stacjonarnym (1 rok) oraz niestacjonarnym (2 lata). Ze względu na swoją elastyczność kurs ten szczególnie polecany jest przez Szkołę animatorom, liderom oraz pracownikom wspólnot, którzy są już zaangażowani w misyjną i ewangelizacyjną pracę, a z różnych względów nie podejmują studiów teologicznych w pełnym wymiarze.

 Studium Poradnictwa – jest ofertą kierowaną do osób zajmujących się pracą duszpasterską w Kościołach i wspólnotach chrześcijańskich, które pragną zdobyć wiedzę i praktyczne umiejętności dotyczące zapobiegania najczęstszym problemom dotykającym jednostki, małżeństwa i rodziny oraz promowanie zdrowych relacji we wspólnotach.

 Szkoła Języków Biblijnych

 Międzykulturowa Akademia Trzeciego Wieku - projekt kierowany do seniorów, którego celem jest realizacja programów z zakresu międzykulturowości i dialogu religijnego, a także trening kompetencji psychospołecznych.

Linki zewnętrzne
 Ewangelikalna Wyższa Szkoła Teologiczna

Literatura
 Tadeusz J. Zieliński, Protestantyzm ewangelikalny. Studium specyfiki religijnej, Warszawa 2013, s. 112, 342, 350.

Przypisy

Religia we Wrocławiu
Uczelnie protestanckie w Polsce
Uczelnie teologiczne w Polsce
Uczelnie we Wrocławiu

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home Sports England beat India by 8 wickets in 3rd ODI, clinch series 2-1
England beat India by 8 wickets in 3rd ODI, clinch series 2-1
Leeds, (England) July 18: A gigantic 186-run partnership between Joe Root and captain Eoin Morgan helped England cruise comfortably to an eight-wicket victory over India on Tuesday that sealed a 2-1 one-day international series win.
After restricting India to 256 for eight, both Morgan and Root made light work of the run chase on a wicket that was assisting the spinners, with Kuldeep Yadav, the chief wicket-taker for the visitors in the first game, unable to bag a single scalp.
England looked rarely troubled, bringing up 100 runs within the 15-over mark at Headingley while making the most of some sloppy fielding by India.
Root was yet again the tormentor-in-chief, scoring a second century in as many games and becoming the top run scorer in the series as a result. He got ample support from skipper Morgan who struck an unbeaten 88 off 108 balls, peppered with nine fours and a six. Root finished on 100 not out as the hosts reached the victory target with more than five overs to spare having lost both their openers by the 10th over.
England bowlers Adil Rashid and David Willey grabbed three wickets each and India captain Virat Kohli made 71 for the touring side.
India got off to a cautious start, reaching 32-1 from 10 overs after England won the toss. But Kohli and opener Shikhar Dhawan then increased the scoring rate as India took 68 from the next 10 overs. Dhawan was run out for 44 by a brilliant piece of fielding from Ben Stokes and India lost wickets at regular intervals.
Leg-spinner Rashid grabbed the prize scalp of Kohli who fell to a beauty that pitched on leg and clipped the top of off stump, leaving the prolific right-hander wide-eyed in disbelief.
The series had been poised on a knife-edge after England won the second game by 86 runs at Lord's on Saturday and India won the first game by eight wickets.
The teams start a five-test series on August 1 in Birmingham. (ZeeNews)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
import os

from django.core.files import File
from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand

from waldur_mastermind.marketplace.models import (
    Attribute,
    AttributeOption,
    Category,
    CategoryColumn,
    CategoryComponent,
    Section,
)

def merge_two_dicts(x, y):
    z = x.copy()  # start with x's keys and values
    z.update(y)  # modifies z with y's keys and values & returns None
    return z

def humanize(name):
    return name.replace("_", " ").capitalize()

available_categories = {
    'backup': ('Backup', 'Backup solution'),
    'consultancy': ('Consultancy', 'Experts for hire'),
    'collocation': ('Collocation', 'Collocation services'),
    'cms': ('CMS', 'Content Management Systems'),
    'db': ('Databases', 'Relational DBMS'),
    'email': ('E-mail', 'E-mail services'),
    'hpc': ('HPC', 'High Performance Computing'),
    'lumi': ('LUMI', 'LUMI HPC Offerings'),
    'licenses': ('Licenses', 'Application and OS licenses'),
    'vm': ('VMs', 'Virtual machines'),
    'vpc': ('Private clouds', 'Virtual private clouds'),
    'network': ('Network', 'Network services'),
    'operations': ('Operations', 'Reliable support'),
    'security': ('Security', 'Security services'),
    'storage': ('Storage', 'Data preservation'),
    # devices
    'measurement_devices': ('Measurement systems', 'Available measurement devices'),
}

category_columns = {
    'storage': [
        {'title': 'Size', 'widget': 'filesize', 'attribute': 'size',},
        {'title': 'Attached to', 'widget': 'attached_instance',},
        {'title': 'Type', 'attribute': 'type_name',},
    ],
    'vm': [
        {'title': 'Internal IP', 'attribute': 'internal_ips', 'widget': 'csv',},
        {'title': 'External IP', 'attribute': 'external_ips', 'widget': 'csv',},
    ],
}

category_components = {
    'vpc': [
        {'type': 'storage', 'name': 'Storage', 'measured_unit': 'GB',},
        {'type': 'ram', 'name': 'RAM', 'measured_unit': 'GB',},
        {'type': 'cores', 'name': 'Cores', 'measured_unit': 'cores',},
    ]
}

common_sections = {
    'Support': [
        ('email', 'E-mail', 'string'),
        ('phone', 'Phone', 'string'),
        ('portal', 'Support portal', 'string'),
        ('description', 'Description', 'string'),
        ('terms_of_services_link', 'ToS link', 'string'),
    ],
    'Security': [('certification', 'Certification', 'list'),],
    'Location': [('address', 'Address', 'string')],
}

hpc_sections = {
    'system_information': [
        ('queuing_system', 'Queueing system', 'list'),
        ('home_space', 'Home space', 'string'),
        ('work_space', 'Work space', 'string'),
        ('linux_distro', 'Linux distribution', 'list'),
    ],
    'node_information': [
        ('cpu', 'CPU model', 'choice'),
        ('gpu', 'GPU model', 'choice'),
        ('memory', 'Memory per node (GB)', 'integer'),
        ('local_disk', 'Local disk (GB)', 'integer'),
        ('interconnect', 'Interconnect', 'choice'),
        ('node_count', 'Node count', 'integer'),
    ],
    'performance': [
        ('tflops', 'Peak TFlop/s', 'integer'),
        ('linpack', 'Linpack TFlop/s', 'integer'),
    ],
    'software': [('applications', 'Applications', 'list'),],
}

