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CHAVEZ: Nuclear-armed Iran a greater threat than ISIS
In November, the U.S. decided to extend nuclear talks with the Iranians. The practical effect of the decision is to give the Iranians more time to make a bomb.
CHAVEZ: Nuclear-armed Iran a greater threat than ISIS In November, the U.S. decided to extend nuclear talks with the Iranians. The practical effect of the decision is to give the Iranians more time to make a bomb. Check out this story on courierpostonline.com: http://on.cpsj.com/1I6S2Z2
Published 12:32 a.m. ET Jan. 3, 2015
The agreement this week between the governments of Iraq and Iran to enter a formal relationship to fight the Islamic State group should be deeply troubling to the United States. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, is a grave threat to the region and is responsible for the horrifying beheading of American journalists and an aid worker, as well as the brutal slaughter of countless innocent Muslims and Christians in Syria and Iraq. But as grave a threat as the Islamic State is, Iran is a much greater threat — especially if it acquires nuclear weapons.
In November, the U.S. decided to extend nuclear talks with the Iranians, despite stalling on the part of the mullahs. The practical effect of the decision is to give the Iranians more time to make a bomb.
Lest anyone believe Iran's assurances that its desire to enrich uranium is purely for peaceful purposes, a story on the United Nations' website raises suspicion. It says International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya "Amano noted (that) the Agency is not in a position to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities." That translates from diplomatic-speak into: We're not buying the Iranians' story.
A comprehensive study released by the International Committee In Search of Justice shows that Iran has a dual nuclear program — a civilian side, which appears to pursue peaceful nuclear energy, and a military program, which skirts sanctions by obtaining dual-use nuclear materials or smuggling bomb-making materials into the country. Leadership for the civilian and military programs frequently overlaps, with scientists and others switching places between the two programs as needed.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration largely looks away, instead pursuing negotiations that will never persuade the Iranian regime to give up its nuclear weapons agenda. Part of the problem is that the administration doesn't want to take on the Islamic State directly in Iraq, preferring to provide American military advisers who will play a severely limited role while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps provides thousands of troops on the ground.
But expediency in the fight against the Islamic State is a bad strategy for the U.S. and for the world. If — more likely, when — Iran develops nuclear weapons, those weapons not only will be used by Iran to intimidate its neighbors but also could well be put into the hands of terrorists whose reach extends far beyond the immediate region.
So what can and should be done? I asked Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, to give her sense of what might actually persuade the Iranians to give up nuclear weapons. "They will only forgo the bomb if they sense that their survival is in danger and if they feel that the risk of insisting on the nuclear project outweighs the risk of abandoning it," she told me.
Rajavi talked about the mistakes the U.S. has made during the negotiations, giving the regime time to improve its ballistic missile programs, as well as enrich uranium.
Too bad the U.S. has been unwilling to recognize Rajavi's group, only taking it off the official terrorist list after the group challenged the designation in U.S. courts. Rajavi is no threat to the U.S., but she may just be the biggest challenge to the real threat we face in Iran.
Linda Chavez is a syndicated columnist.
Read or Share this story: http://on.cpsj.com/1I6S2Z2
BENSON: A Case for Camden County College
Open letter: Freeholder's time better spent addressing corruption
Letter: Extremist positions on veterans
Letter: Camden's growth is real
Letter: Liquor license for Camden restaurants
SIMON: Applauding DiLorenzo and Davis
Dec. 5, 2019, 12:35 p.m.


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Employee Focus – Debbie Safian, Macomb County Michigan State University Extension
Her job title is administrative assistant, but that is just one of the many roles Debbie Safian performs for Macomb County's Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) office.
It's safe to say that, as someone who has worked for the department since 1994, Safian is an expert in pretty much everything MSUE related, which is a task in and of itself, as MSUE provides a wide variety of programs to residents in Macomb County. MSUE's goal is to serve residents with programming that focuses on agriculture, natural resources, children, youth, families and community and economic development. As an employee for the county who works with MSUE to help facilitate and promote these programs, Safian must be aware of many different aspects of each program.
"I've worked somehow in probably every different program area," said Safian, laughing. "I know just enough to get myself in trouble."
Interestingly, Safian started working for the department part time, just 15 hours a week, when there was a huge gypsy moth infestation and the county needed someone solely dedicated to answering residents' concerns about the issue and developing areas that needed to be sprayed every year. In 2004, Safian began working full time and in 2010 she moved to the position she is in now. Without a direct supervisor from MSUE able to be in the Macomb County office full time, Safian is often in charge of supervising staff.
"I'm just doing my job," she said. "I enjoy the variety of work every day. It makes the day go by so fast."
Safian added that her job is made easier by the fact that she has such wonderful colleagues.
"I work with such supportive people. They become your family," she said. "We have each other's back. If they need help, you support them."
Safian is a longtime Clinton Township resident. She moved her with her husband Jim in 1980. They have two grown sons and have been married for 35 years. In her spare time, Safian loves to go up north, where her and her husband own property and engage in outdoor activities such as boating. Around Macomb County, she has plenty to do too.
"I spend a lot of time at Metro Beach, often walk to Partridge Creek from my house and I have a lot of family and friends in Macomb County," she said.
Steve Gold, director of Health and Human Services for Macomb County, oversees the MSUE program. He said the work Safian does is invaluable.
"Debbie is the kind of employee who always seeks to do more. I can't tell you how many times she has anticipated a need I hadn't thought about yet, or suggested a better way of doing something. She is a valued professional colleague."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home / KCSOS Spotlight / Number of homeless students expected to rise
Number of homeless students expected to rise
The Kern County Superintendent of Schools' McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program announced today that it is ramping up support to Kern County schools to help identify and connect schools with families who are struggling with housing, especially those as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment, educational stability, and social supports in any public school to homeless students and unaccompanied youth who are living in emergency shelters, motels, cars and campgrounds or who are living with other families due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason.
Homeless advocates in California warn communities that mass unemployment caused by the coronavirus pandemic will create new waves of youth and family homelessness in the upcoming months, especially once eviction moratoriums and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance end later this year. Prior to the pandemic, Kern County had the 9th highest homeless student population among the state's 58 counties and the highest among Central Valley counties.
"We expect our schools to see a rise in the number of students who are newly homeless because of this pandemic," said Curt Williams, Director of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Services Program. "If they are not identified by the school and protected under McKinney-Vento, these students will become more at risk of changing schools, being chronically absent, and falling behind their classmates."
Research shows that during a single year, 97 percent of homeless students move up to three times and 40 percent attend two different schools. This disruption can result in four to six months of learning loss, delays in enrollment, lost education records, and loss of high school credits, which may put children experiencing homelessness years behind their peers.
For this reason KCSOS's McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program has expanded its outreach efforts to assist local school districts with identification of homeless youth and direct outreach to identified families so they are aware of available benefits. Strategies include:
• Launching a new, countywide Online Referral Form to link families to their school district McKinney-Vento contacts for services;
• Online trainings to teachers and front office staff on identifying students who may be eligible for homeless education support;
• Redesigning community awareness materials so that newly homeless families understand their rights and accompanying benefits; and
• Developing a peer-to-peer mentoring group for homeless students to begin this fall.
"Families that are struggling with housing and have to move around a lot, will not always self-identify, often because of embarrassment or fear that child protective services may get involved," said Williams. "We want families to know that their children can stay in their same school after they become homeless because schools can provide them with a source of stability and normalcy in otherwise difficult circumstances."
Any family that is in an inadequate living situation due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reasons, and are interested in additional support and resources for your children in school, should complete an online referral form (http://bit.ly/ReferKernMV) or contact our education liaison, Rolando Hernandez, at 661-636-4900 or rhernandez@kern.org.
ABOUT THE KCSOS MCKINNEY-VENTO PROGRAM
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. In Kern County, there were approximately 5,075 students in county K-12 public schools identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act during the 2019-20 school year. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program provides support and resources to the 47 school districts across Kern County to implement the McKinney-Vento Act. The program takes a collaborative approach by providing technical assistance to district homeless liaisons, social services agencies, and community-based organizations who are involved in working with homeless children and youth.
For more information about the KCSOS McKinney-Vento Program, visit https://kern.org/instructional-services/homeless-youth-services/ and follow us on Twitter at @KernFYSCP.


