He continued, "Even things that are undoubtedly impossible with existing and foreseeable techniques may prove to be easy as a result of new scientific breakthroughs." Clark, thinking entirely outside of Christian assumptions helped set a course for western civilizations' understanding of technology. His 1958 formulation of the technological future has become a mantra of our age (in fact, THE mantra of our age). Nothing is technologically impossible for us if we want it badly enough. All obstacles or goals will be overcome in time.
Fast forward from 1958 to 1996.
The cloning of Dolly the sheep has just taken place in a laboratory in Scotland. While it caused some discussion and concern at the time, the experiment is not much talked about today. Nevertheless, Dolly marked a rupture in the history of life on earth. For the first time, a mammal had been created from the single cells of a donor parent, circumventing the usual reproductive process involving a male and a female. A cloned mammal was desired greatly enough and it was achieved. Clark was right.
An even more startling event than Dolly took place only eleven years ago in 2007, 50-years after Clark's assertion. Biologists at J. Craig Venter Institute announced the creation of the first synthetic life form. Venter's team created DNA from chemical components in their laboratory, inserted the DNA into the cell wall of another bacteria that had its DNA removed. The newly created life form divided, and kept dividing. Concerns about the growing power of biotechnology were not eased, when one of Venter's associates Patrick Mooney, stated—in a fashion consistent with the spirit of our age—"For the first time, God has competition." Venter's new form of life received remarkably little coverage in the news media.
Such stories suggest that Clark's prediction that nothing will be impossible for us is becoming a common reality. Biotechnology, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and robotics will soon confront us with the philosophical question "What does it mean to be human?" Where do we draw lines limiting technology's intrusions into the basic structure of life itself? This is a pivotal moment in history.
When we have the technological capacity to alter human nature itself, what does it mean to contend for the Everlasting Gospel and its correct view of humanity? We are faced with the temptation of unimaginable power, similar to the temptation faced in the Garden of Eden.
We now have in our hands the very technologies that CS Lewis warned us about in "The Abolition of Man." Some are arguing that we should seize the moment and alter ourselves into a post-human species. The cosmos can be ours and we can be as God. In the absence of a Creator, this is the direction that the human mind takes. What better candidate for emergent divinity, than ourselves? Technology can assist evolution.
For the last five years, I have been following a movement known as Transhumanism. It is sometimes called the human-enhancement movement. My interest in this phenomenon increased three years ago when I was called to a local Air Force Base to quote spray foam insulation for the Human Performance Wing. I learned that this building was deep into transhumanism for military purposes. More about that later.
What originally struck me as a kind of techno-fringe futurist organization, overdosed on science fiction, now appears to me to be the beginnings of a new religion. Monistic thinking and powerful cultural narratives have played a critical role in this development. I believe we are witnessing the rise of a powerful new spiritual movement with the potential for vast public appeal. Its object of veneration is the new humanity; its method of salvation is human enhancement technology, and its principal rival is the Church of Jesus Christ.
"What if you could live forever?" was the title of a June 2016 New York Post article, and this is the prevailing question behind these deep forays into transhumanism—a glimpse into the post-human future.
Scientists such as Watson, Venter, and Ray Kurzweil are challenging the basic foundations of a Christian worldview and casting a vision of our post–human future.
Computers and robots will have acquired what Kurzweil considers a spiritual component. They will be self-aware and have the ability to reflect on their own purposes and value. Eventually we will merge with our machine – losing our biology but not our humanity.
No longer are such voices limited to the fringe elements of science, influential voices in the high tech industry now regularly advance spiritual claims about what it means to be a person, about immortality etc. As interest rises in younger people about the apparently limitless technology, a range of essentially religious claims are going to have to be addressed by the Church. To this point, the Church (Adventist and otherwise) has largely ignored this phenomena.
For several reasons, holding to a biblical worldview is not going to be easy in the coming decades. For instance, robotics researchers around the world led by companies such as Honda, Google and Bosch are producing lifelike robots with the capacity to imitate human emotion, thought and behavior. Robots are being programmed to imitate human interaction, including speech patterns. It is ironic to me that having created the intelligent humanoid robot, we are simultaneously experiencing a cultural shift in our understanding of human beings and sexuality. Under the direction of monist thinking we are being led to understand ourselves as basically information and the mind as merely a computer. This leads to the suggestion that we ought to merge with our machines. By blending the two, we can take on qualities that belong only to God—such as omniscience and immortality. We are no longer God's image bearers—but His rivals.
To quote one writer, we are already more post-human than we care to admit. Our interaction with machines has led to an over-dependence on machines—giving way to a blending of our own capacities with those of the machine." Our phones now talk with us (at least mine does). Something external is now becoming internal as our devices slowly but surely become part of us.
Our relationship with our machines could become the most ontological pressing crisis facing us in the next 30-years. At this point however, the church seems hardly to have noticed.
Life Extension is another area where great questions will face us. Scientists report that by tweaking our DNA we could soon survive for hundreds of years. Dr. Walter Longo believes that an 800-year lifespan isn't just possible, it is inevitable. His work at University of Southern California led to the creation of a strain of yeast fungus that lived for ten weeks or more instead of dying at the normal maximum age of one week.
The first transhumanist conference took place in Hong Kong in 2012. It was built around the theme, living forever, touting new breakthroughs in cell longevity. Their advertisement: We will complement this with non-scientific approaches of the mind. The non-scientific approaches include meditation, yoga and spiritual formation, illustrating how spirituality is being integrated into the public understanding of technological developments. The conference announcement went on to say "Attention will also be given to recent research on methods for creating new minds with artificial intelligence." This is brain/computer interfacing. A leading robotics researcher for Ford (Professor Asada) said recently, we need to rethink the concept of God's almightiness, and robots are the tool for doing this." Professor Asada was given a two million dollar grant last year by the Governor of Massachusetts to develop a "Teach-Bot" capable of teaching people. Asada is convinced that his work has spiritual implications—in fact theological implications. He believes that robotic technology provides a superior means of understanding divinity. His divinity is an autodeveloped one, not the God of the Bible.
Almost every research lab around the world is hard at work on the next generation of robots. By all accounts we can expect an increasingly robotic future, including technological enhancements to the body and the mind. Different social classes will develop around the presence or lack thereof of such technologies.
Back to the Air Force Base. The military is currently using artificial intelligence technology to implant chips into the brains of soldiers to combat (pardon the pun) PTSD, alter moods, regulate brain health and reduce fatigue. Even though the chip can't force a person to comply with orders, it can nudge them towards feeling more positive and enthusiastic about a situation than they might normally. The $26 million project to develop the brain implant at UC San Francisco (UCSF) was first unveiled in February 2014.
Another DARPA-sponsored project is looking at developing implants injected into soldiers' bodies that can speed up recovery of physical injuries.
The tiny devices would use electric impulses to monitor the health of a person's organs. When an organ is wounded, the devices would stimulate the relevant nerves to speed up the healing process. In theory, it would make for stronger and more resilient service men.
Tranhumanist leader James Hughes has written "Even if it takes us another decade or two, to make hardware as flexible as neurons and software as robust as human consciousness, we will create superior artificial human intelligence before the middle of this century. Current evidence suggests that it will be possible to build gods." This is not an unusual statement in transhumanist circles.
"Human intelligence is a half-baked completion, awaiting the inevitable expansion of post-human capacities." Post-humans will represent a profound advance over our present condition, living longer healthier lives with enhanced memories. This new species will assist us in solving perennial human problems." This is the path to eternal life in the new techno spiritual order of things. I ask, what could possibly go wrong?
The old messy Darwinian progress of tooth and claw is passing away. We will soon direct our own evolution and technology will provide us the key to our eternal destiny. This is about control over our own lives friends. It is the orginal sin refined in laboratory developments—righteousness by technological breakthrough.
Backers of this transhumanist research include Google, Steelcase, Nokia, Elon Musk, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. But money alone is insufficient to bring about this massive societal transformation of the human race. This technological Singularity will require a persuasive narrative to win public support.
Robert Tercek is one of the world's most prolific creators of interactive content. The Los Angeles native has created breakthrough entertainment experiences for every digital platform and served in key positions in the digital divisions of The Oprah Winfrey Network and Sony Entertainment. He has spoken fervently about the need for transhumanist technology to take their message to the public through stories. He argues that the technological language of the transhumanist movement will not be persuasive to the average person. He urges the release of more transhumanist movies such as the Matrix, Transcendence, Avatar and Chappie.
In transhumanism, three powerful modern narratives combine: Progress, Evolution and the Superman. These stories comprise the metanarrative of contemporary western scientific culture. Transhumanism presents itself as THE story of science's final triumph, by integrating spiritualism with science to cause humanity's technology-enabled spiritual transformation.
Evolution shows up as the prevailing narrative of origins, presenting current humanity as a mere stepping stone to post-humanity. Deified evolution has a goal in mind, and WE are not that goal. Something better is coming. Clever isn't it, for evolution to have first produced us so that we might assist it in achieving its goals. We are now taking over the 'family business', using our evolved intelligence to achieve ultimate intelligence.
Each report of a miraculous development in medical or computer science contributes to our belief in inevitable progress. In the world of progress, it is within human power to create a world of shining beauty and transcendent glory. The defining conviction of western civilization over the past 300 years is that technological and social progress are inevitable, and the increasing stores of knowledge will lead to unlimited innovation. There is no conceivable end to this progress. All problems including spiritual problems will be solved in the technological future. Small wonder that Ohio Adventism—in 2005 to 2013—blended spiritual experimentation with progressive innovation in Raj Attiken's Innovation Conference. Liberalism on steroids.
In earlier times, Supermen, or avatars, were merely manifestations of God. All the manufactured super heroes of comics, fiction books and movies represent variations of the post-human idea, products of evolution and technology rather than the spiritual descent outlined in 2 Timothy 3. The superman narrative confuses the human and the divine, the Creator and the created in a progressive monistic fashion reminiscent of Romans 1. The superman is a god in progress, a being arising out of naturalism on a trajectory to divinity. I didn't realize how much these narratives sounded like sermons until I was reading about them two years ago.
Historically the profound moral error of creating a superhuman future has led to the oppression of groups seen as not possessing the superman potential. Star-bellied Sneetches trump the plain-bellied creatures, as the key ingredients of salvation (Humility and Truth) are left lying on the sand. This can only culminate in a concluding eschatological techno-inquisition.
Transhumanist fervor blends these three powerful monistic narratives. As a logical endpoint of all three, human enhancement takes on an apocalyptic quality—a spiritual force for compulsive change. Only one force is more powerful in the public imagination than science. That force is religion. Transhumanism is now transforming itself into scientific religion.
To quote James Hughes, new technology will change how we work, how we travel, how we communicate, and how we worship. A future oriented techno-religion will be all but irresistible to a young technology-savvy generation of millennial seekers who are already volunteer warriors in the social-justice army — ready to worship creation over the Creator, and the false narrative of auto-developed justice, shorn of God's truth.
I need to sum this up. Here goes.
While the Creator points us towards Himself in the Cross of Christ, we seek deity in our own genetic structures. The first time around, the ideas that we could attain divinity got us in a lot of trouble (Genesis 3). How are we going to avoid making that same mistake twice? It was a profound error to begin thinking that we emerged out of the natural system, an error that led us to believe that we were under our own direction. It was error to conclude that we could do whatever we wished with our bodies and minds, and finally conclude that we ought to worship ourselves and the system that produced us. This is the essence of the desecration of human worship described so accurately in Romans 1.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Human beings alone receive God's Holy Spirit, not machines or robots. Being created in God's image marks our existence as human beings, having the Holy Spirit marks our redemption as God's children.
The machines are all going to melt eventually, including Sputnik.


