Roger has often said that 'horses are a lesson in humility' and on the journey to success it is helpful to remember that sometimes you will take two steps forward and one step back. In my last blog I wrote about how well Fleygur had done at the Spring Show, mainly because of how relaxed he was. Since the show he has improved even more, bringing his back legs under himself to power from behind and producing a much nicer and relaxed walk. Roger has been using a number of exercises to relax him, get him listening and into the the right shape. We had high hopes for the British Championships, though tinged with a little apprehension. The British Championships were being held in West Linton, Scotland, a place Fleygur had never been, and we suspected that part of his success at the Spring Show was his familiarity with Oakfield Farm.
During preparation for the show Roger was having problems with Fleygur's floating panel saddle slipping forward. When it stays in the right place it's great, but too far forward and the panels press into his shoulders. When we bought him he wore a crupper, but Roger was concerned about how this might effect his spine, and Fleygur didn't seem to like it much. Two weeks before the Championships Fleygur's new Top Reiter Start saddle arrived and he seemed to go well in it.
For my part preparation for the show was difficult. Work commitments took me away from home so I couldn't ride much and I had developed a sore back which was taking time to heal. I could not get time off before the Show, so Roger took the horses to Scotland on his own on the Thursday, and I joined them on Friday night.
On route to the British Championships. A seven hour trip.
On the first day of the Show Roger had the opportunity to attend a short clinic with a top rider, Charlotte Cook. Fleygur went well and with Charlotte's help Roger was able to improve his performance even more. The next few hours for Roger were spent organising and running the Track and Trail class ( a new innovation for the BCs). I would love to enter this myself sometime but even though I had designed it my work commitments meant I couldn't even get there to supervise Roger! After running around all day later that evening Roger picked me up at Edinburgh station and we went to bed late and exhausted.
So Saturday morning found Team LVH all together and ready for our classes, or were we?
Camp LVH – for Horses!
Fleygur was entered in two classes the first was Intermediate Four Gait, where he has to show walk, trot, canter (on the correct lead) and slow and fast tolt.The second class was Intermediate Tolt, requiring slow and fast tolt. Because this is the BCs I couldn't help Flegur with his anxiety by having Svipur in hand near to the track, and the lay out of the event meant that the track was along way from where he really wanted to be, back with Svipur.
It was immediately apparent that Fleygur was not happy. For both events he was difficult to mount, when he doesn't move a muscle usually and as soon as Roger was on board he was trying to take off. For the first time ever he was also napping and refusing to go forward. We had never experienced this with him before and Roger had to use all his strength and riding skill he had just to keep Fleygur going forward and to stop him from going up. Trying to use more subtle aids and small moves to improve listening and shape were abandoned in favour of just staying in control!
Oh no, not the armbands!
Roger struggled in the Four Gait to get four gaits and barely managed any trot at all! To get trot Fleygur has to relax and lower his head, and this just wasn't happening. Canter wasn't much better and I could see that Roger was struggling for control. However despite all this he did manage to scrape though into the final albeit in last place. His tolt class was much better and although I have seen better slow tolt, his fast tolt was good and he went through to the final in the leading position.
In between him fighting with Roger he did produce some nice gaits, and he wasn't shouting so we hoped that by the finals day he would have settled and could be in with a chance.
Now it was my turn with Svipur in the Elementary Tolt. At the lunch break, having not ridden Svipur for a week or had the chance to show him the oval track I led him in hand through the warm up area and up to the track. He was really on his toes and by the time I put him back in the paddock I was starting to feel nervous. When the time came however he calmed nicely with my usual pre-hack exercises which include 'kissing the stirrup ', responding the pressure by flexing at the poll, a bit of rein-back, and generally moving his feet around. All the stuff that completely failed to work with Fleygur earlier. However I completely underestimated the time before the class and barely got any tolting in before I had to be in the collecting ring, where I found I had to lead the class in. This is a disadvantage on Svipur, as he will go better on the track with a lead. I was just getting into my rhythm when Svipur spotted a rake lying by the side of the track, a track he had never been on and he was out front, and obviously it was there to eat him! Despite not being a spooky horse he spooked sideways and stopped dead! He went on again almost straight away but by now I had lost my rhythm and was guarding my sore back and we never quite recovered. As a result his tolt was inconsistent and 'rolling'. I was called for a tack check so didn't hear my scores but I knew it hadn't been a good performance and although we didn't come last, we didn't make the final.
Tack check is a standard part of Icelandic shows to ensure that tack is within the rules and correctly fitted and that the horse does not have any injuries. In the preliminary rounds this is done on a random sample, and in the finals all horses are checked.
I was really down about my performance and to be honest I had not been in a great mood since I had arrived. I was tired and felt under-prepared. I definitely was under-prepared. Note to self: I can not just swan up to a show at the last minute, having not ridden my horse much in the last few weeks, do barely any warm up and take him on a track he has never seen before and expect a good performance! The best advice for Roger and myself that afternoon came from Charlotte Cook. For Roger 'focus on what went well' and for me 'get your horse on that track this evening'. So after the days events had finished I tacked up and did just that. Svipur behaved perfectly, no spooking and we did some nice tolting with a bit of coaching from Roger. I tried to get a little trot too, Svipur's weakest gait, but despite me thinking I had trot Roger told me it was pace so I stopped. I don't want to teach him 'piggy pace'! I think I will need some help with knowing what my horses feet are doing, and can feel some more lessons are needed. Roger took Fleygur for one round of trot, just to prove he could and we called it a day.
The evening was spent with the other competitors and visitors, a meal, giving out some prizes, thanks to those organising the event and some silly games (for those that didn't sneak away at this point!). The Icelandic Horse people are a friendly and supportive bunch.
Finals day arrived. As I didn't qualify for a final had the option to ride in a 'Three from Four' class, but I declined. I already knew I couldn't get trot and I didn't want another poor experience on the track. I would rather keep in my mind the nice tolting I had done the evening before, besides the class started at 8am and I needed my rest! Instead I spent the day being groom for Roger.
Fleygur was not much better and was still difficult to mount and handle. Now we were questioning everything. Did the new saddle fit after all? Was he in pain? May be it was just that he didn't know the place. Should he just do tolt classes, avoid group classes, should we show him at all? Roger tried to focus on the positives, Fleygur had shown a nice fast tolt, and his trot when he does it is good. He wasn't shouting and anyway he was going into the final in his first class in last place so what did he have to lose? I advised Roger to treat it as a warm up for his Tolt final.
It worked! This time he got all the gaits and managed to move up two places winning a fourth place rosette. It had been a struggle though and even at the end Fleygur didn't calm down and fizzed about on the track. I can't help but wonder how well Fleygur could do if we can get his anxiety under control.
That horse is giving me a funny look!
His last class was Intermediate Tolt final but Fleygur was still fighting, and he didn't go as well as the day before. He dropped from first place to third and as if to underline his fall the skies opened and chucked down a load of hailstones. Welcome to midsummer in Scotland!
The final Tack Check accompanied by hailstones!
1. Always bring rain sheets (what ever the time of year). We did take them, but we didn't for our first show in 2013.
4. Always use the same warm up routine, different for each horse.
8. While out hacking do timed tolts and trots to match the classes.
10. Have an honest debrief on what we have learned on the first night, and write it down.
Little Viking Horse usually writes his own reports on the shows and whilst not doubting what an awesome horse he really is I thought his fans might find it interesting to hear a more balanced view of his achievements and some reflections on how far he has come.
Fleygur's performance at the Spring Show was my favourite. Of course there were horses there that were more powerful, more flamboyant and more talented, but I was delighted with him.
I was delighted with his recent performance, not because he won his Intermediate Tölt class and came a very close second in the Intermediate Four Gait, although of course that was great, I was delighted because only a few weeks earlier we discussed withdrawing him from competitions all together, and this could have been his last one. He really pulled it out of the bag at this show and achieved some good scores and placings, but the main reason he will be back is that Fleygur seemed so much more relaxed and Roger wasn't having to fight with him all the time. They have come such long way since their first ever show, the British Championships in 2013.
I could add that as winter was approaching and his owner was keen to find him a new home as soon as possible his price had recently been cut in half and Roger always likes a bargain!
Fleygur continued like this for some months. He did everything you asked of him, but he was always anxious when ridden out alone. He didn't spook but he lent on the bit and pulled, all the time. If you gave any release he would take off with you and I have never known any horse walk so fast on the way home, an uncomfortable short choppy walk. Even when I hung back on my cob, if you let him Fleygur would continue his speed march home disappearing out of sight round the corners. I once got so fed up with him marching home that I made him stop and insisted he stood still. If he moved I was determined to stand still longer, I now think that it was a silly battle of wills that was not really going to teach him anything, but I was so frustrated and uncomfortable it was what I resorted too. The thing is he stopped every time I corrected him but eventually he started trembling and I could feel him starting to boil over. I really thought he might go crazy so I jumped off and walked him for a bit. He immediately calmed down and I was able to remount and ride him home.
I stopped riding him. He was too strong for me and I didn't like the amount of contact I needed just to have some sort of control, and anyway he was Roger's horse!
