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text:
2020 Pre-Season XC Rankings
Coach Interviews
Pre-Season NorCal Cross Country team rankings
Nearly impossible this year with mostly no spring Track and Field season. Feel free to comment below on teams I may have missed or teams that you feel should be ranked higher. The SJS divisions have not been posted yet so I had to either make an educated guess or leave as a question mark.
1) Bellarmine (CCS) Division I
2) Jesuit (SJS) Division I
3) De La Salle (NCS) Division II
4) Campolindo (NCS) Division III
5) Davis (SJS) Division I
6) Dublin (NCS) Division I
7) Bella Vista (SJS) Division?
8) Monte Vista (NCS) Division II
9) Sir Francis Drake (NCS) Division III
10) Scotts Valley (CCS) Division IV
On the Bubble
Amador Valley (NCS) Division II
Granada (NCS) Division II
1) St. Francis, Mt. View (CCS) Division II
2) St. Francis, Sacramento (SJS) Division?
3) Oak Ridge (SJS) Division I
5) Del Oro (SJS) Division III
6) Dougherty Valley (NCS) Division I
7) Redwood (NCS) Division II
8) Granada (NCS) Division II
9) College Park (NCS) Division II
10) Menlo School (CCS) Division IV
Vista del Lago (SJS) Division III
SF University (NCS) Division V
Lick-Wilmerding (NCS) Division V
Individuals will be posted next...
Posted by Albert Caruana at 8/05/2020 04:58:00 PM
Labels: 2020 Cross Country, 2020 Pre-Season XC Rankings, NorCal Rankings '20
Regardless of enrollment numbers, St Francis (SJS) will move up to D1, based on competitive equity rules and winning last 4 D2 section titles.
Oak Ridge (SJS) girls will be hard-pressed to repeat as D1 section champs, but should make for good race.
Vista Del Lago (SJS) girls should fill the void left by St Francis moving up, and have Klos (sub 17 min) and 2 other low 18 min 5k teammates. Not sure about their 4&5 runners.
With the extra 6 months of training from the delayed start, freshman are going to catch up and bring more impact this year.
Albert Caruana said...
Good analysis. Appreciate the post and agree about the freshman impact with a longer buildup to the season.
Gotta find room for Del Oro. Chamberlain's younger sister is a freshman. And I believe they picked up a quality transfer.
Del Oro was definitely on my radar. Thank you for the additional information.
Amador Valley boys will be very top heavy with Lester & Houston (they have a 1:48 & 4:05 guy who might not be their #1) they also have 5 of 8 returning thou they are far back. 3 thru 7 are very young & with the extra time they could be very good. Only time will tell. Would not overlook them.
Just asked our principal how sports are going to look once we transition to hybrid. "Won't be able to have sports until students are 100% back on campus."
At this point I doubt we start Dec 12th.
That's quite a list Albert. Every team is from a private or public school of privilege that all serve higher income communities.
If there is a coach from a disadvantaged school who has a team that can crack Albert's top 10, I would appreciate knowing of you so that I can follow along and get some welcomed economic diversity.
I ranked teams based on the returners they have from last season as well as how strong they have been recently. If there are teams that you or anybody else feels I missed, feel free to post their name and returners.
Fair enough. I made the switch based on results from last year. I don't want to get accused of insider trading with my rankings. :D
It is well known that sports teams are dominated by affluent communities. The challenges of facing lower socioeconomic schools & communities will rarely, if ever, be able to compete equitably. For example, it is well documented parents in affluent areas put their children in camps, music lessons & club sports from a young age. But in lower socioeconomic communities this is a foreign concept & flat out too expensive. I could go on and on. Those with money have an advantage. It's just part of the class system we have & a product of systematic racism of this country.
And the discussion with those of privledge usually end up with them downplaying their advantage, justifying that advantage and will at one point digress into commentary about how many minorities are at the school. In the end the response almost all of the time, "run faster."It's a complicated issue. It's not fair, but neither is placing title one schools in a different division than those of higher socioeconomic status.
I thought rankings were based on performance not race or social economics. the only thing that you said that makes sense is "run faster"
They are. This the affluent schools are all ranked top 10. It was an observation that the fastest teams are also the most advantaged. Do you not see that?
Btw, simply saying "run faster" shows your privledge.
It's called coaching & building a program. Do you not see that?
Having the kind of support that comes with parents who can afford over 50K a year in tuition helps a little too.
@10:00 pm. You really think that or are you trolling? If the coaches listed there in the top 10 went to the poorest school in the section, you think they would be fighting for a state podium spot within a few years? Come on now...
I have always thought that the key to good/great teams is their coach. You take any of the elite coaches in the state and have them start coaching at a school that hasn't been particularly strong in XC and I strongly believe that coach will get that program very competitive, very quickly.
With a few exceptions of course, distance running is a sport of white privilege in the United States. It would be interesting to see a demographic breakdown of the top teams, but I am very sure they are not representative of the general population in terms of median family income or race. In fact the xc teams may not even be representative of the entire school population from which they are drawn. I am not sure how/why this happened as this is certainly not the case worldwide. Distance running should be a sport more easily open to all, certainly more so than many others. Of course coaching makes a difference all other factors being equal, but I do not think good coaching is enough in most instances to overcome other more profound structural barriers, not only access, but also community interest and other factors.
Yes, coaching is huge. Yes I do believe they will be competitive. But will they be fighting for that state podium spot? I don't think so. For instance, go to wealthy communities. People are out walking, jogging and being active. Look at diet demographics. Wealthy communities eat more vegetables. It goes on and on. Yes coaching is huge but not the difference maker you think it is. And how about we ask the question of why these coaches are at these wealthy schools and not at schools with high minorities or lower socioeconomic status? Is it that they are racist or perhaps the reality is there's good coaches there too but you don't know it because of their demographics?
I will also add to my above comment that getting on the podium at the state meet is not the end-all to successful programs. There are a lot of great coaches doing incredible work with teams that some may not be seen as powerful but what those coaches do for their athletes year in and year out is way more important.
I do appreciate this conversation and will do my best to highlight other coaches out there doing great work with schools that may not be as well known.
You are spot on Albert. It's not all about the podium and so much more that goes into a successful program. Look at NOP. They had success in the terms of medals & records but not one I would say is a successful program. Winning hides a lot of flaws.
I don't know if you've interviewed them but how about the Andrew Hill coach? He had two champions in the last decade that are arguably some of the best the past decade but in my opinion were overlooked for being a minority in East San Jose. Another coach you could interview is the King City Coach. They beat Scotts Valley at section but not much publicity. Yes SV rebounded at state but that was an amazing team and they've been good for awhile.
I will take nominations. I reach out to many coaches and athletes but not everybody replies to my emails. I have the coaches you mentioned on my list and if anybody else has other coaches and/or athletes that you would like for me to interview, please feel free to list them here or reach out to me at albertjcaruana@gmail.com.
Can anyone name a coach who moved from a school/community of privilege to one of lower socioeconomic status and high minority that built that program up to be a top ranked team?
Tim Hunter at Janes Logan is well on his way.
Brian Gunn said...
According to publicschoolreview.com, a majority of students receive free or reduced lunch. Yet, the team has a tradition of excellence. In 2018, the team took first place in D3, and last year, it took 12th despite moving up to D2.
Watching the Ridgeview boys on the podium in 2018, I was impressed with the way they conducted themselves and how they treated the runner's-up, Campolindo.
I do not know anything about coach Daniel Seddiqui but I suspect that he deserves a lot of credit and would love to see an interview of him.
Now that the Central Section is considered NorCal, which Central Section schools might be included in this list?
The sections that I have always included in my NorCal rankings are NS, SJS, NCS, CCS, OAK, and SF. I believe these are the sections that have been used in the past for any NorCal races and/or rankings. To add the Central Section would make that 7 sections and then I might as well just rank the whole state.
R Gowen said...
McFarland is the classic example of a team that meets the criteria being discussed.
With that said this is also a a public/private conversation as the public schools can only find runners/athletes within their school/district boundaries.
And the way this particular list is constructed it ignores school enrollment (best teams in NorCal, not by division - an interesting and legitimate post by the way) - the larger schools often have so many kids coming out for XC that they can't handle them all. That's a luxury smaller schools can only dream of - I competed (last century of course) on a team (Jefferson in Daly City) where we all fit in a parent's van and the coach's VW wagon and we rarely fielded complete teams. By the time we got out of the NPL and faced off against the WCAL teams, it was always the end of the season except for the individual qualifiers... This was before school size factored in post season events.
Aside from McFarland, there have been other similar schools that have had success at the state meet like Barstow, Don Lugo, Ridgeview, etc. Additionally, if you look at many of the top programs in the state, they are usually public schools. The exception to this rule is in Division V which is where most of the small private schools reside.
When is the last time those teams made the podium or even state for that matter? The state meet was a bit different in the 80's & 90's compared to today. All it shows is the economic divide is getting worse. These schools have no shot against the wealthy Clovis schools.
It is sad that those of you who have enjoyed success year after year after year cannot understand ALL factors that contribute to that success. Yes it takes good coaching - great coaching to create and maintain a top rated state program. And it takes athletes who are dedicated to the sport and work hard and run fast. Is that it? It doesn't matter what the socioeconomic makeup of these schools and their communities are? Really? Everyone does know that the school population is where your cross country team comes from, right? And the community and parent involvement is where much of the athlete's support system comes from too. Am I wrong to think this also is a crucial factor to a team's success? That cross country greatness is just having a 'great coach' and nothing else? A comment above said that many of the top programs in the state are public schools. I took that to imply that private schools don't have an advantage over public schools - look at all the top programs - all from your everyday run of the mill California public schools. Like Great Oak, Dana Hills, La Costa Canyon, Buchanan, Newbury Park, Dublin, Campolindo, and so forth. All just public schools with great coaches that are state ranked year after year after year. Nothing else noteworthy about them . . . except that none of them are schools with disadvantaged student populations and communities. The state AVERAGE hovers around 60%, but that doesn't matter, right? A school with a socioeconomic disadvantaged population of 10% or 20% is no different than a school that is 80%. And every school - public and private, boys and girls - on the top 10 NorCal list posted here is a school without a disadvantaged student population to pull a cross country team from year after year after year. I am not saying that these schools don't deserve to be ranked - they do - but let's be honest as to why they are successful year after year after year.
You make valid points and I am not sure to dispute those points.
I will however stick to my original statement that the most important piece to a successful team is the coach. How did Dublin do before Chris Williams? How did Newbury Park do before Sean Brosnan? Campolindo had Chris Walsh before Chuck Woolridge who was a very good coach with a lot of success. What about La Costa Canyon before Bill Vice? How has Nordhoff done since Ken Reeves left?
You are spot on. Sadly I think it is human nature to live in a bubble. It's why systematic racism is what it is. If you are white and never experienced racism it must not be a problem right? You've never struggled financially so those who are homeless and hungry are just lazy right? COVID hasn't hit me personally so everyone is over reacting right?
I don't think most coaches are dismissive on purpose, I think they are just dealing with their reality and it's hard to imagine what you don't know. If you coach at Bellarmine, Jesuit, Campolindo, Buchanan you don't *really* know what it's like.
I agree that it takes a great coach to make a state ranked team. An 'advantaged' school is not going to automatically achieve that level of success without one, and there are many examples of this - Nordhoff is a good one to site. But every school you mentioned IS ADVANTAGED. Where are your examples of great coaches at impoverished schools that have created state ranked teams year after year after year? Are you suggesting ALL disadvantaged schools have no great coaches - not a single one? Or could it be that they would be great on a state ranked basis IF they were at an advantaged school?
My point is this - the most important piece to a successful team (state level, not just locally) is to coach at a school that has economic advantages to begin with. THEN it takes a great coach to use those advantages correctly (not all coaches do). Do you really think any coach you mentioned would have the same level of success at my school, with an economically disadvantaged population over 80%, a dirt track full of weeds half the time, very few places to train on other than roads, and very little support from administration or the community? They would be fools to come here to coach.
@4:59. They wouldn't be a fool and neither are you. Everyone deserves opportunity to run, even more so those who are disadvantaged. I can't think of a community in Northern California that has had post HS success as much as Salinas, a low income-high minority community. Numerous marathon qualifiers, a sub 4 miler and all-Americans. Yet no high school state titles, CCS champion teams. As you said nothing is equitable but just because you don't win a section title or get on the state podium doesn't mean your impact is not there. Sadly most times people only focus on winning as success when reality is that winning hides a lot of faults.
In response to the question: "When is the last time those teams made the podium or even state for that matter? The state meet was a bit different in the 80's & 90's compared to today. All it shows is the economic divide is getting worse. These schools have no shot against the wealthy Clovis schools." Ridegview was 6th in 2017, first in 2018, and 12th in 2019 (after moving up to DII). Look at the results from State, every year several schools from poor school districts are in the top ten.
In response to the comments "let's be honest as to why [the schools on the top 10 list] they are successful year after year after year...
Year after year, the top 10 teams have outperformed similar schools in their league, section, and State. For that, they should be proud and do not deserve an asterisk next to their accomplishments.