# based on https://eurohpc-ju.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2021-03/Decision%2006.2021%20-%20Access%20policy.pdf
lumi_sections = {
    'accessiblity_to_industry': [
        ('accessible_to_industry', 'Accessible to industry', 'boolean'),
    ],
    'review': [
        ('external_review', 'External scientific review', 'boolean'),
        ('technical_assesment', 'Technical assessment', 'boolean'),
    ],
    'prerequisites': [
        ('dmp_required', 'Data management plan', 'boolean'),
        ('benchmark_project', 'Benchmarking required', 'boolean'),
    ],
}

collocation_sections = {
    'features': [
        ('collocation_remote_access', 'Remote access', 'choice'),
        ('computing_network', 'Network access', 'list'),
        ('collocation_dimensions', 'Dimensions', 'list'),
        ('collocation_power', 'Power (A)', 'integer'),
        ('collocation_cages', 'Locked cages', 'boolean'),
    ],
}

measurement_devices_sections = {
    'properties': [
        ('measurement_devices_type', 'Type', 'choice'),
        ('measurement_devices_sample_matrix', 'Sample matrix', 'list'),
        ('measurement_devices_principle', 'Measurement principle', 'list'),
    ],
    'model': [
        ('measurement_devices_mark', 'Mark', 'string'),
        ('measurement_devices_model', 'Model', 'string'),
        ('measurement_devices_manufacturer', 'Manufacturer', 'string'),
    ],
    'usage_info': [
        ('measurement_devices_routine_application', 'Routine applications', 'text'),
        ('measurement_devices_additional_components', 'Additional components', 'list'),
    ],
}

computing_common_sections = {
    'details': [
        ('virtualization', 'Virtualization', 'choice'),
        ('computing_network', 'Network', 'list'),
        ('ha', 'High Availability', 'boolean'),
        ('av_monitoring', 'Availability monitoring', 'boolean'),
    ],
    'application': [
        ('os', 'Operating system', 'list'),
        ('application', 'Application', 'list'),
    ],
}

vpc_sections = {
    # nothing yet, TBA
}

vm_sections = {
    'software': [('antivirus', 'Antivirus', 'boolean'),],
    'remote_access': [
        ('vm_remote_access', 'Remote access', 'list'),
        ('vm_access_level', 'Access level', 'choice'),
    ],
}

email_sections = {
    'software': [('email_software', 'Software', 'choice'),],
    'features': [
        (
            'delegated_domain_administration',
            'Delegated domain administration',
            'boolean',
        ),
        ('calendar', 'Calendar management', 'boolean'),
        ('webchat', 'Webchat', 'boolean'),
    ],
}

storage_sections = {
    'details': [('storage_type', 'Storage type', 'choice'),],
    'access': [
        ('web_interface', 'Web interface', 'boolean'),
        ('api', 'API', 'boolean'),
        ('api_flavor', 'API flavor', 'list'),
    ],
    'encryption': [
        ('encryption_at_rest', 'Encryption at-rest', 'boolean'),
        ('encryption_in_transit', 'Encryption in-transit', 'boolean'),
    ],
}

common_expert_sections = {
    'Scope': [('scope_of_services', 'Scope of services', 'list'),]
}

operations_sections = {
    'Supported services': [
        ('os', 'Supported OS', 'list'),
        ('application', 'Supported applications', 'list'),
    ],
}

consultancy_sections = {
    # nothing yet, TBA
}

security_sections = {
    'Application': [
        ('security_application', 'Application', 'string'),
        ('hardware_module', 'Hardware module', 'boolean'),
        ('vendor_name', 'Vendor name', 'string'),
        ('application_version', 'Application version', 'string'),
    ],
    'Access': [('security_access', 'Access', 'list'),],
}

network_section = {
    'Technology': [
        ('computing_network', 'Connected network', 'list'),
        ('vpn_technology', 'VPN technology', 'list'),
    ]
}

specific_sections = {
    'collocation': collocation_sections,
    'computing': merge_two_dicts(computing_common_sections, vm_sections),
    'consultancy': merge_two_dicts(common_expert_sections, consultancy_sections),
    'email': email_sections,
    'hpc': hpc_sections,
    'lumi': lumi_sections,
    'operations': merge_two_dicts(common_expert_sections, operations_sections),
    'vm': merge_two_dicts(computing_common_sections, vm_sections),
    'vpc': merge_two_dicts(computing_common_sections, vpc_sections),
    'security': security_sections,
    'measurement_devices': measurement_devices_sections,
    'storage': storage_sections,
}