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Philippines Police Claim Killings Of 30 'Drug Dealers' Since Rodrigo Duterte Became President
By Seerat Chabba @crat074
Philippines' then president-elect Rodrigo Duterte gives a press conference in Davao City, Philippines, June 2, 2016. Photo: GETTY IMAGES/MANMAN DEJETO/AFP
At least 30 "drug dealers" have been killed since Rodrigo Duterte was sworn in as the president of Philippines Thursday, according to the police, sparking outrage amongst human rights activists.
The police also announced the seizure of nearly $20 million worth of narcotics.
Duterte, known as "the punisher," won the election in May on a platform of crushing crime. However, his advocacy of extrajudicial killings has alarmed many. After his oath taking, Duterte said he wanted to get rid of drug traffickers, telling supporters to "go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful." In the past, he has also offered rewards to those who "shoot" them.
Al Jazeera reported Duterte's top police commander, Ronald dela Rosa, telling officers accused of drug links that he would not hesitate to change their birthdays to Nov. 2—the Day of the Dead, a major religious holiday in Catholic Philippines.
Oscar Albayalde, police chief for the Manila region, said five drug dealers were killed Sunday in a gun battle with police in a shanty town near a mosque near the presidential palace. "My men were about to serve arrest warrants when shots rang out from one of the houses in the area," Albayalde told reporters, saying police returned fire and killed five men.
Four guns and 200 grams of crystal methamphetamine were recovered.
In the north of the main island of Luzon, drug enforcement agents and police seized a shipment of 180 kilograms (400 pounds) of "shabu" (methamphetamine) worth about $19.2 million from either China or Taiwan, Rosa said.
Three other people were killed in other areas in Manila on Sunday and 22 were killed in four areas outside the capital. More than 100 people have died in the stepped up anti-crime drive since the election on May 9. Most of these have been suspected drug dealers, rapists and car thieves.
Azadeh Shahshahani, a human rights lawyer who has monitored rights abuses in the Philippines, told Al Jazeera that the killings set a "worrisome trend."
"The president and his subordinates should remember that the accused should be afforded a fair process in an independent court of law regardless of the severity of the offence, per well-established principles of international law," Shahshahani, a director of the US-based group Project South, said.
Edre Olalia, secretary general of the National Union of People's Lawyers, said the killings must be halted.
"The drug menace must stop … Yet the apparent serial summary executions of alleged street drug users or petty drug lords which appear sudden, too contrived and predictable must also stop," he said in a statement. "The two are not incompatible."
Philippines' Duterte Urges Public To Kill Drug Dealers
Duterte Sworn In As Philippines' President


text:
Bluey on TV
My venue hasn't contacted me about moving sessions, what does this mean?
The new rescheduled tour dates for Bluey's Big Play will be announced in stages, and in order of scheduled occurrence. The sooner the rescheduled date, the sooner you will find out your new dates. This will be followed consecutively by towns and cities with rescheduled dates in the first half of 2021. Please continue to hold on to your tickets while the venues and ticket providers get in contact with you with your new dates. The producers are working closely with the venues to streamline this process as much as possible. Please be assured that your venue will contact you with all the information you need, and your tickets are 100% guaranteed and transferable to the new rescheduled performances.
How do I change my newly allocated session?
Please contact the venue or ticketing agent which you purchased your tickets through directly to make any changes to your session. Please note, changing session times will be subject to availability.
I have booked tickets with a child seated on a lap but they will now be too old for this – what do I do?
The Babes in Arms policy has been extended. Please contact your venue for more information about this.
I can't seem to get in contact with the venue at the moment. What do I do?
Many venues across Australia currently have limited staff or staff are working remotely, but please be assured that all ticket holders will be contacted directly as soon as possible with further information. Your tickets are 100% guaranteed and transferable to a rescheduled performance.
Will there be new/more tickets released with the changes in dates?
Our first priority is to transfer current ticket holders to the new rescheduled performances. Once this process is complete, Bluey's Big Play will resume general ticket sales. All available performances will be listed on the relevant venue's website. More information about general ticket sales will be available soon.
What is the show about, what can we expect to see?
Bluey's Big Play The Stage Show is an adaptation of the Bluey animated series created especially for the theatre in association with Windmill Theatre Company and and QPAC's Out of The Box. It is an original story written by Bluey's creator Joe Brumm with new music created by Bluey composer, Joff Bush, and features puppetry, live actors and beautiful theatrical sets.
How much are tickets?
Ticket prices may vary slightly for each city and venue on the tour. Check the Tour Dates page and click the booking link for your preferred venue to see what the ticket prices are for that venue.
Can I buy a family ticket?
Yes, Family Tickets are available. A Family Ticket is 4+ tickets and these can be purchased via the venue. Please check with the specific venue for family ticket availability.
At what age do I need a ticket for my child?
The venues generally have their own policy regarding what age children can sit on an adult's knee during the show. Check the venue's website or ask at the box office when you purchase your tickets.
Wasn't Bluey's Big Play already rescheduled?
Yes, due to announcements by the Australian Government relating to COVID-19, the Bluey's Big Play Australian tour was postponed. Now, due to changing circumstances and government regulations in Australia the tour will be postponed a second time. It's been a challenging few months planning the tour with the impact of social distancing on venue capacities and closed interstate borders. But now we have been given the green light to start rehearsals and proceed to production. The first performances are currently scheduled for December 2020.
Is the entire tour being moved again?
It is likely that most of the tour will be rescheduled again. Please note that to allow for sanitisation procedures between show sessions, some venues have had to change the session times slightly. The tour is not cancelled and is shaping up to be a longer tour with more shows; Bluey's Big Play will still be visiting every town and city as originally planned, plus a few more!
My venue has contacted me about moving sessions, what does this mean?
Due to announcements by the Australian Government relating to COVID-19, the Bluey's Big Play Australian tour was postponed. Now, due to changing circumstances and government regulations in Australia the tour will be postponed a second time. Tickets already purchased are guaranteed and will be transferable to the new dates. Your venue has contacted you to make arrangements to transfer your tickets to a rescheduled performance.
How will social distancing requirements be enforced?
Social distancing has affected seating plans at all venues. Each venue is enforcing social distancing differently. If you would like more information, please check with your venue for more details.
What Kind Of Health Measures Will There Be In Place At The Venues?
Venues are working closely with their local Health Department to ensure that they are implementing best practice sanitisation procedures.
Can I Bring A Pram Or Stroller To The Show?
Venues will have their own policies about access for prams and strollers. Most venues will accommodate pram or stroller parking in the foyer areas but will not allow prams into the performance space as this is a safety issue. Check with the venue for details.
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Home>Childrens>School Newspaper Editor Bears Witness
School Newspaper Editor Bears Witness
TELL IT TRUE
By Tim Lockette
Geographically, Lisa Rives lives on a lake in a small Alabama town. Emotionally, she lives in that unsettling landscape of teenagers who have realized the world is a messed-up place. Lisa's parents fight a lot and she suspects her dad is having an affair with a co-worker. Her former-beauty-queen mom spouts harmful stereotypes, for example suggesting that Lisa and her father have autism since they clearly have "something wrong" with them. Oh and that lake, around which her town of Beachside was built? It's "fake."
The real story begins when Lisa's friend Preethy begs her to take over as school newspaper editor after Preethy's friend Jamie resigns to run for student body president. Lisa is reluctant. She's always been curious about people and current events, but only because she knows the world is dangerous and doesn't want to be caught off guard. She ends up at the paper's helm anyway and finds herself assigned to cover the same election that got her the job.
Faced with the task of interviewing candidates, she tells her cool new journalism teacher that one of the would-be presidents, Nolan Ramsey, makes her uncomfortable by constantly talking about how he wants to have sex with her. The teacher responds: "So what? He's always joking about how he'd like to have sex with me too." The sexual harassment goes largely unaddressed. Preethy even suggests that Lisa could have had "a pretty OK boyfriend" if she'd agreed to date the candidate instead of writing about him.
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Lisa goes ahead with the interviews, asking questions about each candidate's politics, a topic that historically had been off limits, and inadvertently tips the scale in favor of her harasser. As the power and responsibility of her role begin to sink in, Lisa sets her sights on covering the execution of a local man who's been sentenced to death. Soon she's the story, as other media outlets report on her unusual request.
This is where the novel hits its stride, with an unflinching look at capital punishment, no doubt influenced by the author's own experiences as a newspaper reporter covering the death penalty in Alabama. Lisa encounters considerable pushback. When questioned about why someone so young should be allowed into an execution chamber, she reminds the reporters gathered that South Carolina executed a 14-year-old (in 1944) and points out that Alabama's records about executions are spotty. "All we can know about some of those executions is what newspapers tell us," Lisa says. "If the press isn't there, then it's a black hole. Some people just want to shrug and go on, but I want to know the truth. Even if it's unpleasant."
It's noticeable that a novel set in Alabama, with its long history of unequal justice for Black men, features a nearly all-white cast — unlike "Atty at Law," Lockette's middle grade novel, also set in Alabama. (A Black corrections department spokesman and Preethy, who's Indian American, are exceptions.) Racism is mentioned, though, as inmates shout out prison windows at the media, and the book doesn't shy away from discomfort. The execution day is discussed in enough detail that neither the main character nor readers are able to look away. And that's the point.
Through the act of bearing witness, Lisa evolves from a reluctant student editor to a budding journalist. She leaves the death chamber observation room changed, and readers are likely to turn the final page of her story with new perspectives as well.
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Huq creates a powerful visual language through color and scale. Sudden lush views of gardens hint at the beauty of
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Femi Fadugba: 'There's no reason why Peckham couldn't be the theoretical physics capital of the world'
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text:
David Morrissey
Zawe Ashton
Thriller > Crime Thriller
Drama > Psychological Drama
Spy Film > Unglamorized Spy Film
Actor: Paddy Considine
The World's End (2013)
directed by Edgar Wright
featuring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
directed by Paul Greengrass
featuring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney
Hot Fuzz (2007)
featuring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Timothy Dalton
The Death of Stalin (2018)
directed by Armando Iannucci
featuring Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend
In America (2003)
directed by Jim Sheridan
featuring Samantha Morton, Paddy Considine, Sarah Bolger, Emma Bolger, Djimon Hounsou
Blitz (2010)
directed by Elliott Lester
featuring Jason Statham, Paddy Considine, Aidan Gillen, Zawe Ashton, David Morrissey
directed by Richard Ayoade
featuring Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, Noah Taylor
The Girl With All the Gifts (2017)
directed by Colm McCarthy
featuring Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close, Sennia Nanua, Anamaria Marinca
Miss You Already (2015)
directed by Catherine Hardwicke
featuring Drew Barrymore, Dominic Cooper, Toni Collette, Jacqueline Bisset, Paddy Considine, Joanne Kneafsey
The Half Life of Timofey Berezin (2006)
directed by Scott Z. Burns
featuring Paddy Considine, Radha Mitchell, Oscar Isaac, Jason Flemyng, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
My Summer of Love (2005)
directed by Pawel Pawlikowski
featuring Natalie Press, Emily Blunt, Paddy Considine, Dean Andrews
Pride (2014)
directed by Matthew Warchus
featuring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott
Now Is Good (2012)
directed by Ol Parker
featuring Dakota Fanning, Jeremy Irvine, Kaya Scodelario, Paddy Considine, Olivia Williams
Dead Man's Shoes (2006)
directed by Shane Meadows
featuring Paddy Considine, Gary Stretch, Toby Kebbell, Stuart Wolfenden, Neil Bell
Stoned (2006)
directed by Stephen Woolley
featuring Leo Gregory, Paddy Considine, Monet Mazur, Tuva Novotny, David Morrissey
The Cry of the Owl (2009)
directed by Jamie Thraves
featuring Paddy Considine, Julia Stiles, James Gilbert, Caroline Dhavernas, Gord Rand
A Room For Romeo Brass (1999)
featuring Andrew Shim, Ben Marshall, Paddy Considine, Frank Harper, Julia Ford
The Backwoods (2006)
directed by Koldo Serra
featuring Paddy Considine, Virginie Ledoyen, Gary Oldman, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Lluís Homar
Close Your Eyes (2004)
directed by Nick Willing
featuring Goran Visnjic, Shirley Henderson, Miranda Otto, Paddy Considine, Claire Rushbrook
My Zinc Bed (2008)
directed by Anthony Page
featuring Uma Thurman, Jonathan Pryce, Paddy Considine
Girl on a Bicycle (2014)
directed by Jeremy Leven
featuring Nora Tschirner, Vincenzo Amato, Louise Monot, Stephane Debac, Paddy Considine
Honour (2014)
directed by Shan Khan
featuring Paddy Considine, Aiysha Hart, Nikesh Patel, Shubham Saraf, Faraz Ayub
See All from $270.66
Happy Now (2001)
directed by Philippa Collie-Cousins
featuring Ioan Gruffudd, Susan Lynch, Om Puri, Emmy Rossum, Paddy Considine
Yasmin Paige
Vincenzo Amato
Tuva Novotny