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California boat fire victims: United by a love for ocean, taken in tragedy. These are their stories
The fire on the dive boat Conception in the Channel Islands killed 34 people, including several families celebrating birthdays. The victims came from across the country, united by their love of the ocean and their spirit of exploration.
By Laura J. Nelson,
Colleen Shalby
Sept. 10, 2019 10:15 AM PT
The passengers of the Conception dive boat ended their second day in the waters off the California coast with a nighttime swim, exploring a lush, watery world populated with coral and kelp forests.
In the hours after the dive, the passengers on the 75-foot charter boat went below deck, retiring to narrow wooden bunk beds covered with green curtains.
When a massive fire broke out on board around 3 a.m., quickly engulfing the boat, five crew members who were above deck escaped by jumping overboard.
The passengers and one crew member who were below deck were trapped, with the only two exits apparently blocked by flames. The boat sank four hours later.
The catastrophe killed 34 people. After a grueling, multiday search, officials said they had recovered all but one body. The victims most probably died of smoke inhalation, officials said.
Santa Barbara County officials have publicly identified nine people. Family members, friends and employers have confirmed the deaths of 23 others. Two remain unidentified.
An effort to confirm the identity of the victims through a DNA analysis tool has required taking cheek swab samples from family members as far away as Japan and Singapore.
The victims of the Conception boat fire were athletes, immigrants, CEOs and students. Many were passionate about science, exploring and shaping the world as marine biologists, nature photographers and teachers. All were united by their love of adventure and spirit of exploration.
These are their stories. If you have a memory of a victim, please share it with us below.
Neal Baltz, Patricia Beitzinger
Neal Baltz, an engineer from Phoenix, loved wine and loved making it.
After years of experimenting at home, fermenting grapes in his bathtub, he enrolled in an enology program at a community college in northern Arizona's Verde Valley wine region.
He made the 1½-hour drive to attend Yavapai College, working in the vineyards and cellars, and sometimes sleeping overnight in his Ford F-150. At school, he joked that he was "sleeping in a van down by the river," a reference to a classic Chris Farley sketch on "Saturday Night Live."
Patricia Beitzinger and Neal Baltz.
(KTLA-TV Channel 5)
Baltz was a goofy, friendly classmate who got along with everyone, keeping spirits up during the early mornings of hard physical work that comes with running a vineyard, said Michael Pierce, the director of enology and viticulture at the Southwest Wine Center, who taught six of Baltz's classes. Once during a bottling session, he said, Baltz put corks over his eyes and ran through the cellar, pretending to be an alien.
"He's one of those people who was an absolute pleasure to know," Pierce said. "He went through life with joy."
Baltz, 42, worked as an engineer for a semiconductor company and had studied electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
After Baltz finished his enology program, he endowed a scholarship for the school, a nontraditional campus where the average student age is 48. He also gave more than $5,000 to help renovate an old racquetball court into a winemaking center.
The school had expected Baltz on campus Tuesday night to make a presentation on wines from Washington, where he had recently traveled, Pierce said. The instructor already had his presentation in hand, Pierce said.
Baltz and his longtime girlfriend, Patricia Beitzinger, lived in the Ahwatukee Foothills in southern Phoenix and loved to explore the world together. Their diving trips had taken them to Micronesia, Fiji and the Caribbean Netherlands. On his YouTube page, he had shared dozens of videos of mountain biking, skiing and diving expeditions in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Channel Islands.
"He loved so many things," Pierce said. "He loved the ocean, he loved his dogs, he loved Patricia. We are a small community. It's a huge loss for us."
Beitzinger, 48, worked as a nutritionist at an endocrinology practice. She was encouraging and enthusiastic as she coached people on how to eat better and lose weight, and regaled her patients with travel stories, said Dan and Linda Reynolds, who saw Beitzinger for five years.
"Unfailingly, she was smiling," Linda Reynolds said. "She was so energetic, and lively, and funny -- someone that you wanted to spend time with."
After the dive trip to the Channel Islands, Beitzinger planned to go to Komodo in Indonesia. They had also gone swimming with stingrays on Socorro Island in Mexico, explored caves in Hawaii, hiked to Machu Picchu and white-water rafted in the Grand Canyon. Their travels took them to Egypt, Iceland, the Galapagos and Honduras.
"The two of them, you could just read the joy on their faces," Reynolds said. "It was just part of who they were."
— Laura J. Nelson
Raymond Scott Chan, Kendra Chan
Scott Chan shared his love of scuba diving with his daughter, Kendra, who often accompanied him on expeditions in the Channel Islands. One photo shared by their family showed father and daughter grinning next to a Christmas tree, sporting new diving gear.
"You don't expect to have a child that dies before you," said Vicki Moore, Kendra's mother and Scott's partner, in an interview with KTVU-TV of Oakland.
Raymond Scott Chan and his daughter Kendra Chan.
(Fremont Unified School District; Facebook)
Scott, 59, graduated from Stanford and worked in Silicon Valley as an electrical engineer for two decades. Then he started a second career as a high school teacher in the Bay Area, bringing "experience from research laboratories, and the electronics, computer, and high-performance automotive industries into the classroom," he wrote in his LinkedIn profile.
At American High School, Scott's students "knew him to be an innovative and inspiring teacher who developed a passion for physics among his students," said Brian Killgore, a spokesman for the Fremont Unified School District.
Kendra Chan, 26, was a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Ventura. She lived in Oxnard.
"I was so proud, so proud of her and all that she was doing," Moore said. "She was absolutely an amazing young woman."
In a video produced by the agency last year for Women's History Month, Kendra said she grew up diving in the Channel Islands with her father, and loved skiing, hiking and camping. She described her love for the marine world, including watching "all the tiny little creatures come alive" on rocks and kelp holdfasts.
"Just get outside," she said. "Get involved. Work on citizen science projects. Volunteer somewhere. You don't have to be a biologist on paper to be a scientist in real life."
Justin Dignam
Justin Dignam's love of the water dated back decades. He was a four-year varsity swimmer and water polo player in college, coached the men's water polo teams at Wesleyan University and Iona College and continued to compete in water polo tournaments into his 50s.
Justin Dignam.
Dignam, 58, was the founder and chief executive of Big Fish Employer Services, a payroll company in Placentia. The company's president said in an email that the staff was "shocked and horrified" at his death. Dignam founded the company out of his house in Anaheim Hills in 2003, according to a story last year in the California Business Journal.
USA Water Polo's chief executive, Christopher Ramsey, said in a statement that Dignam was a familiar face, appearing at golf tournaments, Hall of Fame inductions and other events. This July, Dignam passed out medals at the Junior Olympics in Irvine, he said, "savoring the smiles and encouraging everyone to give it their all — just like he did."
Berenice Felipe, Tia Salika-Adamic, Steve Salika, Diana Adamic
Tia Salika-Adamic, a high school student from Santa Cruz, boarded the Conception with her close friend Berenice Felipe and her parents — Steve Salika and Diana Adamic — to celebrate her 17th birthday.
Steve, 55, worked at Apple Inc. for three decades and met Adamic there, said Deirdre O'Brien, the company's senior vice president of retail and people. She said his "energy and enthusiasm touched so many people across our company throughout his career."
From left, Diana Adamic, Berenice Felipa, Steve Salika and Tia Salika-Adamic enjoying a dive during a 2018 Thanksgiving vacation trip off the coast of Venezuela.
(Margo Peyton/Associated Press)
When Jennifer Morales started working at Apple in 2001, she passed by Steve's office frequently. She recalled him as a big, burly guy who was always willing to help. Steve worked on quality assurance for major projects, she said, including the iPad and the first Apple TV.
"He had this crazy pouf of hair, and these enormous Robert Irvine biceps and these round glasses," she said. "He had such patience, and he had this great big huge booming laugh. If you could make him laugh, that was the extra payoff."
The family loved diving, traveling to Fiji and the Caribbean Netherlands to explore reefs and other marine life. They encouraged their daughter's love of the ocean from an early age, taking her on excursions to learn how to snorkel and dive.
Adamic, 60, volunteered at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, where she was remembered as compassionate, honest and inclusive. She worked to find resolutions among the most difficult of relationships, said Jen Walker, a former humane educator at the animal shelter, in a statement.
"She was an ally to all living things — orphan kittens, wild birds, youth volunteers — and a champion for the natural world around us," Walker said.
The two girls attended Pacific Collegiate, a Santa Cruz charter school for students in seventh through 12th grades, according to a letter sent to parents. Berenice had previously been honored by the school for her work in plant science, according to the school's Facebook page.
Tia and Berenice both volunteered at the animal shelter, too, helping to care for foster kittens and keeping homeless cats and dogs company, Walker said. She said that Berenice's "calm and easy-going manner was a true gift that she shared with us."
— Laura J. Nelson and Colleen Shalby
Full coverage: California boat fire
A commercial diving boat caught fire near the shoreline of Santa Cruz Island, Calif., early Monday. Many aboard the boat were believed to be sleeping below deck when the fire broke out in the pre-dawn hours.
Lisa Fiedler
Lisa Fiedler worked as a hairdresser in Mill Valley in the Bay Area. In her free time, she pursued her passion for nature photography, traveling extensively in the West and to Holland, China, Tibet and Guatemala.
"Everybody loved her," Fiedler's mother, Nancy Fiedler, said in an interview with KGO-TV. "She was a kind, gentle person. She loved nature."
Lisa Fiedler, 52, of Mill Valley was a hairdresser and avid nature photographer and traveler.
(Facebook )
Her photos captured the peace and beauty of nature, including crisp images of hummingbirds in flight, dewdrops clinging to spiderwebs, and sunsets across stunning mountain ranges.
"Nature is ever changing and always slightly different, begging to be eternally appreciated," Fiedler wrote on her website.
Last year, Fiedler, 52, traveled to Cozumel, Mexico, with Worldwide Diving Adventures, the same company that led the Labor Day weekend excursion on the Conception. She wrote on Facebook about the joy of finishing her deepest scuba dive ever in an underwater cave formation called Devil's Throat.
"Petting an octopus on a night dive was another highlight," she wrote. "Wish I could stay here forever."
Kristy Finstad
Kristy Finstad first swam the waters of California's Channel Islands as a toddler, tucked under her father's arm. The 41-year-old marine biologist had since returned hundreds of times to the area's swaying kelp forests and arrays of coral.
On Aug. 30, Finstad boarded the Conception to help lead an expedition for her family's scuba diving company. After fire broke early Monday morning, engulfing and sinking the 75-foot vessel, Finstad was among those unaccounted for.
Kristy Finstad, 41, was helping to lead a Labor Day expedition for her family's scuba diving operation.
(New York Daily News)
"She's extremely strong-willed and very adventurous," said her brother, Brett Harmeling, 31. "If there was a 1% chance of her making it, she would have made it."
Finstad had worked as a research diver for the Australian Institute of Marine Science and wrote a restoration guidebook for the California Coastal Commission. She had dived in the area near Santa Cruz Island often, and the trip was one of the company's most popular, Harmeling said.
"She has an extraordinary depth of knowledge," Harmeling said. "She has a passion for the Earth, and a love for marine life."
Finstad and her husband recently had returned from a multiyear sailing trip through the Pacific. In a blog on the company's website, she chronicled the beauty and monotony of life on the ocean, "her colors changing, her energy moody with moon tide currents, thundering waves and glassy reflection."
"What were we doing with our lives?" Finstad wrote before they embarked. "Dragging your feet is no way to climb a mountain; holding your breath is no way to dive."
Andrew Fritz, Adrian Dahood-Fritz
Two weeks ago, Adrian Dahood-Fritz celebrated her 40th birthday with a marine-themed cake covered in white chocolate sea stars. Her colleagues at the California Ocean Protection Council took her out for shaved ice cream at a place with "penguin" in its name, the bird she was known to love after years working in Antarctica.
Dahood-Fritz and her husband, Andrew Fritz, a photographer, had recently moved from Texas to Sacramento so Dahood-Fritz could join California's efforts to manage marine protected areas. She quickly developed a reputation as smart, unpretentious and passionate, said Mark Gold, the organization's executive director.
Adrian Dahood-Fritz and Andrew Fritz
(Courtesy Joshua Harper)
Dahood-Fritz previously worked for the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Dahood-Fritz "embodied marine conservation" and led the state's efforts to manage California's network of marine protected areas.
Josh Baker, a longtime friend of Fritz's, said the couple had a "meteor" impact on Austin's photography community, a race car community in Houston, an international diving community. His two young sons knew Fritz as "Uncle Andrew," he said.
"There was no escaping their impact," he said. "If they were in your lives, they were in your lives."