After we had owned Fleygur for about six months Roger developed a sore back and the more he rode Fleygur the worse it got. In all other respects he was a lovely horse to have around. A real character, quick learner and a dream to handle on the ground, but this wasn't going to work and Roger said we would have to sell him. Being the sentimental one I offered to swap horses for a while. I was hoping Roger would be able to sort out his back and we could keep Fleygur, so for three months Roger got to ride my lovely armchair Cob, Beanie and I was back on the horse that use to make me cry with frustration.
Over those months a number of things changed. We changed his French link snaffle for a Waterford, which he couldn't lean on in the same way and gave me something to work with. We went to Iceland where we rode lots more horses and had some lessons. We asked everyone we met, in Iceland and back home about how to deal with horses that pulled. I tried really hard not to 'pull back' and to get him to relax but the progress was so slow I barely noticed it. We didn't really know other people with Icelandic horses back then, and before the days of Facebook groups it was much harder to make and keep the links and find out what was going on.
We visited a Western Equestrian Show locally which seemed to be the antithesis of the riding we were doing with Fleygur, nice quiet calm horses all on a loose rein. It was clear that Roger was seriously thinking of going back to Western riding and buying a Quarter horse. At the event we met a human and equine physiotherapist who gave Roger a treatment and recommended he reviewed his riding position.
We decided we needed to know more about Fleygur and contacted his breeder for help, We booked a lesson with Janice Hutchinson at Siamber Wen Icelandic's where we discovered that Fleygur had always had a good tölt, and that he use to have a nice trot too, though we had not been able to find it up to that point, but we also found out that he had always been an anxious type of horse. It appeared that Roger was right, he was a 'good stamp of a horse', but he did have issues!
Janice told me I might make a good enough rider in a couple of years time if I worked at it and although I had only recently returned to riding, I had ridden since I was six so I took this quite badly! The thing is, now I look back she was right, I am still working on it, but my riding is significantly better now. After her feedback I made a determined effort to stop 'wiggling' in the saddle and Janice made a significant correction to Rogers riding position too, which he has maintained ever since and his back problem has not returned.
We continued to research, got help and lessons from Fi Pugh at Old Hills Icelandic's and that summer we took Fleygur and Beanie to the Gower Peninsular on holiday, and on one particular day riding over the Common at Cefn Bryn I commented to Roger that Fleygur really wasn't pulling, even though we were heading back to the yard. We swapped horses and Roger rode him the rest of the way home. He announced that it was like riding a different horse. I was so chuffed.
Although this was a break through the problem wasn't fixed and there were plenty more challenges to come, but now at least we knew that we could give some release to Fleygur and that returning to a softer feel was not out of the question. As Fleygur became more relaxed and his bond with Roger grew stronger his character really began to shine through. He has become so relaxed at home that Roger often doesn't tie him up and I really think he would go anywhere with him.
It was around this time that Fleygur began his celebrity career, I started his Facebook page and later the website and YouTube channel. Later that year he even got short-listed in the Finals of the Equestrian Social Media Awards 2014 (Talking Horses category) and got his photo in the Guardian Newspaper! Clearly it was time he had his own logo too, designed by a colleague.
We started taking Fleygur to clinics (or Boot Camps as LVH calls them) at Old Hills Icelandic's and had lots of good advice from Karen Birgitte Rasmussen and began to think about shows….
The first show we attended was the British Championships in 2013. You can read Fleygur's account here, but believe me he underplays what a disaster it was! Fleygur was barely controllable, and shouted the whole time for Gydja. Roger tried his best to calm him, but nothing seemed to work and he scored a very low 1.8 in his first ever class. Despite putting a good face on it, and lots of encouraging comments from people, Roger was gutted.
We attended more clinics and started to attend shows at Oakfield Farm in Dorset. These were much more relaxed events where we were able to work on Fleygur's separation anxiety. He still shouted a lot but his did sometimes put in some quite good performances and at the next British Championships in 2014 were he was much improved and brought home the shields for Elementary Tölt Champion and Elementary Combination.
However his anxiety constantly hampered his performance and even though he was often placed in his classes he was still too stiff, too 'upside down' and often called out for his mates. We had a long way to go, and had begun to question whether taking him to shows was really fair on him, as he got so wound up. Quite how far we still had to go became most apparent when Roger took him on his own to a team training event (otherwise know by Fleygur as 'Mega Boot Camp'). He travelled well on his own, but once at the event he called – all night and when Roger rode him the next day he was exhausted and tense, this was not a winning combination. It was a tough weekend for Roger and although he got some good advice about preparing for the Easter Show the following weekend his confidence was not high.
Fleygur was entered in two classes but when we got to the show it was clear he was not feeling himself. He was subdued and didn't eat all the food provided – which is unheard of for him. He played it all down a bit in his Easter Show Report but we were worried about him. Roger withdrew him from one class, and declined to ride in the final of the other. For the first time Fleygur came home with no rosettes. Had it all been too much for him? Was it fair to keep asking him to perform on the Oval track when he got so tense? Had he gone as far as he could? Perhaps it was time to gracefully retire him from competitions and for Roger to concentrate on bringing on our new youngster, Jandi.
We decided to give him one more go at the Spring Show at Oakfield Farm Icelandic's. It was a place Fleygur had been to several times, and the atmosphere there is relaxed. Roger entered him in two intermediate classes, Tölt and the Four Gait. We would give it one more go, and decide whether or not to take him to the British Championships in June based on this.
As we attended more shows we had progressed from me having to hold Svipur near to the track to keep Fleygur calm, to me walking with him in hand after Roger had warmed him up. This meant that Roger could watch the other competitors and concentrate on what he had to do in his next class while I focussed on getting Fleygur to relax. I kept him moving and focussed on me, talked to him and knew where he liked to be scratched or massaged best. It seemed to work and both Roger and Fleygur were more relaxed entering his classes. We couldn't do this for the Intermediate Tölt as I was riding Svipur in this class too, but probably because he had Svipur with him he stayed calm and went on to win the class.
He performed well in the Intermediate Four Gait too going on to win second place with a score very close to the winner, but it was not his placing that pleased me the most. It was how much more relaxed he was, and although he still needs to bring his hind legs under him more, and we need to try to help him be less stiff in his back, his shape was much improved – and he didn't shout! Well maybe once. He just looked so much more relaxed. This video shows the tolt section of his Intermediate Four Gait class, there is still more to do, but for anyone who saw him at his first competition in 2013 this is a huge improvement.
Svipur and I got a third in the Intermediate Tölt and Roger and I were also presented with our Winners rosettes for the 2014 Rider Rankings. So the Spring Show was a big success for the Little Viking Horse.
It was a lovely show with good food, great company and excellent hosts. When we started with Fleygur we knew next to nothing about Icelandic horses and the gaits and sometimes I still feel I know nothing, but what I do know is this – being with our horses should be fun. It could have been the right decision to withdraw Fleygur from competitions, it's no fun seeing your horse so stressed and at some point he will retire from being a 'sports horse' and just be a rambler instead. The competitions are actually a small part of what we do with our horses. It's not all about winning but knowing that you are making progress and being recognised for that is a wonderful feeling.
The Icelandic horse community in the Britain is welcoming and helpful and there are many people who's advice and help we have sought along the way, so thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far.
A final few photos from the Spring Show.
Five Gait Class. Riders of all ages.
Who said Icelandic Horses can't jump!
Roger wonders how a horse that can be so calm and cooperative, while out hacking, can be so wound up, and mad at a competition. Basically Fleygur does not like to be separated from his mates, and this is probably the biggest challenge.
"Rather tense and slightly pacey, but improving. Straight on the diagonals" NB Fleygur was 'screaming' at this point!
" Tenses on circles, and not fully co-operative. Rather uneven tempo at times.
So a lot of room for improvement! At this point, Fleygur and Svipur were on the same score.
Here is his second performance.
Isn't it amazing? I think Roger looks so calm, and controlled on horseback – and all that is going on in his head, and in his 'seat'!
Plenty of work to do before the Spring Show, in Verwood, Dorset. 2nd to 5th May. Watch this space!
Fleygur has shared his experiences of the U.Ks first Tolt in Harmony Competition in an earlier blog, and has posted the links to the YouTube videos. There is a lot to be gained from watching the other performances too, and I will certainly be studying them hard, to see what I can learn for Svipur and myself.
I was very nervous about taking part. I have never ridden in an Icelandic Horse competition before, or even very much in a school, and it was my first time at such an event, with my young horse, Svipur. I did so much better than I expected, and the encouragement and support from all the others was great.
I think that Tolt in Harmony is a great event. I really wish to be the best rider I can be for my horse, and for us to go in harmony. I am concerned that many equine competitions lead to rough riding, and dubious methods, so I really wanted to support something that is designed to promote harmony, and does not value flashy action over the welfare of the horse.
He slowed down every time we got near the gate, and was reluctant to go forward in the last section. I was trying to give a longer rein for the walk, following feedback from the practice round, so that he could stretch out and relax, but I ended up with uneven reins, and not a straight line! Something to work on.
So, here are the judges comments that go with the performance on video.