For the person(s) pushing the advantaged vs disadvantaged argument, what's your point really? We get it. Not like this is the first time this discussion has come up on this site, let alone elsewhere. But what exactly are you advocating? Should there be an "advantaged school" state championship and a "disadvantaged school" one? I don't minimize the advantages that wealthier communities have in certain, maybe all, sports, but I really would like to know what your goal is by continually hammering on this point on a cross country website? My own view is that the league competitions are pretty good approximations for grouping by demographics. And winning a league championship is a big deal. After that, it gets less and less "balanced." But we either do away with sectional and state championship races entirely, we hold them in different demographic divisions, or we accept that there are rankings and champions among schools that have different demographics. Or do you have another idea?
Coach Ozzie said...
Albert and I talked quite a bit about this thread when the comments started. Where it's hardly debatable that socio-economically advantaged schools are also athletically advantaged and the points that people have brought up all play roles in those advantages, I feel like there are a few points that have thus far gone unmentioned. First, living in the Bay Area, there are a lot more socio-economically advantaged schools than disadvantaged schools. That's not to say that all of the schools are that way, not by a long shot, but there are more schools in good shape than bad shape. There are 11 schools in the EBAL (9 public and then De La Salle and Carondelet) and all of them are comprised of students who are mostly well off. The DAL, just north of the EBAL has 13 member schools and maybe 2 of them are from a lower socio-economic category than the rest. I agree that there are still a disproportionate number of socio-economically advantaged schools in the rankings (100% as of this ranking), but there really aren't that many disadvantaged schools to pick from in this area.
Of the schools in Northern California that are socio-economically disadvantaged, many are suffering from other disadvantages as well. First, many of them are located in the middle of cities where it is harder to find adequate training grounds. I understand that the school facilities at these schools are inferior to those of rich schools, but I am also referring to the surrounding areas where people might get most of their mileage. Schools in the middle of San Jose, Oakland, or San Francisco would not have all have good training options even if they had greater financial means. There are days when I complain about the lack of variety that we have at Amador Valley, but the reality is that we have everything we need and if it's not runnable from school, we can meet at certain locations on a Saturday or this year...any day since they are all coming to workouts from their homes.
Many of the socio-economically disadvantaged schools that are farther north don't have the disadvantage of city life, but they are small schools. In a ranking like this that does not take school size into account, being a small school is a huge disadvantage. At Amador Valley, we have over 2700 students who could come out for the cross country team. I don't think any teams in the Northern Section have that many students. The schools listed in these rankings are almost all large, private, or both. Public vs. private matters in this discussion because if a school has a reputation for having a good cross country program, it can pull good runners from a wide area (this is not an accusation of impropriety as this happens all the time within the rules). The only schools on this listing that aren't at least in Division 2 are Campo (boys and girls), the school formerly known as Drake, Del Oro, and Menlo. Menlo is private. Del Oro is very good and has had some very good teams, but is not a perennial power (yet).
Finally, schools gain extra advantage from being located near and competing against other large and successful schools. I love that the EBAL has so many good teams in it because although it has become much harder to win, the definition of what is good has constantly changed since I started coaching in 2006. Marks that used to drop jaws have become normalized and when that happens, things that were once thought to be extraordinary, become attainable. Athletes in all of our programs see really good athletes every time we compete, but when we see each other, we aren't talking about watching how good they are, we are talking about how to beat them. These programs make each other better.
With all of that said, I do think it is easier to create a successful program in a socio-economically advantaged environment. I just don't think that finances are the only factors that separate those highly ranked programs from others.
@10:56 Ridgeview is a low income 'poor' school (you used the word 'poor' in your comments; the school has a 69% socioeconomic disadvantaged student population) down in Bakersfield in the Central Section, and I congratulate them on their success at state and would never put an asterisk on them - not sure why you feel anyone would - I certainly wouldn't. I watched them run a couple of times in 2018 at Woodward Park and was impressed. In fact, I used them as an example to my boys team on how a team should run in a race. However, context is important. Ridgeview has a student enrollment of over 2500. And they competed in D3 in 2017 and 2018. No school up here in the NorCal area over 2500 competes in D3. Likely schools are put in D1 with enrollment numbers over 2500. How would the Ridgeview boys have done if they had run in D1 instead of D3 those years? Their 2018 team would have made the top 10 in D1 - and again I would have congratulated them on doing so. But how they would have finished in 2017 and in 2019 running in D1 competition is less clear. The point is that it is very difficult to maintain a team at the top over many years. Yet some schools manage to do this very thing. The question then is WHY? Why do some schools do this and some don't? Why do the top 10 teams year after year outperform similar schools as you stated? Because not all schools are SIMILAR in the section and in state competitions. Their enrollments may be similar (even that is not really true at the state level), but that's the only thing that puts them in a particular division (except in the Central Section).
Albert believes that the coach is the most important piece as to why a team has state ranking 'success'. I believe the student population and community that a team draws from is the most important piece. He and I will have to agree to disagree. Still, my belief is based on evidence - no 'poor' team is ranked in Albert's NorCal Top 10 and I do not see many if any 'poor' teams that are in the top state rankings year after year after year. It still takes a great coach to achieve that level of success, but without a consistently advantaged student population and supportive community to draw from, maintaining a state ranked team can't happen for 'poor' schools - there just is not enough there to 'reload' with over many years. I will use Ridgeview as the example. How many years were they state ranked? You had some studs in 2018 - did you reload with other studs after they graduated?
Are you state ranked this year?
@3:51 PM. It is called competitive equity.
@3:51. The conversation began as a conversation during BLM. It was nothing more than a discussion on equity as all ranked teams are socioeconomicly advsntaged. It is nothing more than a conversation. One that is uncomfortable but needed to be a better society. Simply ignoring inequality is part of why we are where we are.
@6:09PM and @7:53PM. The conversation began as a discussion of NorCal rankings, and you crashed the party with your sniping about advantaged schools. I'm not ignoring it and I don't find it uncomfortable at all, and it has been the subject of MUCH discussion on this site and elsewhere so your smug preaching isn't bringing light to the unwashed masses like you seem to think it is. Believe it or not, most if not all of us on here agree with you that wealthier schools have inherent advantages that matter in cross country. But every time someone says something positive about a strong program or a successful coach, you guys/gals get on your soapboxes and dismiss the success with a flippant "so what, they are at a wealthier school." That's unfair to the kids who work their butts off to achieve the success that they have, even if they come from a middle class or upper class family. It also implicitly tells the kids from disadvantaged schools that the deck is so stacked against them (in cross country and track!) that they shouldn't even try. Guess what, I bet the runners at King City, with its 80% "disadvantaged" school population but last year's CCS D4 boys champions over schools like Scotts Valley and Menlo School, would be surprised to hear that they shouldn't bother. And if you think it's only about competitive equity, I'd be willing to bet that those boys and their coaches would take the opportunity to compete against the "rich" schools every time over giving them the option to be CCS champions (all divisions) of the "disadvantaged" schools.
Now that I have had 3 of my 4 kids go through XC across 2 different HS teams, I would have to say Coaching is the big difference in the success of one program over another. Its not just a history of success, but a Coach who is willing to listen to feedback and not have every decision go through them. Delegate responsibilities to assistant coaches, and not single out the star runners over others. My kids who have graduated, continue to join this team on their annual alumni runs. Good discussion.
If most of us can acknowledge that an inequity exists, then let's find a reasonable solution.
1. Leagues remain the same.
2. Sections determine divisional placements, usually by CBEDS from the previous year with some exceptions that are already in section bylaws.
3. Schools that are designated as Title I schools for the current year have the option of dropping one division for playoffs. They also can stay where they were placed, or even move up if they choose to. This should be done before the season begins.
4. If a Title I school opts to drop down, and ends up winning a section title or podiums at state, then they must remain where their section places them for the next three years. If they do not win a section title or podium at state, then they can continue to opt to go down as long as they remain a Title I school.
5. After the three years are up, and if the school did not win a section title or made the podium at state in their normal divisional placement, the process can begin again if they remain a Title I school.
It's not a perfect fix and would need some tweaking, but it is a start to address the imbalance.
Isn't that the purpose of the open division? If they had that in XC all the top tiered schools face each other. As they should. But a school like SI that dominates D3 in CCS would never make it out of section. Which to me they are more of a D1 school than say independence. Which is why we have this problem.
Getting away from the disadvantaged/advantaged debate, I'd like to know how many coaches are able to actually go to their feeder schools and meet with the incoming frosh? How many skirt that with club teams they coach? How many have an assistant or former coach who really encourages XC? Or how many say what the heck, and talk to the younger kids any chance they get regardless of the rules in place regarding recruitment? Nearly everyone puts anonymous here anyway, so we won't know who you are.
Well, I am never anonymous and will answer your question. I follow the rules and I am in a tricky situation since my school also has a middle school. The rule of contacting 8th graders has changed a bit over the past few years so I always check with the CCS office to make sure I am not doing anything that could be deemed as illegal.
Never recruited and never will, though many of my athletes have been recruited and even encouraged to transfer by both private & public schools. Personally recruiting at my school is hard enough.
I need a break from re-writing my course syllabus to make sense for distance learning, so I'll answer this question. I never go to my feeder schools to meet with incoming freshmen, but the high schools in Pleasanton have an opportunity to go to those schools toward the end of a normal school year and explain the different opportunities available to rising freshmen. I always have a couple of track and cross country athletes attend that and pump up our program. In addition, all 3 middle schools (which feed into two high schools, Amador Valley and Foothill) have cross country and track teams. Sometimes it seems like those programs have revolving door coaches and sometimes they are around a while. The programs are very recreational (3 practices per week, not too serious), but a lot of kids do it. The high school coaches have nothing to do with the administration of those teams, but the coaches usually promote the high school programs. They don't promote one over the other or try to guide students to a particular school (our district is pretty good about not allowing that kind of thing anyway), but just try to keep them in the sport. We are a big enough school that lots of freshmen come out for track anyway. Our classes in cross country have been inconsistent, but we've had plenty of talented kids find their way onto our roster without our staff having to influence them there. It is usually the current athletes on the team that tell me about who the good up and coming freshmen are and I meet them when they arrive. I'm not saying it never happens and I may be naive, but I think impermissible recruiting is less common than it is made out to be.
Saint Francis Sacramento coach arrested. https://amp.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article245092185.html
East Union, 6th in DIII state with only graduating 1 senior. Rest of the scoring team was 3 sophomores and a freshman. Addition to the team is a sophomore who ran the fast time at SJS for all divisions at the JV level. Rumors of possible transfers to the team also
Good analysis and agree with 8:42am in that Del Oro will be a contender with the addition of the incoming freshman and quality transfer.
Also have to wonder if SJS St Francis Sac will be out and have major issues due to recent news regarding their coach's arrest and alleged sexual assault?
Granada(Boys) is a young team with a lot of depth. Sure, they lost some seniors but they have 3 top rising sophomores, multiple good juniors/seniors, and probably some USATF incoming freshmen that could make an impact. Add in the fact that they have the Mattern brothers coaching and good year-to-year improvement and they are my 'sleeper' pick to win NCS. -Biased observer
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Amador Valley's Hope Bergmark with 17:02 Time Tria...
Coach Steve Nelson - Unleashing The Winner Inside
Galen and Nolan Topper shine in Saturday 1600m Tim...
Live races on YouTube going on right now! (from Mi...
Possible cross country courses for the winter?
Catching up with Wilcox coach and CCS Time Compari...
THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN SHANNON ROWBURY TURNING 2020 I...
Memorial service for Jim Hume, longtime Peninsula ...
Frank Hunt, Aragon cross country coach, showing no...
Catching up with Saugus coach Rene Paragas...
National pre-season XC rankings posted on Tully Ru...
Bruce Grant, legendary Marin track coach, dies at 91
Catching up with Coach Thomas "Tinman" Schwartz
Podcast with Amador Valley HS coach Jason Oswalt
Catching up with former College Prep and current P...
What is your motivation to run now?
Catching up with former Bella Vista HS star, Harol...
Comprehensive Stanford XC Invitational results
Podcast: Episode 100 with Laura Schmitt (Former Re...
What Will College Track Look Like On The Other Side?
Interview with Amador Valley's John Lester
What is typically the strongest cross country section in NorCal?
Web www.albertcaruana.blogspot.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Nine people die from outbreak of yellow fever in Edo state – ……news on the go!
The Edo State Government wednesday said nine lives were lost to the outbreak of yellow fever that ravaged parts of the state a few weeks ago.
"We have recorded nine cases of yellow fever. The disease has spread to 10 LGAs out of the 18 LGA's in Edo State.
"Late arrival is the problem we have. We have informed the Minister of Health," he said.