The two friends had started a photography business together four years ago. Fritz, 40, would shoot portraits, weddings and nature — his passion. He often put his computer science degree to use, managing their website, and once built a photography time-lapse application.
"He was a doer and a hands-on constructor," Baker said.
— Colleen Shalby
Dan Garcia, Yulia Krashennaya
Apple engineer Dan Garcia was on the Conception with his girlfriend, Yulia Krashennaya, his aunt said. She described him as "a gifted engineer" who loved scuba diving and was a loving partner, son, brother and friend.
Garcia, 46, a Berkeley resident, was "as passionate about his job at Apple as he was about diving," Apple's O'Brien said.
Lack of escape routes in California boat fire becomes focus as investigation intensifies
California Boat Fire: There is growing focus on the limited escape route on the boat where 34 died in the worst maritime disaster in modern California history
Allie Kurtz
Allie Kurtz was one of six crew members on the Conception for the Labor Day trip. The five other employees survived by jumping off the boat and paddling in a dinghy to a nearby fishing boat. But Kurtz was below deck when the fire broke out.
"She had the biggest heart," her sister Olivia told reporters this week as her family waited for news on shore. "She was my role model, my big sister. She was everything to me."
Allie Kurtz, 26, was the only crew member who didn't survive the fire.
(GoFundMe )
Kurtz, 26, graduated from a performing arts high school in Cincinnati, district officials said. Before pursuing her love of diving full time, Kurtz worked at Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles on the creative advertising team, working on films including "Mission: Impossible," a company representative said.
"Allie had a heart of gold, and lived her life on her terms," said her father, Rob Kurtz, in an online post. "The only sense of comfort right now is knowing she passed doing what she loved."
He added in tribute to his daughter: "I will always love you and will miss you forever. You became the pirate you wanted to be, now sail away."
Xiang Lin
Xiang Lin loved hiking, wind surfing, scuba diving and any other activity that brought her closer to California's majestic mountains and beaches. She particularly loved Mission Peak, a popular hiking spot in Fremont.
Lin was a partner at Acorn Summit Ventures, a private equity and venture capital firm in the Bay Area, where she focused on artificial intelligence, her family said in a statement. She had previously worked as an engineer and program manager at Apple, Microsoft and other Bay Area companies.
Xiang Lin is one of the 34 people that died when the dive boat Conception caught fire off the coast of Santa Cruz Island.
(Courtesy of Lin family)
Lin grew up in Beijing and attended Tsinghua University, where she was the captain of the women's soccer team. She moved to the United States to attend Brown University, where she earned a master's degree in computer science.
Lin, 45, was an active member of Chinese social groups in Silicon Valley, and a strong advocate for women in technology, her family said. She is survived by her older brother, mother and father in Beijing.
"Her generosity and charisma made her many friends who remember and dearly miss her," her family said. "She was warm, loving, athletic, courageous, intelligent, funny; her curiosity and passion have impacted and inspired many whom she came into contact with throughout her life."
Charles McIlvain, Marybeth Guiney
Santa Monica resident Charles "Chuck" McIlvain was a visual effects designer who had worked at Netflix, Walt Disney Co. and Sony Pictures Imageworks. He was known for his work on such movies as "Watchmen," "Spider-Man" and "Green Lantern."
He was a "radiant bright light in many peoples' lives," said Culver City Councilman Alex Fisch, who had been his friend since they shared the same dorm at UC Berkeley. McIlvain, who recently had celebrated turning 44, was "someone who people cherished every moment with," he said.
Along with diving, McIlvain loved mountain biking and snowboarding. To his friends, Fisch said, he was the brightest light in the room.
McIlvain had gone diving on the Conception with Marybeth Guiney, who lived in his condo building in Santa Monica.
Charles McIlvain and Marybeth Guiney.
(Facebook and Heal the Bay)
Guiney, 51, was a sales director who was passionate about marine life and ocean conservation. She previously worked for the New England Patriots, the organization said in a statement.
Friend Jay Wilson, who had gone diving with Guiney on the Conception and other boats, said in an interview with the Daily Breeze that she was a funny, unorthodox person who sometimes wore red high-top sneakers inside her fins.
"The best part about diving other than going down and being underwater is the people you meet," Wilson said. Guiney, he said, was "just living life to the very fullest."
— Brittny Mejia and Laura J. Nelson
Caroline McLaughlin, Kristian Takvam
Caroline "Carrie" McLaughlin and Kristian Takvam worked at Brilliant, a website that creates interactive science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. Both "brought immense passion, talent, leadership, and warmth" to their work, the company's chief executive, Sue Khim, wrote in a statement.
Takvam, the company's vice president of engineering, grew up in Austin, Texas, and knew by age 6 that he wanted to be a physicist, his sister Katrina Takvam said. He studied physics at the University of Texas at Dallas and met his wife in that city three years later. The couple often shared "brainiac banter," she said, but stayed down-to-earth and thoughtful.
Caroline "Carrie" McLaughlin and Kristian Takvam
(Facebook and family photo)
Takvam, 34, loved cave diving, his sister said, and "felt more at home in the water than on the land." He met up with his college friends from across the country once or twice a year to explore underwater worlds together.
McLaughlin, 35, a senior software engineer, graduated from UC San Diego in 2005. On her Instagram page, she described herself as a "painter of living beings," displaying work that included watercolor portraits, paintings of nature and ceramics. McLaughlin wrote on her blog that she had recently started taking a portraiture class at a community college.
— Colleen Shalby and Laura J. Nelson
Kaustubh Nirmal, Sanjeeri Deopujari
Kaustubh Nirmal and Sanjeeri Deopujari, who married 2½ years ago, were "the perfect couple," said Nirmal's cousin, Rajul Sharma.
"He found a soulmate in Sanjeeri," Sharma said in an email, recalling their endearing and infectious smiles. "Their love for each other was apparent even without them speaking about it."
Kaustubh Nirmal and Sanjeeri Deopujari.
(Rajul Sharma)
Sharma said he had known Nirmal since the day he was born. An avid animal lover, Nirmal was sensitive and polite, he said, never wanting to hurt anyone's feelings.
The couple lived in greater New York City, where Nimral worked in finance and Deopujari was a dentist. Nirmal grew up in Jaipur, and Deopujari was from Nagpur in central India, the Times of India reported.
"God took them away from us untimely and unfairly, but even he didn't have the heart to separate them in death," he said.
Deadly California boat fire devastates community of local divers
The boat fire rocked the small, tightknit diving community in Southern California. Many have formed friendships bound by a passion for ocean exploring.
Michael Quitasol, Fernisa Sison, Angela Rose Quitasol, Nicole Storm Quitasol, Evan Michel Quitasol
For the Quitasol family, the Labor Day weekend scuba diving trip to was supposed to be a celebration at sea.
Three sisters — Angela, Nicole and Evan Quitasol — set out Saturday with their father, Michael, and their stepmother, Fernisa Sison. The family was celebrating Michael's 62nd birthday with a three-day excursion that included dives in the kelp forests, nature lectures and gourmet meals.
Michael Quitasol and Fernisa Sison.
(KTLA-TV)
"They were the most kind, most loving people I've ever met, and I'm not just saying that because they're family," said their stepfather, Chris Rosas. "The way they interacted with anyone they ever came across, they were wonderful."
Evan, 37, was a nurse who worked in the emergency department of a Stockton-area hospital. Sison was a nurse practitioner at Kaiser Permanente Central Valley, a spokesman said.
Nicole, 31, worked as a bartender in a lounge in Coronado, which allowed her to live near her beloved ocean, Rosas said.
Angela, 28, was a science teacher at Sierra Middle School in Stockton and was "wonderful with kids," Rosas said. She had played roller derby with the Port City Roller Girls in Stockton, where she skated under the name Hermione Danger, the team said.
Angela was the maid of honor at the wedding of another sister, Evita, who was married two weeks ago. Evan and Nicole were bridesmaids too.
— Matthew Ormseth
Sunil Singh Sandhu
After 24 years in the United States, Sunil Singh Sandhu still called his family in Singapore every week, and visited his father and two sisters at least once a year. When Sandhu visited his family, he loved to eat barbecued stingray at one of Singapore's ubiquitous open-air food centers.
"I never had to worry about my son," his father, Soji Singh, told the New Paper in Singapore. "He was a nice boy who had no bad habits. The only thing that I worried about was him not being married."
Sandhu, 46, earned his master's and doctoral degrees from Stanford University and worked as a scientist at a Palo Alto research company. He was a newcomer to scuba diving, picking up the sport two months before his death.
"I didn't know that he was going for another trip," Singh said. "I had been trying to persuade him to come back to Singapore."
Ted Strom
Ted Strom, 62, of Germantown, Tenn., was dedicated to medicine and science.
Strom worked for a decade as a staff physician at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and an associate professor at the University of Tennessee's health science center. His work and teaching encompassed pathology and lab medicine service. He also researched the kinetics of platelet turnover.
Ted Strom, 62, was a staff physician at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Strom's "exceptional service to veterans as a staff physician is a testament to the type of person that he was," medical center director David K. Dunning wrote in a statement. "He will certainly be missed."
Strom received his medical degree from the University of Chicago, in addition to a doctorate in biochemistry, a bachelor of science degree in human biology and a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry, according to his LinkedIn page.
In a Facebook photo from 2010, Strom is seen scuba diving, surrounded by a school of fish.
Wei Tan
Wei Tan boarded the Conception because she had moved to Santa Barbara just four months earlier and wanted to explore her new home.
When Tan was 10, she and her family visited Tioman, an island on the east coast of Malaysia known for its coral, sea sponges and shipwrecks. Wei insisted on going diving, so the whole family went with her.
Tan graduated from UC Berkeley in May with a master's in engineering, and attended the University of Michigan as an undergraduate, her sister said. She had recently taken a job as a data scientist at Evidation Health, a healthcare technology company.
"Our hearts are broken," said Christine Lemke, the company's co-founder and president, in a statement. "Her smile lit up the world and she'll be sorely missed."
Tan, 26, was excited to buy new furniture for her Goleta apartment, said her sister Cheerin Tan. Their parents had promised to visit and check out the apartment over Christmas.
Cheerin said she hopes her sister, who loved spending time outdoors, saw beautiful coral formations and chased some sea turtles before settling down to sleep the night of the fire. Her family is comforted, somewhat, knowing Wei "was doing something she loved in the last few moments of her life."
— Matthew Ormseth and Colleen Shalby
Vaidehi Williams
On Earth Day and at the Santa Cruz County Fair, Vaidehi Williams — who went by Vai — was a familiar sight, wearing a bright blue water droplet costume as she taught the public about water conservation and recycling. Colleagues at the Soquel Creek Water District in Santa Cruz recalled Williams, 41, as joyful and enthusiastic.
"May we always remember her infectious smile, kind heart, vast knowledge, and adventurous spirit," employee Melanie Mow Schumacher said in a statement. "Vai will forever be our 'Water Princess.'"
Vaidehi Williams.
In a fundraiser for Williams' husband and two children, friends wrote that she had "touched so many people from so many walks of life. Anyone who has spent just a little time with her has been enchanted by her energy and felt the instant warmth of her friendship."
Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning.
Laura J. Nelson
Laura J. Nelson is an investigative and enterprise reporter at the Los Angeles Times.
Colleen Shalby is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She previously worked at PBS NewsHour in Washington, D.C. She's a graduate of George Washington University and a native of Southern California.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Into The Woods: Introducing Apsley
With 210 years of celebrating the craft of men's grooming, we at Truefitt & Hill have dedicated ourselves to forging the finest in shaving and scent for the discerning man. With nods to tradition and our sights set on modern muses, we're pleased to present the newest addition to Truefitt & Hill's classic collection of heritage scents.
May we introduce Apsley, a new original fragrance.
The scent is named after the iconic London landmark and former residence of the 1st Duke of Wellington. One of England's most esteemed figures, the name conjures up the image of determination, sophistication and selfless courage. Apsley celebrates the spirit of men who aspire to these same values and to the ambition of greatness. The scent is rooted in tradition, history and the cultural inspiration that guides the careful crafting of our supplies and fragrance.
While as distinctive and timeless as a classic Truefitt & Hill scent, Apsley is intriguing — a gourmand fragrance that's darker and deeper than some of its predecessors, keeping with the themes of unquenchable spirit and freedom of ambition.
Deeply reminiscent of the changing seasons, Apsley has been formulated to ignite the senses with a refined blend of smouldering woods accentuated by light citrus notes.
With rugged inspirations and refined delivery, the overtones of woody vertivert are lifted with a refreshing essence of grapefruit and are accentuated by notes of pepper, while its heart brings cedar wood and patouchli with a musk baseline.
The perfect compliment to the darkest seasons of the year — Apsley offers depth that is intriguing as it is sensual, a stirring choice for the modern man.
Shop the scent here.