enums = {
    'languages': [
        ('et', 'Estonian'),
        ('en', 'English'),
        ('lv', 'Latvian'),
        ('lt', 'Lithuanian'),
        ('ru', 'Russian'),
        ('sw', 'Swedish'),
        ('fi', 'Finnish'),
    ],
    'collocation_dimensions': [('600x800', '600 x 800'), ('600x1000', '600 x 1000'),],
    'deployment_type': [
        ('appliance', 'Appliance (Managed)'),
        ('remote', 'Remote (SaaS)'),
    ],
    'email_software': [('zimbra', 'Zimbra'), ('ibm_lotus', 'IBM Lotus'),],
    'workdays': [('base', '5 days'), ('extended', '7 days'),],
    'businesshours': [('basehours', '8 hours'), ('extendedhours', '24 hours'),],
    'priority': [('eob', 'End-of-business day'), ('nbd', 'Next business day'),],
    'certification': [
        ('iskel', 'ISKE L'),
        ('iskem', 'ISKE M'),
        ('iskeh', 'ISKE H'),
        ('iso27001', 'ISO27001'),
    ],
    'interconnect': [
        ('infiniband_fdr', 'Infiniband FDR'),
        ('infiniband_edr', 'Infiniband EDR'),
        ('Ethernet_1G', 'Ethernet 1G'),
        ('Ethernet_10G', 'Ethernet 10G'),
    ],
    'virtualization': [
        ('kvm', 'KVM'),
        ('xen', 'XEN'),
        ('vmware', 'VMware'),
        ('Baremetal', 'Baremetal'),
    ],
    'measurement_devices_type': [
        ('aas', 'Atomic Absorption Spectrometer'),
        ('spectrophotometer', 'Spectrophotometer'),
        ('spectrometers', 'Spectrometers'),
    ],
    'measurement_devices_sample_matrix': [('liquids', 'Liquids'), ('solds', 'Solids'),],
    'measurement_devices_principle': [
        ('x-ray-diffraction', 'X-ray diffraction'),
        ('chromatography', 'Chromatography'),
        ('mass-spectrometry ', 'Mass-spectrometry'),
        ('electrophoresis', 'Electrophoresis'),
        ('magnetic-resonance', 'Magnetic resonance'),
        ('physical-properties', 'Physical properties'),
        ('infrapuna-spektromeeter', 'Infrapuna spektromeeter'),
        (
            'thz-radiation-amplitude-and-phase',
            'Measurement of THz radiation amplitude and phase',
        ),
    ],
    'measurement_devices_additional_components': [
        ('autosampler-with-cooling', 'Autosampler with cooling'),
        ('autosampler', 'Autosampler'),
        ('photodiode-array-detector', 'Photodiode array detector (PDA)'),
        ('column-thermostate', 'Column thermostate'),
        ('flame-ionization-detector', 'Flame ionization detector (FID)'),
        ('thermal-conductivity-detector', 'Thermal conductivity detector (TCD)'),
    ],
    'scope_of_services': [
        ('analysis', 'Analysis'),
        ('implementation', 'Implementation'),
        ('design', 'Design'),
        ('deployment', 'Deployment'),
        ('issue_resolution', 'issue_resolution'),
        ('change_management', 'Change management'),
        ('disaster_recovery', 'Disaster recovery'),
    ],
    'security_access': [('api', 'API'), ('offline', 'Offline'),],
    'storage_type': [('block', 'Block'), ('object', 'Object'), ('fs', 'Filesystem'),],
    'computing_network': [
        ('private', 'Private (own)'),
        ('aso', 'ASO'),
        ('ddn', 'DDN'),
        ('ogn', 'OGN'),
        ('banglagovnet', 'BanglaGovNet'),
        ('public', 'Public Internet'),
    ],
    'vpn_technology': [('ipsec', 'IPSEC'), ('gre+ipsec', 'GRE + IPSEC'),],
    'vm_access_level': [('root', 'Root / Administrator'), ('user', 'User level'),],
    'api_flavor': [('s3', 'S3'), ('swift', 'Swift'), ('custom', 'Custom'),],
    'vm_remote_access': [
        ('console', 'Console'),
        ('ssh_rdp', 'SSH/RDP'),
        ('direct_access', 'Direct access'),
    ],
    'collocation_remote_access': [('vpn', 'VPN'),],
    'os': [
        ('ubuntu16.04', 'Ubuntu 16.04'),
        ('centos7', 'CentOS 7'),
        ('windows2016', 'Windows 2016'),
        ('rhel7', 'RHEL 7'),
    ],
    'application': [
        ('zevenet', 'Zevenet'),
        ('owncloud', 'Owncloud'),
        ('lamp', 'LAMP'),
        ('nginx', 'Nginx'),
        ('iis', 'IIS'),
        ('mssql2017', 'MS SQL Server 2017'),
        ('mysql57', 'MySQL 5.7'),
    ],
}

def populate_category(category_code, category, sections):
    for section_key in sections.keys():
        section_prefix = '%s_%s' % (category_code, section_key)
        sec, _ = Section.objects.get_or_create(
            key=section_prefix, title=humanize(section_key), category=category
        )
        sec.is_standalone = True
        sec.save()
        for attribute in sections[section_key]:
            key, title, attribute_type = attribute
            attr, _ = Attribute.objects.get_or_create(
                key='%s_%s' % (section_prefix, key),
                title=title,
                type=attribute_type,
                section=sec,
            )
            if key in enums:
                values = enums[key]
                for val_key, val_label in values:
                    AttributeOption.objects.get_or_create(
                        attribute=attr,
                        key='%s_%s_%s' % (section_prefix, key, val_key),
                        title=val_label,
                    )

def load_category(category_short):
    category_name, category_description = available_categories[category_short]
    args = dict(title=category_name, description=category_description)

    if category_name == 'vm':
        args['default_vm_category'] = True
    if category_name == 'storage':
        args['default_volume_category'] = True
    if category_name == 'vpc':
        args['default_tenant_category'] = True

    new_category, _ = Category.objects.get_or_create(**args)
    category_icon = '%s.svg' % category_short
    path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), 'category_icons/')
    new_category.icon.save(category_icon, File(open(path + category_icon, 'rb')))
    new_category.save()
    # populate category with common section
    populate_category(category_short, new_category, common_sections)
    # add specific sections
    if category_short in specific_sections.keys():
        populate_category(
            category_short, new_category, specific_sections[category_short]
        )

    # add category columns
    columns = category_columns.get(category_short, [])
    for index, attribute in enumerate(columns):
        CategoryColumn.objects.get_or_create(
            category=new_category,
            title=attribute['title'],
            defaults=dict(
                index=index,
                attribute=attribute.get('attribute', ''),
                widget=attribute.get('widget'),
            ),
        )

