End Of Term - What Have I Learned?
As I walked home from the last uke lesson I'd do for the year fives at Darell Street Primary School, I knew I was one very fortunate ukulele teacher. It had been a very memorable day to a great year of uke teaching and I was holding a stack of colourful hand-made 'Thank You' cards and feeling very privileged to have this job indeed.
But as a teacher, what had I learned in between here and starting my first year as a uke teacher in a school in November last year….
'There Ain't No Right and There Ain't No Wrong'.
From the many people I have taught the uke to, I'm very aware that people come to the instrument for a wide variety of reasons and with a wide variety of ambitions. But one thing that seems to be in there across the board of all age groups is that they want it to be fun, easy and with quick wins. And that's how I approach my teaching. I try get people singing and strumming songs really quickly and keeping musical theory to the bare minimum. This is usually achieved in the first half an hour of the first lesson. Clearly one of the main reasons why the uke is so popular across all age groups.
In terms of techniques such a strumming and chord changes, I use the line 'there ain't no right and there ain't no wrong' a lot. I'm fully accepting of how it's not great English, but it really sums up my approach to teaching. I also emphasize alongside this that, if I do see someone doing something that I know will seriously affect their ability to develop on the instrument, I will need to pick up on that. But apart from the most often one of people holding the uke a bit too 'sound hole up' there's not much that falls into that category.
So with the kids when I first started to see some of them playing F or D by hooking their thumb over the neck, I did point it out that it could hinder them later. But as many had really small hands and this seemed to work for them, I just thought, 'well why not'! There's no grades or exams they need to pass on the uke, so if this gets them playing and enjoying a rousing version of 'Hold Back the River' and they can impress their mates and parents with what they can do then, really not a problem.
On the G7 chord, I also taught some of the slightly less proficient players a two finger version, which misses out fretting the second fret on the C string. Does it sound good? Well it's not ideal, but again if it means they can all join in the playing the songs then just go for it. It's also amazing what little discrepancies can be covered up with 25 ukes all being energetically strummed at the same time!
With 25 kids in the class, it was certainly mixed in terms of what they wanted to get out of the lessons. Some were clearly keen on music in the general sense and were also learning other instruments so wanted to add the uke to their collection of instruments and took things very seriously. Some were well advanced in being able to read music so were used to translating notation and even though I only use chord sheets still got to grips following a song sheet quicker than some others. Others just wanted to enjoy the weekly singalong and some (mostly the boys!) clearly had ambitions and 'heavy rockers'. One thing that was amazing to learn on this front was that 'Smoke On The Water' is still the riff of choice which is quite something for a song written 35 years before these guys were born!
It was apparent that there just has to be a major element of straight fun in the session in order to keep the kids engaged. So every few weeks, I would introduce some music based games, some involving playing the uke and some not. Also, splitting the class into boys versus girls seemed to add a healthy amount of competition. Though it was good to learn from the music teacher that also splitting them into non gender based groups would be beneficial so as to not establish fixed patterns.
Towards the end of the second term I also took a whole lesson as four groups and with the game of seeing how they worked in teams to try and tune up the ukes. I had put one in tuning but put three completely out of tune. The goal was to use the in tune one as reference to tune the other three. The learning point here for me was to be vigilant that everyone was included in the exercise and that the quieter children were not kept on the outside of things.
The session was certainly one of the most lively (and noisy!) but they seemed to enjoy it and most importantly at the end some had mastered tuning the uke! And not always the ones I would have expected!
This was a tricky one! My own musical interest tends to be in blues, folk and Americana so not what might be called 'current'! So, taking advice from the music teacher, we worked on a couple of reasonably contemporary ones with 'Budapest' and 'Hold Back The River' proving to be very successful. However, also amazing to note that when I asked the class who had heard of The Beatles, every hand went up. Very handy as one of the songs I use when teaching complete beginners is Paperback Writer as it only has two chords!
Bob Marley's 'Three Little Birds' was also a very popular choice and they seemed to really like singing it too. We also managed to fit in 'Johnny B Good' which certainly kept the trainee hard rockers happy.
Alongside these songs there was a need to work with some more traditional school songs to fit in with themes at assemblies and the mix seemed to work well.
However, I was very aware that it being my first year and had effectively had to dive in at the deep end when I started mid the first term that I was to quite a dregree 'busking it'. As I've (thankfully!) been invited back to teach a new batch of year fives in September, the music teacher has advised we take some time in the summer break get a more formal schedule in place so that it fits in with the wider musical curriculum. The thinking here is to embrace a 'music around the world on the uke' approach. Very much looking forward to working that up.
From Zero to uke heroes…..
As mentioned in my previous blog, this was all a new experience for me. I had worked in TV for 35 year with some uke teaching along the way but having left that industry last year I've now been dedicating my time to this on a 'full time basis'.
When I started with the class a few weeks before Xmas 2016, none of the class had played the uke at all. One of the messages in the cards I think best summed up how the year had gone. One of them said 'Thank you so much for everything you have taught us this year and it's really great to now be able to say I can play the ukulele'. And that really is such a rewarding thing to feel that you have played a part in that. Pretty much everyone in the class can now have a song sheet put in front of them (even of a song they don't know) and can all work out what chord to play when by following where the come on the sheet and produce a very competent version of the song. That's a real achievement!
Because of the way that music is taught in the school ie they learn a new instrument each year, they will move on to something new in year six. However, I'll be sad to think that after all the hard work they have put in to learning the uke that this will be the end of their time playing the instrument and really hope that at least a few of them carry on with it. I made a big point of saying that they would all be really welcome to join the breakfast uke club I run at the same school on a Thursday morning so have fingers crossed I'll be seeing some familiar faces at that.
There really has been a lot but the stand out one has to be when in just after the first three lessons (less than an hour's playing in total) they were able to play a really competent version Paperback Writer at their Xmas school fair as The Darell School Ukulele Orchestra. Only the uke can do this!