PA GOP Chairman Val Digiorgio responds to Woodruff's comments on the NFL protests, Wagner gets kind words from Steve Bannon at an event in St. Louis, and Houlahan announces three new Congressional endorsements. Good morning politicos, here's the Playbook!
PA GOP Responds to Woodruff Statements on NFL Protests: PA GOP Chairman Val DiGiorgio responded to Democratic Supreme Court candidate Judge Dwayne Woodruff's comments about NFL protesters.
Wagner Gets Bannon Nod in Gubernatorial Run: State Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner received the approval of former Trump advisor Steve Bannon in his run.
Houlahan Announces Endorsements from Three Congressmen: Democratic Congressional candidate Chrissy Houlahan announced the endorsements of Congressmen Brendan Boyle, Matt Cartwright, and Dwight Evans in her run for the 6th Congressional district.
State House Sound Bites: Could political strife hurt business prospects? Some say maybe.
WHYY: Bipartisan-supported severance tax bill stays stalled in Pa.
Centre Daily Times: Secretary DeVos wants to roll back student loan protections. AG Shapiro says he won't let that happen.


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Jazz duo
Kelvin Christiane
(5.0)Read all 4 reviews
From£1000
Like Kelvin Christiane?
1-3 of 7 videos
About Kelvin Christiane
Kelvin has been immersed in Jazz, Blues and Latin music for years. He performs internationally solo, duos, quartets, quintets & big bands.
Kelvin Christiane has been leading his own bands for the past fifteen years and has released twelve CD's of his originals and standards. The latest CD 'The Arrival' (September, 2013). A graduate from the Leeds College of Music he has played with artists such as Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie, Pucho & the Latin Soul Bros, Roberto Pla's Latin Ensemble, Gilad Atzmon, Alan Barnes, Don Weller, Bob Martin, Roland Perrins' Blue Planet Orchestra, Peter King, Dave O'Higgins, Derek Nash, Steve Waterman, Alex Garnett, John Etheridge, Dave Cliff, Ross Stanley...Kelvin performs regularly at the major festivals in the UK and Europe which has included Nice and Montauban, France. You can hear Kelvin on a regular basis at Twickenham Jazz Club.
We require car parking close to venues
We can perform while walking around a venue
Jazz, Blues, Dixieland, Jazz fusion, Latin jazz, Modern jazz, Swing
Jazz duo, Big band, Jazz trio, Latin jazz band, Swing & Jive band, Modern jazz band, Jazz band, Jazz fusion band
Birthday party, Wedding, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Private event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Recording session, Cruise, Christmas party, New Year's Eve
Isn't she lovely
In a mellow tone
You, the night and
Tuxedo Junction
Morning Dance
Desifinado
I'm in the mood for love
I can't give you
anything but love
Star Eyes
of the Street
Don't get around
much anymore
You are the sunshine
of my life
Ain't misbehavin'
It's only a Paper Moon
When you're smiling
Theme from The Godfather movie
Vocals, Guitar, Keys, Drums. We also have a 7 piece option that includes trombone and Trumpet."
Absolutely. This is a really popular request and we actually offer this service for free. If you'd like a DJ service via our PA after the final set until the venue closes, we provide this for an additional £200."
We usually set up about 1 to 1.5 hours before the performance time. As soon as our PA is set up we can provide a free playlist service to help set the atmosphere and get your guests ready for our live performance!"
Yes - but only the saxophone
Our set lists are crafted from countless performances and learning what works best to ensure guests dance and have an amazing time. However, we're definitely happy to chat through and make sure we find what works for your event. "
Our PA and lighting system is included in your quote. We usually require a minimum of 6m by 4m space to perform"
If a song isn't included in our song list there may still be a chance we already know it. If there is a special song you'd like us to learn we are happy to do this for you. There is a fee of £60 for this service to take into account rehearsal times etc. "
The great ambience we create without being too obtrusive.
Jazz Cafe London, Barbican Centre London, Twickenham Jazz Club at Cabbage Patch TW1 3SZ, Montauban Jazz Festival, Swanage Jazz Festival.
Dexter Gordon, Stevie Wonder, Grover Washington, Michael Brecker,
Barbican Centre London
Up to 1 hour £1000
Up to 2 hours £1300
Mark T, 4 months ago
A Big Thank You to Kelvin Christiane Brilliant All Star's Big band who played at my wedding and helped to make it one of the most special days of my life. With stunning musicality they played an amazing variety of wonderful Jazz standards and also some arrangements that I had written especially for the occasion which featured my Best Man and Best Lady. Vocalist Lesley Christiane added sultry vocals and fun filled drama that had everyone dancing and enjoying themselves..absolutely unique and brilliant way to celebrate a truly wonderful day.
Geoff H, 5 months ago
I recently booked the Kelvin Christiane Quintet featuring lady vocalist Lesley Christiane for a 50th Birthday party. Their entertainment was excellent and many guests commented how much they enjoyed the performance.. I would thoroughly recommend the band to any potential clients.
John O, 6 months ago
Kelvin Christiane's Jazz Quartet have become the mainstay of the summer picnic at Pensford Field. We are always keen to welcome them back. This year they played to around 200 picnickers and provided two hours of great jazzy tunes and created exactly the sort of relaxed atmosphere that a summer picnic deserves. I would have no hesitation in recommending them.
Edison C, 2 years ago
Kelvin and Lesley Christiane and their band played for a fundraising event for the Ottakar Kraus Music Trust, that I am musical director of. Their work involved in this event was immeasurable and made the event a massive success. They even incorporated and featured one of the autistic students in their performance which made for unmemorable experience for the charity. I would whole- heartedly recommend them.
Jazz duos in the UK
Big bands in the UK
Jazz trios in the UK
Latin jazz bands in the UK
Swing & Jive bands in the UK
Modern jazz bands in the UK
Jazz duos in London
Jazz duos in Birmingham
Jazz duos in Manchester
Jazz duos in Edinburgh
Jazz duos in Liverpool


