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Dead Theologians Society Blog
← Week 37 of 50 in the Institutes: Thanks to Phil Ryken
Week 39 of 50 in the Institutes: The Mark of the Beast →
Week 38 of 50 in the Institutes: Holiness to the Lord
Why can't we all just get along? That phrase commonly surfaces whenever moral and doctrinal matters begin to be considered with any depth. The issues Calvin raised more than four centuries ago in regard to papal supremacy still remain as sticking points to this day between Protestants and Catholics. And as Rick Phillips pointed out in the September 25 blog (see link below), Calvin was "far from the politically correct emphasis on 'charity above all' in today's doctrinal disputes!"
We will do well here to pause and ask ourselves why it was that Calvin was so worked up about papal supremacy that he devoted so much space to it in the Institutes. Phillips credited this zeal on Calvin's part to a belief that life and death issues were at stake, and so they were. But I think another reason can be posited as well, namely, Calvin's view of God and zeal for his glory. I assert this because when he goes for the "jugular" in these sections (as Phillips puts it) in 4.7.24 when identifying the Roman pontiff as the Antichrist, Calvin has the honor and glory of God foremost in view:
To some we seem slanderous and petulant, when we call the Roman Pontiff Antichrist. But those who think so perceive not that they are bringing a charge of intemperance against Paul, after whom we speak, nay, in whose very words we speak. But lest any one object that Paul's words have a different meaning, and are wrested by us against the Roman Pontiff, I will briefly show that they can only be understood of the Papacy. Paul says that Antichrist would sit in the temple of God (2 Thess. 2:4). In another passage, the Spirit, portraying him in the person of Antiochus, says that his reign would be with great swelling words of vanity (Dan. 7:25). Hence we infer that his tyranny is more over souls than bodies, a tyranny set up in opposition to the spiritual kingdom of Christ. Then his nature is such, that he abolishes not the name either of Christ or the Church, but rather uses the name of Christ as a pretext, and lurks under the name of Church as under a mask. But though all the heresies and schisms which have existed from the beginning belong to the kingdom of Antichrist, yet when Paul foretells that defection will come, he by the description intimates that that seat of abomination will be erected, when a kind of universal defection comes upon the Church, though many members of the Church scattered up and down should continue in the true unity of the faith. But when he adds, that in his own time, the mystery of iniquity, which was afterwards to be openly manifested, had begun to work in secret, we thereby understand that this calamity was neither to be introduced by one man, nor to terminate in one man. Moreover, when the mark by which he distinguishes Antichrist is, that he would rob God of his honour and take it to himself, he gives the leading feature which we ought to follow in searching out Antichrist; especially when pride of this description proceeds to the open devastation of the Church. Seeing then it is certain that the Roman Pontiff has impudently transferred to himself the most peculiar properties of God and Christ, there cannot be a doubt that he is the leader and standard-bearer of an impious and abominable kingdom.
I think I'm safe in saying that few Reformed Protestants today will identify the Pope as the Antichrist. The Reformers and Puritans are not renown for their exegetical insights in this regard. But the spirit of Antichrist exists wherever Christ is opposed, and Calvin and the Reformers astutely discerned acute opposition to the gospel and Christ firmly ensconced in the institutional church of their day. So out of zeal for the Lord and his truth they railed against the corruption they encountered, perhaps sometimes with less charity than required (Eph. 4:15, "speaking the truth in love"). But at the end of the day they never forgot the holiness of the Lord, and that is the malady of our modern age.
This past week when gay marriage was in the headlines, one bystander was featured with a sign that said, "God loves. . . period!" Well, that isn't the whole truth. Nowhere in the Scriptures do we read: "Love, love, love is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his love." What we do find, instead, is: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." (Isa. 6:3) God, we see, is characterized as the thrice holy God.
Yes, the Lord is gracious, and he accepts penitent sinners just as they are. But his grace doesn't leave them as they are. In redeeming Adam's sinful, fallen race, he conforms his people to the image of his Son in holiness. The idea that "God loves. . . period" has it the other way around. But rather than conforming the Creator to the image of the corrupt creature (abandoning His holiness and becoming corrupt Himself), God instead maintains his own holiness and in salvation transforms the fallen creature into a new self, created after God in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). Anything else makes a mockery of the inscription on the High Priest's brow, "Holiness to the Lord" (Ex. 28:36), in that every believer in Christ now comprises a royal priesthood (1 Pe. 2:9). It was this affront to the Lord's holiness that so incensed Calvin. May we be faithful to the Lord in our generation as well, always speaking the truth in love, and never abandoning either.
Links to Reformation 21 blogs through the Institutes:
Sep. 21: 4.6.17 – 4.7.4
Sep. 22: 4.7.5 – 4.7.10
Sep. 23: 4.7.11 – 4.7.17
Filed under Calvin's Institutes
Tagged as Holiness
Overcoming the Knights Who Say, "Ni!"
The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification – Direction 14: Epilogue and Closing Exhortations
The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification – Direction 13: The Importance and Scope of the Means of Holiness
The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification – Direction 12: Making Use of Faith for the Immediate Performance of the Duties of the Law
The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification – Direction 11: Believing on Christ in a Right Manner
The Gospel Mystery o… on Week 19 of 50 in the Institute…
Michael on Midweek Rambling: William Perk…
PuritanReader on Week 44 of 50 in the Institute…
Flick on Week 44 of 50 in the Institute…
Week 44 of 50 in the… on Just Being a "Five Point…
Brooks – Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
Bunyan – Grace Abounding
Calvin's Institutes
Fisher – Marrow of Divinity
Marshall – The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
Midweek Ramblings
Octavius Winslow – Personal Declension & Revival In the Soul
The Christian In Complete Armour
1. Current Reading Selection – Where to Buy The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, by Walter Marshall
2. Reformation21 Online Magazine
3. John Owen – Writings and Theology Prince of the Puritans
4. Why You Should Read the Puritans – By Joel Beeke Nine reasons to read the Puritans today, and where to begin
Brooks – Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices (1)
Bunyan – Grace Abounding (10)
Calvin's Institutes (55)
Fisher – Marrow of Divinity (7)
Marshall – The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification (14)
Midweek Ramblings (11)
Octavius Winslow – Personal Declension & Revival In the Soul (10)
Reading Lists (1)
The Christian In Complete Armour (1)
1. Current Reading Selection – Where to Buy
2. Reformation21
3. John Owen – Writings and Theology
Dead Theologians Society Blog · Reflections on Puritan works and other dead guys!