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Q: Program's window closes after using ToastNotifier (win10toast) recently I faced with the problem. There is reminder which notifies about somesthing in some period of time. I use Python 3.7 and PyQt5 for creating interface. Also, there is library which is named "win10toast" and module "ToastNotifer" for notifying. After entering data (time and text for reminder) and clicking submitting button, Window just closes, but sometimes window's title changes to "program do not answer" and after 2-3 seconds window closes too. I think, that it is connected with win10toast. I need program no to close, because after using reminder user can go back and open notepad or just write his|her mark there. That is problem, which i can not solve.  I do not know why it happens. Reminder's code starts from the class fileush till the closing fragment. You have to download zip file from my github, because there is main python and ui(interface) programs. Please install library win10toast and import ToastNotifier also, datetime in order to know the current time. Thanks) Link to my github is in the end of question
My code:
import sys

from PyQt5 import QtCore, QtGui, QtWidgets
from PyQt5 import uic
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication, QWidget, QMainWindow, QPlainTextEdit
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QLabel, QPushButton, QMessageBox, QFileDialog
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QTimeEdit
from PyQt5.QtGui import QPixmap
from win10toast import ToastNotifier
import time
from datetime import datetime

class fileush(QWidget):
    def __init__(self, *args):
        super().__init__()

        uic.loadUi('ui_fileush.ui', self)
        self.pushButton.clicked.connect(self.running)

    def running(self):
        toaster = ToastNotifier()
        self.now = datetime.now()
        self.tmf = self.tm.time()
        self.uak = self.tmf.toString()
        self.current_time = self.now.strftime("%H:%M:%S")
        self.seku = self.current_time.split(":")
        self.seku2 = self.uak.split(":")
        self.seknot = 3600 * (int(self.seku2[0])) + (int(self.seku2[1])) * 60
        self.sekcur = 3600 * (int(self.seku[0])) + (int(self.seku[1])) * 60 + (int(self.seku[2]))

        if self.sekcur >= self.seknot:
            self.label_5.setText('ERROR')

        else:
            self.label_5.setText('')
            self.secs = 3600 * (int(self.seku2[0]) - int(self.seku[0])) + 60 * (int(self.seku2[1]) - int(self.seku[1])) - int(self.seku[2])
            self.second_input = self.lineEdit_2.text()
            t = time.sleep(int(self.secs))
            toaster.show_toast(self.second_input)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = QApplication(sys.argv)
    ex = fileush()
    ex.show()
    sys.exit(app.exec())

Link to my github: https://github.com/iMAGA07/reminder

A: I had the same issue but I used a thread to solve it.
If you are not familiar with threads, they basically help you to run different functions at the same time, the code that I have written is:
import threading

thread = threading.Thread(target=self.noti)
thread.start()

def noti(self):
    h = ToastNotifier()
    h.show_toast("TODO UPDATE", f"Hurry up, you have less than 3 days to finish the task you had set {task}!!", )

Here I was trying to make a todo application which gives a notification when there is less than 3 days to finish the task they had set.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Entrepreneurial Spaces
October 5, 2016 by Aimee L. Cook Leave a Comment
Impact Hub of Salt Lake, was started in 2013 by Dustin Haggett, after he observed the concept in San Francisco. Impact Hub is a franchise that provides flexible offices and space to its members, made up of entrepreneurs, nonprofits, community organizations, freelancers etc, who desire a sense of community and mentoring.
Impact Hub also offers ongoing programs, events and skills building workshops. They supply fiber internet and multiple meeting rooms, and on a daily basis you will encounter 80 or more people.
"We are really trying to focus on our impact and our global community," Haggett said. "We have a really diverse startup community and a lean startup accelerator, BoomStartup, that operates out of our space."
Membership fees range from $35 a month, which gives you access to all the events and programs, to $200 a month which is a 24/7 unlimited membership to the space and all they offer.
"It can be a lonely thing when you are starting your own business or nonprofit," Haggett said. "Just being around other people that are also doing it or have done it, can really accelerate the learning curve.
Impact Hub is located at 150 South State Street #1
Church and State was started by co-founders Ron Heffernan and Thomas Lee in an effort to create a space and a community for entrepreneurship and innovation. Church and State focuses on collaboration, community, education and events. They offer 24/7 co-working, dedicated desk and a private office if needed. Rates start at $99 a month for a seat to $500 a month for an office space.
Church and State is a non-profit and their 5,000 square foot space is open and free to the public Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm.
"We also contribute to raising awareness of the business-friendly climate of Utah on a global scale," June Chen, Chief Evangelist, stated. "We have also partnered with SimpleCitizen, a Utah start-up that is currently participating in Y Combinator, to launch a digital visa solution to guide applicants through the visa process."
Church and State is at 370 South 300 East, both in SLC.
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City Creek Center's Impact on Gateway and Downtown


text:
Sam Nover
Before ESPN became such a media monstrosity, people in Pittsburgh used to get all of their sports news from men like Sam Nover.
Jim Lachimia,
Before ESPN became such a media monstrosity, people in Pittsburgh used to get all of their sports news from men like Sam Nover. As one of the mainstays at WPXI-TV for more than three decades, he kept folks in these parts informed with developments on the local and national sports scene each day, doing so with a deep and distinctive voice that could command a room like few others.
After graduating from Eastern Michigan University and doing radio and TV work in his hometown of Detroit for a few years, Nover accepted a job with WPXI-TV (then WIIC-TV) in 1970 and became one of the city's most popular and respected sports anchors. Except for a brief period when he worked full-time for NBC on the national level in the early-1980s, he was a fixture on the local airwaves until he retired in 2001.
Nover, who turned 68 years old last month, now lives in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he owns a condo on a golf community and wildlife preserve called Ibis Golf & Country Club. He does part-time work for an investment company, Innovative Benefits Consulting, but mainly says, "I'm just loving my life right now. It's nice to be able to get up each day and do whatever you want to do."
PM: Every major Pittsburgh team enjoyed historic moments and won championships during your years at WPXI-TV. Are there specific stories or specific moments that stand out for you?
S.N.: Well, how could you as a journalist dream of anything greater than to be in Pittsburgh in the '70s when the Pirates win two World Series, the Steelers win four Super Bowls, and Pitt wins the national championship? It was remarkable, and I was right in the middle of all of it, you know. And then the big story of the '80s was obviously Mario Lemieux and the incredible career he launched that translated into Stanley Cups in the early-'90s. I mean, that was all remarkable stuff. Those are the things that stand out in my mind, and just being a member of the industry. I mean the friends that I made, the colleagues I worked with—Stan Savran and John Steigerwald and people like them—who became friends and competitors as well. That was pretty enjoyable.
PM: When did you decide you wanted to become a sportscaster?
S.N.: You have to understand that sportscasting was a labor-of-love for me. I wanted to be a sportscaster when I was 4 years old. I mean, you talk about knowing early in life what you wanted to be? When the other little boys wanted to be a fireman or a police chief or a cowboy, I wanted to be a sportscaster. I remember my dad told me that at 4 years old I used to sit by the radio and listen to [sportscaster] Van Patrick do the [Detroit] Tiger games, and it was Van Patrick I was interested in more than the Tigers. I always wanted to do that, so I lived my dream truly.
PM: OK, you wanted to be a sports anchor or sports announcer from the time you were 4 years old. But when did you develop that distinctive voice of yours?
S.N.: (Laughing) I don't know. I don't think I came out of the womb with it, if that's what you mean. I was never cognizant of my voice until I got into the business and people said, 'Oh, you've got a great voice.' But my father always had a good, deep, speaking voice, a good resonant voice. You either have it or you don't, I guess. There's nothing you can do to control it. It's a God-given quality. I was blessed with it, but I can tell you that voices don't make broadcasters. If you've got one and you're a good broadcaster, that's great. If you've got it and you're a horrible broadcaster, you're not going to survive with just a great voice.
This article appears in the April 2009 issue of Pittsburgh Magazine.