All Wisconsin children, first grade through eighth grade, are encouraged to participate in the January 3rd through February 5th Milwaukee Bucks Reading Challenge at the Racine Public Library. Children who read at least 250 pages will qualify for a complimentary ticket to a select Bucks home game. Readers who finish 500 pages earn the chance to win an autographed basketball. Forms are available at the Main Library and Bookmobile starting January 3rd.


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Pierre Speaks - Comic Book Deja Vu
I mentioned in an earlier post about how life is a cycle.
But for an old Warhorse..... as time goes by, you actually "SEE" the cycle. After a few decades, you "see" history repeat itself.
Many who saw the "House of M" "saga" remembered that there was the "Age of Apocalypse" before it.
"Civil War" and "Secret Invasion" took 2 to 5 years, depending on who you ask, and countless issues to repeat what was masterfully done in 6 issues in the "Astro City Confession" storyline.
And now we have "Acts of Vengeance 2".... hum... I mean "Dark Reign."
When I saw this...
It was impossible for an old Warhorse like me not to think of this....
Although unlike the "Age of Apocalypse" and "Astro City; Confession" which were pretty good, "Acts of Vengeance" was..... not awful.... but not much about it was very good/memorable.
So unlike it's predecessors, "Dark Reign" could..... I repeat.... could... end up being better then the original tale that it is emulating.
I guess we could wait and see.
But I won't.
The story starts with a major flaw..... Norman Osborn.
The story starts with the reader needing to swallow the fact that Norman Osborn is appointed to replace Tony Stark.
Swallowing an elephant would be easier.
I understand that to get their "Dark Reign" story going, Marvel needed to have Osborn and his "Dark Illuminati" be in charge at the end of "Secret Invasion". But the way this was acheived was very clunky/unbelievable.
When the writer makes leaps in logic that make no sense just to get the story to a certain point.... just to move the story to where HE wants it to be as oppose to where it would logically go..... well.... that is at best poor storytelling if you ask me.
Surely there are some records of Osborn being the Green Goblin?? That he is mentally unstable??
Heck Spider-man knows that Osborn is a wacko. It should be at the very least in the Avengers data base...... and by extension SHIELD's and the White House's data base as well.
How could the White House appoint him as head of the Thunderbolts.... and now even worse.... head of Shield, the Avengers and the Fifty States Initiative???
Makes no bit of sense.
But it was made for shock value, and to set up the "Dark Illuminati".
I am sure that many are thinking that DC did the same thing with "President Luthor" some years ago. But Luthor got elected but using the fact that the general populace was ignorant of his true nature and voted for him.
But here we are expected to believe that the authorities are ignorant of Osborn's true nature?? or that they know but are ignoring it on purpose??
The one story that comes to mind (not that there could not be other stories used as an example, but this is the most obvious example I can think of) where the writer needed something that made no sense to happen to move the story forward to where the writer wanted it to be was this...
What made this tale flawed from the start?? What elephant did the writer expect us to swallow??
Just this...
Batman falling off a building...... really??
I gave up on Hush right there and then.
First it had already been establish in countless Batman comics that Batman does NOT just fall off a building. Although there would be many examples, THE best example of that has to be this....
And later as a friend did lend me his copy of Hush to read because it was "really good" and I "should read it", I found out that the writer needed Batman to crack his skull so that he could introduce a "long lost friend" of Bruce that so happen to be a brain surgeon.
Not break his legs...... or his back....... or one arm and one leg........ Batman WOULD crack his skull.
So that he would need his friend Tommy who is a brain surgeon.
That makes so little sense that MY brain hurts just thinking about it.
So as I gave up on Hush right as Batman fell from a building......... I gave up on "Dark Reign" with Osborn replacing Stark.
Unless my friend ask me to read his "Dark Reign" comics.....? ;)
Reno said...
I haven't read a Jeph Loeb story that I liked. He likes to pull story elements out of nowhere. Very poor stroytelling. Case in fact: read the latest issue of the Hulk where Brother Voodoo acts as a deux ex machina device to resolve the story. Very sloppy storytelling.
I tried a few issues of the Hulk.... and thought it was pointless to read that comic.
Did they reveal who Rulk is yet??
Nope. Not yet. But I don't think I'll be sticking around long enough to find out. I only bought the title for the art, but now even that is not enough.
Jay1 said...
there's plenty of poor story telling going around. all these writers are writing 20 things at once, it's bound to happen.
but osbourn becoming head of shield just because he's the one who shot "spiderwoman-skrull queen" is just preposterous though.
Blackmanga said...
Can't he glide with his cape anyway? WTF.
Bronze Age Spotlight: Woodgod
Pierre Speaks: Rob Liefeld
Mister Crimson: Episode 23
Free Comics Monday: Back in Black
Caine's Floppy PSA for 2009
Pierre Speaks: Jack Kirby
Mister Crimson Episode 22
Free Comics Monday: Golden Lad
Which Red Death is Better
Pierre Speaks: The Art of Research
Free Comics Monday: Blue Bolt
Caine's handy guide to digital comics of the future
Mockingbird question
Free Comics Monday: Wonder Comics
Paper Comic DeathWatch - Start the DethKlok
Slight delay this morning


Dr. PR Sundhar Raja is a famous Astrologer & Numerologist and Specialist in Powering Individuals Name / Company Name / Logo for Success & Growth. Contact : +91 98400 20243.
Many Business Tycoons & Corporate Business houses, including Fortune 500 companies are his repeat clients and all major newspapers / magazines have covered his work.
Dr. Raja has correctly predicted the winner of US Presidential Election for the 3rd time consecutively and he also predicts that over 60% of global companies will be managed by people of Indian origin.
Dr. PR Sundhar Raja's contribution to the society & the nation was acknowledged and he has been awarded the prestigious Indian Achievers Award among other awards.
using Astrology as a base and providing practical solutions using Numerology.
a right name for a baby is the best gift parents can give for their baby's success in life.
Being an expert in Numerology, Astrology, Palmistry, Gem Therapy and Graphology,, he has assisted many business leaders and career professionals, to be rich, healthy and successful for over two decades. He has widely traveled to USA, UK, Indonesia, Singapore, Africa and Middle East etc., and almost all the important newspapers / publications have covered his work extensively. He stands for the possibility of creating wealth, to enhance the quality of society and he does this through Astrology and Numerology.
His services are recognized several times and he has been conferred many awards like 'Indian Achievers Award' for outstanding contribution in Astrology & Numerology, 'Mother Teresa Award', 'Rashtriya Gaurav Award' etc. His good reputation in the field of Astrology & Numerology, is bringing him repeat clients.
Dr. PR Sundhar Raja, an eminent Astrologer & Numerologist from India, Chennai, is one among the famous Astrologers in India and will help you to achieve great success by using Astrology as a base and providing practical solution through Numerology.


text:
Tanker hijackings still plaguing Southeast Asia
Home / IHS Maritime 360 / Tanker hijackings still plaguing Southeast Asia
Piracy and sea robbery incidents in Asia were up 18% in the first half of 2015, compared with the same period in 2014, piracy reporting centre ReCAAP ISC'S half-yearly report shows.
In particular, there was a substantial increase in the number of petty theft cases on ships sailing in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
During January-June 2015, 106 incidents were reported in Asia, comprising 100 actual incidents and six attempted incidents. Of the 106 incidents, 11 were piracy incidents that occurred in the South China Sea and 95 were incidents of armed robbery against ships. Amongst these, the number of petty theft incidents was highest during January-June 2015.
Related news: Tug in Orkim Harmony hijacking identified
Of the 62 incidents of petty theft, 35 occurred onboard ships while under way in the eastbound lane of the traffic separation scheme of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, and 12 onboard ships at ports and anchorages in Vietnam.
Tankers being hijacked by gangs that siphon fuel oil or other oil-based cargoes remains a matter of concern. Many of these tankers are small vessels of below 5,000 gt.
A total of eight incidents of siphoning were reported during January-June 2015 compared with five incidents reported during the same period in 2014.
ReCAAP ISC said, "However, the collective efforts by enforcement agencies, relevant international organisations and shipping industry had produced results, as demonstrated from the arrest of the perpetrators involved in the hijacking of chemical tanker, Sun Birdie on 29 January 15 and product tanker, Orkim Harmony on 11 June 15."
In the cases of Sun Birdie and Orkim Harmony, the vessels were recovered and the suspected perpetrators were arrested, highlighting the importance of co-operation among regional navies and coast guards.
To contact the author of this article, email Crystal.Chan@ihs.com


text:
FC Liverpool: Mo Salah voted Englands footballer of the year
May 1, 2022 by Sam W
Starstriter Mohamed Salah from Liverpool FC was elected for the second time as the footballer of the year in England.
The Egyptian received the most votes from the FWA journalists (Football Writers' Association) and thus awarded the prestigious title for the second time after 2018.
The Germans Bernd Trautmann (1956) and Jürgen Klinsmann (1995) were once one of the honored.
Salah prevailed with 48 percent of the votes ahead of Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) and Declan Rice (West Ham United).
With Liverpool and team manager Jürgen Klopp, the 29 -year -old still has the chance of the "Quadruple" – after the victory in the league cup, the Reds are also in the race for the championship, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
In England, the journalists have been choosing their footballer of the year since 1948, and there are also awards from the members of the professional football union (since 1974) and the fans (since 2001).
In 2018 Salah won all three personal titles. He will receive the trophy for the FWA award on May 5th.
BVB wants to remain Bayern hunters: there is no second place
Oilers shoot home game against Sharks – Draisaitl
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Review: A Great New Smartwatch With Unlimited Battery On Offer


text:
Q: Unable to determine a valid ordering for dependent operations with assigning self as parent I am getting the error below when I try to assign itself as the parent on an insert.