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The Great Lemonation Imagination Collaboration
Brand agency CBX collaborated with 826NYC, an organization that helps under-resourced students in New York, to create design and packaging for a tropical oasis-style lemonade stand in New York City. The project was part of a special collaboration to support 826NYC's project-based learning format.
For two months, students and agency creatives developed concept and design for the 'Sweet 'n Sour Chillville' lemonade stand. The goal of the project was to spread the word about 826NYC's mission while giving children of the program, who range in age from nine to 12, the chance to work side-by-side with the CBX creative team on everything from the naming of the business to the design of the logo, stand, signage, product packaging, and uniforms.
The stand was unveiled at Manhattan's Flatiron Plaza on August 20, and 11 students from the organization interacted with the public, collecting donations and sharing the organization's mission with their customers. The effort raised nearly $3,000 for the Brooklyn-based organization.
Under the students' vision, the 10-ft. by 20-ft. installation was designed to resemble "a tropical oasis hidden in the heart of New York City's steamy concrete jungle," complete with a treasure chest cooler for the product, palm trees, towering Easter Island statues, flamingos, penguins, a misting system, and "Welcome to Paradise" signage. Information on the project and 826NYC was provided on a TV monitor and additional signage.
"The lemonade stand was a great opportunity for our students to not only learn about how to tell a story through branding with the folks at CBX, but to also lend their voice to why 826NYC is so important," noted Joshua Mandelbaum, executive director of 826NYC.
826 founder Dave Eggers added: "As a project-based learning center, 826 has always tried to focus on making things whereby the students feel like their work has real-world application. Having the students plan with the professionals at CBX, execute and then interact with the general public in Flatiron Plaza is an experience that will have a profound effect on these young people."
"Our purpose in taking part in this project was to energize the young creative minds of 826NYC and to enable them to see that their imaginations can be realized in a meaningful and tangible way," said Gregg S. Lipman, Managing Partner of the Manhattan-based CBX. "We wanted them to experience how gratifying it is to come up with an amazing idea and see it come to life. I'm proud that CBX was able to make a difference in these kids' lives, and we will continue to work with the organization in the future. It was a unique and fulfilling experience for the entire CBX staff, and a cool reminder as to why we are in the creative business in the first place."
826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping under-resourced students, ages 6-18, strengthen their writing skills and improve their academics through evening and weekend workshops, afterschool tutoring, in-schools projects, and creative writing field trips.
Along with CBX, two New York City firms, Big Apple Visual Group and Suite Spot lent their services on a pro-bono basis.
Read more: www.thedieline.com/blog/2014/9/9/the-great-lemonation-imagination-collaboration?utm_content=buffer9edc9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: C++ sorting text I was asked the following interview question:
If there are two string inputs what method can be used to print the letters the string inputs have in common. For example if the user
input:

working
soaked

output:

ok

What is the best algorithm to solve the problem?

A: Your description isn't unambiguous but the way I read it you want to know what letters are the same including position.
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>

int main() {
  std::string const a = "working";
  std::string const b = "soaked";

  for (int i = 0; i < std::min(a.size(), b.size()); ++i) {
    if (a[i] == b[i]) {
      std::cout << a[i];
    }
  }
}

Produces:
ok

A: Assuming it is english letters.
First I would use boolean array size of 26
bool array[26];

then make it true for each letter at index (letter-'a') (for upper letter-'A')
then for the second string do the same but this time cheking array[index]==true. if yes then add to common list;
Here is small test code:
 bool array[26];
  for(bool &arr:array )arr=false;
  char text1[]="working";
  char text2[]="soaked";
  char common[80]="";

  for(char x:text1){
    int m=x-'a'   ;
    if(m>=0 && m<26){
      array[m]   =true;
    }
  }
  int j=0;
  for(char x:text2){
    int m=x-'a'   ;
    if(m>=0 && m<26){
      if(array[m] ==true){
          common[j]=x;
          ++j;
           array[m]=false; //do not check again
      }

    }
  }
  common[j]='\0';
  printf("%s\n",common);

A: You tagged your question as c++ and @Igor provided what I think it's the optimal solution for that problem. However, I'd like to contribute with a language-agnostic pseudo-code that solves the problem using the same technique as std::set_intersection:
input: string a, string c
output: string c with common letters

sort(a) // O(nlog(n))
sort(b) // O(mlog(m))
c = empty

i = 0
j = 0
// O(min(n,m))
while i < length(a) && j < length(b) do
  if a[i] == b[j]
    add(c, a[i])
    // increment indexes avoiding duplicates
    do i = i + 1 until a[i] != a[i-1] or i == length(a)
    do j = j + 1 until b[j] != b[j-1] or j == length(b)
  else if a[i] < b[j]
    i = binary_search from a[i+1] to a[end] for b[j]
  else
    j = binary_search from b[j+1] to b[end] for a[i]
  end
end

// Total cost (nlog(n))
return c

A: I would note that set_intersection can appply to any sorted collection, not just std::set. Instead of copying from the strings to sets, then doing set_intersection, I'd just sort the strings and do the set_intersection on them.
This has the advantage of working (what I'd interpret as) correctly in the presence of repeated letters.  E.g. given inputs of "wood" and "book" it would produce "oo" instead of just "o".