Tyga is back again with another new song "Goddamn". Listen to the new song below and also remember to share your thoughts using the comment box provided below.
Stream Tyga – Goddamn mp3 music audio song below.


text:
Gregory Crofford
Love God; love others. The rest is details.
Heaven: Starting the song all over again
Posted on March 21, 2015 March 22, 2015 by Gregory Crofford
Mr. Taylor was my first band conductor.
Conducting a 4th grade band takes a special kind of patience. Every child is new at his or her instrument, be it the flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, drums, or a dozen other things that make noise. And let's face it, for 4th graders, about all we could was make noise. Like my brothers before me, I played the trumpet, or at least I tried.
Our first concert came at Christmas time. By then, all of us had a grand total of 3 months of experience, practicing twice per week in the band room. Parents and siblings gathered in the cafeteria and waited for us to file in. At last, all of us were in our seats and Mr. Taylor stepped up to the small platform, took his conductor's baton, and raised his arms. We all snapped to attention and raised our instruments, ready to play.
I'm not sure what happened, but only about half of us began playing when his arms came down, signalling the start of the song. Were some still trying to spot where their families sat in the audience? Maybe others were still adjusting their music on the stand or simply daydreaming, but whatever the reason, it was a poor start.
Mr. Taylor then did something that surprised us. He suddenly stopped directing the song, tapping his baton several times on the music stand. We all ground to a halt, not knowing what to make of it all. Slowly, he turned around and addressed the audience:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've had a very poor start to the song. Please forgive us. We can do better. Now, we are going to start all over again."
And that is exactly what we did. I'm glad to report that the second time went much better, and when we were done, the audience applauded with gusto.
That's what Heaven will be like. Heaven is New Creation. Heaven is God starting the song all over again.
The first time through, the song has been marred by sin, off-key. God knows we all can do better. One day, he will tap his baton on the music stand and we will all begin again.
John described it this way: :
Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:1-4).
More and more of those who have played their instruments with me in the band are now silent, awaiting that second chance to perform. On that day, the band will once again assemble. All who have played before us will be present, gloriously resurrected by the Lord in new, durable bodies. What a grand reunion that will be as Jesus raises the baton and we start the song all over again!
How about you? Will you be in the band? This life is only the poor beginning to the song, but a new, better beginning is coming. Don't miss out on it. Keep your instrument in-tune. What a performance that will be!
Author: Gregory Crofford
I'm a health care chaplain.	View All Posts
Tagged: heaven, New Creation, resurrection
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3 thoughts on "Heaven: Starting the song all over again"
edwardfudge says:
Greg, This is so beautiful it makes me cry. Rich and poignant, deep indeed! I forwarded it to my daughter Melanie, who teaches elementary music and who "creates" elementary choirs that sing two- and three-part harmony with multi-level music, antiphony, "rounds," and foreign language songs. Cordially, Edward
Gregory Crofford says:
Glad it struck a chord…pun intended.
Joyce Gifford says:
Love your writings – this brought back memories of Spencerport.
Gregory Crofford (M.Div., M.A., Ph.D.) is a hospice chaplain in Central Texas. He completed a one year Chaplain Residency at Ascension Seton Hospitals in August 2020. Ordained as an Elder in the Church of the Nazarene since 1991, he served as Dean of the School of Religion and Christian Ministry at Africa Nazarene University (Nairobi, Kenya). Other past ministry includes service as Coordinator of Education and Clergy Development for the Africa Region (Church of the Nazarene) and Pastor of the Church of the Nazarene, Sedalia, Missouri.
For an academic CV, visit the Manchester Wesley Research Center website.
e-mail: gregcrofford@gmail.com
Twitter: @CroffordGregory
Facebook: Greg Crofford
Views expressed are those of Dr. Crofford and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine or polity of the Church of the Nazarene.
African theology
Christlike justice
ecclesiology & sacraments
From soup to nuts
The Wesleys and Wesleyan theology
By Dr. Crofford
Mere Ecclesiology: Finding Your Place in the Church's Mission (Wipf & Stock, 2016) explores the church's purpose and mission in two movements: 1) "breathing in" (worship and discipleship) and 2) "breathing out" (transformational service in the world). It is available in paperback for $ 13.60 USD from Wipf & Stock by clicking here..
NOTE: A Kindle e-book edition is available at Amazon for only $ 9.99 USD by clicking here.. See the same site for hardback and paperback editions.
From the Foreword:
"Greg has powerfully captured the church, 'God's mission in the World', in these brief pages. Ecclesiology is generally a subject written and discussed in academic theological circles and rarely reaches the person in the pew. But this is one for the pew and will be valued as well."
-Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador
General Superintendent Emerita
The Wesleyan Church
"This is an excellent overview of the work of the church. Refreshing!"
- Jesse C. Middendorf, General Superintendent Emeritus, Church of the Nazarene
"If ever the church needed a grassroots understanding to fulfill its mission in the world in this significant time, then this is the 'back to the basics' guide so desperately needed."
- Gabriel J. Benjamin, Church of the Nazarene, Africa Region Education and Clergy Development Coordinator
"Crofford invites us into a discussion regarding the theology of church and the practical implications for ministry...This work will prove useful for the church engaged in the formation of Christlike disciples."
-Carla Sunberg, President, Professor of Historical Theology, Nazarene Theological Seminary
"In promoting a healthy church, Dr. Crofford emphasizes the need for 'spiritual respiration.' His conception of church health first requires a 'breathing in' of personal growth that is spiritual, knowledgeable, and communal. Second, spiritual respiration requires a 'breathing out' that is missional, ministering practically to others for their holistic salvation, societal well-being, and ecological care-giving. . . Crofford identifies step-by-step strategies that help Christians to implement 'spiritual respiration' in finding their place in the church's mission."
-Don Thorsen, Professor of Theology, Azusa Pacific University Seminary
The Dark Side of Destiny: Hell Re-Examined (Wipf & Stock, 2013) is available in paperback and Amazon Kindle editions by clicking here.
It is also available here for just $ 6.99 for users of the Nook e-reader.
"Discussion of Hell is hotter than ever. Yet for all the attention the topic has drawn, few are the resources that provide an overview of the major points in dispute without bogging down in detail.
The Dark Side of Destiny: Hell Re-examined is an excellent primer, yet goes beyond a mere description of options. Dr Crofford weighs various views of Hell in the light of Scripture and finds them wanting. In the end, he champions a neglected view of last things that both responds better to the preponderance of biblical evidence and safeguards the character of God as equitable, holy, and loving.
With probing discussion questions at the end of short chapters, The Dark Side of Destiny is ideal for Bible studies, Sunday school classes, or small groups."
The buzz about Dark Side (from Amazon.com reviews):
"I read this book with my husband on a recent trip out of state. The book is short but says all I'd hoped it would say and does so very neatly. It gave us hours of discussions to make an otherwise dull drive very interesting." - Charlotte Burton
"Dr. Crofford thoughtfully engages with a neglected part of the biblical message: final judgment." - Andrew Pottenger
"Dr. Crofford writes well and treats all positions with gentleness and respect. Beware,-- this little gem is very thought provoking." - John Watton
Wesley and Methodist Studies (WMS) publishes peer-reviewed essays that examine the life and work of John and Charles Wesley, their contemporaries (proponents or opponents) in the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival, their historical and theological antecedents, their successors in the Wesleyan tradition, and studies of the Wesleyan and Evangelical traditions today.
Dr. Crofford's article, 'Grace to All did Freely Move': Thoughts on Charles Wesley's 1741/42 Hymns on God's Everlasting Love' appeared in Volume 6 (January 2014). Based upon research conducted during the 2012 Wesleyan Studies Summer Seminar at Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmington, Kentucky, USA), the essay examines the predestinarian controversy between the Wesley brothers and the followers of George Whitefield, with special focus upon the pastoral concerns that motivated the publication of the Wesleys' hymn collection.
For further information about WMS, click here.
The Global Wesleyan Dictionary of Theology is available in hardcover by clicking here.
Dr. Al Truesale, Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at Nazarene Theological Seminary, is editor of this excellent selection of essays by global scholars in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition of Christianity.
Dr Crofford contributed 6 articles, including essays on sin, prevenient grace, predestination, and John Wesley's small groups.
Streams of Mercy: Prevenient Grace in the Theology of John and Charles Wesley (Emeth Press, 2010) is available in both softback and Kindle editions at Amazon.com by clicking here.
This is the monograph form of Dr. Crofford's 2008 PhD thesis from the University of Manchester (Nazarene Theological College), U.K.
From the back cover of Streams of Mercy
"Exploring the theological roots of the doctrine of prevenient grace in Anglican, Puritan and Quaker sources as they streamed into the theologies of both John and Charles Wesley, Gregory Crofford has written an engaging account of the significance of this salient grace. In a work marked by careful balance, Crofford ably demonstrates that the doctrine of prevenient grace not only helped the Wesley brothers to integrate diverse elements in their respective theologies but it also enabled them to avoid rigid determinism on the one hand and the 'despair of moralism' on the other. This is an important contribution to the field."
- Kenneth J Collins, Ph.D., Professor of Wesley Studies and Historical Theology, Asbury Theological Seminary
Streams of Mercy was cited by Dr. Amos Yong (currently the Director of Fuller Theological Seminary's Center for Missiological Research) in his plenary address on religious pluralism given to the 2012 meeting of the Wesleyan Theological Society held at Trevecca Nazarene University.
Three lessons from the birth of Jesus
A classic: Shoemaker's "I Stand By the Door"
Five questions about the Second Coming, answered
Begging bread? God's promise to the righteous in Psalm 37:25
Three questions, three answers: a message on divine healing (James 5:13-16)
3 Lessons from Pentecost
Resting in peace, rising in glory
"He must increase, but I must decrease" - John 3:30
The Eucharist: God's loving invitation to grace
Adam Hamilton
Carla Sunberg
Esau D. McCauley
Justin Schoolcraft
Kevin Lambert
Levi Jones
Roger E. Olsen
Tara Beth Leach