Unable to determine a valid ordering for dependent operations. Dependencies may exist due to foreign key constraints, model requirements, or store-generated values.

Code is below.  I thought I could do this but I guess not.  How can I do this on an insert?
public class Team {

    public int? TeamParentId { get; set; }

    [ForeignKey("TeamParentId")]
    public virtual Team TeamParent { get; set; }

    public virtual ICollection<Team> Teams { get; set; }
}

Where error happens
    divisionTeam.Team.TeamParent = divisionTeam.Team;

 if (divisionTeam.Id == 0)
            {
                _divisionTeamsRepository.Add(divisionTeam);
            }

            UnitOfWork.Commit();

DataContext.cs
modelBuilder.Entity<Team>()
    .HasOptional(p => p.TeamParent)
    .WithMany(p => p.Teams)
    .HasForeignKey(q => q.TeamParentId);

How can I accomplish this?

A: It seems the way you are setting the teams you are creating a cycle, which is "impossible" to "save" by EF.
If your asking about how yo can actually accomplish this then you'd have to actually save the Team with no parent and after the SaveChanges() method assign its Id to TeamParentId, like this:
var team = new Team(....);

db.Teams.Add(team);

team.TeamParentId = team.Id;

db.SaveChanges();

I know it seems convoluted enough, but it's the only way I can think of. Hope this helps you

A: 1) go to *.tt POCO generator file
2) Find text "ForeignKeyFilter"
3) Set
ForeignKeyFilter = (ForeignKey fk) =>
{
    if (fk.FkTableName == fk.PkTableName)
       return null;
    return fk;
};

The referenced record and collection will not be generated to result type (then it cannot be used in code). Foreign key items are still there. The INSERT will be OK.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A wedding at Stones of the Yarra Valley is a truly unforgettable experience and one of our favourite venues. We have provided transport to 100's of couples who have tied the know at this beautiful Yarra Valley venue over the years. Located in Coldstream in the heart of the Yarra valley the venue is just over 1hr from the CBD.
Stones has a stunning chapel, Dairy, Barn and Stables on site on its beautifully manicured grounds. Access to the venue is via a grande long driveway through the vineyard and our cars are able to drop the bridal party to the front door of the wedding chapel where we usually remain for photographs after the ceremony.
Whether your wedding is in the Middle of summer or an overcast winters day the views are simply breathtaking and its impossible to take a bad photo on site.
We find that the most popular cars that couples choose for their transport to Stones are our Two Tone Rolls Royce, Bentleys or Jaguars.
Many bridal parties choose to stay in the nearby area overnight so we are able to make multiple trips back and forth to the venue first to collect the groomsmen and then the bride and bridesmaids.


text:
Home Digital Workplace
in Digital Workplace
Tech Talent Charter
The Tech Talent Charter is more than just a nice logo to add to our website.
Founded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport in partnership with the likes of pwc, techUK and HP, this charter was founded to solve the issue of inclusion and diversity in tech across the UK.
Despite improvements over the last few years, the UK tech sector continues to face inclusion challenges, particularly over the role of women and ethnic minorities in the industry.
Of the three million people employed by the UK tech industry, only an estimated 26% of those are women. Meanwhile, only 3% of the sector's workforce come from BAME backgrounds. The scale of the challenge is therefore huge.
Becoming a Signatory of the Tech Talent Charter makes us part of a network that puts inclusion first and gives us a clear roadmap for becoming a model employer.
With a network comprising companies and organisations of all sizes and across many sectors, we're able to tap into best practices and knowledge sharing that will boost our innovation efforts.
To become a Signatory we have committed to the following standards:
We elect a representative to act as Senior Signatory with overall responsibility for ensuring that Workspace 365 achieves its charter commitments.
We develop an internal plan to improve inclusion. This supports us as we recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce.
We commit to collaborating with other Signatory organisations and the TTC to share our best practice, and also the interventions that haven't worked as well.
In September every year, we submit our aggregated diversity data for inclusion in TTC's annual Diversity in Tech benchmarking report.
We also get a lot in return. TTC's events, toolkits and hackathons don't just tell us what we need to know to solve problems and innovate, they bring Signatories together to produce practical answers and tangible ways forward for the tech sector as it seeks to recruit more diverse talent..
What's more TTC's benchmarking data has given us the insights we need to understand exactly how far we have come, and how much further we need to go. They have provided us with a range of indicators across our industry in relation to inclusion and diversity which we hope will ensure our place as one of the UK's best new employers in tech.
10 Effective Steps to Improve Employee Productivity
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Race in the Workplace: What Would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Say Today?
Change management in the digital workplace: Nine tips for success
The Best Workplaces in Asia Earn Distinction on Fairness, Employee Pride


text:
HomeCrimeHelp sought to put an end to recent gunshot incidents
Help sought to put an end to recent gunshot incidents
December 3, 2020 Ryan Arena Crime, Featured, News
Sheriff Greg Champagne
Following a series of incidents where gunshots were fired in the Luling/Boutte area, St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne is asking for the public's help to bring an end to the disturbing trend.
Champagne said that in the past several months, there have been several instances in which shots were reportedly fired within what Champagne called about a five-mile radius west of Paul Fredrick Street. He noted when deputies have arrived to these calls, they find nobody on the scene and nobody willing to volunteer information – including, in one case, a victim who was shot in the leg.
While nobody has been killed – the gunshots have mostly caused property damage to this point – Champagne warned it's just a matter of time if a stop isn't put to the activity.
"It was sporatic at first, but now it's seemingly weekly," Champagne said. "I don't think it's an intent they have to go and kill someone, because if they were, I think more people would have been shot and someone killed by now. But gunshots are going off. You have a bullethole in a car, someone shot in the leg … I think some of this is intimidation where they're just running around, like tough guys, and pop a couple of rounds off. It's dangerous and we're working to stop this."
Champagne said there are suspicions that the incidents are result of a rivalry between a contingent from Hahnville and Killona and another from Luling and Boutte. He also said it could be connected to drug traffiking.
"It's really a small group in each area who want to act like tough little gangsters," Champagne said. "We need help from people, if they have video footage or can supply information … it's dangerous and disgusting what's being done. We've had some issues in that area over time, but it's never been quite like this where it keeps happening. They go and fire off some rounds, and you never know where the bullet comes down."
One recent incident came on Nov. 9, in the 1200 block of Paul Fredrick Street. On that night, a group of suspects in a gold colored SUV shot at another vehicle, a light colored Hyundai Sonata that was struck by a bullet. A short time after the shooting, detectives located the Sonata, which had been abandoned near the scene. That incident led the Sheriff's Office to make the public plea for information, noting at the time that "a simple anonymous telephone call could easily prevent the loss of life."
The anonymous part of the equation is an important one. Champagne said he understood why residents may have been wary of sharing information that could potentially draw reprisal.
"But we have innocent people with bullet holes in their car, in their windshields. They call me and ask, 'What will you do about it?' We're trying," he said. "It's something that is going to escalate unless we can put a stop to it."
Champagne said he has put together a task force of marked and unmarked deputies to monitor the area at varying times of day.
Citizens with information about any of these incidents may contact Detective Jenni Barrette at (985) 783-1135 or call (985) 783-6807.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-877-903-STOP. Citizens do not have to give their name nor testify and could receive up to $2,500.
St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office
Cyber crimes down by 70% after SCPSO throws out a Safety Net
Sheriff's Reports 12-3-2020
Hahnville family stars in reality show
January 12, 2023 Monique Roth Featured, Newsletters, Profiles, St. Charles Parish
A local Hahnville family will grace the small screen this week when their episode of a reality show airs. […]
Josephine D. Pitre
Josephine D. Pitre, 98, a native of Vacherie, LA and a resident of Luling, LA, passed away on Monday, January 2, 2023. […]
Charles 'Chuck' Michael Hebert
Charles 'Chuck' Michael Hebert, 45, a native of Bayou Gauche, LA and resident of Ama, LA, passed away on January 7, 2023. […]


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Jason Aldean's "You Make It Easy" Gets Three Videos
Shaun Silva Directs Cinematic Series
by Lauren Tingle 2/12/2018
Circumstances beyond anyone's control happen every day. And Jason Aldean's cinematic three-part music video for "You Make It Easy" directed by Shaun Silva captures that to a T.
In the series, actor Luke Benward plays a boyfriend who becomes the victim of a head-on collision. The accident leaves him paralyzed from the waist down, but his girlfriend never leaves his side even when he asks her to marry him.
"I told Shaun that I wanted the videos to capture the love story that this song tells, and I think one of the things he's really good at is taking our ideas and running with them in a cool way," Aldean says in a release.
In an online Q&A, Silva said the plotline for Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most" music video served as the inspiration for the "You Make It Easy" series.
"It was an interesting approach," Silva said, "because when I got the call from management they said we want three videos and I said, 'Awesome, three jobs.' Then they said, 'No, it's for the same song.' It was a bit of a challenge to think of a story that would be able to carry one song three times."
"You Make It Easy" was co-written by Jordan Schmidt, rising artist Morgan Wallen and Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley. Aldean knew he had to record it as soon as Hubbard introduced it to him over a listening session in Aldean's truck. This is the fourth time Aldean has recorded one of Florida Georgia Line's originals.
"They write all the time," Aldean said of Hubbard and Kelley, "and when they know that we're in the studio working on an album they'll start sending me songs that they think might work for us … I think one of the first songs we cut of theirs was a song called 'Black Tears,' and then we cut 'Burnin' It Down,' which was a big hit for us, and then 'Lights Come On,' off the last album. So we've had a pretty good run with those guys.
"A great song tells a story, and ['You Make It Easy'] was one of those songs. I felt like it did that."
"You Make It Easy" is the lead single from Aldean's upcoming album, Rearview Town, which arrives April 13. His High Noon Neon Tour kicks off May 10 in Kansas City, Mo.
Lauren Tingle
Lauren Tingle is a Tennessean and storyteller who eats music for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When she's not writing or rocking out, she enjoys yoga and getting lost in the great outdoors.
Tags: Jason Aldean


ANNOUNCING THE FIRST VIDEO FROM THE BEINLAW CHANNEL!
We hope you listened to the introduction to our YouTube Channel and subscribed to the feed. So here's the release of our first, substantive, production. We hope all small business owners find it, along with the series of videos that will follow, helpful in making their companies a success.
Start Learning the Basics of Business Planning!