A: string a = "working";
string b = "soaked";
set<char> setA(a.begin(), a.end());
set<char> setB(b.begin(), b.end());

vector<char> common;
set_intersection(setA.begin(), setA.end(), setB.begin(), setB.end(),
                 back_inserter(common));

copy(common.begin(), common.end(), ostream_iterator<char>(cout));

In fact, if no further processing is needed on the intersection, can send it straight to cout:
set_intersection(setA.begin(), setA.end(), setB.begin(), setB.end(),
                 ostream_iterator<char>(cout));

A: I would probably approach it like this:
std::set<char> common_characters(std::string const & a, std::string const & b) {
    std::set<char> common;

    std::string const & smaller = (a.size() < b.size()) ? a : b;
    std::string const & larger  = (a.size() < b.size()) ? b : a;

    std::set<char> chars(smaller.begin(), smaller.end());

    for (char i : larger) {
        auto found = chars.find(i);

        if (found != chars.end()) {
            common.insert(*found);
        }
    }

    return common;
}

It's not as slick as using set_intersection() (as in Igor's answer) but it has lower memory complexity and could perform faster as well, depending on the particular input strings.

A: A simple and efficient solution, which doesn't need to allocate any more memory (for sets), would be to sort both strings, and then scan through them in parallell, like in the merge step of mergesort. Here is an implementation in plain C:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

int charcmp(char *p, char *q) { return *p - *q; }

int main() {
    char a[] = "working";
    char b[] = "soaked";

    int al = strlen(a);
    int bl = strlen(b);

    qsort(a, al, 1, charcmp);
    qsort(b, bl, 1, charcmp);

    int i = 0, j = 0;
    while (i < al && j < bl) {
        if      (a[i] == b[j]) { printf("%c", a[i]); i++; j++; }
        else if (a[i] < b[j])  {                     i++;      }
        else                   {                          j++; }
    }
    printf("\n");
}

Of course, if the strings are as short as in the example, there is no point in sorting, just scan through one string and look up in the other. But this algorithm scales well with very big string (it's linearithmic, while the lookup version is quadratic).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I set up Intranet Focus Ltd. in 1999, so this year is the 20th Anniversary. Over the last two decades I have worked on over 100 intranet projects in Europe, North America and the Gulf States. Most of these projects have focused on the development of an intranet strategy, with may of them leading to writing the specification for a content management application and working with the project team on the selection and implementation.
Over the last ten years my work has diversified considerably into enterprise search, collaboration and digital workplace projects.
I authored The Intranet Management Handbook, published by Facet Publishing in 2011. This remains the only commercially-published book on intranet management.
In 2017 I wrote Managing Expectations- Building Client-Consultant Partnerships, with a particular focus on intranet project management.


Hoi An, to most of the tourists, is considered to be so famous whenever being mentioned thanks to its ancient beauty together with the tranquil atmosphere and friendly people there. Coming to Hoi An, visitors must explore Hoi An old quarter since it's the iconic feature of Hoi An town. Reaching deeper inside this peaceful town is the Japanese covered bridge. People often say that if you didn't visit special Japanese bridge temple once you already went to Hoi An, it's like you have never come here!
It's a bridge that connects the 2 major streets of Hoi An Old Quarter: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Tran Phu Street, looking over the peaceful Thu Bon River. Tracing back to many years ago, the Japanese Covered Bridge was built with an intention of being as a samurai sword to deter the monster Mamazu, which has its head in India, its tail in Japan and its back in Vietnam, from causing earthquakes and other calamities whenever it moves. It's also because of the historical legend that people living there called it The Japanese Bridge. In fact, the bridge was constructed by the Japanese trading community in 1593 to exchange and do commercial trading with Chinese area on the other side of a small stream. It has another name which is Chua Cau (Bridge Pagoda) because from the outside, it's actually a just a bridge to go pass to the other side of the river. However, when entering the bridge, you will see a pagoda, looks like a temple in the north of the bridge. That's why we have the name Chua Cau for it.
To get there, it's much easier than you thought. Located in the heart of Hoi An Old Quarter, the Japanese Bridge is a perfect place for you to walk. Of course you can hire a bicycle and ride around Hoi An Town to discover a wonderful moment that can be hardly seen from those crowded busy cities and you won't be worried about the traffic jam since the town is so small and quiet. You can stay in a hotel in Hoi An old town with the price of over 500.000 VND per night to reach it closer.
The bridge was constructed with a roof so that it could be used as a shelter from rain and sun. Through the period of improvement and reconstruction by Vietnamese people, it has lost the Japanese design and based on the style of antique Vietnamese dynasty. The structure was started in 1593 which is year of the monkey and finished in 1595, year of the dog, there are two statues of both animal placed at both ends of the bridge. They are, according to Japanese culture, symbols of the guardians of sacredness and luck.
Inside the bridge, although it is a pagoda, there is not any statue of Buddha but a temple of the northern God Tran Vo Bac De instead who is considered the God of Weather. He controls all kinds of climate changes and natural calamities, so the sailors both worship and fear him. Standing on the Japanese bridge, you will have a chance to enjoy the tranquility and fresh atmosphere of Hoi An town as well as watch the river flowing slightly as if everything is in its slow motion. In addition, at the other end of the bridge, visitors may find several interesting galleries with those ancient souvenirs. One more thing you will find interesting is that such a place can't be ignore for those who want to take photos, with a charming historical background and amazing red faded color. The landscape will become much more elegant at night with the help of the lighting.
The Japanese Bridge has been an invaluable property and the symbol of Hoi An as well as a iconic structure to all of warmly kind people living there. Once visiting Hoi An Old Quarter and the Japanese Bridge, you would feel the reason why it's an icon of Hoi An and listed on the 20.000 VND money bill of Vietnam. If you are kind of a person who likes simplicity and tranquility, you must not ignore this place on your Hoi An walking tour.