Judges comments for Roger and Fleygur to follow in the next post.


Some years ago I was talking with someone who did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way to God. Or conversation was revolving around several questions he had concerning Christ. As I was going over some of the historical evidences for the life of Jesus and His resurrection, this person said, " I am not concerned about history." To be honest, I was a little shocked by that. Not concerned about history? He might have as well said he could care less about what is true.
Now in the person's defense, I will say that since so many " historians" have rewritten the history text books to conform with their own philosophical or political agenda, I can understand his cynicism toward it. However, though it has become more difficult to dig out the truth of history, it is well worth the effort because a knowledge of true history brings understanding to the present and helps to avoid the mistakes of the past. When history is ignored, or worse, revised to fit a philosophical or political agenda, then the follies of the past will be repeated. Frankly, that is a major reason for many of the troubles facing our own nation. Too many of our leaders are ignorant of or are purposely ignoring true history and so are making the same foolish decisions as past leaders with a vain hope that the outcome will be different.
Knowledge of history is crucial in making wise decisions in the present. Perceptions of history guide decisions made in international politics. Some nations hold historical grudges against other nations that seem irrational in the present, yet past history still directs the current antagonism. Nations routinely guess at the future actions of other nations based on the past history of that nation. An incorrect understanding of history can easily lead to wrong guesses resulting in international crises and even war. Failure to understand and apply the lessons of history led to a long series of decisions that resulted in World War II.
History is crucial for those facing a lawsuit or criminal charges. Establishing the truth of past events can either exonerate or bring conviction in a criminal case and determines the liability of each party in a lawsuit. When historical truth is unknown or ignored, the result is often injustice – both in criminals being set free and innocent men going to jail.
Your medical records, including those of blood relatives, is often vital in making a diagnosis of present problems or preventing future ones. That is why a good doctor takes a thorough medical history. Because our family doctor knew my history, he was able to correctly diagnosis Jonathan's sickness as appendicitis and have the needed surgery. Because I know the medical history of my ancestors, I am able to take preventative measure so that I do not die of colon cancer as did my grandfather and uncle.
Even your decision to purchase an item or service are rooted in history. Products and companies that have established good reputations build a strong customer base. Those without such a record struggle to become established and often fail. A nearby local restaurant used to have long waits to be seated, then a cook did something wrong and a lot of people became ill one night. The restaurant even changed its name, but could not regain a strong enough customer basis and eventually went out of business. It could not get past its history.
My point is simply that a knowledge of history is very important in daily life, and even more so for spiritual life. If the history of a religion reveals it to be false, then there is no reason to believe its claims concerning spiritual matters or eternity. If the history of a religion demonstrates it to be true, then there is a great need to consider what it says about spiritual life and eternity.
This morning I am going to talk about some of the historical facts concerning Jesus' life and His early ministry. The historical facts concerning why Jesus came, what He did and the message He brought to man will change your life if you believe them. Contrary to the claim of Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard, Christianity is not a blind leap of faith. It is an historical and reasonable faith. In fact, if you reject the historical facts, then you will continue to live according to the absurd fairy tales and lies of the devil.
Turn to Matthew 4:12 and as we begin our historical journey.
12 Now when He heard that John had been taken into custody, he withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
As we have already seen in our study of John 4 and Luke 4 over the last month, Jesus had been in the lower Jordan valley where He had been preaching and His disciples baptizing those that repented. John the Baptist had been doing the same thing farther north in Aenon near Salim. Two events occurred about the same time that caused Jesus to leave there and return to the region of Galilee. First, the Pharisees were starting to pay closer attention to Jesus because His ministry had grown larger than John's. Second, Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, had John arrested because he did like John telling him that it was unlawful for him to have his brother's wife (Luke 6:14-20). It was not yet time for the antagonism between Jesus and the Pharisees to escalate, so Jesus left and went to Galilee (See: Pointing to Jesus).
Though it would have been easier for Jesus to return to Galilee by just traveling up the Jordan river valley, He instead went up over the mountains to the road that goes north from Jerusalem and through Samaria to Galilee for Jesus had a divine appointment with a woman by Jacob's well near Sychar. During Jesus conversation with her, He demonstrated how to talk with strangers about spiritual matters. Jesus sparked her interested, created curiosity, and gently exposed her sin before He revealed His identity. Jesus also gave her a lesson on true worship that is still important to everyone. True worship must be done in spirit and truth. (See: Witnessing to Strangers). The woman went back to Sychar and told the people there about Jesus and many came out to meet Him for themselves resulting in many coming to believe that Jesus was indeed " the Savior of the world." The Samaritans demonstrated greater faith and spiritual integrity than did the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus used the occasion to teach His disciples important lessons about ministry and seeing past what was physically obvious to the spiritual work being accomplished (See: Seeing Beyond the Physical) .
The first place that Jesus went after returning to the region of Galilee was Cana where He had turned the water into wine. That was a miracle that clearly demonstrated His divinity because only God can create or change elements without either an expenditure or release of energy. The water in the jar, a simple molecule of hydrogen and oxygen, became complex molecules which now included the elements carbon, nitrogen, potassium, sodium, iron, sulfur, chlorine and phosphorus. While in Cana this time, Jesus does a second miracle that demonstrated He is God. This time Jesus healed a boy who was sick and near death but was 16 miles away in Capernaum. Jesus healed him by simply declaring it to be so. (See: Miracles and Rejection).
According to Luke 4:14-15, Jesus then began to teach in the synagogues throughout the region and came to His hometown of Nazareth. As was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath, and there they gave Him the honor of reading the Scriptures and teaching from them. The people responded positively at first for this was a local boy who had grown up and become famous, but when Jesus made it clear that He would not perform miracles to satisfy their curiosity and demands, they became an angry mob that tried to kill Him. (See: Miracles and Rejection).
It is as this point that Matthew adds to the story. Matthew condenses all of John 2-4 and Luke 4:14-30 and where Jesus went next into the simple statement, " Now when He heard that John had been taken into custody, he withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Matthew jumps from the temptation of Jesus in the Judean wilderness the previous Spring to His move to Capernaum sometime late that Fall or early that Winter because his purpose in writing is simply to demonstrate to a Jewish audience that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Matthew makes no attempt to give a comprehensive overview of Jesus life. In presenting a logical flow of argument demonstrating Jesus' identity, Matthew does not even keep the events in Jesus life in chronological order.
Matthew points out that Capernaum is in the region that was given to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. The land immediately around the northern and western shore of the Sea of Galilee and then north up the Jordan river valley to the slopes of Mt Hermon belonged to Naphtali. The land of Zebulun was to the west of the Sea of Galilee between Asher and Naphtali. Nazareth was in the territory of Zebulun.
The land that was then called Galilee of the Gentiles was dark. From ancient times the northwestern corner of the nation of Israel had been a dark place. Contrary to God's command, Zebulun and Naphtali failed to remove all of the Canaanites from their territories (Judges 1:30-33). This unfaithfulness in one area showed up in unfaithfulness in other areas. The people of those Jewish tribes began to intermarry with the Canaanites left living in the land which resulted in a strong pagan influence upon them.
As the northern boarder of the nation, it was often the first area invaded by other nations. The region was conquered by Assyria under Tilgath-pileser by 732 B.C. Most of the people were taken away as captives and the region was repopulated with people from other lands. Even with the temporary revolts under Judas Macabeus in 164 B.C. and Aristobulus in 104 B.C. the region remained largely populated with non-Jews and was under Gentile rule. That is the reason the region is referred to as " Galilee of the Gentiles." The Jews that remained there became very weak in both Biblical and traditional Judaism.
The region remained dark. The words of Jesus in John 3:19-21 fit it well, " And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed, but he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." In Nazareth, as already pointed out, not only was Jesus' message rejected, but they sought to kill Him by throwing Him off a cliff (Luke 4:29). The region was dark with sin.
The darkness upon Galilee had just become deeper, because as already briefly mentioned, John the Baptist was now in jail. Matthew 14 describes the reason John was put in jail and later martyred there. In brief, following the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C., Rome divided his kingdom among his four sons, so each became a tetarch, a ruler of a fourth. Philip became tetarch over the northern portion and Herod Antipas became tetarch over the portion that included Galilee and Perea. Phillip had married Herodias, his niece, the daughter of his brother Aristobulus. Some years later, Herod Antipas began an affair with Herodias, his sister-in-law and niece. They divorced their spouses and married each other. John the Baptist's opposition to Herod's immorality so enraged him that he arrested him, bound him and put him in prison. Herod would have killed John then except he feared the people. It appeared utter sinfulness had gained the upper hand again and was reigning supreme.
essiah was, " Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?" When Nicodemus tried to get Jesus a fair hearing before the Sanhedrin, he was put down with, " You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and see that not prophet arises out of Galilee." Yet Matthew shows right here that there would be a prophet in Galilee. There would be a light shining in that dark place. Matthew again uses the very arguments used to doubt Jesus being the Messiah to prove that He is Messiah. Again, prophecy is fulfilled and to this very land, to these people that were complacent in their darkness. Notice that verse 16 states that they are " sitting." To these people in the shadow of death, the light dawned and shined among them.