One important goal of the Goethe-Institut Hongkong is to promote international cultural cooperation by organising a broad variety of events to present German culture abroad.
We offer sophisticated language programmes. The various examinations of the Goethe-Institut are worldwide approved.
The information centre of the Goethe-Institut Hongkong serves as a resource for those interested in contemporary Germany and political & social aspects in Germany. Books and media are available for all who are interested in Germany or who want to study or teach German. In the context of library cooperation we are in close cooperation with library and information institutions in Hongkong, China and Germany to promote the professional exchange.
(File 27 MB. Brochure in English-Chinese).


LACOMBE, LA – The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's office has reclassified the cause of death of an infant who died in 2016 after the baby's father was arrested last week for murdering his seven-month-old son.
When Tanner Nauck died on January 4, 2016, at four-months-old, Coroner Dr. Charles Preston classified the death as "natural" after finding severe congenital heart disease.
Preston began the process of reclassifying that death from "natural" to "undetermined" after 25-year-old Corey Nauck was arrested February 28 on first-degree murder charges after his seven-month-old son Carter Nauck died of blunt force trauma.
Although no obvious signs of trauma were found during Tanner Nauck's autopsy in 2016, the new murder case triggered a closer look at the case, Preston said.


text:
The Killers es una banda de rock estadounidense formada en 2001 en Las Vegas (Nevada) por el vocalista, teclista y bajista Brandon Flowers y el guitarrista Dave Keuning. La banda actualmente está formada por Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer y Ronnie Vannucci Jr.. Después de llamar la atención de un busca talentos, el grupo firmó con el sello independiente británico Lizard King Records y el estadounidense Island Records.