text:
WWF Superstars 1/9/1988
World Wrestling Federation presents Superstars
1.) The Islanders defeated Jerry Gray & Lanny Poffo
2.) Jake Roberts defeated Wellington Wilkins
3.) Dino Bravo defeated Scott Casey
4.) Sam Houston defeated Terry Gibbs
5.) Butch Reed defeated Sivi Afi
6.) Demolition defeated Jim Evans & Mike Richards
1. Bobby Heenan was walking an invisible dog when the Islanders came out for their jobber match. During the bout, the British Bulldogs share pre-tape comments about where Matilda is. They want to know if the dog is okay because they love the dog very much. Dynamite Kid would appreciate Jack Tunney do something to help them get their dog back. After the match, Jack Tunney asks Heenan and the Islanders to come to the podium because he has an announcement. Tunney suspends the Islanders indefinitely until Matilda is found.
2. Jim Duggan cut a promo regarding his match with King Harley Race at the January 25th MSG house show. Duggan talked about being sick of Race and his fancy music. He doesn't like that Race thinks he is better then everyone else.
3. Mean Gene interviews Rick Rude who will be wrestling WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan at the Boston Gardens later tonight. Rude tells Hogan he will do a strip tease whenever he wants because he doesn't care about what Hogan thinks. Rude is going to do a strip tease all around Hogan's body!
4. Danny Davis shared some pre-tape comments during Sam Houston's match. Davis said that his New Years Resolution is to get rid of Houston for good.
5. Ted DiBiase and Virgil were interviewed by Craig DeGeorge at the podium. DiBiase talks about saying Hogan was a fool for not accepting a generous offer. DiBiase gets what he wants. He wants the WWF World Championship and he will buy it. DiBiase introduces the man who will hand deliver the WWF World Championship to him as being… Andre the Giant! Bobby Heenan is with Andre and says that Hogan is a fool. Heenan thanks DiBiase for allowing him to live comfortably. DiBiase asks Andre if he will deliver the WWF World Championship to him. Andre says he is going to deliver the championship to DiBiase. That's right, DiBiase has bought Andre from Heenan!
6. To close the show, Ted DiBiase is interviewed by Mean Gene. DiBiase talks about having Andre on his team and says that the WWF World Championship will be his. DiBiase says that he actually likes Jake Roberts but at the Boston Gardens he is going to be embarrassed. DiBiase warns Roberts that he will have to deal with Virgil if he lets the snake out of the bag.
I actually enjoyed the show. Sure, the squash matches didn't have much going on but the angle advancements were entertaining. The Rick Rude promo was decent, but it makes me wonder what he could've done with Hogan in a long program. The DiBiase interview segment is the big angle on the show having acquired Andre to get the WWF World Championship for him. That's actually a big deal, I would think.
Overall, I thought it was a fine episode. It's probably one of the better first of the year episodes that I've watched, honestly.