What a wonderful metaphor " light" is to describe our Savior. Light. It brings the idea of illumination (knowledge and wisdom), exposure (our sins), and radiance (holiness) to our minds. The apostle John used the metaphor a great deal in his writings. In John 1:4-5 he says of Jesus, " In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Later in the same chapter he quotes John the Baptist saying that he, " came that he might bear witness of the light . . . the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man (vs 8,9). Jesus Himself said in John 8:12 that, " I am the light of the world, he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." Jesus, who is the light of the world, brings that light to men who are in darkness.
When and where did this light begin to dawn? In a sense, we would certainly want to say at the birth of Christ in Bethlehem for it was over that spot that the star shined bright. However, Bethlehem is in Judea and this prophecy concerns the lands of Naphtali and Zebulun. We might also want to say that the light began to shine in the region of Galilee as soon as Joseph took his family and moved back to Nazareth. Certainly there was some sense in which there was a light shining even while Jesus was growing up in Nazareth and working as a carpenter, but the prophecy from Isaiah cited by Matthew here is that the people saw a great light. There is no record that the people saw the light of Jesus earlier. This also excludes Jesus' first miracle in Cana of Galilee because the only ones that knew about the miracle were the servants that had filled the water jars.
Matthew claims that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled after Jesus arrived in Galilee. That is when the light dawned as we have seen from our earlier studies in John 4 and Luke 4. Jesus' fame was spreading and He had started teaching in the synagogues. Even though Jesus was rejected in Nazareth, there is no question that He had not shined a bright light that exposed the wickedness of their hearts. It is after Jesus leaves Nazareth and takes up residence in Capernaum that His ministry becomes intense. Matthew 4:17 states, From that time Jesus began to preach and say, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled for a great light had dawned in the land of darkness and was now active among men. If they would see it and follow Him, they would have the light of life (John 8:12).
Jesus' message was the same as that of John the Baptist, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." We discussed the meaning of this message several months ago (See: The Ministry of John the Baptist). The call to repentance was the same message given by the prophets throughout Israel's history. The message of repentance involved 1) Turning to obedience to Yahweh's will, 2) Turning to trust in Yahweh and 3) Turning from everything ungodly to righteousness. The message called for the people to be radically transformed.
John the Baptist's message was a call for people to repent and get ready for the kingdom of heaven to come – Prepare yourself for the Messiah is coming! In the early part of His ministry, Jesus proclaimed the same message as John and also had His converts baptized as part of the preparation for the kingdom of heaven to come (John 4:1-2). After John's arrest there is a subtle change in the message. Yes, the calls is still, " Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," but now it is even closer for Messiah is here. You will not find a reference to the disciples of Jesus baptizing anyone again until Jesus completes His ministry of atonement and tells His disciples to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Matthew 28:19. John's baptism of repentance was in preparation for the coming of Messiah. Messiah was now here. After Messiah completes His work of atonement – His death, burial and resurrection, baptism will be practiced again with a whole new meaning and purpose. It would no longer be the outward manifestation of a heart prepared for Messiah to come, but rather the identification of a person who belongs to Messiah Himself and is part of His spiritual kingdom.
The light now shines brighter than ever before. Messiah has come! And in His coming He brings hope to the nation. But Jesus would not be doing this ministry alone. He would take other men with Him and train them to do what He was doing. They would continue the work of ministry after Jesus completed His work on earth.
18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, " Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
John 1:35-51 records when Jesus first met Andrew and Peter. Jesus had just returned from His temptation in the wilderness. Andrew and Peter had been disciples of John the Baptist, but began to follow Jesus after John had declared Jesus to be " The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." They then went with Jesus to Cana of Galilee for the wedding there, and shortly after that, they went with Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover. They would have been with Jesus while He preached in the lower Jordan valley and would have been doing the baptizing of those that repented. They had accompanied Jesus through Samaria on the way back up to Galilee, but then apparently at some point they had gone home for awhile.
them to follow and He would make them into fishers of men. Jesus would train them. The emphasis is that Jesus would do this work in them.
The same thing is still true today for us. Jesus invites you to serve Him and tell others about Him, but it is the Holy Spirit that will be doing the work through you. You simply need to be faithful and obedient to Him to be witnesses for Him. In His grace, He will use you to bring others to salvation and glorify Himself in His own timing.
Pastor Len G. Broughton told the story of a mentally retarded young man in his church who had a sincere desire to see souls saved. One day, this young man came up to a well dressed man and asked him, " Do you want to go to heaven?" The man bluntly responded, " NO!" Not knowing what else to say, as the young man walked away he said, " Go to hell, then." God's Holy Spirit used that sincere effort to awaken the slumbering soul of that haughty sinner, and soon he turned to Christ as his Savior and heaven became his eternal home.
Peter and Andrew had already spent a lot of time with Jesus and already believed that He was the Messiah, so they knew the truth of what He was saying. They responded without hesitation and followed Him. They could not know all that the future would hold for them by following Christ, but it was enough for them to know Jesus and trust Him for the future. That is the nature of faith. The same needs to be true for us.
In verse 21 we find Jesus going farther down the shore until He sees James and John. It is thought that John was the disciple that was with Andrew when he first met Jesus (John 1:35). If so, John would have done all that they had done with Jesus. If not, this is the first mention of the two sons of Zebedee, but it is very doubtful this was the first time they had met Jesus. As fellow fishermen and men zealous to see the coming of Messiah, they would have been acquainted with Andrew & Peter and most likely they were already good friends. Only a short time after this, Luke 5 mentions that the two sets of brothers are partners with each other. We would undoubtedly expect that Andrew and Peter would have introduced James and John to Jesus when He was at Capernaum. We would also expect James and John to have sought out Jesus themselves when He was in the area since His fame was already spreading.
Verse 22 supports these thoughts about them because they also immediately follow Jesus when He calls them. Note as well that they were in the boat with their father, Zebedee, busy mending their nets. Zebedee gives no opposition to their leaving when Jesus called even though that would mean more work himself and the servants with him. The implication is that Zebedee also recognized Jesus and was supportive of His work.
That is the way we need to respond when the Lord calls us or someone close to us to some particular work. There should be no hesitation, and the more we understand what is truly important in life the less hesitation there will be. You can trust the Lord with your life and future. You can also trust the Lord with the life and future of your children or others that you love. When the Lord lays it upon your hearts to do something for Him, then respond quickly. How many opportunities to share the gospel with someone is lost because of our own hesitation. We delay because it may be inconvenient, or we shy away for fear of being embarrassed or misunderstood. Any of us can come up with one excuse afer another if you are more concerned about temporal things rather than eternal ones. But what is actually important? None of us knows what the future holds, and life can end quickly and then the opportunity may be lost forever.
Dr. R.A. Torrey told this story that occurred to one of his workers when he was in Bristol, England. The Christian worker had gone to a restaurant for his evening meal after the afternoon meeting. His attention was drawn to the man who was waiting on him and there came upon his heart a strong impression that he should speak to that waiter about his soul, but that seemed to him such an unusual thing to do that he kept putting it off. When the meal ended and the bill was paid, he stepped outside the restaurant, but continued to have such a strong feeling that he needed to talk to that waiter that he decided to wait outside until the waiter came out. In a little while the proprietor came out and asked him why he was waiting. He replied that he was waiting to speak with the man who had served him at the table. The proprietor replied, " You will never speak to that man again. After waiting upon you he went to his room and shot himself." How many people do you know that were suddenly killed in some accident or other tragedy? The opportunity can be taken away in a moment.
All of these things are facts of history. You can deny them only at the expense of turning from the truth and following the devil's lies. What will you do with Jesus? He is the light shining in the darkness. Will you seek the light or remain in the darkness?
And Christian, what about you? Jesus said in Matthew 5:14 that " you are the light of the world." Is your light shining out or hidden? Our society is also cloaked in the darkness of sin and you are the one He invites to take the light of truth and hope into the blackness around you. Will you do it? If you do, you will see Him change you and work through you. Or will you continue being preoccupied by the things of this world and ignore His invitation? If you do, you will find yourself grieving at the end of your life for all the missed opportunities to be used by God and see Him at work through you.
There are three interrelated areas in which you can be a light shining in the darkness as you accept Jesus' invitation to follow Him and become a fisher of men.
1) Proclaim the Gospel. Man can be free from his burden of sin and guilt. People can have real purpose and meaning in this life and have a promise of eternal life, but do they know who Jesus is, what He has done for them and what He offers to them?
2) Teach the truth. At every opportunity stand up for the truth. Do not hold back from letting others know what God says about things.
3) Demonstrate true Christian compassion. While you cannot do the compassionate miracles Jesus did because those were to demonstrate His deity, you can show the compassion that Jesus did and love both your neighbors and your enemies.