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Breyton is a boy name.
Discover other Famous boy names that start with b
Breyton VIP rank
Actors named Breyton
Directors named Breyton
Singers named Breyton
Writers named Breyton
Famous people named Breyton
Here's a list of VIPs named Breyton:
Breyton Paulse born in April 25, 1976.
Is Breyton a popular name?
Over the years Breyton was most popular in 2004. According to the latest US census information Breyton ranks #13150th while according to famousnames.vip Breyton ranks #4th.
How popular is the name Breyton?
According to the US census in 2018, no boys were born named Breyton, making Breyton the #37326th name more popular among boy names. In 2004 Breyton had the highest rank with 14 boys born that year with this name.
How common is the name Breyton?
Breyton is #37326th in the ranking of most common names in the United States according to he US Census.
When was the name Breyton more popular ?
The name Breyton was more popular in 2004 with 14 born in that year.
When was the last time a baby was named Breyton
The last time a baby was named Breyton was in 2017, based on US Census data.
How many people born in 2017 are named Breyton?
In 2017 there were 5 baby boys named Breyton.


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Jane (?)1
Jane (?) married William Knyvett, son of John Knyvett and Johanna Sutton.1
Her married name became Knyvett.1
Children of Jane (?) and William Knyvett
Jane Knyvett1 b. Dec 1702
William Knyvett1 b. 1704, d. 1708
Mary Knyvett1 b. Jul 1706
John Knyvett1 b. Aug 1709
Charles Knyvett+1 b. 1710, d. 1782
Elizabeth Knyvett1 b. Dec 1712
William Knyvett1 b. Jul 1714
Elizabeth Knyvett1 b. Nov 1715
Philip Knyvett1 b. c 1718, d. Jul 1718
Lucy Knyvett1 b. 1720, d. 1739
James Knyvett1 b. 1721, d. 1738
[S3706] David Barttelot, "re: Crosland Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger LUNDY (101053), 7 April 2009. Hereinafter cited as "re: Crosland Family."
John Knyvett1
John Knyvett was the son of John Knyvett and Anne (?)1 He married, firstly, Elizabeth Woodstock on 18 October 1667.1 He married, secondly, Johanna Sutton on 25 October 1667.1 He died in 1704.1
He lived at Frudenhall, Norfolk, England.1
Children of John Knyvett and Elizabeth Woodstock
Mary Knyvett1
Elizabeth Knyvett1 d. Jul 1670
Children of John Knyvett and Johanna Sutton
Johanna Knyvett1 d. Mar 1678
William Knyvett+1 b. 1681, d. 1751
John Knyvett1 b. Sep 1682
Thomas Knyvett1 b. Jan 1683
Elizabeth Woodstock1
Elizabeth Woodstock married John Knyvett, son of John Knyvett and Anne (?), on 18 October 1667.1
Children of Elizabeth Woodstock and John Knyvett
Johanna Sutton1
Johanna Sutton was born in 1628.1 She married John Knyvett, son of John Knyvett and Anne (?), on 25 October 1667.1
From 25 October 1667, her married name became Knyvett.1
Children of Johanna Sutton and John Knyvett
M, #626215, b. 1598, d. 1665
John Knyvett was born in 1598.1 He was the son of John Knyvett and Johanna (?)1 He married Anne (?)1 He died in 1665.1
Children of John Knyvett and Anne (?)
John Knyvett+1 d. 1704
Jane Knyvett1 b. Feb 1615
Elizabeth Knyvett1 b. 1641
Ann Knyvett1 b. Mar 1642
Thomas Knyvett1 b. 1644, d. 1704
Nathaniel Knyvett1 b. 1647, d. 1716
Anne (?)1
Anne (?) married John Knyvett, son of John Knyvett and Johanna (?).1
Children of Anne (?) and John Knyvett
John Knyvett was born in 1560.1 He was the son of William Knyvett and Dorothy Thimelhorpe.1 He married Johanna (?)1 He died in 1640.1
Children of John Knyvett and Johanna (?)
Thomas Knyvett1
Mary Knyvett1 b. Jun 1594
Catherine Knyvett1 b. Dec 1595
John Knyvett+1 b. 1598, d. 1665
Margaret Knyvett1 b. Apr 1605
Elizabeth Knyvett1 b. 1608, d. 1632
Frances Knyvett1 b. Oct 1612
Johanna (?)1
Johanna (?) married John Knyvett, son of William Knyvett and Dorothy Thimelhorpe.1
Children of Johanna (?) and John Knyvett
Catherine Knyvett1
F, #626219, b. December 1595
Catherine Knyvett was baptised in December 1595.1 She was the daughter of John Knyvett and Johanna (?)1
George Muschet1
Child of George Muschet
Jean Muschet+1
[S6286] Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy, online http://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info. Hereinafter cited as Clan MacFarlane.


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Home » Celebrities » Will the Kardashians Ever Be On Good Terms Blac Chyna?
Will the Kardashians Ever Be On Good Terms Blac Chyna?
March 1, 2020 Celebrities
With all of the talk surrounding the Kardashians forgiving Tristan Thompson after all of the cheating and lying he's done, many have wondered if the famous family will ever do so the same for Blac Chyna?
Though the reality stars' relationship with the model has been quite rocky over the years, fans feel like it's time for both parties to put their differences aside and finally be on good terms with each other.
Chyna was once part of the KarJenners' inner circle
The relationship between the Kardashians and Chyna has been controversial since the beginning.
While she was once a close friend of Kim Kardashian West's, the model's bond with the family soon became non-existent once she found herself coming to blows with Kylie Jenner.
When Jenner first started dating her ex, Tyga, in 2014, it was clear early on that things between them and Chyna were awry.
Though the rapper's relationship with Jenner took Chyna by surprise, the model claims that cheating was not the cause of her romance with him coming to an end.
Instead, Chyna says that social media and Jenner expediting their split were what caused all of the bad blood.
"With relationships, sometimes things don't work out. Then also, sometimes things just kind of like, spread you different ways, and I guess maybe that's kind of what was going on, and whatnot, " she said during a May 2019 appearance on The Wendy Williams Show. "But the way that it went about, like publicly, wasn't right. Even then even like, not publicly, it wasn't right."
After finding out about Jenner and Tyga's relationship, Chyna soon found herself booted from the KarJenners' inner circle, as well as the house she lived in with the rapper.
She continued, "So Tyga started dating Kylie and whatnot, and he had threw her like her 17th birthday party, so, after that happened that's when, of course like the family was like 'Alright bye girl,' and kind of like threw me underneath the bus."
The Kardashians and Chyna haven't been getting along too well lately
Soon after Jenner and Tyga became an official couple, the makeup mogul got into a heated social media spat with Chyna.
The not-so-subtle feud ignited after both women first appeared to take aim at each other over matching designer watches they each owned, seemingly both given to them by Tyga.
After dissing each other with a few Instagram posts, Chyna was soon up against the Kardashian sisters, who immediately came to Jenner's defensive.
Following the constant back and forth on social media, it seemed like things between the Kardashian-Jenners and Chyna had cooled off.
However, their bad blood rose to surface again once the model became romantically involved with Rob Kardashian.
In 2016, it was reported that the pair were officially dating. Then in November of that same year, the couple welcomed their daughter, Dream Renée Kardashian.
While their relationship appeared to be pretty solid in the beginning, it proved to be problematic over their year and a half romance.
From heated arguments to domestic abuse accusations, Chyna and Kardashian's relationship wasn't getting any better as time went on, and they ended up splitting just one month after their daughter was born.
After calling it quits from Rob, Chyna's relationship with the Kardashian family became even more controversial due to her suing the reality stars for battery, defamation, and domestic violence, among other things.
According to the model, the Kardashians conspired to have her show Rob & Chyna canceled by E!.
She even took the family to court after they requested to see financial records following her claim that they prevented her from potentially earning millions from filming the show.
In addition to her legal issues with the Kardashian-Jenner women, Chyna has also been in the middle of a massive court battle with Rob, who is now seeking primary custody of their daughter.
?Dreamy Dream ?
A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on Feb 13, 2020 at 7:30am PST
Fans are certain the KarJenners will never be cordial with Chyna
Though they've publically feuded with Chyna in the past, the Kardashians now seem to be over all of the drama.
While the famous bunch and the model have been keeping their distance from each other lately, many have been wondering if the family will ever put their ill-feelings for Chyna to rest and finally be cordial with her?
I'm in Brazil ?? @fashionnova #fashionnovaambassador #carnivalbrazil
A post shared by Blac Chyna (@blacchyna) on Feb 21, 2020 at 12:05pm PST
In a recent Reddit thread, fans discussed this possibility seeing as though the family is friendly with Khloé Kardashian's exes, Tristan Thompson and Lamar Odom, despite all of the pain they caused her in the past.
Some users believe that it isn't fair the reality stars are cordial toward Thompson, who continually cheated on KoKo and embarrassed the family, but not Chyna.
"I never thought about it before, but it is "interesting" that they're cordial with every abusive male that's entered their family but Blac Chyna doesn't get a pass," one user wrote.
Though some can argue that Thompson never took the family to court, it still doesn't seem right that the KarJenners hold so much ill-will toward Chyna.
Whether or not the family and Chyna will ever be able to look past their differences remains unclear.
But hopefully, the Kardashians will one day make the same effort to be on good terms with the model like they are with male exes.
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Data are available as zipped Excel® Spreadsheets (.zip). Details for each data sheet contained in each spreadsheet are seen below.
working_stage - raw data from pressure transducer. Water distances above and below land-surface are computed in this worksheet.
raw_weather - raw data for wind direction, wind gust, incoming solar radiation, soil heat flux, net radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, temperature of air, water and soil, and volumetric water content.
work_weather - mean 30-minute mean calculations for data in raw_weather. Time is synced for weather and eddy covariance data. Wind speed correction for net radiation is performed on this worksheet.
GHG - raw data from EddyPro (processes 10-Hz GHG files into 30-minute mean GHG fluxes). Includes sensible heat, latent heat, CH4 flux, NEE, air properties, wind velocities, QAQC checks such as Ustar, and measurement source area calculations.
GHG_working - contains gapfilling results for latent heat, sensible heat, NEE, CH4. Also performs daily and monthly NEE, Re, GEE, and WUE computations.
LUT - Gap-filling results from the Reichstein et al. (2005) look-up table.
CH4 - daily observed and simulated (equation 2) molar methane fluxes. Statistical estimates of model fit. Plot of observed and simulated results.
remove_NEE - removes 1, 5, 10, and 20% of observed NEE fluxes for gap-filling uncertainty calculation.
RU - results from random uncertainty estimates based on Finkelstein and Sims (2001).
ustar - calculation of the U* filter threshold.
EVI_ NDVI - contains EVI data from MODIS for comparison with GEE.
weather_fig - plots of temperature, water levels and surface energy fluxes in the paper.
DATA - CR1000 output for soil, air and water temperature, net radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, photosynthetically active radiation. Conversions of pressure transducer water depths into distances above and below land-surface.
DAVE_Rn - CNR-01 data including incoming and outgoing short and longwave radiation. Calculation of net radiation and albedo.
Baro - Barometric pressure data.
work_weather - mean 30-minute calculations for data in raw_weather. Time is synced for weather and eddy covariance data. Wind speed correction for net radiation is performed on this worksheet.
GHG - raw data from EddyPro (processes 10-Hz GHG files into 30-minute mean GHG fluxes). Includes sensible heat, latent heat, NEE, air properties, wind velocities, QAQC checks such as Ustar, and measurment source area calculations.
GHG_working - contains gapfilling models for latent heat, NEE. Also performs daily and monthly NEE, Re, GEE, and WUE computations.
daniel_WL - water level data collected by University of Florida.
ustar_filter - calculation of the U* filter threshold.
cr1000 - CR1000 output for soil, air and water temperature, net radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, photosynthetically active radiation. Conversions of pressure transducer water depths into distances above and below land-surface.
Ta_Ae - Linear regression of air temperature and available energy. This regression was used for gap-filling missing available energy.
cr1000 weather, bat, temp. - CR1000 output for soil, air and water temperature, net radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, photosynthetically active radiation. Calculation of available energy.
work_weather - calculation of water distance above and below landsurface.
1000_new - calculation of water distance above and below landsurface, available energy, photosynthetically active radiation.
GHG_full_output - raw data from EddyPro (processes 10-Hz GHG files into 30-minute mean GHG fluxes). Includes sensible heat, latent heat, NEE, air properties, wind velocities, QAQC checks such as Ustar, and measurment source area calculations.
working_GHG - contains gapfilling models for latent heat, NEE. Also performs daily and monthly NEE, Re, GEE, and WUE computations.
daily totals - calculation of daily total ET.