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Home / Learn / Gem Differences
Transparency is important to us. We have designed our education section just for you. Learning about shiny pretty things just got easier!
The 4C's of Diamonds The 4C's of Sapphires Gem Differences Check Your Ring Size The 4C's of DiamondsThe 4C's of SapphiresGem DifferencesCheck Your Ring Size
Gem Differences
There are so many gems, how is one to choose?! Below are some of our most popular gemstones. Don't see your gemstone choice, feel free to reach out to us and we'll line you up with an expert that will walk you through the details!
Discover Your Favorite
Mohs Scale: 8.5
Alexandrite - The Alexandrite stone is known for its natural color-changing abilities in different lights, from rich green to a brown or a purple. This stone, if naturally grown, is rare and can be fairly expensive. These gems are naturally mined in Brazil, East Africa, Russia, and Sri Lanka. Love & Promise Jewelers carries both the natural and synthetic version of the stone. Shop Alexandrite Products
Mohs Scale: 7
From light pastel lilac to a deep concord grape color, the amethyst comes in a variety of purples. An abundance of natural amethyst stones makes the gem affordable. These stones are found primarily in Brazil, Zambia, Uruguay, and Sri Lanka.
Mohs Scale: 7.5 - 8
Known for its icy bluish hues in a variety of shades, the aquamarine is usually blessed with very few if any imperfections. The intensity of this stone's color is directly correlated with its depth; the larger the stone, the richer the color. These gems are found in Brazil, China, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia. Shop Aquamarine Products
Citrine - This stone ranges in color from a light yellow to a deep burnt-orangish yellow. Part of the quartz family, citrine is a close relative of topaz and amethyst. Citrines are found in Bolivia, Spain, and Brazil.
Famous for its rich green colors, the emerald was first discovered in Egypt and was known to be the favorite stone of Cleopatra. The most beautiful emeralds are found in Colombia and Zambia. Emeralds can also be found in Pakistan, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and Russia. Even though this stone measures highly on hardness, this stone ranks fair to poor in toughness so it must be worn with extra care! Shop Emerald Products
Mohs Scale: 9.25
Moissanite by Charles & Colvard©- Moissanite is the number one alternative to a naturally occurring diamond. Color is bright and clear, appearing like a standard diamond. Shop Moissanite Products
Discovered on the African island of Madagascar, morganite was hailed as an exciting new gem. As Madagascar's morganite declined, Brazil became the gem's top producer. The gem's finest color is a deep magenta; however, most morganites are a pale pink. The gem's beauty and limited availability make it a favorite of collectors. Shop Morganite Products
Perhaps the best-loved among gemstones, pearls are treasures from the Earth's streams, rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans and are naturally occurring organic gems that form in the bodies of certain mollusks. The pearl occurs in a wide variety of colors. The most popular are white and cream, although black, gray, and silver are also common colors. Cultured pearls are formed in mollusks that are raised specifically for culturing and require human intervention and care. Among the many different types of pearl are Akoya, South Sea, and Freshwater. Pearls are very soft and easily scratched.
The ancient Egyptians called peridot the "gem of the sun." The stone is usually transparent, though it also comes in a range of colors from brownish or yellowish green to greenish yellow. The most sought-after colors are bright lime green and the more subdued olive greens. The gem is relatively inexpensive and plentiful. Peridot is found in Burma, Pakistan, and the United States.
The most common and affordable transparent gem, quartz, often known as Smoky Quartz, varies in color from light to dark brown. Smoky Quartz rarely comes in sizes under a carat. Larger stones are available in most standard shapes and sizes. The gem has good durability, so it's suitable for any type of jewelry. Smoky Quartz is found in Brazil, Switzerland, and the United States.
The world's best-known red gem, the ruby was worn in Medieval Europe to promote health, wealth, and wisdom. Large, fine-quality rubies are extremely rare and valuable. The most expensive ruby color is a deep red. Other colors include light pink, purple, or orangy red. Rubies are found in Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. Shop Ruby Products
For centuries, sapphires have been associated with royalty and romance. Many sapphires are blue, but the gem comes in many other colors including green, purple, and yellow. Colorless sapphires are popular diamond imitations. Sapphires come in many sizes and grades and many are easily available.The gem is found across the globe in Australia, Cambodia, China, Kenya, Thailand, and the United States. Shop Sapphire Products
Blue is the most available color for topaz, though it also comes in a wide range of colors from brown, blue, and green to yellow, red, and purple. Topaz is a good alternative to aquamarine as it is lower in cost and more intense in color. Topaz is found in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, and the United States. Shop Topaz Products
Mohs Scale: 7 - 7.5
The name of this gemstone is derived from toramalli, a Sinhalese word meaning "mixed gems." Tourmaline has one of the widest color ranges of any gem species coming in various shades of almost every hue and is often mistaken for rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Tourmaline is found in Brazil, Madagascar, Burma, Russia, and the United States.
Find Your Perfect Gem
Shop Gemstones


From Luke - The Recovery Letters. Letters written from those recovering from depression, addressed to anyone experiencing it.
My name is Luke. I am 40 years old and live in the UK.
Since childhood, I have felt myself to be different to everyone else. I was on the fringes, standing alone at parties. I spent most my sixth form avoiding school and sitting in the local library. I made it through University somehow and worked in IT for a number of years, still not fitting in and turning more to alcohol to self-medicate my depression, anxiety and general 'otherness'. I didn't know who I was or where I was going. I ran away to Australia for a year. My problems followed me. I had a string of disastrous relationships and many relocations back to my family home when the depression got too bad.
I am now back living with my parents and on new medication which needs a slow titration until I reach the appropriate dose. I don't own my own house, am in debt, don't have any income and most of my friends have long since given up on me. Some days I am overwhelmingly suicidal; and can't do those small helpful things. And yet somewhere deep inside of me there is still hope.
If you are going to see a psychiatrist, don't treat it like a job interview and present your best self. Be you on your bad days. Don't deceive but be as detailed as possible about your darkest thoughts. It might save your life.


Personal Creations was the winner of the 2016 Bizrate Circle of.Shop Hallmark for the biggest selection of greeting cards, Christmas ornaments, gift wrap, home decor and gift ideas to celebrate holidays, birthdays, weddings and more.
Last spring I was contacted by Target to create holiday themed cookies to be photographed and printed on these gift cards.Offers and discounts do not apply to gift cards or certificates, international or same-day.
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The official website of the Minnesota Twins with the most up-to-date information on scores,.


IPFire is an open source Linux distribution that acts primarily as a router and firewall, with a web-based user interface for configuration.
IPFire is based on Linux from Scratch. The basic system is relatively slim, services such as: DHCP server, VPN based on IPSec / OpenVPN, firewall filters can be activated / deactivated. Pakfire, the Pakage package management system, can be used to install extensions and updates.
Although IPfire can be virtualized like an ordinary operating system, a 'real firewall' should always run on physical hardware, as network performance makes the difference, see the table below, throughput values with associated CPU, and network adapters.
The hardware we offer is tested for compatibility with IPfire, as shown below. See the complete TCP throughput test as a PDF with measured throughput values after the default installation.
Firewall Hardware Appliance with Intel CPU J3355 2x2-2.5GHz (option J3455) AES-NI, 19 inch 1U industrie chassis is the ideal platform for Firewall & VPN.
SBR701-1U-FW (successor of SBR611-1U-FW) with Intel G4400 2x3.3GHz, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 120GB SSD SATA3 HDD, 19inch 1U Rack Version, 3x GBit .
SBR711-1U-FW with Intel G4560 2x3.5GHz, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 120GB SSD SATA3 HDD, 3x Intel GBit PCIe LAN, 19 inch 1U Rack Version .
Fanless firewall hardware appliance SBR4LAN2 consisting of 2 devices with Intel quad J1900 mounted in 19inch 1U rack ideal for redundant solutions.
Firewall Hardware Appliance: SBR706-1U-FW, 19inch 1U Rack Version, 6 Intel Gigabit NICs, Quad Xeon CPU, E3-1220V6 4x3 GHz, 4GB DDR3 ECC RAM.
We optionally install pfSense, OPNsense, ClearOS, RouterOS in addition to IPfire.
The hardware is mostly compatible with other Linux and FreeBSD operating systems like: Endian, Smoothwall, IPcop, CentOS, Sophos, Untangle, Ubuntu, Debian, openSuse, Red Hat, Fedora and more.
Beside 36-month warranty for firewall hardware, we offer additional benefits.
By default firewall hardware is available as mini desktop case and rack version 19 inch 1U, see pictures.
If you want to order the hardware, you have the possibility to configure it with more: RAM, CPU, hard disks, network adapters etc. Quantity availability is also shown for selected components in the shop. The relevant category is: Firewall-Hardware. For your questions, for an individual PDF offer write us.