Parents, you are responsible to apply God's Word to your children's lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times the word " light" is used. 2) How is Jesus " the light shining in the darkness" and how is the Christian to be the " light of the world" ?
scriptures speak of a prophet coming from Galilee? Why is " light" such a good metaphor to describe Jesus and His ministry? Why wasn't the birth of Jesus or any point during his early ministry the dawn of the light? What significantly changed in Jesus' ministry after He moved to Capernaum? What is required in the call to repentance? Why isn't there a mention of baptism from Jesus' move to Capernaum until after Jesus' resurrection? When did Andrew and Peter first meet Jesus? What had they already done with Him? Was Jesus' call for them to follow Him a call to vocational ministry? Why or why not? What evidence is there that John and James and previously met Jesus? Why doesn't Zebedee object to his sons leaving him? What is your response to Jesus' call? How can you be a light to the world?
Every Christian is to be a _____________in the world (Matthew 5:14) – is your light shining or hidden?


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By Chevon T. Baccus APR
B Street Pavilion Dedicated in Memory of Albert Hawkins Jr.
Last updated 7/24/2019 at 10:43am
Chevon Baccus
Family cuts ceremonial ribbon to dedicate Albert Hawkins Jr. Pavilion at B Street Center
Family and Friends of Albert Hawkins Jr. gathered Saturday, July 20 to honor his memory and dedicate a pavilion in his name. Hawkins died in December 2017 at the age of 79.
The pavilion is located next to the B Street Community Center in Lake Wales where Hawkins spent countless hours serving the community.
Alice Sanders coordinated the tributes to "Hawk," made by representatives of various churches, the Green and Gold Foundation, his Roosevelt High School Class of 1956 classmates, the City of Lake Wales and other groups.
Classmates Eddye Jean Rivers and Iba Lee Ford spoke of the importance of Hawkins returning to Lake Wales after he retired from public education in New Jersey. Rivers said so many classmates moved away and never came back, but Hawkins wanted to give back to his hometown.
"Hawk was very special to his class - 1956. He loved his class, he loved Lake Wales. He did all he could and I was so proud of him that he came back home," Rivers said.
Hawkins' son, Byron, who cut the pavilion ceremonial ribbon, said he recently retired and moved back to Lake Wales and he intends also to follow his father's example by getting involved and helping others.
"He loved his family, he loved his friends and he loved where he was from. That's why he came back and did what he did," he said.
Hawkins' sister, Delverna Hawkins Henry, said she was proud of her big brother for returning home and committing so much time to the education of young people. She was the youngest of nine children, all of whom were encouraged by their father to pursue further education. One of the people Albert Hawkins Sr. inspired to further his education was Clinton Horne, Hawk's classmate and best friend, nicknamed "Chick." The pair linked up with Polk County retired educator Jerome Mack and the three were instrumental in forming the Roosevelt Recreation and Social Club, and later the Green and Gold Foundation, a nonprofit that manages the B Street Community Center, which provides various education and enrichment programs. Hawk, Chick and Mack also were strong supporters of the Lake Wales Charter Schools.
Horne talked about the trio starting an afterschool program at the Walker Building, before the B Street Center was built by the city. The full story and more details about their work is available online at http://bstreetcommunitycenter.org/blog
Sanders said Hawk donated generously to many local causes. Whenever she went to him with a need, he pulled out his checkbook, she said.
Memorial Plaque honors Albert Hawkins Jr.
City Commissioner Terrye Howell said Hawkins supported her politically but just asked her to do the right thing for the community and its children. "He wanted Lake Wales better. I think a lot of our mission here in Lake Wales should be to do what you can do for the children," Howell said. "I appreciate him for just being a big presence here in our community."
Hawkins was an active member and elder at Allen Temple A.M.E. Church in Lake Wales, but he was supportive of other churches throughout the community.
Community Baptist Church member Barry Jackson said Hawkins supported the church meeting at the B Street Center and for 10 years helped with the church's free community breakfasts, the first Saturday of each month. The next one will Aug. 3 starting at 9 a.m. and the same morning the B Street Center will be giving away free school supplies.
The pavilion dedication crowd moved inside for a barbecue lunch and to share more memories of Albert Hawkins Jr., the man they came to honor.
Chevon T. Baccus APR, Executive Editor & Publisher
After working as a newspaper reporter and editor for eight years, Chevon moved on to a long career in public relations, marketing and business development. By publishing lakewalesnews.net Chevon returned to her roots and is loving every moment of building a quality, local news site for her hometown of Lake Wales. Send her your story ideas.
Email: editor@lakewalesnews.net
https://www.facebook.com/chevon.baccus
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Circle of Friends Mini...

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UK University News
Stay up to date with the latest education news on rankings,
courses and scholarships at UK universities.
Coventry University best for boosting confidence in the UK
Following results published in the National Student Survey earlier this month, Coventry University was deemed to be the best in the UK at boosting students' confidence.
Coventry, which the survey ranks seventh overall, secured joint top spot nationally in the personal development category in which students were asked to assess how their confidence, communication skills and ability to tackle problems had improved during their studies. Coventry was also ranked first amongst modern universities for both personal development and for the organisation and management of its courses.
Coventry University vice-chancellor John Latham said: "At Coventry University we're really focused on enhanced learning. What that means in practice is that alongside gaining knowledge in a specific field and acquiring a worthwhile qualification we want our students to grow in confidence during their time here so they feel well equipped for the workplace and beyond when they leave us."
Are you interested in joining Coventry University? Arrange a free consultation today to get your application started.


Open The Door Of The Tent And Seeing The Vastness Of The World Around Us Is Something That Fascinates Me Too, Bringing A Good Deal Of Positive Energies And Even Greater Connections With Nature.
If you are looking for a relief valve or a way to organize your thoughts, the tip is to go camping. Gather some friends, or so go by myself, the silence of the art at the time that you put your foot in a natural environment, makes you disconnect with all the stress generated by your work, and everything that improves your decision-making. Be with the body and the quiet mind is the big secret to achieve what we want.
In my travels the campsites are frequent, often arrived at certain places to camp and couldn't see much around me, knew only that the land was flat and if it rained during the night, would not be exposed to the risk of flooding.
Wake up relatively early has a great value, because your day is better tapped, wake up and see the Sunrise is one of the great pleasures of camping, the dose of motivation is immense.
But because you wake up in the morning, usually before sunrise, when you're thereto relax? We shouldn't be sleeping until noon? The answer to that question is simple and easy. It turns out that when we are sleeping in tents, the heat generated by the body during every night, plus the sun rising on the horizon, make the tent fabrics get hot too and so makes it impossible to sleep in.
All of nature itself makes us think, reflect on everything that happens in our lives, inour daily lives and helps take major decisions about our conduct towards societywhere we live.
In nature we can do numerous tasks relatively easy and that sometimes even we noticed, for example, do short walks. This activity works many parts of body, musclepart until cardiovascular and that will make you feel very good about yourself.
Another task is to capture water very quiet, simple and very invigorating activity. We can cite numerous activities to practice in camp, but this is not the focus since post.
If you look for places to escape the stress generated by major cities where we live,here are some tips of places where you can camp and will surely leave fascinated with this experience. Click here!
Nature is beautiful and complete, get out of your comfort zone and discover new places.


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Executive Agencies
Christie's Trouble with Conservatives
Posted by Danny Huizinga | Sep 3, 2013 | Elections, State Government | 3 |
It is all but certain that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is a likely candidate for president in 2016. New information reveals, however, that the governor will have an even tougher time mobilizing the conservative base of the Republican party than previously expected.
A recent YouGov poll found that Christie is more popular among liberals than conservatives. The poll also shows that more liberals (43%) have a favorable opinion of Christie than unfavorable (41%). On the contrary, a majority of conservatives have an unfavorable opinion of the governor.
These numbers could prove troublesome for the governor's future prospects, as he is already a controversial character among the Republican Party.
In November 2012, Christie drew harsh criticism from Republicans for his embrace of President Obama during the Hurricane Sandy response right before the election. And just last spring, Christie was deliberately snubbed from the Conservative Political Action Conference speaking list. This summer, he angered Republicans even more by hurting their chances at the vacant New Jersey Senate seat.
Recently, Christie has been involved in a back-and-forth with popular Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a likely presidential candidate especially popular among young people. Christie's strategy in criticizing Paul's libertarian viewpoints was "dumb," says conservative columnist Ramesh Ponnuru: "Republican politicians frequently disagree with libertarians on issues, but a broad-brush attack will understandably anger them."
A recent Rasmussen poll shows Christie leading the Republican presidential nomination, but includes the disclaimer that "even more GOP voters say he's the candidate they least want to see nominated."
Christie does deserve some credit. As the Republican governor of a staunchly Democratic state, he is forced to compromise and stay far enough to the left to avoid a primary challenge. So far, he has been able to balance his obligations effectively, earning remarkably high support among New Jersey residents. It's also worth noting that Christie will have no trouble getting re-elected as New Jersey governor – he leads his opponent by almost 30 points.
His high approval ratings, however, were likely exaggerated. Working with President Obama, Christie generated high positive attention after his response to Hurricane Sandy. Since then, his approval ratings have fallen significantly, though they are still among the highest for governors.
But one can only imagine how the governor could be attacked in a Republican presidential primary. It will be difficult for him to defend his liberal stances on gun control and Medicaid expansion.