Hello blossoms, hello blooms...thank you for sticking around even after our little heatwave this weekend. I know it's way too early for the temperatures to hit the 90's but sometimes the sun has little regard for the calendar and the best we can do is drink lots of water and brace ourselves.
and you are still looking quite beautiful.
I can't tell you how happy I was to feel the cool mist in the air this morning.
I was quick to take advantage of the dip in the temperatures and took a stroll around the back garden.
I knew the corn would be doing fine but I was a little worried about the foxglove.
Of course the geraniums and the petunias thought the heat was just for them.
Thank goodness for the shade of the ficus trees. They made it a little more bearable.
How are you faring in your neck of the woods? Is it winter like or is summer showing it's face?
Or maybe Spring is just where it should be...in your backyard. We are expecting a bit of a cool down here..thank heaven.
Whatever the weather, I hope your life is filled with sunshine and color and the promise of a beautiful new week.
I'm joining The Nester's Plant Party.
How delightful your flowers look, so colourful and fresh. I enjoyed seeing each picture, and am looking forward to when more of my flowers begin to bloom over here in the UK. (My foxgloves are just a clump of green leaves at the moment.) You put together some really pretty floral combinations there, Patty.
Your flower pictures picked up my spirits on this overcast, cold, wet Monday morning. Thank you for sharing them. You certainly have an eye for beauty and I am blessed by my visits here.
The weather was on my mind this morning as well, but not because of a heat wave! Your blooms are beautiful and I can imagine they, and you, are happy for a bit of coolness this morning.
Enjoyed your pictures this morning! It is windy here today, blowing all of that pollen back onto my clean porches! Tonight we should have an unseasonably cool night, it the 30's! I will have to take my ferns inside!
Oh, I love the blue flowers!!! Do you know their name so I go to the nursery and buy some? Thank you so much!
We've had a warm up too.... although not into the 90's.
Today will be warm, and showers tomorrow.
Oh your corn looks great. I cannot grow it because my neighbors cat chews it up. Isn't that strange?
Oh my, Oh my, how pretty! Your garden is absolutely beautiful! Flowers always make me smile!!
We just had a taste of summer heat, and I'm still sure it's not my favorite season. We're working on adding compost to our soil in the small garden and creating a new raised bed area along the deck hillside. I love seeing your flowers. Beautiful!
Your flowers and blooms came through the heat looking beautifully. Our weather here is up and down. We have had some much needed rain. Today is beautiful. Tomorrow is supposed to be even better and then cool off again.
It seems like I am appreciating the beauty of the flowers so much more this year. Their vibrant colors just seem so much more alive this year. I spotted a beauty of a Foxglove on Sunday at Lowe's. I think I may go back and get a few.
Your garden is very pretty and inviting. The colours are so intense and vibrant. The only flowers that have bloomed so far are the lamium, clematis Nelly Moser, and Jack Mani..Everything else is slowly coming along. Probably a good thing since our weather dipped to 39 last night.
Beautiful flowers and great images. So lovely to look at and so colorful.
Beautiful flowers! We feel like we have had a heat wave here in Colorado and the high was only 77 today! It has been so gorgeous these last few days. I can't wait to have my petunias and geraniums going. Thank you for sharing yours!
Your garden is beautiful, Patty. The flowers seem to welcome the warm sun. Good thing the heat wave only lasted a couple of days. We were back in Bakersfield and it was 94 and 99. I almost melted. But my flowers looked pretty good when I left. Wanted to tell you how much I love your combination of Vintage sheets for your bedroom, too. You sure have a way with color, not only in your garden, but your home as well. Always enjoy your pictures.
Colors and fresh greens . . . gotta love springtime!
Hi Patty- We've had flowers in bloom for a few weeks now, and our roses have been full of blooms for a few days now. Just gorgeous! However, we have had a few cool days this week and had to protect a few plants. It's weird dragging out your winter sweaters while the sun is shining and the flowers are in bloom, yet this happens every year.
Your blooms are very pretty too. I love how you add so many bright colors to your garden. Thanks for sharing it at Your Cozy Home Party!
I wanted to stop in and say hello and congratulations on being mentioned on "Cozy Home Scenes". I look forward to following your blog and reading your posts!
Congrats on the featured post. Your gardens are beautiful. Shannon mentioned you live in California. I,too live in California...Northern California.


In Weeks v Weeks, Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals addressed the marital community's equitable lien against separate property of one spouse. The opinion is a memorandum decision and it is therefore not precedential; it may however be cited for persuasive value subject to various limitations.
April and David Weeks were married in March 2004. In June 2004, April purchased a lot with funds ($30,000) received as a gift from her grandparents and David signed a disclaimer deed acknowledging the lot as April's sole and separate property.
April borrowed funds to construct a home on the lot, and upon completion of the construction, April obtained permanent financing in the amount of $141,000. Both April and David as well as their children lived in the home until July 2014 when April filed for divorce.
It was undisputed that the community paid the mortgage and all expenses related to the home from October 2004 until July 2014. It was also undisputed that the unpaid mortgage balances at the time the petition was served was $121,341. The only documented appraisal of the home indicated a value of $275,000 as of October 2014.
Importantly, in her pretrial statements, April ignored the issue of an equitable lien and requested that the home be awarded to her. In his pretrial statement, David claimed an equitable interest in the home.
At trial, David argued that the value of the equitable lien should be $123,659. Calculated as $275,000 appraisal value less the outstanding mortgage balance of $121,341 and the initial $30,000 purchase. While April argued that the equitable lien should be limited to the amount of the mortgage reduction during marriage which was just $18,518.48.
Following trial, the Court essentially adopted David's position and found that the equitable lien was $122,518.48 and that he was entitled to one-half or $61,259.24.
On appeal, the Court recognized that the well-recognized "value-at-dissolution" formula is typically utilized to determine the value of the community lien but April ignored that approach at trial. She failed to acknowledge the existence of an equitable lien and argued only for a reduction of the balance of the mortgage. Effectively, she failed to develop any argument for application of the Drahos formula, which was raised — for the first time — on appeal. Therefore, the Court refused to address the issue.
The Court noted that even if it wished to address the issue, April had not provided the necessary evidence to permit a Drahos calculation. The trial court's calculation was affirmed.
The lesson is clear. Make your argument and provide the necessary evidence to support your argument. Omitting an issue from a pretrial statement and essentially ignoring the opponent's valid argument about an equitable lien may (and in this case did) lead to a more negative result than an application of the well-recognized Drahos formula.


This Spanish translation of the book The Dictionary of Guitar Styles provides a crash course in 25 guitar styles. Learn the who, what, where, when and HOW of: alternative/grunge, blues, Celtic, classical, country, flamenco, folk, funk, fusion, jazz, ragtime, reggae, rockabilly, surf, thrash, and much more. CD includes 48 full-demo examples.


Carolina has over 10 years of experience in the accounting field and is a member of ORBA's Accounting Services Department. She works closely with clients providing bookkeeping support and guidance, as well as assisting with the month-end and-year end closing of the books. Carolina also provides QuickBooks training and financial statements compilation.
Carolina has extensive experience working with clients and is determined to exceed expectations on projects.
When she's not in the office, Carolina loves being outdoors and close to nature. She's also an animal lover!