text:
One dead and another fighting for life after horrific crash on M62
The road was re-opened in the early hours of Wednesday morning
Phil WinterBusiness Editor
One person has died and another is fighting for their life after a horrific crash on the M62.
The eastbound carriageway was closed until 4.30am today after a caravan transporter travelling westbound smashed through the central reservation and into an oncoming car on the Ouse Bridge, near Goole.
Drivers were trapped in their cars for more than 12 hours after the crash, which took place just before 10am on Tuesday, while Humberside Police officers began a "serious and complex investigation" into the incident.
Police release more details of casualties as man dies in tragic M62 crash
Police have confirmed the car's male driver was killed in the collision, with a passenger seriously injured with life threatening injuries. The lorry driver suffered serious but not life threatening injuries and is in hospital.
The scene at the Ouse Bridge
Four fire engines, an ambulance and the police all rushed to the scene, with an air ambulance landing on the empty westbound carriageway shortly afterwards.
Drivers facing traffic mayhem as major routes in and out of Hull shut by serious accidents
It is understood as part of their enquiries, emergency teams have tried to reconstruct the scene of the crash to try to understand what happened.
Earlier in the day, a police spokesman said: "We are currently in attendance at a serious road traffic collision on the M62 motorway between Junctions 36 and 37 near to Goole.
Emergency services on the M62 after the crash
"A lorry which was travelling westbound had gone through the central reservation and collided with an oncoming car which was travelling eastbound.
"Both carriageways are closed while emergency crews are on the scene. They are expected to be closed for a significant amount of time throughout today (Tuesday)."
Trapped drivers sat on M62 for six hours following serious crash near Ouse Bridge
Drivers reported being stuck in traffic for more than 12 hours while emergency services attended the scene. Among them was a diabetic woman, and a family with a newborn.
Just hours later, another crash brought the A15 Humber Bridge to a standstill. A lorry and a flatbed lorry crashed on the road near Barton at around 1pm, leaving a driver in hospital with serious injuries.
Pictures of the scene after M62 crash by Ouse Bridge
Traffic queued across the Humber Bridge southbound up to the Barton interchange for much of Tuesday afternoon while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Humberside Police said on Tuesday: "We are currently responding to a collision involving a lorry and a flatbed truck on the southbound carriageway of the A15 near Barton-Upon-Humber.
Driver in hospital with serious injuries in A15 crash that has left Humber Bridge gridlocked
"The driver of one of the vehicles suffered injuries that are thought to be serious but not life threatening. He has been taken to hospital for treatment."
The Humber Bridge fully re-opened at around 5pm.
Traffic at a standstill on the Humber Bridge southbound
The Ouse Bridge – which crosses the River Ouse near Goole – and the Humber Bridge provide the two main routes in and out of Hull.
The crashes meant traffic trying to get into and to leave the city ground to a halt, including Hull city fans travelling to Wolverhampton for Tuesday night's away match.
Café owner speaks out after dad claims she 'told family to leave because daughter was too noisy'
Diversions were in place south of the Humber Bridge via the entry and exit slip roads, but traffic is understood to have struggled to cope in the aftermath of the incident.
Meanwhile, roads around the area in Howden and Goole were also left gridlocked as drivers tried to divert away from the M62.
The caravan transporter involved in the crash on the M62
In Hull itself, there was even more traffic misery for as Stoneferry Road was closed in both directions for about an hour in the afternoon following after a lorry hit the bridge at around 2pm. It reopened at about 3.15pm.
Drivers were also battling against road closures put in place due to flooding
Dramatic pictures and footage shows shocking scale of flooding in Hull and East Yorkshire
And in Branhsolme and Kingswood, drivers faced more delays as works took place in Wawne Road.
The Hull Daily Mail has recently launched a free app which features all the latest news, sport and what's on information. You can download it foriPhone and iPad from Apple's App Store , or get the Android version from Google Play .
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Humber Bridge