Attention all teachers! Kristin of Paige Simple Studio has some FREE Back-To-School printables that would be just perfect for your classroom! How cute are these?! Chalkboard designs are still all the rage so welcome your students back to school in style with a chalkboard style 'Welcome Back' banner, a customized bottle of water, and a coordinating name tag for their desk. If you print the items on heavy cardstock you can personalize the table tent name tags with a Chalkboard Marker or Metallic pen.
Thank you for sharing, Kristin!
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text:
\section{The high-granularity calorimeter insert}
The high-granularity calorimeter insert (HG-CALI) proposed in  Ref.~\cite{hcalInsert} was designed to maximize acceptance ``as much as technically possible'' to meet one of the key requirements of the EIC \cite{AbdulKhalek:2021gbh}.  At high pseudorapidity, high granularity is needed in order to achieve reasonable angular resolution and to disentangle nearby showers.  Further, the tracking performance is expected to degrade at small angles because of the solenoidal nature of the magnet to be used---making hadronic calorimetry crucial in this region~\cite{Arrington:2021yeb,AbdulKhalek:2021gbh}.

Figure~\ref{fig:explode_view} illustrates the design that consists of alternating layers of absorber material (tungsten or steel, depending on the layer), and scintillators.  The scintillators are sandwiched between a cover and a SiPM-carrying printed circuit board (PCB), which includes an LED for each cell and temperature sensors for calibration and monitoring purposes. The detector as a whole is split into two parts that could be retracted laterally along with the two halves of the larger hadronic calorimeter endcaps, which will rest on a support structure with a rail system~\cite{AbdulKhalek:2021gbh}.

\begin{figure}[h!]
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.99\textwidth]{figures/Diagrams/explode_view_new.png}
    \caption{An exploded view of the high-granularity calorimeter insert proposed in Ref.~\cite{hcalInsert}, modified to use the 3D-printed frame strategy rather than the megatile.
    }
    \label{fig:explode_view}
\end{figure}

Two strategies are considered in this work for dividing the scintillator layers into cells.  The first strategy, which is used in the baseline design of the HG-CALI~\cite{hcalInsert}, is to use ``megatiles'', which are large pieces of scintillator divided into smaller readout cells by cutting grooves into them. This strategy has been employed, \textit{e.g.}, in the STAR~\cite{STAR:2002ymp} and CDF~\cite{DeBarbaro:267775} experiments.  It is also being considered by the CALICE collaboration~\cite{Laudrain_2022} as an alternative to using individual scintillators wrapped in reflective foil glued directly onto the PCB~\cite{Seflow2019}.

The second strategy, which we propose and validate in this work, is to produce each cell separately, and then fit them into an opaque 3D-printed frame.  Instead of wrapping these cells in foil, we would use a single sheet of foil upstream and downstream of the frame, and use reflective paint on the edges of the tiles.
This makes the construction process easier than the delicate process of cutting the grooves in a megatile, while simultaneously eliminating the need to bend the foils.
\section{Summary and conclusions}
We performed studies with scintillating tiles read-out with SiPMs as part of the R\&D for the high-granularity calorimeter insert at the EIC.  In these studies, we have developed and tested two new innovations for the SiPM-on-tile approach that can simplify the assembly process of these tiles and improve their performance.

The first innovation was the use of opaque 3D-printed frames to insert the hexagonal scintillator cells into, which is an alternative to using grooved megatiles.  We found that the optical crosstalk was significantly lower ($\approx$1\%) with the 3D-printed frame than with the megatile ($\approx$3\%), even when black ink was traced opposite the grooves of the megatile.  Further, the use of these frames simplified the production process and reduced the dead zones between cells.

The second innovation exploited the 3D-printed frame by using reflective paint on the edges of the cells and only using foil on the top and bottom. This approach simplifies the assembly of individual tiles and is an alternative to the complicated task of fully wrapping the scintillators in foil.  Further, the painted-edges method has the potential to reduce cell-by-cell variations which can occur for foil-wrapped scintillators.

To further test the viability of using this combination of flat reflective foils and reflective paint, we performed measurements of the light yield and timing resolution for these cells.  We found that a MIP signal yields about 60 photoelectrons per cell using a 3$\times3$ mm$^{2}$ SiPM at 2 V overvoltage, which meets the requirements for the EIC calorimeter insert~\cite{hcalInsert}. We also found an acceptable timing resolution of 600~ps at 0.5~MIP to 300~ps at about 2~MIP.

Further studies can be done to optimize the light yield and uniformity, for instance by repeating these  and other studies with various dimple geometries, as guided by earlier optimization studies such as \cite{Belloni_2021,de_Silva_2020,Chadeeva_Korpachev_Rusinov_Tarkovskii_2018,Simon:2010hf,BOBCHENKO2015166,Jiang:2020tve,ABUAJAMIEH2011348,Liu:2015cpe,Blazey:2009zz,Simon:2010hf}.
More efficient SiPMs, such as those that use epitaxial-quenching resistors~\cite{NDL,instruments1010005} may further improve light yield as demonstrated in Ref.~\cite{Jiang:2020tve}.
Additionally, cells made with the injection molding technique \cite{instruments1010005} could help improve cell uniformity and simplify the assembly process even further. Alternatively, the scintillating cells along with the opaque frame and reflective material could be produced as a single piece with a 3D-printing technique~\cite{Berns_2022,Berns:2020ehg} that could facilitate the production of the irregular cells on the edge of the detector.

Overall, these studies demonstrate the performance of the building blocks of the high-granularity calorimeter insert for the EIC~\cite{hcalInsert} and show advancements in the SiPM-on-tile technology that could also inform other EIC calorimeters and other experiments.
\section{Introduction}
Highly granular sampling calorimeters based on scintillators readout directly with silicon photo-multipliers, also known as a ``SiPM-on-tile'' approach~\cite{Blazey:2009zz,Simon:2010hf}, have been proposed for a number of experiments in various facilities~\cite{CALICE:2010fpb,CALICE:2022uwn,Dannheim:2019rcr,CEPCStudyGroup:2018ghi,JIANG2020164481,Li_2021,Jiang:2020tve,Duan_2022,ILDConceptGroup:2020sfq} to enable the particle-flow paradigm~\cite{Thomson:2009rp,RevModPhys.88.015003}; notably, a large-scale use is being deployed for an an upgrade for CMS at the LHC~\cite{CMS:2017jpq}.
A large number of beam-test studies of this technology have been performed by the CALICE Collaboration~\cite{RevModPhys.88.015003}.

The SiPM-on-tile approach provides flexibility in calorimeter design; for example, the shape and size of cells can be straightforwardly tuned, varying with position in the detector for specific needs based on factors such as cost, noise, or radiation tolerance.  It also requires a less arduous and complex assembly procedure compared to traditional designs based on waveshifting fibers.

We recently proposed to use the SiPM-on-tile  approach for a design of a calorimeter insert for the ePIC detector at the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC)~\cite{hcalInsert}, which would cover $3<\eta<4$ and maximize acceptance near the beampipe. Each layer in the calorimeter is slightly different to accommodate a beampipe with a 25~mrad crossing angle. As such, the natural choice for the shape of most cells is hexagons, which can help tessellate complicated areas effectively. Moreover, the design is enabled by the fact that the EIC generates relatively minor radiation fluence---not exceeding $10^{12}$~neutrons/cm$^{2}$ per year at design luminosity $(10^{34}$~cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1} )$~\cite{AbdulKhalek:2021gbh}.  The modest amount of radiation damage to SiPMs could be mitigated with annealing after each run~\cite{Garutti:2018hfu,hcalInsert}.

The design for the calorimeter insert is driven by the need to maintain a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio at EIC radiation fluences without active cooling, large light yield to keep the possibility of cell-by-cell calibration with minimum-ionizing particles, as well as the need to maximize acceptance in the complicated volume near the EIC beampipe. The area of the calorimeter insert is only about 60$\times$60~cm$^{2}$, so constraints related to construction at scale and cost are not as stringent.

In this work, we seek to define the parameters of the building blocks suitable for the EIC application, specifically the light yield, time resolution, and optical crosstalk. We performed studies using UV LEDs, cosmic rays, and a radioactive source (Sr-90).
 We also determined the level of optical crosstalk between cells using the traditional megatile approach and a novel strategy based on a 3D-printed frame.

\section{Results}
\subsection{Light Yield}
The light-yield distribution for the SiPM on one of the measurement tile from the cosmic-ray setup is shown in the left panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:lightyields}.  We fit this distribution to a Landau function with most-probable value $\mu$, which is used do define the light yield. The results were $\mu=$59.6$\pm$0.7 and $\mu=$64.2$\pm$0.8 photoelectrons for the two SiPMs; the significant difference of about $\approx$8\% suggests a systematic uncertainty that could arise from the variations in tile optical quality or other source.
\begin{figure}[h!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{figures/Plots/CosmicLightYield.pdf}\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{figures/Plots/Sr90LightYield.pdf}
\qquad
\caption{\label{fig:lightyields} Light yield measured with cosmic-rays (left) and Sr-90 (right).}
\end{figure}

As a cross-check, we determined the light-yield distribution for three-fold coincidence events with the Sr-90 setup (right panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:lightyields}) and fit it to a Landau function with an added constant term (to account for background) and obtained $\mu$=78.8$\pm$0.3.  Strictly speaking, the electrons from Sr-90 are not MIPs, and the expected energy loss per unit length depends on their energy.  However, by requiring that the electrons produce 3-fold coincidence, our sample is biased towards the higher end of the possible phase space, where the maximum energy allowed in the Sr-90$\rightarrow$Y-90$\rightarrow$Zr-90 decay chain is 2.274 MeV.  In the 1.3-2.3 MeV range, the ratio of the energy loss per unit length for electrons to that of MIPs\footnote{As calculated using the formulas in Ref.~\cite{Groom:2000sm}.} is fairly flat, at around 1.3.  Dividing the $\mu$ from the Sr-90 by this ratio yields 61 photoelectrons per MIP, which is comparable to the value obtained with cosmic rays.