    # add category components
    components = category_components.get(category_short, [])
    for component in components:
        CategoryComponent.objects.get_or_create(
            category=new_category,
            type=component['type'],
            defaults=dict(
                name=component['name'], measured_unit=component.get('measured_unit'),
            ),
        )
    return new_category

class Command(BaseCommand):
    help = 'Loads a categories for the Marketplace'

    missing_args_message = (
        'Please define at least one category to load, available are:\n%s'
        % '\n'.join(available_categories.keys())
    )

    def add_arguments(self, parser):
        parser.add_argument(
            'category', nargs='+', type=str, help='List of categories to load'
        )

    def handle(self, *args, **options):

        all_categories = available_categories.keys()
        for category_short in options['category']:
            if category_short not in all_categories:
                self.stdout.write(
                    self.style.WARNING(
                        'Category "%s" is not available' % category_short
                    )
                )
                continue
            new_category = load_category(category_short)
            self.stdout.write(
                self.style.SUCCESS(
                    'Loaded category %s, %s ' % (category_short, new_category.uuid)
                )
            )

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


One of the most popular and beloved introductions to Christian faith ever written, Mere Christianity has sold millions of copies worldwide. The book brings together Lewis's legendary broadcast talks of the war years, talks in which he set out simply to "explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times." Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, C.S. Lewis provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a powerful, rational case for Christian faith. It is a collection of scintillating brilliance that remains strikingly fresh for the modern reader and at the same time confirms C.S. Lewis's reputation as one of the leading writers and thinkers of our age.
This is months overdue and at one point I wonder if I should still write one for this book because I am not sure if I still remember the important points I have noted and underlined (Yes, I underlined parts of this book — the only time I have underlined a book again since school). But then a few friends are discussing The Screwtape Letters online and for a moment there, I thought I already wrote a review for this. Turns out I haven't yet. Suddenly, I felt like writing one again.
We may, indeed, be sure that perfect chastity — like perfect charity — will not be attained by any merely human efforts. You can ask for God's help. Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need is being given. Never mind. After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again. For however important chastity (or courage, or truthfulness, or any other virtue) may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn, on one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and, on the other, we need not despair even in our worst for our failures are forgiven. The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfection.
The book buddy thread for Mere Christianity was the perfect opportunity to read it again, but alas, I lagged behind terribly for many, many reasons. Sorry, book buddies! ^^; I still finished the book, of course, albeit very, very late, and then I took my own sweet time thinking about how to write about it because I really had no idea where to start — not because I didn't like it or I liked it too much. It's just…different.
Here's what I think about Mere Christianity (and C.S. Lewis' other non-fiction books, for that matter): they're not for quick reading. The C.S. Lewis books I've read in the past year were always the kind of books that pack a punch and would make you pause several times to reflect on what he said. Another thing is it's not easy reading, because more often than not, Lewis' words tend to poke at those parts of us that we hide. That's one of the reasons why the quote above hit me a lot, because it's the truth, and based on experience, the truth is never really comfortable at first. On the other hand, books like Mere Christianity offer a lot of wisdom, although I think I wouldn't have understood if I read it earlier in my faith walk. Perhaps this is why I read this at this time instead of when I got it?
The Christianity Lewis espouses is humane, but not easy; it asks us to recognize that the great religious struggle is not fought on a spectacular battleground, but within the ordinary human heart, when every morning we awake and feel the pressures of the day crowding in on us, and we must decide what sort of immortals we wish to be.
In the end, this mere Christianity that Lewis wrote about is still a choice, the free will given to us by God in His infinite love and mercy. It's a lot to think about. Mere Christianity is book that is meant to be read not just once, just like The Screwtape Letters, because this is the kind of book that hits you differently with every reading, depending on your current situation.
The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. My personal experience of the relentless tenderness of God came not from exegetes, theologians, and spiritual writers, but from sitting still in the presence of the living Word and beseeching Him to help me understand with my head and heart His written Word. Sheer scholarship alone cannot reveal to us the gospel of grace. We must never allow the authority of books, institutions, or leaders to replace the authority of knowing Jesus Christ personally and directly. When the religious views of others interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we become unconvicted and unpersuasive travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited.
I told you this wasn't a review.
The conclusion of the saga that began with The Magician's Nephew.
NARNIA…where you must say good-bye…and where the adventure begin again.
The Unicorn says that humans are brought to Narnia when Narnia is stirred and upset. And Narnia is in trouble now: A false Aslan roams the land. Narnia's only hope is that Eustace and Jill, old friends to Narnia, will be able to find the true Aslan and restore peace to the land. Their task is a difficult one because, as the Centaur says, "The stars never lie, but Men and Beasts do." Who is the real Aslan and who is the imposter?
So right after reading The Magician's Nephew, I jumped straight to the last book of The Chronicles of Narnia. Given the choice, I wouldn't really have done that just yet — I tend to let the last book of any series linger a bit longer on my shelf, because I need a certain mindset before I say goodbye to any series I have loved, or at least, invested in. But I was on a little time pressure here — I was determined to read this book for Holy Week, and it just so happened that my reading The Last Battle was also on Good Friday.
In The Last Battle, there is trouble in Narnia. As a reader, I was immediately introduced to this trouble, and I already know that the Aslan parading around Narnia is false one. I think C.S. Lewis did that on purpose instead of putting the readers in a state of the unknown like the other Narnians. For the first time since reading the series, I was really and truly scared for Narnia. How could they believe that this Aslan is the real one they know? How can they believe that so easily? How can they lose all that hope so easily, too? With all this trouble, Eustace and Jill came tumbling down Narnia, to help out and save them — but the question is, do they even want to be saved?
Like I said, it was the first time I was truly scared for the things happening in Narnia. I don't know if this is investment in the series, or I was just…well, scared. Aslan is hands down one of my favorite characters, and possibly one of my favorite representations of God in literature, so seeing someone parade as a false one is scary. But in a way I can't blame the people for acting that way. I'm not saying it's right, but it just wasn't surprising. Aslan being gone for a long time and with only his believers passing the belief down from generation to generation is bound to make some people question him at some point. I can't help but think of how it is here in the real world — how people can just believe anyone and anything, and how, when disappointed by that, can make them not believe the one who should be believed in in the first place. It's a messy, messy, thing. The Last Battle reminds me a bit of Prince Caspian, where the characters' faith in Aslan was challenged so much that it was almost too late before they finally realized that they were wrong.
The Last Battle has a darker tone compared to the other books, and perhaps it also has the most bloodshed too. There were a bit too many battle scenes in this book that I can hardly think that this is a book for kids anymore. Reading The Magician's Nephew before this was a good idea, I think, because there were a lot of details mentioned there that was mentioned in this book. The final scenes were a bit confusing but I liked how they brought all the characters back together.
I wasn't planning to mention Susan in this review, but I guess I kind of have to. I think the Susan aspect is what makes The Last Battle a little dated. I mean, I understand what C.S. Lewis meant about it, and I guess it just so happened that Susan is that character who didn't go the way the others chose to. It might not sit comfortably with other people, though, especially with how it was explained. I think readers should be careful to remember the time when this book was written to put the Susan thing in the proper context.
Nevertheless, I think The Last Battle was a pretty good ending for a beloved series, even if it is one that can spur new questions, not about the book but about what the author intends for it to represent in real life. If anything, I think The Last Battle is the Narnia book that dealt the most about faith and its nature, and how it is really a matter of choosing to stand up for what you believe and for who you believe in, even if everyone and everything else around you is saying otherwise.
But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at least they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.
NARNIA…where the woods are thick and cold, where Talking Beasts are called to life…a new world where the adventure begins.
Digory and Polly meet and become friends one cold, wet summer in London. Their lives burst into adventure when Digory's Uncle Andrew, who thinks he is a magician, sends them hurtling to…somewhere else. They find their way to Narnia, newborn from the Lion's song, and encounter the evil sorceress Jadis before they finally return home.
How many times have I tried reading this book and stopped? Twice, thrice? I can't remember. But I am kind of glad my reading ADD got me to push this book deeper down my TBR until I decided to do the right thing and read The Chronicles of Narnia in publication order.
But if you noticed, I didn't really read them one after the other. They say Narnia books are best read at a specific time of the year, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe being best read during Christmas, while The Last Battle during Lent. Since I want to have a dip in the Narnia world before going through the final book in the series, I decided to let The Magician's Nephew wait a bit more after I finished The Horse and His Boy, bundling it with the last book for a Holy Week read.
The Magician's Nephew is said to be a prequel for the series, but how much of it as a prequel is something I know nothing about. I remember being confused with who Digory and Polly were, especially since I really only knew and care about the Pevensie siblings. Digory and Polly were two friends living in London who were, well, quite bored. One day, they decided to do some exploring and somehow landed in Digory's uncle's room, who he was quite scared of because of his strange experiments and crazy antics in their house. His uncle made them a subject of his experiment, landing him and Polly in a strange new world — another dimension, with only some rings to guide them. In this world, they meet a woman who is not who she seems, and a majestic lion whose song and breath can bring things to life.
I wasn't expecting to love The Magician's Nephew because of my previous reading ADD experiences, so I was pretty surprised at how I reacted to the end. I loved it in the same level as how I loved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Silver Chair. It was written in the same children's book way as the other books, but I guess the back story and the idea of "where it all began" fascinated me — we see exactly how Narnia was created, from lands forms to water features and all that. There was enough adventure and fun in the story to keep me invested in it (and mind you, I was reading this on a long Maundy Thursday, so there were other books that I could easily pick up over the weekend to replace this). Even if the Pevensie siblings weren't there, I was interested in the characters, particularly Digory and Polly. I thought Digory's story with his mom was sweet and a bit sad, but I was glad it turned out well in the end.
The Magician's Nephew is a great example of creating a rich back story for a series, and even if it has been a while since I last read a Narnia book, the details came rushing back just as clear. This may be cheesy, but maybe it's because a part of me has started living in Narnia when I first started reading it? I like how this ties everything neatly, and I honestly think that making this a penultimate read in the series is the best way to read it, because it makes me want to go visit the previous books to check the other details. My friend said that reading this as the first book might lessen the wonder of Narnia come second book, and I must agree with that. Of course, I'll never know now given that I read it in a different order, but if you haven't read any book yet and I may recommend? Read The Magician's Nephew second to last. :) It would make the reading experience a little bit more magical.
As usual, I liked Aslan's presence in this book, and I liked how the final events were tied neatly at the end, explaining just exactly why some things happened in the next books. Oh, and if you're wondering — the explanation of the lamp post is there, too.