Alt. pop artist Jong SL is back this year with promising new material. The Toronto via Buffalo singer-songwriter is following up his 2017 EP Ice Cream with a new single, "Driving Away," foreshadowing an upcoming full length project. Known for his cross-genre blending, the track is Jong's most fine-tuned and musically diverse release to date….


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This is my latest artwork titled "Vintage Dragster".
As far as doing artwork this one rates up there as one of the most challenging ones I have done.
What made this one different from the other illustrations was drawing in the details like the spoke wheels, the rail frame, and the exposed engine.
This dragster is owned by John Spradlin. John is no relation, but he does have the same name as my brother. John and I have been emailing back and forth for some time now. Sometimes I would get an email from him about his dragster and at first I would think, "When did my brother get a dragster?" then I would remember it's from the other John.
Prints of are available in 16×24 size.
Below is detail information John sent me about his dragster.
1967 Speed Products Engineering (SPE) chassis by Roy Fjastad. Chevy 355C.I. 4-bolt block, Forged Steel Crank, Engle roller cam, Isky roller lifters & 1.6 ratio rockers, Track 1 aluminum heads (2.080 Int valves & 1.6 Exh valves), M/T aluminum rods, Forged pistons (moly zero gap rings), 'mini' starter, Milodon oil pan. PowerGlide trans W/1.76 ratio, Trans Brake, 5000 stall convertor, "Bandit" shifter, Mopar 83/4″ rear axle W/Olds axle ends, 4:10 ratio "PRO" gears, Wilwood disc brakes – .310″ thick discs. Steering box is a P-S, Butterfly steering wheel was a gift from a long time racing friend. Rear wheels are American Racing 5-spoke "Magnesium" 8.5″ width 10.5x30x15″ GoodYear slicks, Front wheels are 17″ dia M/C wire spokes W/2.25×17″ Michelin tires. Body by Tom Hanna. Seat by Tony Nancy.
Great piece of work Greg, what did you use? Is that all illustrator? Are did you do some photoshop?
Thanks Kelly, it is all Illustrator.
Greg, Do you know what ET and Top Speed John achieved?
I don't know, let me check with John and find out.
It's a beautiful rendition of my car. I'm still stunned at how it came out. I've owned the car (or it owns me) since 1996 It is on it's third reconstruction right now so, I can't send pictures of it. Parts are scattered all over. Typical racecar. I have the 1st engine coming apart to be re-done. The blower engine is on a roller stand. I'm thinking about removing as many new things (wheelie bar mounts etc) and returning it to 1967. Well I can't really do that. but i will be as close as I can get it & still keep the shorty PG. It will have the original style wheelie wheel. It is a single 6″ dia. wheel mounted at the rear backbone tube. The push bar will be mounted on the backbone also.
Now as for speed & ET, at first it ran the quarter mile @154.25mph & 8.87 sec.
With the blower, It has been only on 1/8 mile. 159.+ mph & 5.33 sec. So, you can see it is a grea little car. I did forget to mention it's wheelbase is 173″ I'll send a picture or two that Greg can put up if anyone is interested.
You make a good point….same name and a love of cars…..I am with you, there's got to be a connection somewhere down the line.
Your front engine digger is awesome. Most people tell me that I was born two generations late and have a serious sickness for old school hot rods, diggers, and race cars. Done any gasser pics? I tried drawing the don, woods, and cook once, but my talents should stay in the fab shop. Keep up the good work, Thanks.
Killer work as always, Greg!!