Our light-yield results are larger than those reported in Ref.~\cite{Belloni_2021}, which obtained about 32 photoelectrons per MIP for a similarly sized square cell ($3\times 3$~cm$^2$), using $1.3\times1.3$~mm$^2$ SiPMs from the same product series as we used, and in Ref.~\cite{Jiang:2020tve}, which likewise obtained a value of 28 photoelectrons per MIP in a similar setup.  While our light yield was larger than those of Refs.~\cite{Belloni_2021,Jiang:2020tve}, this improvement does not scale linearly with the SiPM area.

\subsection{Optical crosstalk between channels}
We used the UV-LED setup for the evaluation of the optical crosstalk between cells.   To compare the effectiveness of each of the three methods of optical crosstalk reduction, we plotted the signal in the main cell against the signal in the neighboring cell in Fig.~\ref{fig:crosstalk}.
 \begin{figure}[h!]
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.99\textwidth]{figures/Plots/Crosstalk_SJP.pdf}
    \caption{Comparison between the amounts of crosstalk between neighboring cells, using three methods of reduction:  painting inside the grooves with reflective paint (left), using the reflective paint and also tracing the face opposite the grooves with black ink (middle), and fitting the scintillators into a 3D-printed frame.  The dashed green line represents 0.1 times the number of photoelectrons expected from a MIP.}
    \label{fig:crosstalk}
\end{figure}

 Due to limitations of the dynamic range of the digitizer, we only include data with up to 150 photoelectrons in the main cell, corresponding to 2.5 MIPs.
 We used a linear regression on these data, and determined the slopes:  0.104 for the reflective paint only (left), 0.027 with the reflective paint plus black ink (middle), and 0.011 with the 3D-printed frame (right).  Overall, these results suggest that the 3D-printed frame is the most effective for reducing crosstalk.

    Typically, one defines a threshold using some fixed fraction of the number of photoelectrons corresponding one MIP, \textit{e.g.} in Ref.~\cite{hcalInsert} this was assumed to be 0.1.  Therefore, we show in Fig.~\ref{fig:crosstalk} a line corresponding to 0.1 MIPs in the neighboring cell.  We find that for the reflective-paint-only megatile, this threshold is exceeded for most of $x$-axis range.  When adding black paint, the average signal in the neighbour cell never exceeds this threshold but some events do.  With the 3D-printed frame, the average is well below the threshold and none of the events in this sample cross it.

    The detector response of the HG-CALI to a 50~GeV $\pi^-$ was simulated in Ref.~\cite{hcalInsert}, predicting a cell-energy average of 2.0 MIPs, which is within the range probed in this study.  However, some of the hits in the simulation had much larger signals (up to 250 MIPs).  Extrapolating from our measurement,
    these would correspond to a correspond to a neighboring-cell signal of about 2.8 MIPs; however, such high-energy hits were rare in the simulation.

As a cross-check, we used a variant of our cosmic-ray setup in which we placed the trigger tiles directly above and below the main cell of a megatile or 3D-printed frame.  The optical crosstalk would then be the ratio between the peak values of the distributions of the signals in the neighboring and main cells.  We repeated this for the megatile without ink, the megatile with ink, and the 3D-printed frame.  In all three cases, the optical crosstalk values were consistent with those obtained using the UV-LED setup.

\subsection{Timing resolution}
We show the distribution of the time differences between the two back-to-back SiPMs in the Sr-90 timing setup in the left panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:time_results}.  We fit this to a Gaussian function, yielding $\mu=$46$\pm$9~ps and $\sigma=$540~ps.  To obtain the resolution for a single SiPM, we divided the $\sigma$ of this Gaussian by the square root of two, yielding a single-SiPM timing resolution of 380~ps. This is comparable to the 0.5 ns resolution reported in Ref.~\cite{Chatrchyan_2018} for plastic
scintillator tiles at the CERN H2 test beam.
\begin{figure}[h!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth,clip]{figures/Plots/TimeDifference.pdf}\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth,clip]{figures/Plots/TimeResolution.pdf}
\caption{\label{fig:time_results} Left: Time difference of two SiPMs using an Sr-90 source. A Gaussian fit is shown as an orange curve.  Right: Time resolution as a function of the number of photoelectrons obtained using an Sr-90 source (blue circles) and cosmic rays (green squares). A fit to a constant times $1/\sqrt{n_{pe}}$ is shown as an orange curve.}
\end{figure}

We repeated this process while simultaneously binning the data in the number of photoelectrons in the two SiPMs in the same bins, and show the result in the right panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:cosmic_setup_timing}, both for the Sr-90 setup (blue circles) and for the cosmic-ray setup (green squares).  We observe that the timing resolution fits to $\sigma=$3180/$\sqrt{n_{\rm pe}}$, where $n_{\rm pe}$ is the number of photoelectrons.  This is slightly better than the preliminary results reported in Ref.~\cite{hummer_emberger_simon} for similarly sized cells. We repeated this measurement using all our algorithms to extract the time-of-arrival of signals; the results varied by only about 2\% from algorithm to algorithm.

It is often the case that the timing of a signal will have an amplitude dependence, known as a ``time-walk'' effect, and this can depend largely on the algorithm used for defining the signal time.  We investigated this effect and found that this change in the time-of-arrival can vary by about 250~ps when one SiPM has a very large signal and the other has a very small signal.  However, this effect has a negligible impact on the resolution shown in the right panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:time_results}, because we required the two channels to have similar light yields, causing the time-walk effects on the two channels to cancel each other out.

We note that both the timing resolution and the size of the time-walk corrections reported here are much smaller than those reported in Ref.~\cite{CALICE:2019ipm}, though this is likely due the fact that they used waveshifting fibers (which we didn't use) and slower readout.

Timing resolutions of less than 100~ps have been achieved in SiPM-on-tile approach in Refs.~\cite{6898046,Torres:2019ntb,Alvarado:2019cam}, though the resolution for a given setup may depend on many factors including the SiPM type and the material and geometry of the tile.

It has been proposed in Ref.~\cite{Graf_2022} that using timing information to identify the presence of slow neutrons in showers can be used to improve shower-energy reconstruction, using advanced algorithms such as those in \cite{Akchurin:2021afn,Qasim:2021hex}.  Having good resolution in timing per cell can therefore be useful in such energy corrections.

\section{Experimental Setup for Prototyping Studies}
\subsection{Data Acquisition and Processing}
For our measured signals, we used 3x3~mm$^{2}$ SiPMs from Hamamatsu (model S14160-3015, which has about 40k pixels), mounted on a carrying board that provided bias voltage and a 20~dB voltage amplification~\cite{1861126}. We also used SenSL 6x6~mm$^{2}$ SiPMs (model MicroFJ-60035-TSV) in their evaluation boards for triggering. The SiPM signals were further amplified using one MiniCircuit ZX60-43-S+ before being readout by a DRS4 digitizer controlled with the RCDAQ software~\cite{RCDAQ}. The DRS4 board was set to a sampling rate of 2~GS/s, except in the timing-resolution setup where it was increased to 5~GS/s.

Depending on the setup, the trigger to record an event would be generated either by the trigger output of a LED Driver (CAEN SP5601) or from coincident signals generated by SiPMs affixed to scintillating tiles with a trigger logic implemented in the DRS4 digitizer.

The signals for each SiPM were calibrated using low-intensity LED pulses; a Fourier analysis of the observed photoelectron peaks yielded a gain factor of 6.3$\pm$0.1~mV/pixel consistently for the two SiPMs used for testing when biased at 40.5~V. This procedure was repeated varying the SiPM bias voltage; a linear fit to the gain vs.~bias voltage data was used to define the breakdown voltage as the voltage with zero gain. The breakdown voltage was found to be 38.3$\pm$0.6~V, with the two SiPMs analyzed yielding consistent results. The SiPMs were operated at 40.5~V, so slightly above 2~V overvoltage.

The pedestal noise of the setup was measured using randomly triggered data. It is well described with a Gaussian with width of 2 mV. The minimum signal recorded in either the measurement or trigger SiPMs was required to be at least 7 times this value, or about 2 photoelectrons.

The DRS4 digitizer records SiPM waveforms that typically consist of three parts: a background baseline, an avalanche rising peak, and an exponential decay. We implemented various algorithms to extract the pulse-height amplitude and the time of arrival of the pulse, which we call ``base'', ``smooth'', and ``fit''. In the base method, the pulse height is the difference between the maximum voltage in the waveform and the average of the pre-trigger baseline; then, it finds where the points behind the maximum value crosses the half value of the pulse-height to determine the time of arrival. The smooth method is similar to the base method, but with a five-midpoint averaging of the whole waveform. The fit method consists of a $\chi^{2}$ fit to the whole waveform into three different segments: horizontal, linear, and exponential decay. The pulse-height value is determined as the difference between the peak value of the linear segment and the baseline value; the time of arrival is the same as in the previous method.