JB>word in our tongue for a devourer of human flesh." See page 232).
cannibal is derived from the Spanish term for these Indians, canibales.
Lesser Antilles and the coast of what is now Venezuela.
thinking and the use of similar sounding names to "prove" connections.
the same as biblical Ham or Khem, therefor his son, Cush is the burnt one.
On page 63, he claims that the biblical Shem is Hercules who killed Nimrod.
This association he makes without bothering to make ANY justification.


Construction on a new Kimpton boutique hotel high-rise in downtown Tempe is set to start in November.
was located, have signed a 20-year operating agreement with the San Francisco-based Kimpton chain and hope to have the luxury, 16-story hotel open by late 2017.
also include a 15-story, 260,000-square-foot upscale office tower and restaurant as well as retail space.
It will be preserved and be part of the $190-million office and hotel project on the southwest corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway.
million for the 2.5-acre site last fall.
"Tempe is in the midst of a major growth phase right in terms of new downtown office development spurred by increases in the tech employment base, increased ASU student enrollment and campus expansion, and we're excited to bring the city its first, modern luxury boutique hotel experience," Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino said in a statement.
Plans call for the Kimpton Tempe hotel to have 237 guest rooms, 12,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and a 4,750-square-foot rooftop pool and terrace lounge.
Michael Monti's Catering sold the land and historic restaurant to the current development group. Michael's father, Leonard Monti, bought the Hayden House in 1954and opened Las Casa Vieja in 1956. The Hayden House, believed to be built in the 1870s, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Cushman & Wakefield has the leasing assignment for One | Hundred | Mill with office space being handled by Jerry Noble, Patrick Devine and Greg Mayer and the retail by Brent Mallonee and Rhonda Diaz Caldewey.