text:
Articles Written By Paul Ford
TMN Contributing Writer Paul Ford is the author of Gary Benchley, Rock Star, a novel that was originally serialized here on TMN. He was formerly an editor at Harper's Magazine, was an occasional commentator on NPR's All Things Considered, and is now sole proprietor of Ftrain.com (which has a Facebook group).
Follow Paul Ford on Twitter
Alphasmart Neo
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What makes the Alphasmart Neo interesting is what it doesn't do. It's a word processor--a full-sized keyboard with a six-line LCD screen--and that's all. For writers like me who can't...
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His father is known as a cheerful correspondent, while his predecessor just released a thousand-page memoir. How will Dub-Dub be remembered when his papers are collected?
Take the Downtown Train
If more men know what's under the hood of a car than the hood of a clitoris, surely a revolution is needed. Enthusiast Paul Ford interviews Ian Kerner, sex therapist and author of She Comes First: The Thinking Man's Guide to Pleasuring a Woman.
The Passion of the Christ: Blooper Reel
No film set exists without its share of gags and accidents, even the filming of Mel Gibson's crucifixion epic. A transcript of scenes that may never make it onto the DVD edition.
Diamonds Aren't Forever
New York City's Q Diamond train was retired from service this weekend, and a merry group of mourners held a party for its last ride.
An Interview With the Dolphin
Many were surprised when the U.S. Navy announced it was using dolphins for mine-sweeping in the war with Iraq. Even more were stunned when one of the dolphins went AWOL. Submerged reporter PAUL FORD gets the interview.
75,000,000 Toddlers Can't Be Wrong
Steve Burns, the former host of Nickleodeon's kids show Blue's Clues, has embarked on a new career path: musician.
Cool 2B Real
The initiative: The cattle industry wants to promote beef to teenage girls online. The result: "Cool 2B Real." Our reporter sneaks into the boardroom and tells us how it really happened.
An Extremely Incomplete Taxonomy of Cinematic New Yorks
New York has faced the apocalypse many times. Unfortunately, it's usually Bruce Willis who saves us. A report on the many versions of the five boroughs produced in film, and why Nora Ephron lives alone.
Obsessions: Looking It Up
Continuing our series on personal obsessions, Paul Ford tells us about his passion for reference works, the more obscure the subject matter the better.


St Paul's Institute: Why Expect Charities to be Different?
Home » Why Expect Charities to be Different?
Christmas time is charity time. The retail sector is not the only one to rely on Christmas to provide a high proportion of its yearly takings, but charities do likewise. At last count our daily post in December has included an average of three appeals a day. So Christmas seems the right time to think about charities and their relationship to money.
So it's not surprising that charities, claiming as they do to be altruistic organisations, fall under particular suspicion, and attract particular blame if it appears they are not 'saintly' enough. So we should not be surprised that the BBC has chosen the run-up to Christmas to screen a Panorama investigation into the affairs of charities, and particularly those who claim to be doing the most. Amnesty International, Save the Children and Comic Relief were all found to be endangering their reputation by the way they raised or invested their money. In the case of Comic Relief, the claim they made to give 100% of any donation to the good cause of development aid was judged a deception because they did not explain that they financed their administrative and fund-raising activities from the interest they earned on the money they received before they allocated it to specific projects.
In the case of Amnesty International and Save the Children the programme purported to show that the charities invested their money in alcohol or armaments manufacture or tobacco - all of which made their money from activities in fundamental conflict with what the charity was designed to achieve. A particular issue was made in the case of Save the Children concerning its partnership with Glaxo Smith Klein, many of whose activities were not seen as healthy for children.
In most cases the charities were given space to develop responses to the suggestion that they were acting hypocritically, and it was clear that none of the investments or partnerships had been entered into lightly or without regard to the possibility of reputational damage.
But the question that should have been asked, and never quite surfaced, was quite simply, "What do you expect?" Since St Paul's Institute began its most recent series of events a constant feature of the conversations has been that money has both changed in its character and acquired a power beyond what it used to have. As a result, as the Michael Sandel event in the Cathedral in 2011 showed very clearly, all sorts of things that money should not be expected to buy are in fact now for sale. Money has, in his words, 'hollowed out our moral discourse' to the point that 'the bottom line' becomes the arbiter of right and wrong, the means of making decisions.
That is the world we inhabit, and the proper response to the Panorama investigation of charities is to point out that we should not be surprised if charities are found to inhabit the same world as we do in our everyday lives. That is a world in which money conditions, and often distorts, our ethical judgments. For charities, as for us, such a world presents us with many serious dilemmas, made sharper in the case of charities by the fact that to forego sources of income on 'ethical' grounds is bound to deprive the charity, and therefore those whom it seeks to help, of resources that could be of benefit. Their executives and committees have constantly to decide which of two unpalatable financial choices they must make.
The issue is further sharpened by the uncertainties of the legal parameters within which they are required to work. 'Fiduciary duty' does not only require maximising financial returns, but the extent to which other considerations are allowed to weigh is an area of considerable uncertainty, and that in itself promotes caution, a caution which leads to maximising the influence of money. Imprinted on my memory of a committee of which I was a member and which was facing just such a dilemma was the menace with which the Chair of the meeting said, 'None of us would like to end up in court': the implication was clearly that that would not happen if we maximised the charity's income; if we allowed ourselves to be influenced by other considerations it well might.
One of the tragic by products of the increasing power and authority of money is that a world is created in which churches and charities quickly become captive to precisely the ways of thinking which have such negative effects on the world's poor. As charitable bodies meet at present they are constantly faced with the need to compromise with the power of money, a power they exist to contradict, or else face the curtailment or even the abandonment of their work. Money doesn't just decide our personal priorities; it decides which charitable options we can pursue. In effect we live in a world in which money is allowed to decide what charity is.


A site for those with an interest in the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, past or present, and related subjects.
One of our other admins thinks our smiley library is kind of lame and he may be right I've added a few this morning. If you have favorites you'd like to see here, please send them to me in an email to lisek74@hotmail.com We look them over to be sure no viruses are attached before uploading.


Honestly, I don't shop at the least expensive grocery stores. I live in a large city. I walk to get my groceries. Therefore, I take convenience into consideration as much as I do cost.
Moreover, I am a bit of a picky shopper. I don't like shopping in a crowded, frustrating store. Therefore, I'm willing to pay a little bit more to enjoy my shopping experience.
That said, I still think it's important to know which are the most and least expensive grocery stores. After all, when I need to slash my grocery budget, that information becomes immensely helpful.
Therefore, I did some research. Here's what Cheat Sheet says are the most and least expensive grocery stores on average.
The funny thing is that I hadn't even heard of most of these stores. I'm in California. Many of these stores are Midwestern, East Coast, or Southern stores. Whole Foods, of course, is nationwide. It didn't surprise me at all that it's on the list. That said, I find that if you are an Amazon Prime member who shops there using AmazonFresh deals then Whole Foods can be a fairly affordable option.
I'm not at all surprised to see Costco on the list. If you have a Costco membership then you can get really good prices on bulk food items. Moreover, they have great coupons every month.
On the other hand, I was a little bit surprised to see Trader Joe's listed as one of the least costly grocery stores. I tend to spend more there than necessary. Plus, they don't offer coupons or deals. However, if you stick to a list there, then it can certainly be an affordable option.
Where Should You Shop for the Best Deals?
I definitely would have thought that Target and Walmart would make the cut of least expensive grocery stores. In my opinion, smart shopping at any of these mid-range stores can save you more money than regular shopping at the other stores.
Of course, you can reduce your spending at any grocery store with smart coupon use. Therefore, if you shop at more expensive stores, you can reduce the price to one comparable with the least expensive grocery stores by being a smart shopper.


text:
Q: Camunda DelegateExecution Event I am new to Camunda.I am trying to trigger a event in spring boot application when I perform manual action like retry from Camunda BPM UI.
For that I am using Eventlistner.
@EventListener Public void onExecutionEvent(DelegateEvent executionDelegate){ // printing executionDelegate here }
I need the information present in executionDelegate object.But on printing it is giving me hash value.
Do anybody have complete object information as there are lot of class and interfaces in this Class.It would you be helpful if i am able to get a sample of complete object I information.
Thanks in advance.