We perform a quality control procedure on the measured waveforms, which some times exhibit nonphysical spikes. After identifying such spikes, we replace the sample values in the spike with values obtained with a five-midpoint smoothing. We removed poor-quality events (caused by pileup or cross-triggering within the SiPM) using a cut on the $\chi^2$ obtained with the fit method.

\subsection{Prototype scintillators}
We used two types of scintillator tiles in this study.  The first type was a megatile with transverse dimensions 9.2$\times$8.7~cm$^2$ and a thickness of 3.5~mm.  This was divided into hexagonal cells (area 7.9 cm$^2$, side length $\approx$1.7~cm) via grooves (2.5~mm deep and 2~mm wide).  The inside of these grooves were painted with reflective white paint (Saint-Gobain BC-621), similar to the approach used in the CMS hadronic calorimeter~\cite{CERN-LHCC-97-031}.  The second type of tile was a hexagon with the same size and thickness as one of the cells of the megatile. In both cases, the cells have a polished dimple in the center to fit an SiPM to improve signal uniformity across the area of the cell~\cite{Blazey:2009zz,Simon:2010hf}. Renderings of the design for these prototypes are shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:scintillators}.
\begin{figure}[h!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.99\textwidth]{figures/Diagrams/tiles.png}
\caption{\label{fig:scintillators} Renderings of the megatile (left) a single hexagonal tile (upper right), and a 3D-printed frame (bottom right).  An inset shows a cross-sectional view of the frame.
}
\end{figure}

The thickness of the scintillator tiles used in these studies (3.5~mm), as well as the hexagonal cell area (7.9~cm$^2$), are comparable to those of the HG-CALI design proposed in Ref~\cite{hcalInsert}. The dimple at the center of each cell has the geometry of a sphere of radius 3.8~mm going 1.6~mm deep within the tile, following  Ref.~\cite{Belloni_2021}.
 The composition of the scintillator tiles is EJ-212, which is a type of polyvinyl toluene- (PVT-) based plastic that is chosen because of its radiation hardness~\cite{Liao_2015} and light yield~\cite{Chatrchyan_2018}.

In addition to the prototype megatile, we also created a prototype 3D-printed frame of black PLA, as shown on the right side of Fig.~\ref{fig:scintillators}.  The printer we used was an Ender 3 V2 using a 0.4~mm nozzle. In this frame, a 0.4~mm thick wall separates the individual cells, allowing for a dead zone between cells that is 1/5 as wide as the one in the megatile setup.  Thin shelves on one side of the frame are used to hold the scintillator tiles in place.  However, these shelves were only included for prototyping studies and we do not plan to include them in the final design of the HG-CALI.

For both the megatile and the individual hexagonal-cell tiles, the top and bottom of tiles were covered with 3M Vikuiti ESR foil, and the edges were painted with the reflective paint. This was done to increase light yield and improve uniformity~\cite{Blazey:2009zz,Simon:2010hf,Abu-Ajamieh:2011mao,Belloni_2021}. The ESR foil was chosen over alternatives such as Tyvek due its better performance as demonstrated, \textit{e.g.}, in Ref.~\cite{Belloni_2021}.

Using the paint on the edges, and using foil only on the top and bottom of the tile (rather than fully wrapping the tile in foil like in the CALICE prototypes~\cite{Seflow2019}) simplified the production process, since the foil is difficult to bend and doing so can create air gaps.

\subsection{Cosmic-ray setup}
We used a three and four-fold coincidence setup to measure the signals from cosmic-ray muons.
Two hexagonal tiles, each attached to 6 mm$^2$ SiPMs, were aligned with each other 10~cm apart vertically to act as the trigger. We placed two hexagonal tiles with SiPMs at the halfway point between the two trigger tiles, pressed back-to-back with each other, as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:cosmic_setup_timing}.

This setup allowed a measurement of the light yield from minimum-ionizing particles (MIPs), as well as the timing resolution.
For the timing-resolution measurement, we ensured that the cable distance between the SiPMs and the DRS4 were identical.
\begin{figure}[h!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.49\textwidth,clip]{figures/Diagrams/cosmic_setup_block_diagram.pdf}
\includegraphics[width=0.49\textwidth,trim={0 2cm 2cm 0},clip]{figures/Diagrams/cosmic_setup.png}
\caption{\label{fig:cosmic_setup_timing} Block diagram (left) and a 3D rendering (right) of the cosmic-ray setup used for timing and light-yield measurements.}
\end{figure}

In this setup, as well as the other two setups, the scintillator tiles, the SiPM-carrying boards, and their support structure were placed inside a dark box in order to prevent light leakage into the scintillators from outside light sources.

\subsection{LED setup}
To measure the level of optical crosstalk\footnote{This is not to be confused with SiPM crosstalk.}  between the scintillator cells, we developed the following system using a UV LED as our source.  The UV light was generated from a CAEN SP5601 LED Driver, and fed through a UV fiber-optic cable. The end of the cable was placed directly above either one of the cells in the megatile or one of the tiles in a 3D-printed frame.  A SiPM was placed under this cell (called the ``main'' tile) and another was placed under a neighboring cell. A pinhole in the reflective foil directly under the end of the fiber-optic cable allowed light to enter the tile. Both the SiPM output and the LED driver trigger signal were connected to a DRS4 digitizer connected to a computer. This setup is illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:led_setup}.
\begin{figure}[h!]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.49\textwidth,clip]{figures/Diagrams/led_setup_blockdiagram.pdf}
\includegraphics[width=0.49\textwidth,clip]{figures/Diagrams/led_setup.png}
\caption{\label{fig:led_setup} Block diagram (left) and a 3D rendering (right) of the UV-LED setup.  In the latter, the reflective foil is rendered as translucent, in order to show the 3D-printed frame, tiles, SiPMs and boards underneath.}
\end{figure}

In order to determine the level of optical crosstalk we manually adjusted the LED intensity, in order to sweep from zero to $\approx$150 photoelectrons in the main cell, at which point the limit of the DRS4 dynamic range was reached.  We define the level of optical crosstalk as the slope of the correlation between the number of photoelectrons per event in the neighboring cell and that of the main cell.

We tested three different methods of reducing the optical crosstalk between the cells.  In the first method, the inside of the grooves were painted with reflective paint.  This would reflect the light that would otherwise enter the neighboring cell back into the main cell.  In the second method, the reflective paint was also used, and the face of the megatile opposite the grooves was traced with black ink in order to reduce reflection into the neighboring cell.  In the third method, the megatile was replaced with individual scintillator tiles inserted into a 3D-printed frame (see right panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:scintillators}) made of black, opaque PLA.  Since the walls between the tiles in the 3D-printed frame could be made thinner than the width of a groove in a megatile, the use of a 3D-printed frame has the potential to reduce the amount of deadzone between cells.  A cross-sectional schematic of the boundary between cells using each of these three methods is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:crosstalk_setups}.

\begin{figure*}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth, trim={0 5cm 0 0},clip]{figures/Diagrams/crosstalk_setups.pdf}
    \caption{Comparison of the setups for testing methods of optical crosstalk reduction.  From top to bottom:  a) reflective paint inside grooves b) same as the previous, but with black ink on the back side of the scintillator opposite the grooves c) a 3D-printed frame used to separate individual cells.}
    \label{fig:crosstalk_setups}
\end{figure*}

\subsection{Radioactive-Source Setup}

In the radioactive-source setup, we used an Sr-90 radioactive source in a sealed disk (SN-9796, 0.1~$\mu$Ci) to generate signals within the tiles.  Similar to the cosmic-ray setup, we used two back-to-back hexagonal tiles on the measurement boards for measuring the time and light yields. For the trigger, we used a a third tile which was read out from one of the trigger boards, and placed directly below the lower of the two measurement boards.  This setup is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:radioactive_setup}.