text:
Q: two foreach loops combined for email sending I am trying to take a two text areas with multiple emails, one with the "from" emails, and one with the "to" emails. Combine the emails line by line and send emails out accordingly.
Ex:
"To" list:
        mike@gmail.com

        nick@hotmail.com

        adam@yahoo.com

"From" list:
        ashley@gmail.com

        brittney@yahoo.com

        racheal@hotmail.com

I want a email sent to:
   mike@gmail.com from ashley@gmail.com

   nick@hotmail.com from brittney@yahoo.com

   adam@yahoo.com from racheal@hotmail.com

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advanced.
Below is the script I got so far, It sends to multiple emails from one email.
 <?php
 if (isset($_POST['submit']))
 {

    // Execute this code if the submit button is pressed.
    $raw_email_account = $_POST['email_from'];
    $email = $_POST['email_to'];
    $sent = "";
    $invalid = "";

    //Separating each line to be read by foreach
    $list = explode("\n",$email);

    //Rendering the separeted data from each line
    foreach($list AS $data) {
                //Separating each line to be read by foreach
            $item = explode(":",$data);
            $mail_body = 'email here';
                $subject = "subject here";
                $headers  = "From:".$raw_email_account."\r\n";
                $headers .= "Content-type: text/html\r\n";
                $to = $item[0];

                $mail_result = mail($to, $subject, $mail_body, $headers);

            if ($mail_result) {
               $valid++;
            } else {
                   // write into an error log if the mail function fails
                   $invalid++;
            }
    }

}
?>

<form action="email_sender.php" method="POST">

From Email Accounts: <textarea name="email_from" cols="100"    rows="60"></textarea>

To Email Accounts: <textarea name="email_to" cols="100" rows="60">        </textarea>

<input type="submit" name="submit">

Valids: <?php echo $valid;?>

Invalids: <?php echo $invalid;?>

A: If the array is by default, the indexes will coincide. So you can do something like this.
$toList = array(..);
$fromList = array(...);

foreach($toList as $key => $value) {
    $toAddress = $value;
    $fromAddress = $fromList[$key];
    //..
    //.. Go on with you mail function
}

A: Add logic that provides same count of $email and $raw_email_account arrays before foreach loop.
$list = explode("\n",$email);
$list2 = explode("\n", $raw_email_account);

foreach($list AS $key=>$data) {
            ...
            $headers  = "From:".$list2[$key]."\r\n";
            ...
}

A: You can use array_combine() to solve that problem easily.
In that case, you first combine the two arrays, and then loop through the resulting array to perform the sending e-mail action.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Tommy Hunter
Frank Mills
Rita MacNeil
Stompin' Tom Connors
Wilf Carter
Anita Perras
Carlton Showband
Aaron C. Lewis
The Men Of The Deeps
The von Trapp Children
Peavy and the Skidders
Mac Wiseman
Cart Home > Anita Perras
Anita Perras has been described as "one of Canada's greatest country music treasures" , known for delivering great songs that connect with her fans time and time again.
The two time CCMA Female Vocalist of the Year is best known for her chart topping hit "One Smokey Rose". An impressive list of top 10 singles on the Canadian Country Music charts, (including three number one hits) helped her gather a loyal fan base that has never diminished.
Anita epitomizes all that is good in a country music entertainer. Her voice and stage presence are captivating, she possesses a warm, engaging personality and at one time it was said she virtually owned Canada's country music airwaves, and the country music charts. She remains a truly down to earth individual true to her award winning country music roots.
Over the course of her career Anita has shared the stage with many legendary artists. Most recently she was thrilled to be invited to be the guest of both Ray Price and Charley Pride on their Canadian Tours, giving her the opportunity of saying "Hello Again" to country music fans across the nation.
Please select a title below to view info about the product as well as ordering info.
Anita Perras - Think Again - CD
Anita Perras - One Smokey Rose - CD
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If you are looking for a place with a warm heart, then look no further because one of the most recent Bed and Breakfasts to open in Mozambique has excellent hospitality in a magical setting on the Ilha de Mozambique. Jardim dos Aloes offers guests garden views and its own restaurant for pure Portuguese cooking!
This tiny island off the coast of Nacala Province in Mozambique was once the capital of Portuguese East Africa and a major Portuguese trading post and important stopover on the Indian spice route for hundreds of years. Now a popular Mozambique holiday destination, only three kilometres long and 500 metres wide, the island boasts a fascinating blend of Indian, Portuguese, African and Arab cultures and architecture.
Welcome to this delightful B & B which has arisen from the ruins of one of the oldest buildings that has seen so much history since the days of Vasco da Gama and the Swahili Sultan, Mussa bin Bike. Owner, Bruno and his wife and son arrived on the island a few years ago to start their dream accommodation venue for tourists from far and wide.
Take a walk around the Jardim dos Aloes, meaning Garden of Aloes, and see the extraordinary aloes planted there – the local Massawana, the Vera and Ferox, the Arborescens and the Marlothy. And all the rooms have been named after these spectacular succulent plants which love dry areas. In addition, you can buy fresh aloe gel from Jardim dos Aloes, flower jams and drinks made from aloe pulp.
Make your booking now and when you arrive, the magic of Jardim dos Aloes will embrace you and you won't want to leave!
Chat to us about special packages to Ilha de Mozambique.
Jardim dos Aloes a boutique bed & breakfast built out of ancient ruins on Ilha da Mozambique, a World Unesco Heritage site island. The name comes from the many varieties of aloes the owners nurture, which include the local Aloe Massawana, the imported Aloe Vera and Aloe Arborescens, Ferox, Marlothy.
The biggest sub-regional flight hub is Johannesburg. There is a good direct flight to Nampula almost daily. Alternatively there are direct flights to Nampula from Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
Third easy connection is via Maputo, with the national carrier for internal flights. You can get to Maputo via Johannesburg, Addis Ababa and Nairobi or directly from Lisbon. Adventurers come also with enormous motorbikes or by 4×4 cars from several places of Africa!