I haven't shared a craft in a while and with today being the first official day of the Summer holidays here, I thought it was a good time to do so.
This pocket-sized game is quick and easy to make and perfect for playing in cafés, waiting rooms or while travelling. It will hopefully keep little ones entertained for at least a few minutes longer than it takes to make it!
Use the base of the matchbox as a template to make 20 cards that will fit inside your matchbox.
Use the stickers to make 10 pairs of matching cards.
Pack the cards into your matchbox and give your game a name. You can add any extra stickers to it for decoration.
To play the game, place all cards face down on a table. Players take it in turns to find a matching pair by turning over two cards. If the two cards do not match, turn them back face down and it's the next person's turn. The winner is the person with the most pairs at the end of the game.
You can add more cards for longer playtime or for slightly older children. It's so handy to pop in your bag and have on hand for emergency distractions!
And there's also a cool new addition to the magazine - my friend Naomi, from Dr. How's Science Wows, has a gorgeous new 'Science for Kids' column that we are loving here at Where Wishes HQ. We'll definitely be trying out these lovely Lavender Bath Bombs from the current edition!


I have been privileged to serve as our country's 26th Secretary of Defense which has allowed me to serve alongside our men and women of the Department in defense of our citizens and our ideals.
I am proud of the progress that has been made over the past two years on some of the key goals articulated in our National Defense Strategy: putting the Department on a more sound budgetary footing, improving readiness and lethality in our forces, and reforming the Department's business practices for greater performance. Our troops continue to provide the capabilities needed to prevail in conflict and sustain strong U.S. global influence.
One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships. While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies. Like you, I have said from the beginning that the armed forces of the United States should not be the policeman of the world. Instead, we must use all tools of American power to provide for the common defense, including providing effective leadership to our alliances. NATO's 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America. The Defeat-ISIS coalition of 74 nations is further proof.
Similarly, I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours. It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model - gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic, and security decisions - to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense.
Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. The end date for my tenure is February 28, 2019, a date that should allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Department's interests are properly articulated and protected at upcoming events to include Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February. Further, that a full transition to a new Secretary of Defense occurs well in advance of the transition of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in September in order to ensure stability within the Department.