\begin{figure}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{figures/Diagrams/radioactive_setup_blockdiagram.pdf}\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{figures/Diagrams/radioactive_setup.png}
    \caption{Setup for the tests with the radioactive source.  Left: block diagram.  Right: 3D rendering.}
    \label{fig:radioactive_setup}
\end{figure}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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Objective Art
Isenheim Altarpiece (1515) by Grünewald
Altarpiece - Panels Closed
Center Panel - The Crucifixion Scene
Altarpiece - Panels Opened
The creator of the Isenheim Altarpiece (Retable) was Mathis Nithardt-Gothardt, usually known today as Grünewald. He was born in the 1470s and died in 1528 and may have ended his life as a Lutheran. Most of his life was spent in the service of the Archbishop of Mainz who later became Cardinal Albrecht of Mainz. Grünewald's masterwork is the Isenheim Retable (oil paint on wood panels). It was completed in about 1515 and was painted just two years before Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Cathedral in 1517.
The Isenheim Altar is a complicated structure with two sets of wings, like a double cupboard, enclosing the final altarpiece, which consists of three carved wood statues of saints. There are also two side panels and a predella. It was painted for the hospital chapel of Saint Anthony's Monastery in Isenheim in Alsace, The hospital was a lazar-house, i.e., a hospital for persons with infectious diseases, especially leprosy. The side panels include depictions of the plague saint, St. Sebastian, and the patron saints of the most austere forms of monasticism, St. Anthony and St. Paul the Hermit. Today the Isenheim Altarpiece is on display at the Musée d'Unterlinden, in Colmar, Alsace, France.
Art Historian's Interpretation:
A standard interpretation of the altarpiece is one given by the art historians Peter and Linda Murray in their well known book entitled The Art of the Renaissance, at pages 216-217:
On the outside is the Crucifixion, not seen as an event, but as a meditation on the most frightful aspects of suffering, with the theological significance stressed by the Baptist, whose stabbing finger points to the tortured body of Christ, while below the Cross stands the Lamb of Sacrifice. The wings open to disclose an Annunciation, a Nativity, and an Ascension; and these open again to disclose on either side of the carved innermost shrine two panels, Saints Paul and Anthony in the Desert and a Temptation of St. Anthony. The Crucifixion is somber and livid; inside, all is a magic glory of brilliant color and light, and the final scenes of the Desert Saints are again lurid and eerie, with, in the Temptation, the kind of devil— haunted imagery that permeated Bosch's visions of sin.
This is a sixteenth century picture, but the imagery harks back to the expressive violence of Romanesque, and in his portrayal of the ghastly wounds, the agonized feet and hands, the dying face, here and in the smaller Crucifixion in Washington. Grünewald stands at the absolute extreme pole from the elegiac serenity of the High Renaissance, which at this moment was in its final stage in Rome.
R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz's Interpretation:
The twentieth century alchemist R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz in his book entitled Sacred Science (pages 120-125), makes the following observations concerning the Isenheim Altarpiece as an example of "symbolique" art:
This definition can be illustrated in many ways by Pharaonic images and figurations, stories and legends, but might be more comprehensible at first if exemplified by a work based on the teachings of the Gospels. The purely symbolic Isenheim altarpiece, now in the Museum of Colmar in Alsace, is a splendid example, and a unique and affecting work. The painting is attributed to Matthias Grünewald,' but it is the adept who inspired this painting, probably Guido Guerci, preceptor of the Antonins of Isenheim, who here commands our deep respect.
When a painter faithfully represents a scene or gesture described in the Holy Scriptures, this is but a transcription and not a symbol, even if the moment is rendered according to the artist's personal interpretations (as with a descent from the cross by Rembrandt, for example).
The Isenheim altarpiece shows the crucifixion surrounded by scenes and gestures which make sense individually but are purposely anachronistic or illogical in their function and in relation to normal tradition. Thus it is John the Baptist, historically long dead by the time of the crucifixion, who points at Christ on the cross. Mary Magdalene, the sinner, is posed as a supplicant before the crucified man whom she prepared for burial by anointing him with precious unguent; yet the vase or crucible still containing this precious balm is placed in front of the cross. This ointment is, in fact, the central and essential object of this entire symbolique. The painter has not neglected to give the sinner golden hair and a robe of reddish gold, an unusual color which only an adept can be supposed to have inspired. At the feet of John the Baptist, a lamb holds a small short cross in its right front leg, an anomaly because this cross, symbol of John the Baptist, is usually raised on a high staff and held by the left foot. Moreover, from the lamb's left (heart) side, a stream of blood flows into a chalice, an image of very specific symbolic value.
Next to Mary Magdalene, this masterpiece depicts Mary, mother of Jesus, collapsing in anguish, pale and dressed in dazzling white. She is supported by John, Christ's favorite disciple, curiously garbed in bright red: the red supporting the white, reminiscent of the white Pharaonic crown placed in front of the red crown.
The crucified Christ, of abnormally large size in relation to the other personages, has a body marked by that hideous disease, unknown in our time, which was known as "Saint Anthony's Fire" or "Mal des Ardents" which the Antonins of Isenheim knew how to cure. The Charitable Order of the Antonins claimed the protection of Saint Anthony, fourth-century hermit of the Egyptian desert. This Order was widespread in Europe and had houses in Alsace, at Isenheim and Strasbourg.
Two accents should be noted which stress the significance of the images of Saint Anthony: The left panel of the painting shows the saint, very richly dressed, holding the symbol of the Tau in place of a cross; this is the Tau of Saint Paul, it is the Coptic Tau. Saint Anthony's Tau is exactly the cross of life, the Pharaonic ankh without its female oval. Saint Anthony pays no heed whatsoever to the poisonous breath of the monster who spreads the disease with a breath that penetrates the window by shattering it. On the right panel, Saint Sebastian is represented as pierced with arrows, a symbolic reference to a particular date.
Everywhere the emphasis is placed on the opulence of Saint Anthony, on the color red by means of his outfit (coat and cap), and through the monsters, all red, which assail the saint in order to tempt him.
The extraordinary colors and some particularities of this painting are striking enough for this work to serve as an example of symbolique. The many anomalies depicted guide us in seeking a significance, an enigma such as perhaps can be put in parallel with certain Hermetic texts, for example, the writings of Count Bernardus Trevisanus (1406-1490) who refers to "Babylonian dragons" obviously familiar to everyone (?)...or to a singular passage from the hieroglyphic figures of Nicolas Flamel (1330-1417).
This is good and true symbolique as is the Christic Passion in genera! when the Lord says: "Hitherto. . , have I spoken unto you in proverbs; but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father," and that marks the beginning of the Passion.
We have already found the principle of the Passion in the legend of Osiris. Transcribed by the myth, its two great phases are separated: the Passion properly so called, with Osiris, and the resurrection with Horus. The "practical" meaning unfolds through the behavior of the various Neters who enter into play: It concerns a teaching that aims at attaining liberation for the immortal being trapped in a mortal body.
In Christian symbolique, the aim is different: God is humanized, and for resurrection through death, the teaching of the Gospels demands this display of the human body on the cross, this body incarnating all human suffering as an example. In truth, it pertains to man crucified in space, cosmic man, the anthropocosmos filling the four orientations of the world and fixed on this cross by the three manifested principles (the three nails). The crucified Christ of this altarpiece bears the stigmata of the terrible "Mal des Ardents." The meaning of this can only be that He also cures this disease. Intended here is not a symbol of resignation that would lead one to believe the Lord accepted death from this sickness. The incarnation of the divine Word is offered to a fallen world in order to show the way to redemption. But who has "erred" and been condemned to mortal life? Was it the first man? Or is it man in general when he enters the road of return? Is not error immanent in creation itself? If there were no division into Adam and Eve, there would be no "fault" or double way.
In this symbolique there is a deeper intention, inexpressible by mere words because it pertains to the law of genesis in general. This symbolique speaks both of knowledge concerning the royal opus and of the process of the human being becoming suprahuman. The particular in the universal also includes universality in the particular, and this reversal, real as it may be, is unimaginable.
Indeed, the beginning, the very first manifestation, is in essence divisible into two aspects. These are complementary but they are also opposed, as are male and female, creating the "fault" which must be expiated by death in order to resuscitate immortality within unity. But this is a possibility only, not a necessity. "Male and female created He them" (androgynous), says the Mosaic Genesis in speaking of Adamic man. Hence, if this Adamic state did not undergo division, man would be king of the world "in the image of God."


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text:
College Summer Prep Series at UK Wildcat
From June 18-19, the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour held the College Summer Prep Series at UK Wildcat. The tournament was made up of a 36-hole format with a field of four divisions that included the Boys 16-18 Division, Boys 14-15 Division, Boys 11-13 Division, and Girls 14-18 Division.
Charlie Fish from Cincinnati, Ohio was the first-place finisher this weekend. Fish brought in scores of 78 and 74 for a combined total of 152 for the weekend. Jaden Wilson from Lagrange, Kentucky was the runner up for the weekend with scores of 78 and 80 for a combined total of 158. Chris Kelley from Nicholasville, Kentucky finished the top three honors with scores of 81 and 78 for a weekend total of 159.
Charlie Fish
Jaden Wilson
Chris Kelley
Harrison Zipfel from University City, Missouri was the first-place finisher this weekend. Zipfel brought in scores of 74 and 73 for a combined total of 147 for the weekend. Nick Vilela from Washington, Missouri was the runner up for the weekend with scores of 73 and 76 for a combined total of 149. Trenton Harley from Prospect, Kentucky finished the top three honors with scores of 76 and 81 for a weekend total of 157.
Harrison Zipfel
Nick Vilela
Trenton Harley
Carson Nicholas from Lexington, Kentucky was the first-place finisher this weekend. Nicholas brought in scores of 80 and 79 for a combined total of 159 for the weekend. Alex Hasselbeck from Anchorage, Kentucky was the runner up for the weekend with scores of 81 and 79 for a combined total of 160. Parker Geldhof from Lexington, Kentucky finished the top three honors with scores of 86 and 79 for a weekend total of 165.
Carson Nicholas
Alex Hasselbeck
Parker Geldhof
Alana Kutt from Sarasota, Florida was the first-place finisher this weekend. Kutt brought in scores of 77 and 74 for a combined total of 151 for the weekend. Zoe Luebbers from Cincinnati, Ohio was the runner up for the weekend with scores of 78 and 79 for a combined total of 157 . Ellie Roof from Paducah, Kentucky finished the top three honors with scores of 85 and 77 for a weekend total of 162.
Alana Kutt
Zoe Luebbers
Ellie Roof


New York, NY – October 2017… During the recent 143rd AES New York 2017 convention at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, D. B. (Don) Keele, Jr. of DBK Associates and Labs and Hugh Sarvis, Managing Director of the Loudspeaker Division at PreSonus Audio Electronics presented a white paper that explored the design and implementation of a two-way, constant-directivity wedge loudspeaker system. The presentation was given by Don Keele, Jr. and was well-received as a thorough examination of the many considerations for its implementation in line array configurations.
To secure a copy of Design and Implementation of a Constant-Directivity Two-Way 12-Inch Woofer Wedge Loudspeaker System, download the PDF at http://mountaincrest.net/PreSonus_Images/WhitePaper.zip.