Under certain conditions, homeowners who are not able to make their monthly loan payments may be qualified to apply for loan modification to make their mortgage payment easier on their pocket. The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) was set up by the federal government of the US to help homeowners pay their home mortgage loan. Bank of America was one of the participants in this program and has helped homeowners in modifying their home loans and mortgages.
Loan modification works by modifying a homeowner's existing loan and readjusting the amount of monthly payment so that it becomes easier for the borrower to pay. Bank of America provides this service in order to prevent the foreclosure of the borrower's property or filing for bankruptcy, two of the most dreaded outcome of the financial crisis that started early in the decade. Because of HAMP and Bank of America's assistance, many homeowners who found themselves beleaguered by foreclosure and bankruptcy were able to find a solution and obtained lower monthly loan payment terms.
Those who want to apply for loan modification with Bank of America must fulfill a set of requirements. The applicant must prove his or her eligibility for the program before being allowed to have access to the loan. You are eligible if you have already missed mortgage payment for at least ninety days and you are living in your home that is your primary residence. One of the requirements also say that you have to be experiencing financial difficulties and are having trouble making the mortgage payments because of the loss of your job, divorce or a medical emergency. You are also qualified if your current mortgage loan was obtained before January 1, 2009. Additionally, new eligibility requirements states that you need to have your first mortgage payment to be more than 31% of your current gross monthly income. It is also important that when filling out the application form you complete all the information being asked from you and that you follow all the instructions in order for your application to be considered.
If you meet the eligibility requirements based on what were stated above, you should call them and request for a Home Affordable Modification. The bank will review your situation and will send you an information packet if you pass. The packet will contain the required documents and forms that you need to fill out. Sign the documents and return the packet to the bank as soon as possible. Bank of America has a trial period that last for at least 3 months if you qualify. After successfully going through the trial period, your modification will be declared permanent.
You can get more information about Bank of America HAMP here.


End of November, I was invited to witness the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at WEIL Hotel Ipoh then have a Thanksgiving Buffet Dinner at Tiffin.
I meant to post this sooner but my computer took too long to be repaired and then I was sick for a couple of weeks. I almost didn't go to this one because my body was starting to feel weird. I think it was the weather which had been rainy and wet every day for November. A couple of days later I was struck down with fever and some kind of weird stomach virus or something because I couldn't eat anything for 3 days. It was horrible.
The event started at 6.45pm with an opening speech at the hotel lobby in conjunction of the hotel's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Campaign – Stretch Your Ringgit to Save Lives. Collected funds will be donated to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital's Paediatric Unit. After the countdown, the Christmas tree plus some other lights lit up followed by Christmas carol performance.
I love watching live Christmas carolers, especially by kids. It gets you in the mood for Christmas.
Then the Santa Claus came down and gave everyone something. I think they were candies.
WEIL Hotel Ipoh also invited the children from Harapan Baru Orphanage. I saw them last year but more cute kids attended this year!
Tiffin was already full with people, couples, and families enjoying their Thanksgiving Buffet Dinner together.
Christmas has always been my fave time of the year because of the food. I was really excited to see what's available at Tiffin this year and to see if my fave was available or not. Of course, there are the usual soup and salad section and also fresh seafood section.
And yes! Found my favorite Maple & Mustard Glazed Turkey Toast!
I also found my other favorite which wasn't available last year – Beef Stroganoff. I think it's a modified version to give it Asian flavor because it's spicy & thick and not as creamy as I'd expected the classic stroganoff to be.
The Roasted Chicken with Thyme Sauce was good as well.
And I love this fried rice! It's your typical fried rice with mixed veggies but with added turkey toast. I wish I had more.
There was a live Roasted Turkey carving section with two different gravy/sauce you could choose from – brown sauce or cranberry sauce.
Different type of beef & chicken sausages you could choose from at the BBQ Grill Station.
And also different kind of meat and seafood that you could get grilled.
I think they had like 5 or 6 different sauces/gravy that you could choose from for your grilled food.
The dessert section wasn't as impressive as last year with just a few selection of desserts available like some cookies, pudding and then I think fruits. Last year's dessert section took me by surprise. You could read my review from last year – Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony & Buffet Preview @ Tiffin, WEIL Hotel Ipoh.
My first plate I had a small amount of delicious Turkey Toast fried rice, the chicken, beef stroganoff and of course, my fave turkey toast.
My second plate was the seafood. They had Salmon Roulade Platter but I think I got the ones that were just taken out of the freezer because when I bit into it, it was like biting a chunk of ice. Literally, there was ice.
One can't have a Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey! I had the brown sauce then took some cranberry sauce. OMAIGOD the cranberry sauce was so good. I wish I had more but I was already getting full.
Then the desserts! A little bit of everything – Christmas Yule Log, some Strawberry Tiramisu (I think) and it was SO GOOD, some Christmas stollen which I didn't prefer so much because spice was too strong for me and I don't generally like fruit cakes/bread anyway.
But OMAIGOD, the hot chocolate pudding… it was warm and creamy and chocolatey and it was so sinfully delicious! I regret not binging on that because seriously, it was that damn good! I gotta learn how to make it.
So while eating, some of the children came to our table to talk. Since I was feeling weird, I was being socially awkward that night but it was fun to watch them talk, laugh, played games and selfie like crazy haha The children we so damn cute! I couldn't communicate with them unfortunately because I don't speak Cantonese (I think) and they don't speak English.
Christmas early bird specials promotion is available at RM134nett per adult for Christmas Eve buffet dinner, bookings are open until the 20th of December while normal price is at RM168nett per adult.