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Anita Durairaj
I write unique and interesting articles for discerning NewsBreak readers.
This may be the safest place in Kentucky to survive a nuclear attack
Anita Durairaj 2021-11-22
Photo by Federal Government of the United States; Wikimedia Commons; Public Domain Image
In the 1960s amidst the Cuban Missile Crisis, Louisville, Kentucky was considered to be the safest place in the U.S.
Louisville is the home of the Mega Cavern - an underground cavern that was slated to be used as a bomb shelter during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The cavern has the capacity to hold 50,000 people and the plan was to hold as many people as possible in the cavern in case of a nuclear bomb.
The cavern was even set up with barracks, food supplies, and a hospital during that time.
Today the Louisville Mega Cavern is an entertainment venue as well as a storage center. It is considered to be the largest building in Kentucky.
According to some geologists, it is also considered to be the safest place in Kentucky. The cavern is reportedly tornado and hurricane-proof. Some of the walls in the tavern are also heavy-duty and blast-proof.
With its previous designation as a nuclear fallout shelter, the cavern still retains the capability of serving as a safe shelter.
In a fallout shelter, the walls and roofs should be thick and dense enough to absorb the radiation from the nuclear reaction.
A fallout shelter may also be located in the lowermost levels and the Louisville Mega Cavern is a subterranean cavern. In fact, you cannot even receive any TV or radio signals underground in the cavern.
Hopefully, there will be no reasons to use a fallout shelter but it is good to know that there is one readily available in Kentucky.
# Kentucky
More from Anita Durairaj
Old papyrus fragment was worded to imply that Jesus had married but then it turned out to be fake
Gospel of Jesus' wife papyrus fragmentPicture by unknown author; Wikimedia Commons; Public Domain in the United States. It was 2012 when the world was stunned at the finding of a papyrus fragment that ended up being called the Gospel of Jesus's Wife.
The most expensive iPhone costs $2.6 million and is designed with gold, platinum, and flawless diamonds
Representation of the iPhonePicture by Jaagupmaidla; Wikimedia Commons; CC-BY-SA-4.0 International. Designer Stuart Hughes is selling the world's most expensive iPhone at a staggering cost of $2.6 million (conversion from British Pounds 1,930,000).
Ancient Devil Frog was the size of a beach ball and aggressive enough to eat dinosaurs
Pencil drawing and digital coloring of the Devil FrogPicture by Nobu Tamura; Wikipedia; CC-BY-SA-3.0 Beelezebufo ampinga was an ancient, pre-historic frog that was also called the Devil Frog.
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The Common Raven is not so common in Kentucky
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The venom in this octopus is 1000 times more powerful than cyanide and can kill 26 adult humans
Greater blue-ringed octopusPicture by Rickard Zerpe; Wikimedia Commons; CC-By-SA 2.0. All octopi are venomous when it comes to killing their prey. However, the majority of octopi are not as deadly to humans as the tiny blue-ringed octopus (genus Hapalochlaena).
The heaviest venomous snake in the world is native to the United States
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakePicture by Ltshears; Wikimedia Commons: CC-BY-SA-3.0 According to the Natural History Museum, the heaviest venomous snake in the world is the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. It is also the largest rattlesnake in the world.
The deadliest tsunami in the U.S. reached a vertical height of 55 feet inland and killed 173 people
Depiction of tsunamiPicture by llhador; Wikimedia Commons; Public Domain Image. Since 1737, there have been a total of 73 tsunamis (or tidal waves) in the United States. A tsunami is a tidal wave that is caused by an underwater earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption.
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The oldest living thing in Kentucky has been alive since the 1600s
Picture by Wrenn & King; Wikimedia Commons: Public Domain Image in the United States. Humans tend to be lucky if they live to be a hundred years old. On the other hand, there are some living organisms that enjoy a longer life than humans. These include giant tortoises (~180 years), the bowhead whale (~200 years), a Greenland shark (~400 years), a quahog clam (~507 years), and possibly many others including marine organisms and trees.
A supervolcano eruption in the U.S. could be 2000 times larger than that of Mount St. Helens
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People killed by lightning strikes in 2021 were mostly involved in this recreational activity
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These invasive ants in Kentucky sting with a burning sensation
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These common insects found in Kentucky may be edible as human food
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Visions of Venus at the Dawn of the Space Age
Posted on November 7, 2014 by launiusr
A pulp fiction story of life on Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
As Earth's "sister planet," many have long speculated about the nature of Venus and the possibility of life existing there in some form. Through much of the nineteenth century observers harbored hopes that Venus might be a place teeming with life. As R.A. Proctor wrote in 1870, because of its similarity to Earth "on the whole, the evidence we have points very strongly to Venus as the abode of living creatures not unlike the inhabitants of earth."
In the latter part of the nineteenth century, however, a series of astronomical observations suggested Venus might be much less conducive to life similar to that seen on Earth than previously expected. R.G. Aitken, an astronomer at Lick Observatory, argued admitted that the possibility of life there "must be utterly desolate."
Even so, and perhaps surprisingly, in the first half of the twentieth century a popular theory held that the sun had gradually been cooling for millennia and that as it did so, each planet in the solar system had a turn as a haven for life of various types. Although it was now Earth's turn to harbor life, the theory suggested that Mars had once been habitable and that life on Venus was now just beginning to evolve. Beneath the clouds of the planet, the theory offered, was a warm, watery world and the possibility of aquatic and amphibious life. "It was reasoned that if the oceans of Venus still exist, then the Venusian clouds may be composed of water droplets," noted JPL researchers as late as 1963; "if Venus were covered by water, it was suggested that it might be inhabited by Venusian equivalents of Earth's Cambrian period of 500 million years ago, and the same steamy atmosphere could be a possibility."
This theory was popularized by Svante Arrhenius, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist who reached millions with popular lectures and publications. Arguing for a tropical environment of more than 37.8 Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) Arrhenius posited a strikingly wet atmosphere on Venus, one conducive to the rise of aquatic and amphibian life. He wrote:
We must therefore conclude that everything on Venus is dripping wet…A very great part of the surface of Venus is no doubt covered with swamps, corresponding to those on the Earth in which the coal deposits were formed…The constantly uniform climactic [sic] conditions which exist everywhere result in an entire absence of adaptation to changing exterior conditions. Only low forms of life are therefore represented, mostly no doubt belonging to the vegetable kingdom; and the organisms are nearly of the same kind all over the planet. The vegetative processes are greatly accelerated by the high temperatures.
Arrhenius speculated that more complex life forms might have evolved at the Venusian poles since the temperatures would not be quite as hot there, and with that "progress and culture…will gradually spread from the poles toward the equator."