A: The hash value is the default result of the "toString()"  method which every class in java implements by default (by extending "Object").
The fact that you see a hash value means, that the DelegateEvent does not overwrite this method in way you maybe used to.
So the question is: what do you want to know from the delegateExecution? MOst often, you will be interested in the process variables ... you can just print out the result of the "getVariables()" method ...
If you want to learn more about the class and its values, put a break point in your eventListener method, start spring boot in debug mode and use the inspect/evaluate code feature of whatever IDE you use to just play around and get familiar.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Chechen War Comes to Boston
Pavel K. Baev Thursday, April 25, 2013
In the days that have passed since the terrorist attack in Boston, the many details of this crime and the even greater volume of speculations have still provided no satisfactory explanation of reasons and motives. What had seemed to be a picture of an émigré family working hard for their pieces of the American dream turned out to be a story of failed socialization and a frustrated search for identity that turned into blind hatred. The US media has focused on the blunders of the security services in preventing this premeditated crime, on the shortcomings of the American immigration policy (currently distorted by the deadlocked battles in the US Congress), or on the continuing mutations of Islamic extremism. There is, however, a twist to this tragic story that sets it apart from other cases of quiet Americans turning into Muslim fanatics. This twist originates in the humanitarian catastrophe in the North Caucasus and spins through the protracted agony of the Chechen diaspora.
One family in the trail of tears
The uprooting of the Tsarnaev family was a micro-episode in Stalin's punishment of the Chechens and other peoples that were forcefully displaced from the Caucasus and dumped into Siberia and Central Asia in February 1944. Most of the survivors were allowed to return to their devastated villages in 1957, but the Tsarnaevs, who had managed to find steady jobs in Kyrgyzstan, opted to stay. It was the fast decomposition of social fabric in the newly-independent Kyrgyzstan after the collapse of the USSR in 1991 that forced them to flee, but the North Caucasus, which had been badly affected by the war that engulfed Chechnya in 1994, proved to be an equally unwelcoming home. An attempt to return to Central Asia was another failure, and they joined the sad journey of many Chechen families moving from temporary shelters in Turkey to refugee centers in Poland to asylum-seekers institutions in Austria or Norway. The difference was that this family ended up in the US, where the Chechen community is so small that, much to the dismay of the Czech Republic, first reports on the manhunt misrepresented the Tsarnaev brothers as Czechs.
As he passed his teenage years in Boston suburbia, Tamerlan Tsarnaev never developed a feeling that he could fit in despite his moderate success as amateur boxer. It is unclear how he convinced his American girlfriend to convert to Islam and to marry him, but it is a fact that he was once arrested for beating her. His father Anzor dismissed that episode as nonsense: "In America, you can't touch a woman," implying that in the Caucasus, a self-respecting man wouldn't think twice about it. Unable to find a job at 26, Tamerlan was probably deeply frustrated with the role of house-father taking care of his baby daughter, while his wife supported the household with her salary. His sister married an American and cut ties with the family, but Tamerlan had a strong influence on his younger brother Dzhokhar. Still a teenager, the youngest Tsarnaev was struggling with college courses and his habit of smoking marihuana didn't help.
The call of the war
Order from Chaos
Ukraine four years after the Maidan
Steven Pifer
Understanding and deterring Russia: U.S. policies and strategies
Fiona Hill
US efforts to counter Russian disinformation and malign influence
Alina Polyakova
Confused about their identity, both brothers kindled a passion for their imaginary homeland Chechnya, but it was the older one who found a way to blend this yearning with a progressively consuming devotion to Islam. The local mosque was unable to satisfy this craving and he turned to surfing through the archipelago of proselytizing and extremist websites. His parents could have checked that journey, but a few years ago they returned to Russia and settled in Makhachkala, Dagestan. In early 2012, Tamerlan came to visit them and stayed for as long as six months. It was this exposure to war as a way of life that most probably sealed his violent radicalization.
Dagestan is indeed the theater of a protracted low-intensity civil war of unique complexity, in which feuds between criminal clans are barely distinguishable from guerilla attacks of rebels of various persuasions and underground Islamic networks challenge the alliance of authorities and clergy. According to NGO data for 2012, 405 people were killed and 290 wounded in the republic. Russian society pays scant attention to the shootouts and explosions, and in the West, this smoldering war in a far corner of Europe is completely forgotten. Russian troops stick to their routine of counter-terrorist operations, but the rebels now see themselves not as 'al-Qaeda franchises' but as a part of the powerful revival of political Islam. Tamerlan had plentiful opportunities to internalize this powerful message.
Kadyrov can and will deny everything
Russian media is full of speculations about the 'setup' of the Tsarnaev brothers and 'plots' of US special services, but these conspiracy theories avoid one person who has benefitted from the Boston bombing – Chechnya's warlord-president Ramzan Kadyrov. He described Tamerlan and Dzhokhar as 'products of American culture' but counts on this terrible incident to severely discredit the whole Chechen diaspora, which he seeks to terrorize with every means available. He was irked by his de-facto inclusion in the 'Magnitsky list' and knows that the Obama administration has suffered a painful 'lesson'. More importantly, he expects that Moscow has registered the message that cutting federal subsidies to Chechnya would be unhelpful. US investigators will struggle to establish how the idea of taking the 'jihad' from the war-torn Mahachkala to the finish line of the Boston marathon was planted in Tamerlan's head, but Kadyrov, the master of terror in Grozny, had a good week and enjoys being untouchable in the matter.
Pavel K. Baev
Nonresident Senior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe
Russia & Eurasia
Terrorism & Extremism


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Q: Display errors with PDFViewer on Android Getting PDFViewer to work. Now I have black blocks on the pages. Looks like a rendering problem.
PDFView pdfView = findViewById(R.id.pdfView);
File pdfFile = new File(getExternalFilesDir(null)+ "/Download/", "/epaper.pdf");
pdfView.fromFile(pdfFile).enableSwipe(true).swipeHorizontal(true).enableAnnotationRendering(true).load();

In Emulator it all works fine. I tried bestQuality(true), but nothing changed.
My Phone: Xiaomi Mi 9 (if it helps)

A: I found the solution on this.
DarkMode needed to be deactivated in themes.xml:
<item name="android:forceDarkAllowed">false</item>
Only using:
AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_NO);

did not work.


text:
Q: What can be run through an eval to reload a file in Node.js? I have a service that I want to keep up as often as possible and restarting it takes away a few seconds, not to mention interrupts any ongoing processes. If I make a small change to a file and want it to be reloaded, what code can I have eval() to do it?
For example, if I have rng.js
module.exports = function() {
    return Math.floor(Math.random() * 4);
}

and in another file, index.js
const rng = require('./rng.js');
console.log(rng());

If I change the 4 in rng.js to a 3, obviously the live code is still using 4 so it won't change, so how can I reload the file, assuming I have access to eval() while the script is running?

A: For the given example, in node you can pass run time argument.

node index.js 5 (here 5 is the run time argument)

index.js
const rng = require('./rng.js');
var command = process.argv[2];
console.log(command);
console.log(rng(process.argv[2]));

rng.js
module.exports = function(input) {
       console.log('input',input);
    return Math.floor(Math.random() * input);
}

or you can use https://www.npmjs.com/package/nodemon to load changes in live.


Apple surprised everyone today by unveiling two new iPad models that were believed to be announced later this month during the company's forthcoming "It's show time" spring event.
All-new 10.5-inch iPad Air and 7.9-inch iPad mini were announced today by Apple with high-end features and top-notch performance as the company aims to offer iPad users more diversity and compatibility with latest devices. The all-new 7.9-inch iPad mini is the first of its kind to offer support for the Apple Pencil, but also comes with an advanced Retina display and the A12 Bionic chip.


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ALEXISJOYVIPACCESS
Tag: Pre-Party
March 23, 2013 Alexis Joy
Madison Pettis Beautiful At The 2013 KCA Pre-Party 3/22/13! (@MadisonPettis)
December 23, 2012 December 23, 2012 Alexis Joy
VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE: EXCLUSIVE Pictures From The Guns N' Roses Residency Concert At The Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas 11/24/12
December 3, 2012 December 3, 2012 Alexis Joy
VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE: EXCLUSIVE Videos From The Guns N' Roses Residency Concert At The Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas 11/24/12
Article: Ariana Grande, Drake, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift And More Are Nominated At The 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards – See The Full List Of Nominees Here!
Article: Actor Jason Lewis Had An Exceptional Time At The 9th Annual Australian Academy Of Cinema And Television Arts Awards! (@JasonLewis)
Article: Aria Brooks Looked So Beautiful At The 9th Annual Australian Academy Of Cinema And Television Arts Awards!
VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE: Nicole Kidman, Rami Malek, Matt Bomer, Taron Egerton, Nadia Comaneci And More Celebrated In A Golden Way At The 7th Annual Gold Meets Golden Event!
VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE: Actress Aria Brooks Talks About Joining The "All That" Cast, Working On Netflix's "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings" And More In Her Interview With Alexisjoyvipaccess!
Follow Alexisjoyvipaccess
Stay Connected On Twitter


Andrew Pickwell is relatively new to the dunking scene, but quickly became one of the top dunkers in the world with his INSANE dunks off 1 foot! He has now also developed a crazy 2 foot jump as well! Let the videos speak for themselves!
Andrew Pickwell 2013 OFFICIAL Dunkademics Dunktape!
INSANE All-Star Weekend Dunk Mix!!
Young Hollywood, Jonsey, Pickwell, Posterboy for Dunkademics.com!!