Hello there, we are Goggle Studio!
Goggle Studio offers the entire spectrum of design services, from graphic design to rebranding, app design and responsive websites.
The company is the brainchild of two brothers: Mike, our Chief Designer, who, after completing a BA Hons Degree in Product Design, worked for an international consultancy firm designing for a wide range of corporations – including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America, KLM Flying Blue, Iberia, Singapore Airlines, Diners Club and VISA – and Jason, our Business Development Manager, who has spent 10 years marketing and practice managing in the legal sector. Both decided to take a leap to find fresh inspiration and adventure. Goggle was where they landed.
'Why the name Goggle?' we hear you ask. Well, aside from trying to cash in on the unfortunate few who misspell the name of a well-known search engine, the name originates from our childhood. In keeping with the family values we hold so highly, we chose to name the company after the name our younger brother used to call Mike before he managed to get his head around the tongue twister that is 'Michael'. 'Goggle' was the word he found easier to say, so he called him that, and it has stuck ever since.
On a slightly more serious note, we're pleased to report that said younger brother is now comfortable using Mike's full name, as well as a plethora of other nicknames we have for him – all of which we are unable to broadcast here, unfortunately.


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World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, July 17, 2014
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light,
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.
Even as we sing, even as we pray, Precious Lord, our thoughts turn to those for whom 'home' has become an uncertain and unsafe place, for whom 'home' is but a hope-filled dream. For those of us who know this place of safety and comfort, our minds strain to comprehend what its loss means to so many, and so we turn our thoughts and hearts and hope to them this day.
To all those in the path of Typhon Rammasun in the Pacific- the people of the Philippines who have already experienced its devastation and the people of coastal China, where its track is headed.
Have mercy, Lord, and lead them home.
To the 450 children in Zamora, Mexico, who have been removed from a children's home because they have been subjected to sexual abuse and forced to beg on the streets by the very people who were to be caring for them.
To the Palestinian people of Gaza, that ancient land, where the death tolls mount and 100,000 have been warned to leave their homes by the Israelis, in preparation for another bombardment.
To the forty detainees on hunger strikes at the Bagram detention facility in Afghanistan, detained in secret by the American military, with no legal rights and whose families are kept in the dark about their whereabouts and condition.
To those suffering with the soaring temperatures in England and Wales, on the eastern coast and southwest region of the United States.
To the people of Syria, Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, where so many have been forced from their homes and the lives they have known, only to become homeless refugees in strange and often-hostile places.
To the refugee children from Central America, fleeing violence and extreme poverty in their homelands, in the hope of a new home and welcome in the United States, only to be often met by hostility and anger and fear.
To the United States Navy nurse who has risked his career and the animus of others by refusing to force-feed hunger strike prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
To all of the countless others, unknown to us but surely known to you, Benevolent God: those who roam the streets of cities everywhere with no place to lay their heads and nowhere to call their home; those in the grip of dark depression who have lost all hope of ever having a meaningful life; and those of us who are so far removed from the suffering of our sisters and brothers that we remain oblivious to what is their everyday reality.
Have mercy, Lord, and lead them home
When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand,
Lead us all, home, Precious Lord, lead us home. Amen
World News This Week in Prayer – January 2, 2014
World in Prayer This Week – January 2, 2014
"And having been warned in dream not to return to Herod, they [the Wise Ones] left for their own country by another road." Matthew 2:12 (NRSV)
God of dreams and desires, in this sacred season you reach to the world in rhythms beyond the rational. An angel comes to Mary, Elizabeth feels a child quicken within her, Joseph has a dream, and the Wise Ones follow a star.
We who worship at the altar of the linear and the rational easily dismiss these gentle beats of eternity and bombard the ancient stories with questions and analyses and doubts and thoughts. We empty the stories of their mystery. Caught in a desire to understand, we forget that you are known in ways beyond thinking. You are heard as much in silence as in speech. You are present in dreams and visions.
Draw us to quiet our hyperactive minds and rest in the quiet that opens a place for you deep within. Draw us to Sabbath rest; releasing what we so desperately want to control, setting aside what we are driven to accomplish, stopping our busyness with things that are important but not more important than seeking you. Remind us that we are human beings and not human doings.
We would sit with the ancient stories and mine their tender wisdom. With Mary we would receive the message of the angels, all the while arguing with ourselves that such beings do not exist… With Joseph we would receive our dreams as gifts from the place deep within where holy insight unfolds. With the Wise Ones we would look for the light that shines in the darkness and find our way to You once again.
The world has already forgotten about Christmas–a distant memory of a time too busy and filled with too much. In the stores Christmas is half price and the fireworks of the New Year have drowned out the sounds from the manger.
And the hungry are still hungry. The homeless are still homeless. The wars are still raging. The planet still cries out in need. The gap between the rich and the poor is an ever widening river. All that was broken before Christmas is still broken.
In the Middle East violence boils over in Syria, Israel, Iraq and Yemen. The number of refugees increases daily.
In Africa war wracks the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Sud Sudan. Hunger and disease run rampant.
In Asia, Afghanistan, Burma-Myanmar and Pakistan all struggle with unrest, political and religious power struggles.
The Philippines and Japan still struggle in the aftermath of disaster.
The United States still argues about whether or not it is right to care for the poor.
But still… the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. This promise is renewed in us and for us and through us; the gift of the season is offered once again as a reminder that we are not alone, that our striving toward your dream for a world of shalom is not finally a pipe dream but a promise.
As we linger in the ancient stories for just a few more days, not quite ready to let go of the season, waiting for the gift of Epiphany which is your revealing once again, may we take courage for the work that is ours, rest for the journey that is ahead, sustenance that is found at the table where bread is broken and wine is freely poured. And finding in the home that you make in the world through the Christ, may we, like the Wise Ones of old, find our way home by another way; the way that is your way, the way that is shared by all people of faith, the way that is your Shalom.
World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, December 5, 2013
In intercession we, the intercessors, need to know something of the circumstances to kindle our concern. God already knows it all, but it seems in the mystery of humanity where God has given us free will, he will not bypass this and treat us like robots. Our love and concern seem to open the way for God's energy to flow into the world. Meister Eckert said: "Every act reveals God and expands God's being." We can think of intercession as expanding God's being in every situation we open to Him. – Sr. Margaret Mary, SPB, in "Seeking God in the Silence"
So, God, source of all life and being, we bring our concerns for the world to You, that Your energy, light, and love may be unleashed to transform what is broken; to heal who and what are wounded; to make straight what is crooked and destructive; to build up and enliven what is good and true, that Your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord, in the stillness of our deepest hearts beyond all words, lighten the darkness…
Of those still struggling to cope and recover from the 100 mph winds in the UK, leaving more than 40,000 homes without power as sub-arctic temperatures move in and threatening severe floods in coastal areas
The continuing slow recovery from the devastation of Typhoon Haiphen in the Philippines
Cyclone Lehar in the Indian and Far Eastern countries and all other natural disasters
As the world mourns the loss of Statesman Nelson Mandela and all he meant to South Africa, the world, and the devastation of apartheid
Of those facing unremitting violence and unrest in so many countries including Thailand, Afghanistan, Mexico, Peru, Syria, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Egypt, South Africa, the Central African Republic. These situations bring the words of Nelson Mandela to mind, "The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come."
Of those mourning the dead and wounded in the police helicopter crash on a pub in Glasgow, Scotland
And we give thanks for all those, who forgetting themselves, run toward these disasters to help others
God, ever merciful and full of forgiveness, compassion and faithful love, bless and encourage…
All aid workers helping others in disaster zones and also in our local communities often caring for the marginalized and forgotten
All those relatives, friends, and care-takers providing loving support for those seemingly lost in dementia, but not lost to You
Every act of kindness, love and selflessness, that it may spread a web of love and peace in the world to counteract the malign selfishness and greed encouraged by so many interests at this time of year
At this time of waiting and preparation for Your coming, remind us again daily that your way is not the way of power and domination, but of self-giving love and sacrifice for all. Challenge our narrow and often sadly judgmental views.
Remind us that because You chose to forsake all to come as a helpless human – to live and learn and grow as we do – you enabled Easter to happen. Your death and resurrection opened the gateway to reconciliation with You. Give us the courage to say "Yes" to You as Mary did when Gabriel came and disrupted her life with the news of what You wanted of her. This life we live is a construction zone for each one of us and also for Your world. Transform us, by Your light and love, into the people and world You created us to be.
World News This Week in Prayer – Thursday, November 21, 2013
For in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16 (NRSV)
Creating God, you spoke and the world came to be. Through your Word, life began.
Your living word continues to bring new life to dry bones,
to make bitter water drinkable,
to calm the chaotic seas of our lives,
to bring sight to the blind,
to release the captive,
to comfort the broken-hearted.
Even as we acknowledge your reign in our hearts and lives, we long to see this world, your world, transformed into that glorious place where you will "let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (Amos 5:24 NRSV)
The news of this world may shake our faith, but let us not give up hope.
The terror of Typhoon Haiyan and the devastation of the Philippines continues to weigh on our minds;
tornadoes swept through portions of the United States, destroying property and leaving death and destruction in their wake;
and bombings in Egypt and Somalia killed dozens of people.
But hope remains as three women, held for more than 30 years have been rescued in Lambeth, England.
Our friends and family are diagnosed with cancer, and yet hope remains as families eagerly anticipate the births of children.
Your reign, O Christ, is not always evident in this broken and hurting world.
Use us, we pray, as your agents of wholeness and healing, of restoration and reconciliation.
We continue to follow after you, our Lord and Savior, until we hear that voice from the throne proclaim your kin*dom has come!
"See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:3b-4 NRSV)
May your kingdom come, O Lord. Your kingdom come.