The director of the Smithsonian Observatory, Charles Greeley Abbot, took these ideas even further in the 1920s. He argued that Venus's "high reflecting power seems to show that Venus is largely covered by clouds indicative of abundant moisture, probably at almost identical temperatures to ours." Abbot even speculated that Earth might make contact with life on Venus, evincing his excitement at coming "into fluent communication by wireless with a race brought up completely separate, having their own systems of government, social usages, religions, and surrounded by vegetation and animals entirely unrelated to any here on earth. It would be a revelation far beyond the opening of Japan, or the discoveries of Egyptologists, or the adventures of travelers in the dark continent."
Thus the debate over the climate of Venus portended a larger debate over the possibilities of life in the solar system. Venus's atmosphere, the pressures it had, the presence or absence of atmospheric oxygen, H2O, and CO2 fundamentally informed this debate. It led to a succession of planetary theories concerning Venus. Measurement of these climate characteristics constrained theoretical models of planetary evolution while also restraining some of the more exotic speculations about Martian and Venerean life.
Venus imaged through the clouds by the Magellan spacecraft in the late 1980s-early 1990s.
By the 1930s the detection of carbon dioxide in its thick atmosphere forced scientists grudgingly to abandon the idea that Venus contained a carboniferous swamp. The scientists investigating Venus replaced the pre-Cambrian environment, as Carl Sagan noted in 1961, for "an arid planetary desert, overlain by clouds of dust from the wind-swept surface." They continued to search for water vapor, but failed to find it. What scientists found was carbon dioxide, a lot of it; a layer of gas roughly equivalent to a two mile deep ocean at a pressure similar to that of Earth. In 1939 astronomer Rupert Wildt postulated a "greenhouse effect" with temperatures far above what was present on Earth. As astronomer Ronald A. Schorn concluded, "By 1940 there was good reason to believe that conditions on Venus were harsh and life impossible." Charles Greeley Abbot, for one, refused to change his perspective. He wrote in 1946 that "the conditions may possibly be as favorable for life there as on our earth."
A few others agreed with Abbot. For example, in 1955 Soviet astronomer G.A. Tikhoff commented:
Now already we can say a few things about the vegetation of Venus. Owing to the high temperatures on this planet, the plants must reflect all the heat rays, of which those visible to the eye are the rays from red to green inclusive. This gives the plants a yellow hue. In addition, the plants must radiate red rays. With the yellow, this gives them an orange color. Our conclusions concerning the color of vegetation on Venus find certain confirmation in the observation…that in those pats of Venus where the Sun's rays possibly penetrate the clouds to be reflected by the planet's surface, there is a surplus of yellow and red rays.
Subsequent measurements largely overturned these idea about Venus as a planet teeming with life even before the dawn of interplanetary travel.
So bleak did the situation appear by 1961 that even Carl Sagan thought it unlikely that the planet has ever harbored life. He concluded:
At such high temperatures, and in the absence of liquid water, it appears very unlikely that there are indigenous surface organisms at the present time. If life based upon carbon-hydrogen-oxygen-nitrogen chemistry ever developed in the early history of Venus, it must subsequently have evolved to sub-surface or atmospheric ecological niches. However, since, as has been mentioned, there can have been no appreciable periods of time when Venus had both extensive bodies of water and surface temperatures below the boiling point of water, it is unlikely that life ever arose on Venus.
After carrying out ground-based efforts in 1961 to view the planet using radar, which could "see" through the clouds, and learning among other things that Venus rotated in a retrograde motion opposite from the direction of orbital motion, both the Soviet Union and the United States began a race to the planet with robotic spacecraft to learn the truth about the planet and its prospects for life. The Soviets tried first, launching Venera 1 on February 12, 1961. Unlike lunar exploration, however, the Soviets did not win the race to Venus; their spacecraft broke down on the way. The United States claimed the first success in planetary exploration during the summer of 1962 when Mariner 1 and Mariner 2 were launched toward Venus. Although Mariner 1 was lost during a launch failure, Mariner 2 flew by Venus on December 14, 1962, at a distance of 21,641 miles.
It investigated the clouds, estimated planetary temperatures, measured the charged particle environment, and looked for a magnetic field similar to Earth's magnetosphere (but found none). Most important, it confirmed that the planet's surface was an inferno. A report stated:
Earth-based measurements of microwave emissions from Venus had indicated a temperature of about 600 °F., but researchers did not—and could not—know whether the emissions came from the surface, from cloud layers in the atmosphere or from a dense ionosphere high overhead. The question was answered by a microwave radiometer aboard Mariner 2, which revealed "limb-darkening" (weaker emissions at the edge of the planet's disk than at the center). The conclusion was not only that the surface was the hot part, but that, at about 800 °F., it was even hotter than the earth-based data had implied. An infrared radiometer, meanwhile, took temperatures high in the atmosphere, revealing, to the scientists' disappointment, no breaks in the clouds.
Certainly, such an environment made unlikely the theory that life—at least as humans understood it—had ever existed on Venus.
Homer Newell with John Kennedy and others at the time of the Mariner 2 mission to Venus in 1962.
Subsequent planetary spacecraft revealed that Venus was superheated because of the greenhouse effect of the cloud layer, and that the pressure on the surface was about 90 atmospheres, far greater than even in the depths of the oceans on Earth. Add to this the observations of James Pollack and others using aircraft-based near-infrared spectroscopy in 1974 that found on Venus a cloud sheet made predominantly of sulfuric acid, and the possibilities of life on the planet appeared as remote as they had ever been.
Although one would think that evidence from the spacecraft sent to Venus would be conclusive, overwhelmingly altering most of the beliefs held as recently as a generation ago about Venus as an abode of life, such was only partially true. For example, data from the Pioneer Venus mission suggested that in the distant past Venus had an ocean that may have existed for as long as a billion years, certainly enough to spawn primitive life, before sublimating the moisture into space. Planetary scientist Thomas M. Donahue reported that he and his team of researchers had found traces of water molecules in the upper atmosphere of Venus in 1993: "The data indicate that Venus was a pretty wet planet." Notwithstanding, any beliefs held about Venus as a tropical, proto-organic planet have proven a bust.
This entry was posted in Science, Space and tagged 1960s, carl sagan, Charles Greeley Abbot, G.A. Tikhoff, James Pollack, Lick Observatory, Mariner 2, NASA, public perceptions, R.A. Proctor, R.G. Aitken, Ronald A. Schorn, Rupert Wildt, science, Smithsonian Observatory, space science, Svante Arrhenius, Thomas M. Donahue, U.S. Civil Space, Venera 1, Venus. Bookmark the permalink.
1 Response to Visions of Venus at the Dawn of the Space Age
Dave Clow says:
THE rain continued. It was a hard rain, a perpetual rain, a sweating and steaming rain; it was a mizzle, a downpour, a fountain, a whipping at the eyes, an undertow at the ankles; it was a rain to drown all rains and the memory of rains. It came by the pound and the ton, it hacked at the jungle and cut the trees like scissors and shaved the grass and tunneled the soil and molted the bushes. It shrank men's hands into the hands of wrinkled apes; it rained a solid glassy rain, and it never stopped.
"How much farther, Lieutenant?"
"I don't know. A mile, ten miles, a thousand."
"Aren't you sure?"
"How can I be sure?"
"I don't like this rain. If we only knew how far it is to the Sun Dome, I'd feel better."
"Another hour or two from here."
"You really think so, Lieutenant?"
"Or are you lying to keep us happy?"
"I'm lying to keep you happy. Shut up!"
(Ray Bradbury, "The Long Rain" from The Illustrated Man.)


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