In his book "Collision 2012," Washington Post reporter Dan Balz describes the immense potential for fundraising Christie could have, as evidenced by a high-level 2010 meeting with power brokers encouraging him to run against Obama. Allegedly, Christie also entertained the idea of becoming the vice presidential nominee on the Romney ticket.
Christie's biggest advantage may be his ability to connect with the average voter, a problem that cost Romney the election in 2012. "Christie has one thing that no other candidate — not Marco Rubio, not Jeb Bush, not Rand Paul, not Scott Walker — who is thinking about running for the GOP nod in 2016 does: An ability to talk like a normal person," says Washington Post writer Chris Cillizza.
As speculation continues to swirl for the next presidential race, Christie will continue to be a strong candidate, as long as he can overcome the perception that he is too liberal for the Republican party.
Read also at Communities at WashingtonTimes.com.
Follow Danny on Twitter @HuizingaDanny.
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Danny Huizinga
Danny Huizinga is a freelance political columnist and reporter. He has contributed to over 15 different sites, including Opportunity Lives, the Daily Caller, RedState, and Intercollegiate Review. Danny was the Turning Point USA "Columnist of the Year" in 2013 and won a Gold Circle Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Danny's writing began when he founded a political blog called Consider Again located at consideragain.com. Follow him on Twitter - @HuizingaDanny.
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James Prokop	on September 14, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Maybe the whole thing just has to do with the fact that the Republican party as it is currently constituted does not mesh with the electorate as a whole.The Ted Cruz;Rick Santorum;Ron Paul and a few others only generate "white-hot" support in a few states and pockets around the country. The train has left the station. The majority of the American people do NOT want an ideological dogmatic conservative in the White House. Neither do the want an ideological leftist. And before you start to spew…President Obama is NOT and ideological leftist Again, only dogmatic right wingers think so. Even Ronald Reagan knew he had to steer a pretty moderate course when he got to the White House. So, Christie is the ONLY hope you Republican's have of taking the Presidency. He just may be able to peel off enough independent votes from people like me to pull it off. The others….haven't got a snowballs-chance-in-hell no matter how many "white-hot" conservatives-Libertarians-evangelicals or what have you turn out because the independents will go elsewhere. This is just the way it is and the Republican party grown-ups better take notice or the Dems will nearly run the table except for pockets in the south and mid-west. We are a different country–for better or for worse-than when I grew up in the 1950's & 60's. None of these dogmatists are going to "bring us to Jesus" and erase the last 50 years. It just ain't gonna happen. I am sure even they know that…it's just you hanger's-on who keep drinking their Kool-Aid and giving them a forum rather than recognizing the reality playing within the system to limit and parse the excessive.
Fred	on September 3, 2013 at 10:24 am
Will this just be Romney all over again? You have a popular, successful governor who can't be a purist conservative because he had to actually govern- he couldn't just be a professional heckler like Ted Cruz to be considered good at his job.
So in order to win the GOP primary- he moves hard to the right to appeal to the anti-immigrant, anti-science, anti-gay GOP base. He has lots of money because business leaders know people like Cruz, Santorum, Bachmann can't actually win a general election, and Christie steals enough votes from the divided conservatives to win the nomination.
Ah, but now he has to face the American electorate, and walk back all those crazy things he said about climate change, evolution, and immigrants. And face the fact that the GOP is on the decline anyway. (Democrats now basically start with 246 electoral votes in their pocket…and Texas will be blue in a few election cycles)
So he loses the 2016 election. It's 2008 and 2012 all over again. I don't see how a Christie nomination works out differently, other than losing to a Tea Party favorite who crashes and burns even harder in the general election.
Mark	on September 3, 2013 at 9:25 am
Christie's problem with conservatives is that he is no conservative. He is a liberal, northeast, establishment Republican and in the primary race, that will not be attractive to the base.
I for one will not vote for Christie in the primary. While personally popular for his stances on public unions, etc, his positions on conservative issues places him too far to the left. That being said, I will, however, vote for him if he is the Republican nominee.
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Includes DVDs, CDs, computer software, LPs, videos, laserdiscs, and audiocassettes.
Provides AV equipment (digital cameras, MP3 players, light kits, etc.) to the UVM campus community as well as provide technical assistance and instruction on the use of media equipment.
Is comprised of high-powered iMac computers, multimedia software applications, importing hardware, and a 3D printer. Support staff is available to lead specialized workhops, assist with project creation, and to help torubleshoot technical issues.
Multimedia Resources & Services is located on the ground floor of the Bailey/Howe Library.
To recommend a media purchase, go to "Recommend a Media Purchase" on the Media homepage, <http://library.uvm.edu/media/>.


A question we often get asked at R&H Clinica Dental is whether or not someone with teeth that are are painful or in need of extraction can be replaced with dental implants immediately? The so called ´snap on smile´?
Here´s a basic run down of when we can immediately load your implants (i.e. make straight away the crowns which go on over your implant), or whether we have to wait 3 or 4 months and then make the crowns.
First it depends on whether you have teeth that need to be extracted or not? If they are getting an extraction in a place where we have to place a dental implant, then we have to wait 3-4 months before we can make your crowns. If, however, you´ve had a space there for a while and the bone is completely healed then usually that puts you in the running for getting your crowns made immediately.
Secondly, we have to make sure that the remaining bone you have is of good quality and quantity. This we can assess with a clinical examination, and also at our dental clinic because we are one of the few in Marbella with a 3D full facial x-ray machine, we can give you a definitive answer during your free consultation.
Thirdly, are your new teeth going to be in an aesthetic area? As in, will people notice if you have those spaces between your teeth or not? If so, and you passed the first two criteria stated above then we would consider either doing 'immediate loading´of your implants, or make a temporary bridge, or partial plate while we wait.
If you don´t meet the first two criteria then we would make a temporary ´Maryland´ dental bridge, or sometimes a small removable denture to fill the space until your dental implant is strongly fused (or 'osseointegrated´) with your jaw bone.
To find out if you qualify for 'immediately loaded dental implants' book in to see us for a free examination.


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The Soulful Art of Persuasion: The 11 Habits That Will Make Anyone a Master Influencer (Hardcover)
By Jason Harris
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WALL STREET JOURNAL, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER • The Soulful Art of Persuasion is a revolutionary guide to becoming a master influencer in an age of distrust through the cultivation of character-building habits that are essential to both personal growth and sustained business success. This isn't a book full of tips and life-hacks. Instead, The Soulful Art of Persuasion will develop the habits that others want to be influenced by. This book is based on a radical idea: Persuasion isn't about facts and argument. It's all about personal character.
Jason Harris, CEO of the powerhouse creative agency Mekanism, argues that genuine persuasion in the twenty-first century is about developing character rather than relying on the easy tactics of flattery, manipulation, and short-term gains. It is about engaging rather than insisting; it is about developing empathy and communicating your values. Based on his experience in and out of the boardroom, and drawing on the latest in-depth research on trust, influence, and habit formation, Harris shows that being persuasive in a culture plagued by deception means rejecting the ethos of the quick and embracing the commitment of putting your truest self forward and playing the long game.
Jason Harris is the CEO of the award-winning creative agency Mekanism and the cofounder of the Creative Alliance. Harris works closely with brands through a blend of soul and science to create provocative campaigns that engage audiences. Iconic brands include Peloton, Ben & Jerry's, Miller Coors, HBO, and the United Nations. Under his leadership, Mekanism was named to Ad Age's Agency A-list and twice to their Best Places to Work, and to Creativity's Creativity 50. Harris has been named in the Top 10 Most Influential Social Impact Leaders, as well as the 4A's list of "100 People Who Make Advertising Great." His methods are studied at Harvard Business School.
"Nobody knows more about the art of selling ideas than Jason Harris. This book is a peek inside the mind that some of the biggest companies in the world rely on to launch their products. And now anyone can apply these principles. Read it."—Ryan Holiday, New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy
"I've seen firsthand how the successful application of these tools can be truly transformative. These habit-forming lessons flat-out work, and this book will be your new secret weapon."—John Foley, founder and CEO of Peloton
"Harris' book is the modern-day version of Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. Powerful and provocative."—Thales S. Teixeira, professor, marketing unit, Harvard Business School
"The Soulful Art of Persuasion isn't about winning. It is focused on building relationships, blending appreciation and collaboration to ensure success. It's a business book about Karma, and as you give, you will receive."—Dave Stever, CMO, Ben & Jerry's
"Whether you're running a major company, a startup, or just your own side hustle, this book will provide you with powerful lessons and modern tools to sharpen your approach."—Jason Feifer, editor in chief, Entrepreneur magazine
"Jason Harris . . . expertly lays out tangible, positive actions that anyone can take to uncover their authentic self, influence others, and achieve their goals."—Lewis Howe, New York Times bestselling author and founder, School of Greatness
"There are books that help you in your profession and there are books that help you become a better person. The Soulful Art of Persuasion will help you get better in your profession as a side effect of becoming a better person. That's the beauty of this book."—Aubrey Marcus, founder/CEO, Onnit, and New York Times bestselling author of Own the Day, Own Your Life
"The habits and engaging storytelling in these pages provide a perfect framework for anyone who wants to build meaningful relationships in all facets of life, from the personal to the political."—Zeppa Kreager, chief of staff, Biden for President
"Jason Harris is a Jedi in the art of using soulful persuasion to put some good into the world. This book is required reading for anyone who wants to be a Purpose-driven leader."—Afdhel Aziz, founder and chief purpose officer, Conspiracy of Love, and co-author of Good Is the New Cool: Market Like You Give a Damn
"As our world drowns in tweets, posts, and 24-hour news cycles, the art of persuasion has never been harder, yet more important. Fortunately, Jason Harris has given us the playbook to build the character, empathy and engagement needed to skillfully win over others in this new media world of distrust."—Eric Ryan, co-founder of Method and Olly
Publisher: Currency
Publication Date: September 10th, 2019
Business & Economics / Negotiating
Business & Economics / Marketing / Research
Business & Economics / Personal Success
Kobo eBook (September 9th, 2019): $11.99
Paperback (Chinese) (August 11th, 2020): $43.20
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Read the side effects of Enzalutamide as described in the medical literature. In case of any doubt consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Most Common - Weakness, fatigue, back pain, diarrhea, joint pain, hot flush, swelling in the extremities, muscle pain, headache, upper respiratory infection, muscle weakness, dizziness, sleeplessness, lower respiratory infection, spinal cord compression, cauda equina syndrome, blood in urine, tingling, anxiety, and high blood pressure.