In my recent interviews with many communications managers, one of the key problems that comes up is the time spent on coordination. However, a few companies seem to have a much lower communication overhead because a strong brand story allows the delegation of decision-making. As a result, organisations which invest once in a clear narrative about their brand benefit repeatedly, and quickly, from their strong foundations because managers in each function are able to autonomously put the story to work.
The opportunities are thus clear: if a company is able to put the evolution of its brand into the structure of a narrative, in which there are protagonists, struggles and outcomes, then the reality of the brand is easier to explain and can be put work more quickly. A brand narrative allows business units to align their work. If that story is also amplified by developing creative and graphic elements, then each marketing and communications function can adapt the narrative and hit the ground running. If the narrative is strong – which means it's right first time – it can easily be adapted to different markets, segments and solution areas.
However, working in this way creates a clear hierarchy in which brand (as understand in terms of the brand promise, its crystalisation into a narrative and its extrapolation into messages and creative strategies) is the parent of other marketing activities. Some managers support this approach because it means that one coherent story is developed, and each function is delegated responsibility for leading its work. It forces departments and agencies to get 'inside the head' of the brand.
Needless to say, not all managers enjoy this approach. Marketing leaders find success when they appreciate the consistency of their brand, are able to get away from the features of their solution, are able to speak compellingly about clients' priorities and are are to work well with other marketing functions. However, if managers are allowed to remain as functional specialists without an understanding of brand and marketing as a whole, then they will be unable to make the brand story real and consistent and will resist the apparent 'loss' of autonomy.
Related post: How vinyl pinted signs affect your marketing campeign?
The simplest solution is proximity: to ensure that the staff are exposed to other's work so that they see how each function is a different lens for the same challenge. A rich dialogue with clients and each other is needed to ensure that creative, research, communications and other teams can develop a common language and respect each others' contributions.
That alignment between marketing functions also brings alignment with corporate and client needs. If, for example, advertising and sales are dislocated then the company might produce memorable adverts which do nothing to boost profitability. But with alignment then, for example, advertisers will seize on actionable research and customer insight to give life to the brand.
This article first appeared at Inzeption.org.
← Should other analysts copy Yankee's affiliate network?
Fantastic article, Duncan! I refer to this alignment as "building a narrative organization".


Mariah first came to Rising Strong Fitness in the June of 2017. When we asked her what brought her into CrossFit my heart sunk a little bit. She started CrossFit because "I was lonely." She moved to Manhattan, KS the summer the summer of her freshman year, alone and without a job. All of her friends that were still in Manhattan were either in class or working, so there wasn't time to see anyone. So she states that it caused her to just sit around her apartment all day.
Before finding us, what was your struggle? What were your biggest frustrations? Before starting with Rising Strong Fitness, Mariah's biggest frustration was not feeling good enough about herself.
When asked about how her frustrations affected her before CrossFit and how that has changed Mariah stated that her constant worry of thinking and worrying about the future consumed a lot of her time. She wasn't able to sit and take a breath before doing something hard or that made her anxious. CrossFit has taught her that you need to be patient yet persistent.
Rising Strong Fitness' strength and conditioning programming has made her stronger and healthier. She admits she needs work on nutrition and that she can "feel it" the next day she's if she ate an unhealthy meal or two the day before. You must include nutrition and exercise together. She also thinks that being in such a positive environment has helped her general outlook on life as a whole.
Her first bright spot was when she got unassisted kipping pull-ups and eventually a strict pull-up. She remembers almost screaming with joy when she got her first strict pull-up and chin above the bar. Right now she is working more on control, body control and control of her life in general. In the gym, she's been working on handstand holds and hopes to be able to get away from the wall soon.
Mariah's favorite memory was on Memorial day weekend 2018 when she did "Murph" for the first time. She was able to finish under an hour which was her goal. She was also able to finish right beside her friend Lindsey. Lindsey wouldn't let her quit, and no one else would let anyone do that either. We all came together to workout for something so much bigger than us, and that to her is really amazing.


You have a legitimate disability but for whatever reason your claims for insurance have been denied. Therefore, you need a disability insurance lawyer to file an appeal or fight for the compensation you deserve.
There are many lawyers available who will be able to help you, but following these 5 steps will ensure you hire the one that can best meet your needs.
The first step to choosing a disability insurance lawyer is to ask for recommendations. You can seek referrals from family, friends, and colleagues who may have worked with disability insurance attorneys in the past. Also, you can ask other lawyers to refer you to the best disability insurance lawyers they know if this is not their area of expertise.
Gathering references is a good starting point since you can get proven lawyers with good reputations. Most people will only refer lawyers they are satisfied with. Some people will also warn you of the lawyers who did not deliver as expected. Ensure you get as many lawyers as possible from the people you ask. That way, you have a good pool to choose from and will be able to select the best attorney.
After you have gathered your references, you can cut down the number by looking at their credentials. Check if the disability insurance lawyers you are considering are board certified. An attorney must have acquired legal education and some minimum experience in disability matters in order to be board certified.
You can decide to ask for copies of certificates from the lawyers. This will help you to confirm that the lawyers are accredited. From the list of referrals, you can remove those without certification and remain with those who are certified.
Doing research can help gather information about the lawyer who will represent you in your disability insurance claim. You can search online using the lawyer's name, and search engines like Google will give you all the essential details about the lawyer.
You can also check the attorneys' website to make sure the lawyers are experienced in handling disability insurance claims. Consult with the reviews that are on their site to help you make an informed decision. Also, make sure the attorney has worked with a client with a similar disability as yours. This will demonstrate that they are experienced and will give you the best chance of winning your case.
Scheduling an appointment with your potential lawyer will give an opportunity to understand their personality. Your ideal disability insurance lawyer should be emphatic about your concerns and should be ready to represent you effectively. It is always easier to work with a lawyer who has a personality that you like.
During the appointment, you should ask as many questions as possible. You can ask about the rates, the estimated time of completing the case, as well as their experience in handling similar cases. Listen to how the lawyers answer your questions and chose the best among them.
The final step is to visit the lawyer's office. You can ask to meet the people working at the attorney's office as they may play a hand in working on your case. The environment at the office should tell you whether the lawyer is your ideal choice. Friendly and helpful support staff is a sign you are working with a good disability insurance lawyer.
You should also make sure that the office is well-organized as this shows the attorney is prepared. A messy office suggests that the lawyer may not give your case the attention it deserves to be successful.


Van Pelt & Van Pelt, P.C. is a law firm dedicated to serving clients in the areas of Dissolution of Marriage, Adoption ( independent, agency, interstate, and international), legal separations, modification of prior judgments, paternity actions, personal injury cases, and appeals of cases.
We represent clients, large and small, in the pursuit of justice. Our primary objective is the service of our clients.
The firm consists of two attorneys representing over 46 years of cumulative experience. Richard Van Pelt is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a Member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers of America in each addition since 2001, for Family Law. Kay Van Pelt is a member of the of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.