The capital city is flourishing and witnessing an expansion in industry, business, work and of course, people. This has led to an increase in real estate deals too. And therefore, Jaipur is now a hub of real estate builders. But among all these, Mahima is a name which has established a prominent place in the real estate market for almost 3 decades and is growing with new accomplishments at every step. Mahima, committed to excellence, is a family of more than 5500 happy customers. We have created 4 most popular commercial complexes in Jaipur which have now turned into landmarks of the city. Mahima is a team of 300+ highly ambitious and diligent professionals working to bring smile on your face.
Life is a hustle. We work hard for a better lifestyle. A hectic day should end off well with a peaceful and relaxed mind. At Mahima, we take apt care of your choices, taste, style, comfort and luxury. That is why we have more than 24 projects in operation in the city, all with a plethora of options of structure, architecture, material, location and amenities for you. To mention a few, we have Mahima Sansaar, Mahima Florenza, Mahima Elanza, Mahima Studio Panache, Mahima Shubh Nilay, Mahima Bellevista, Mahima Panache, Mahima Uday, Mahima Kopal, Mahima Panorama, Mahima City Ville, Mahima Elite, Mahima Iris, Mahima Desire, and so on. These projects offer a variety of ready to move luxury 1, 2, 3 BHK flats, apartments, villas, studio apartments and penthouses equipped with all the modern facilities like lift, swimming pool, badminton court and various other sports grounds, indoor games area, rainwater harvesting system, yoga corner, party hall, health club, gymnasium, celebration lawn, multi-purpose hall, club house, temple, at the most affordable prices. Mahima spans across the entire region of the city with investments in all the prominent places in the city like Mansarovar, Ajmer Road, Jagatpura, and so on.
If you are looking for a residential property, you must have a bunch of things that you seek as per your lifestyle. Safe neighborhood, uninterrupted water and power supplies, proper network coverage, kids-friendly environment, natural, fresh air to breath in - these are some of the unspecified fundamental requirements. Mahima has created homes taking these into proper consideration so that it not only fulfils your check list but also gives you an experience of luxury living, long with aesthetic architecture, new level of comfort, high-tech facilities combined with ample exposure to nature; all at extremely reasonable prices that are usually hard to imagine, given the standard of living they provide. The best part is, many of them especially, the studio apartments, are fully-furnished so you do not need to bother about the furnishing at all! Besides residential property, commercial property is also available with us. So now you can start your business by renting ready-made flats that totally fit your budget and houses that are beautiful, attractive, and inlaid with all the comfort and amenities.


NOTE: These fixed plugins use the ESP master (aka mod de-isolation) method which means you still need the original plugins for these plugins to work! The plug-ins are not a redistribution of modified original Bethesda plug-ins, but contain only changes and have the original plug-ins set as masters. Because of this, these are not standard plug-in ESP files. Merging, editing or otherwise modifying them using the Elder Scrolls Construction Set or other utilities may cause them to stop functioning or cause severe bugs in your game! These plugins MUST load after the DLC's that they patch; reversing this load order, or activating the UODP ESP's without the official DLC's that they patch present, can cause Oblivion to crash on launch or load of a save.
If you find any bugs with the fixes or any bugs with the official mods themselves please report them in the Official forum thread.


The ideal candidate will have five to seven years senior management experience in the cultural sector, preferably in an arts venue, a producing theatre, or a visual arts organization, and a proven track record in major gifts fund-raising, board development, and grantsmanship. A degree in arts and/or not for profit administration or equivalent experience in the field would be desirable.
Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Comprehensive benefits package.
With an annual budget of $2.2 million, Artistry's staff includes theatre production, musical, artistic, and technical teams, box office and front of house, education coordinators, teaching artists, and other administrative people. It receives broad support from its community with a pool of 185 volunteers and a dedicated Board of Directors of 17. The annual fund-raising goal is $538,000, for which the ED holds the primary responsibility for development of strategy and its execution. Artistry serves a regional audience of more than 82,000 annually.
Job Categories: Arts and Culture. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: arts, culture, director, executive director, fund-raising, management, and non-profit. States: Minnesota.


This beautiful neighborhood begins just east of City Park, for which it was named. City Park originated in 1878 and featured an outdoor bandstand for evening concerts and a small zoo with bears and buffalo.
The first homes in the area were offered for sale in 1900. Shortly afterward settlers from all over the world moved in and great diverse and cultural neighborhood was born.
Between the 1890s and 1920s, the area was transformed into an urban showcase with the Denver Zoological Gardens and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The Museum has impressive permanent and traveling exhibits and is part of frequent field day trips for local schools.
Park Hill is a growing and flourishing community characterized by architectural history and wonderfully diverse people. Large trees line the streets and offer a wonderful retreat. Access to local attractions and to downtown make this neighborhood a wonderful place for families, singles and professionals.


Discover the best place to stay in the south of Morocco.
Spa & Wellness in the door of the desert.
Nature, comfort and relax in the middle of the valleys and mountains of the High Atlas.
A hidden gem between the canyons of the river M'Goun.
Arabian Nights dream in the heart of the dunes.
Adventure, desert and the character of nomadic people.
A magical place on the edge of the dunes.
A treasure hunt in the fortified town.
A top-notch experience in the middle of the dunes.
Discover what Grup Xaluca can offer you.
Grup Xaluca has a significant infrastructure in Morroco capable of offering complete services for organizing and celebrating national and international events.
Brands that have trusted us.
"It was an amazing experience and a great pleasure to stay at Xaluca"
I was at Kasbah Hotel Xaluca Arfoud and I had a very good experience over there. The food was great, the staff was very kind with me and all my family and the hotel was amazing! I could not image that this hotel would be in the middle of the desert. I really recommend it to all of my friends and family. Thanks so much for all the fun!
"Grup Xaluca, the best choice"
The annual presentation of new products is always the most anticipated event of our workers. This year we were pleasantly surprised with the destination Morocco, and all activities organized by Grup Xaluca. A success and an event to remember forever , and thanks to the team of Grup Xaluca and excellent organization.
"Annual meeting of goals in the desert"
They proposed four destinations for the next meeting of the company and I was glad to know that finally opted for Morocco. The result was excellent, absolute disconnection and an entirely different environment than usual.
Share your experience on TripAdvisor, Google and Facebook!
Find all the establishments from Grup Xaluca.
The country that travels within you.
Join our community of intrepid adventurers!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Vimeo.


Since I'm in the middle of making a bunch of crafty projects right now, I thought this would be a good time to share something I created a few months ago, but hadn't had a chance to post: my custom Pink Ninja Birthday Party.
So I created my own girl-themed ninja printables with a grey, pink & purple color scheme.
I created some small custom oval printables to affix to basic takeout containers to serve as perfectly themed goody bags. Coordinating paper straws and a special birthday sign added some decoration.
Food-wise, I wanted to do a party that would be fun, but also a good balance of healthy & treats. Sometimes I see high-styled parties that look breathtaking, but the massive amount of colorful candies, cakes, cookies & other sugar-laden items is overwhelming. No kid needs their body weight in sugar as a meal. You can style a beautiful party with some healthy food in the mix folks!
And since I'm not the sugar police, we did have some sweet goodies too. On the treat side we had Kunoichi (female ninja) face cupcakes I made with my fave cake decorating element, modeling chocolate.
I came up with a super-easy method for making them (which I can share in another post if there's interest). I really loved how they turned out.
We also had some pearlized gumballs, Pocky sticks and Chocorooms (aka mushroom shaped chocolate dipped biscuits).
And of course my favorite wafer candy saucers - found for a bargain price at Staples.com of all places!
We had a great time and the birthday girl was proud to show her stealthy skills on her special day. Go Pink Kunoichi!
Thank you for sharing, YOU ARE AN AWESOME NINJA MOM. loved the cupcakes!!
Cool idea for party!All things you made is awesome!
So cute and creative. I know a few little girls that would love this party!
That is super cute! I could totally see my little girl asking for a ninja party in the future.
Unique and clever birthday idea---a combo of sassy and sweet, nutritious and delicious, festive and fun!
Thanks Charity - it was my first try making my own printables too.
Adorable!! I love how this is pretty AND fierce at the same time. Enjoy the humor of it, and it's so cute!
Cheryl - what a great party! We love the idea of a Pink Ninja - and your daughter is just as cute as can be. The cupcakes are such a crack-up with their eyes peeping out. Cute, real cute.
Thanks so much Sharon & Denise. I've gone over and shared it too.
You were featured on Simply BeBetsy Friday Features 7 - CONGRATS!
Did you ever post how you made the cupcakes? I'd love to do them!
I didn't Debbie, but I was thinking about it the other day (it was birthday time again). My computer bellied up this time last year so I have to see if I still have my step-by-step photos left, but if I do, it's going on the "to post" list!