Central Nervous System - Spinal cord compression, tingling, mental impairment, sleeplessness, anxiety.
Genitourinary - Blood in urine and abnormally frequent urination.
Skin - Itching, dry skin.
Enzalutamide is an androgen receptor inhibitor, prescribed for prostate cancer.


text:
Stephen Chilton
| Music News |
Is EMI Holding Back The New Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse Album?
Stephen Chilton | May 18, 2009 | 7:07am
For everyone who complains about the lack of interesting music, or constantly says their is no good music anymore: What would you say if I told you that Danger Mouse, the producer behind Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, and The Black Keys, has been working on a collaboration with Mark Linkous of the acclaimed psych-rock Sparklehorse called Dark Night Of The Soul ?
Or that this project has help from Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Iggy Pop, Frank Black, James Mercer of The Shins, Gruff Rhys lead singer of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Granddaddy, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel & The Gerbils, and singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt?
Or that to top of the indie-elite wet dream, the album art features photos taken by none other than David Lynch? Yes David Lynch can add album art to his resume. And that the long rumored project is finally finished after three years of work?
You probably would be asking me when you could get such an interesting record. But, due to "legal" reasons that still remain unclear, EMI is blocking the release of this record. In fact when the limited edition packaging featuring a 100 page booklet of the photos by Lynch comes out it will come with a blank CD-R with no music and the note 'For legal reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'
But fear not, not only is Danger Mouse encouraging you to pirate this music it is already making its way around P2P networks. For those of you who prefer legal streaming NPR has been streaming the album on their website all weekend. No word on when they will be taking it down so I would encourage you to listen now while you have the chance.
Stream Dark Night Of The Soul here (courtesy of NPR).
This is one of the big problems with music today, not the internet. Instead of the major labels fostering and creating interesting collaborations and providing the framework for those creations to be released they have become such institutional behemoths that it is impossible for even artists as acclaimed, successful, and experienced as Danger Mouse to navigate this maze of bureaucracy.
The strength of the major labels used to be their Artist and Repertoire departments, the backbone of the labels, where professional music fans sat around all day trying to come up with interesting pairings of musicians, producers and songwriters to create the best art. Now they are run by lawyers and investors who are driving all of their talented artists away by making it impossible to create anything interesting and even when it is standing in the way of its release.
As soon as the big four die and get out of the way I see a huge wave of interesting music coming. When artists stop having lawyers and bankers telling them who they can and can't create art with we will all be better.


New sound pack by 303 guru is a real highlight. Rob has put a lot of efforts and time into preparing this unique sound pack including recordings of his legendary Roland TB-303 bassline machine. He has recorded countless different kinds of patterns, bass sounds and bass lines. Different combinations of sound manipulation has been chosen, ranging from different pre-amp chains to several exciting compressor combinations and from his legendary AKG BX20 E spring hall to his Studer A80 tape machine. Due to the fact that there are plenty of similar patterns recorded in many different kinds you will have a brand new possibility to combine any option to something completely new. Sky's the limit when it comes to combining different results of one bassline or sound and you can chose any genre, from housy to techno-esque, from oldschool to classical.
Seattle-based experimental producer Floating Forest returns with an exciting and forward-thinking new sample pack! 'Oceans On Mars' is a versatile collection of cutting edge one shots, ranging from warm spacey analogue synths, futuristic FX and poppy female vocals, to deep rattling bass and hard-hitting drums. Perfect for the producer looking to push the boundaries of hip hop, glitch hop, future bass, trap and electronica, this pack has plenty of content to give your track a crisp modern flavour. With over 280 unique and inspiring sounds that have all been carefully captured and manipulated, there is plenty of creative fuel to take your production to the next level… or maybe even the next planet!
Join the darkside! This new sample collection is aimed solely at the club music genres of Dub/Minimal House & Techno/TechHouse. Well known Techno producers of the first generation came together to produce this gigantic Sample Pack: Pascal Feos, Gabriel Le Mar, Frank Leicher & D.Diggler (aka Andreas Mügge) have opened their well-guarded sound archives and demonstrate with more than 1500 samples the way to go in any club. "Freakz On Beatz" is the ultimate library for every producer of deep club music – whether you are a beginner or an expert! All sounds are clearly organized into categories and tempo (126BPM) and further separated into Loops and Oneshots. All Loops run 100% tight, are immediately applicable, and leave plenty of room for your own customizing or editing.
'Neo Trap: Trapped On Billboard' is a brand new pack from the Neo Trap series. This pack delivers five hot Construction Kits with all the elements of Billboard's top Hip Hop songs. This pack contains close to 1 GB of top notch loops such as banging 808's, tight drums, clear vocals, and clean synths. This unique pack was inspired by artists such as Jeremih, YG, Rae Sremmurd, Schoolboy Q, Tinashe, DJ Mustard and many others top chart artists and producers. Get your hands on these banging beats and create your next radio-friendly Hip Hop track. This pack is versatile and ready to be used in your next Trap banger. Drag these Kits straight into your DAW and start creating real Trap today. These five Construction Kits feature 24-Bit WAV loops and include MIDI files. All loops are 100% Royalty-Free.
. . . : : : T r a p S o u n d s : : : . . .
'Goons On Deck' is a top choice for all those producers who are looking for quality Trap sounds. Taking inspiration from modern Trap artists such as 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Lil Boosie and more, this kit is guaranteed to please. 'Goons On Deck' contains high quality loops, oneshots and prevkits. All oneshots with reverbs have also been dry exported for your convenience and maximum flexibility during the mixing and mastering process. Don't miss out on this incredible new kit!
'Ran Off On The Plugg Twice' is back for a second round. Again, this drum kit is packed with best 808s, drums, stabs, risers and custom-made melodic vocal shots. If you enjoyed the original pack, you will love this one. This show-stopping release from 2Deep brings you hard-hitting samples, ready to make your next Hip Hop or Trap production a force to be reckoned with.


Let me see... When I came around, the fight was nearly over, the last enemies falling as I shakily pulled myself to my feet. I think Vincent healed me, I always feel really woozy after he heals me. Following the fight, we took a quick rest to catch our breath, and I wrote my last diary entry. Then a bunch of stuff happened all at once. The entire day is a huge blur in my mind, frightening and exciting all at once, and now it's the end of the day I'm stunned by the immensity of what I've seen. I'll put down what I can remember.
So, first of all, while we were resting the fire spoke to us. Argent realised that it was a communication spell of sorts, and that the central hall was asking for a status report, having heard fighting. Faking a jubilant response she managed to convince them that there had been a battle and that the incursion had been captured, but we knew that the bluff wouldn't last for long and that we had to move fast.
We ventured into the Azer halls, spinning a dagger to choose our path at each turn. Narrowly avoiding a large fire elemental guardian (that would have turned out nasty) we instead encountered a magical alarm which Argent and Ayeena stopped to deactivate while the other four of us went to confront the nearby dragon.
A real, fire breathing, not-at-all fictional dragon! It was right there, raging and stomping and muttering in draconic. Being posessed of our senses temporarilly, we hid around the corner so I could listen in. (I always liked draconic as a language, it's very efficient.) The poor thing was obviously very unhappy, and five minutes of careful listening in explained why. He was a captive down here, under the thrall of the forces that kept him as a slave. When I'd heard enough Vincent and I decided to give him the option of teaming up with us.
Rounding the corner into the room where he was kept revealed that he had handlers watching over him, but they were just two troglodites, even if one was carrying a dragonbane whip. A minute of discussion about this situation in elvish (I didn't want to use draconic, the troglodites would obviously speak it) convinced the dragon that it was time for lunch, and the whip is now in my pack. Our agreement was simple, we would continue on our way to cause a cave-in while the dragon caused a distraction. We'd meet up in the cavern above and in return for his help we'd bring him past the dwarves.
My biggest fear about our operation had been allayed, at least for the moment. I hadn't wanted to continue down the riverbed with troglodites at our backs, it wouldn't take long to notice their guardpost was taken, and as we progressed we'd have to worry about scouting parties hitting our rear. With the dragon causing havoc in the tunnels, our enemies would rationalise their missing guard post and believe he took it out, and not suspect a party of adventurers. Terry and Vincent did some clever things with the bodies to make it look like they'd fallen to a dragon (a lot of fire was involved) and we progressed back down the riverbed once again.
At the bottom of the riverbed, we came across a sandy beach in a small cave. There was a hole in the ground leanding downwards at a very steep angle. Vincent lowered Marigold into it on a rope, and about a minute later we heard a squeak and the sound of fighting, so we hauled her back up. Marigold explained that she'd seen a monster down there under a pool of water, and it had reached up and snapped at her. Thinking fast I tied a rope around myself and jumped into the hole, hoping that I could hit the water before it saw me coming and freeze the pool solid with Tyreal.
Vincent was having none of it, and immediately hauled me back out of the hole, then spent a minute yelling at me spoiling all element of surprise that we might have had. When he calmed down, he realised that I was in fact the best person to send down anyway, because I'm the only one who can climb and see in the dark, nevermind being able to freeze the pool solid.
It turns out that Marigold had been a little conservative when explaining the situation at the bottom of the tunnel, the "pool of water" was in fact a layer of sewage and waste that covered the entire width of a cavern with a steeply sloping floor. The "creature" she had indicated was perhaps a foot long, and not the ten foot monstrosity that actually lurked down there. Never trust the eyes of someone who can't see in the dark I guess.
The creature lunged up at me, snapping at my legs, and I smacked it in the face with Tyreal. Above me I heard Marigold diving back into the hold to "rescue" me. As I turned my head to shout the creature lashed out accross my face with a tentacle and then suddenlt Marigold was falling past it. As it turned its attention to her I caught her, hauling her above me to the rope where she caught on. The creature sunk back into the mire to coil for another strike, and I took this opportunity to slash the rope between myself and Marigold, fall to the pool and freeze it solid. This at least bought us enough time to get the rest of the party down the shaft into the cavern.
Once again I spent the fight trying to escape being restrained by monsters while the party rescued me, for all of my heroics leading the party on a great quest, I just can't fight very well. The monster was defeated in fairly short order by Terato, who called it a "carrion crawler" whatever that was supposed to be, and as the ice melted we were faced with a dilemma. Vincent and Terato wanted to drop one of the runes here and head back up to the Azer stronghold, but I had a feeling in my gut that we wanted to swim below it. I submerged Tyreal in the water to see if he could feel the extent of it, to see if it extended below the Azer hall, and after a fair deal of confusion eventually worked out that the water here spread over a vast area, and it was indeed the water table. Eventually we decided it would be worth seeing if we could have someone swim under the hall and check it out, perhaps it would be possible to put a rune there as well.
I had a very strong feeling that this was something I needed to do, I can't explain why I felt it though. Vincent wanted to go himself of course. He's very stubborn, and as much as he's happy to watch the others put themselves in harm's way, he seems to go out of his way to protect me and shield me from doing anything dangerous. It's so frustrating! - Nevertheless, as stubborn as he is, he always conceeds to logic, and there were several reasons why it needed to go.
First, Tyrael was the only weapon the party had that was much use under water, the blade positively glowed with power the deeper it was submerged, and I was the only one able to wield him. Second, I'm the best swimmer in the group by a stretch, especially as I'm a lot smaller than Vincent and go through less air (which would be in short supply.) Third, I have a set of armour that we picked up from the shrine to Shar in the undead city, and I can use it to transform from cloth to chainmail with a simple command word, thus allowing me to swim unhindered, but remain armoured in case of trouble. Fourth... I really felt that I had to go. Still, Vincent insisted I take someone with me to back me up, so Marigold hopped into the bag of holding, and I went on my way.
The swim there was quite pleasant, the submerged corridors were cool and relaxing, the silence strangely comforting after all the chaos that had preceeded it. I swam with the bag of holding in one hand (to breathe from) and Tyreal in the other, to light the way. I also strapped the amphora of water to my back, as I quickly worked out that turning it on provided me with a fair deal of propulsion by itself, allowing me to swim significantly faster than my own strength would let me. I used my arms and legs primarilly to steer myself, and after a little while got quite used to speeding along. I'd borrowd Vincent's goggles to stop the water getting in my eyes, and before long I saw a large hallway opening up before me.
Ahead of me, I could see a large submerged hallway, the walls glimmering with a sheen from a layer of ice. The centre of the chamber was dominated by a huge spherical... thing. I'd have said it was a sphere of shifting glowing iridescent water, but I was already underwater, so that made little sense. The sphere was made of water... only more so. In front of it there was a floating shadow I could hardly make out. It had the form of a female, human or elf, but it was an outline in my vision, obscured. I figured that this was an elemental of some kind, so I swam to her and greeted her.
It surprised me that I could speak clearly in this place, but for some reason I could, and we talked, briefly. I was aware that I only had a limited amount of air after all. She said that the Azer were her enemies too, and I offered up Tyrael to her, and the other elementals that were gathering, but she refused. "You have not done what you came to do." she said, yet I felt that this was the place that Tyrael and I would part. Confused, I decided to explain the plan and ask her advice. 'The Azer will not die if you simply bury them, they will escape eventually. To kill them, you will need to flood them.' 'How?' (I asked, pleading) 'Place your device in their airlock before you leave.' - She gestured to a large covering in the ceiling.
If I froze all the water in the water table, it'd crack all the rock in the immediate area, rather than just causing a cave-in, the runes would colapse everything into the water table. I pulled out a couple of shields, said goodbye to Tyreal, and then I cast him aside.
I didn't have long to escape at this point, so I grabbed a couple of shields from the bag, turned, and commanded the amphora to expel water as fast as it could, then I held on for dear life, using the shields to steer as well as I could. The temperature was falling dramatically, and I needed to be out of there as quickly as possible. I used every ounce of my strength simply cornering and before I knew it I was back with the party and we were running.
I've never run so hard in my life. It's not worth going into all the details, but simply freezing the water table started to colapse the caverns, and we got out as quickly as we could. The dragon met us back at the guard point, where he was fighting off a horde of troglodites that had started pouring out into the tunnels. Marigold tossed the third and final room down one of their maintennance tunnels, and we turned and fled to the dwarves. The waiting army fought a tactical retreat, against an oncoming horde, and in the distance we could see the Azer urging their troops towards our line. We retreated up the staircase.
Vincent and Marigold were ahead of the group informing the new dwarves we met that the dragon was on our side and not to shoot it Vincent stayed with the dragon and Marigold rushed off to warn as many people as possible. Terato and Argent were always one turn of the staircase above us, raining down arrows and spellfire onto the troglodites that approached. I stayed with the front line, directing dwarves as best I could, someone handed me a huge waraxe, and I swung it in desperation to keep the kobolds and troglodites at bay. Ayeena spent the fight safeguarding me, which was sweet of her, I was in no state to do it myself. When we got to the top of the staircase, Argent said "drop it" and the elders pulled a lever which colapsed the staircase entirely, trapping our enemies below us, then finally I said the command word to set off the runes.
The reaction of the dwarves was briefly jubilant, and then suddenly worried as they listened to the sounds below. There was a roaring sound from below us, like a great torrent of water flowing, echoed off the walls of the shaft and magnified a hundred times. Then the elder of Halt said "She really did bring the sea. We will need to leave this place." and the two elders stood there looking at each other. Then I realised - the dwarves of Rest had been prepared for this for hundreds of years, they were ready to leave at a moment's notice, already packed, just say the word. The dwarves of Halt on the other hand, had built a life here, they had no preparations form being uprooted, and yet their homes were soon going to flood with water. I looked at them both and folded my arms. 'It doesn't matter who was right and who was wrong, that isn't the question here. What's happened has happened and you can't change it. What's important here is that everyone gets out safely, right?' I looked at the elder of Rest and addressed him directly 'I want you to send as many people as you can spare to help with the evacuation of Halt, you're prepared for this, so I know you have them.' That seemed to spur them on, the Elder of Halt looked across at his counterpart and said 'In a time such as this, I'm not too proud to ask for your help'. Then Vincent piped up with 'Well, you might have been wrong about the prophecy, but at least you had a lot more fun over the last 100 years'. Both of them laughed at that last (dwarf humour I guess) and suddenly orders were being issued to evacuate both cities to the surface.
Well! what a day that was! - I sit writing this here at the bottom of the rift, the sea has welled up to cover the entrance to the dwarf cities. The flow has slowed significantly, but it is still coming, cool clear water that's good to drink and bathe in, for now at least. The dragon has bid us farewell, he has gone back to confront his sister, who sold him into slavery in the first place. I convinced him to terrorise a few gnoll cities on the way, and he took out a gnoll scouting party for me because I asked nicely. The dwarves now have no home, but they all seem ferverently convinced that I will lead them to a new one.
Personally, I think Yare could be quite nice.