La banda ha lanzado siete álbumes de estudio: Hot Fuss (2004), Sam's Town (2006), Day & Age (2008), Battle Born (2012), Wonderful Wonderful (2017), Imploding the Mirage (2020) y su reciente álbum Pressure Machine (2021). Todos los álbumes han ocupado el puesto número uno en UK y en Irlanda; además, se estima que han vendido 22 millones de álbumes en todo el mundo. Por otra parte, también han lanzado un álbum recopilatorio (Sawdust, en 2007), un álbum en vivo (Live from the Royal Albert Hall, en 2009) y un álbum de grandes éxitos (Direct Hits, en 2013).

Historia

2001-2003: orígenes y formación
En 2001, Brandon Flowers fue expulsado de su primera banda, un trío de synth pop proveniente de Las Vegas conocido como Blush Response, tras la negativa a mudarse con ellos a Los Ángeles. Luego de asistir a un concierto de Oasis en el Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Flowers decidió que quería dedicarse a la música. En ese tiempo, Dave Keuning, guitarrista de 25 años que se había mudado desde Iowa a Las Vegas, publicó un anuncio en el periódico, manifestando su deseo de formar una banda de rock. Flowers encontró dicho aviso y acudió al llamado. Luego de conocer a Dave, comenzaron la búsqueda de músicos con estilos similares a ellos.  Ambos compartieron sus influencias musicales y pronto empezaron a escribir canciones en el departamento de Keuning. A fines de 2001, grabaron un demo en el estudio Kill The Messenger; el demo contenía cuatro canciones: «Desperate», «Replaceable» y las primeras versiones de «Mr. Brightside» y «Under the Gun». El baterista de la zona, Matt Norcross, se encargó de la percusión en las grabaciones, mientras que Dell Neal, quien anteriormente fue compañero de cuarto de Keuning, se encargó del bajo en dos de las pistas. Keuning y Flowers tocaron en vivo por primera vez en el Café Espresso Roma, en Las Vegas, en enero de 2002; el par, junto con Neal y Norcross, comenzó a tocar en numerosos lugares alrededor de Las Vegas donde, además, entregaban copias gratis de su demo. The Killers trajeron un estilo único a la pequeña escena musical de Las Vegas, donde predominaban estilos como el punk, nu metal y rap; de hecho, un crítico local afirmó que «The Killers, por suerte, tienen originalidad a diferencia de las otras bandas de la ciudad» y describió su sonido como una mezcla entre los «estilos de la música pop británica y el emergente indie rock moderno». Sin embargo, The Killers, cuyos primeros conciertos en vivo fueron descritos como novedosos, en el verano boreal de 2002 despidieron al baterista Matt Norcross, fue reemplazado brevemente por Brian Havens, quien también terminó siendo despedido. Posteriormente, el bajista Dell Neal abandonó la banda por motivos personales.

El baterista Ronnie Vannucci Jr. y el bajista Mark Stoermer eran miembros de otras bandas cuando conocieron a Keuning y a Flowers. Finalmente, ambos fueron convencidos de unirse a The Killers, y en noviembre de 2002 la formación actual del grupo estaba completa. Los cuatro comenzaron a reunirse en el garaje de Vannucci para trabajar en nuevas canciones; además, entraban sin permiso al cuarto de música de la Universidad de Nevada, Las Vegas (donde Vannucci estudiaba percusión orquestal) durante las noches. El grupo escribió gran parte del álbum debut Hot Fuss durante estas sesiones, incluidos los sencillos «Somebody Told Me» y «Smile Like You Mean It».

La banda continuó tocando en lugares pequeños en Las Vegas, donde se formaron pocos pero leales seguidores. El grupo atrajo la atención de Braden Merrick, un busca talentos de Warner Bros. Records que encontró el demo del grupo en un sitio web dedicado a bandas sin discográficas en el área de Las Vegas, después de asistir a un espectáculo en vivo que se hizo para que The Killers pudieran obtener un contrato discográfico y, eventualmente, un mánager. Él llevó a la banda a la zona de San Francisco, específicamente a Berkeley, a grabar un demo con el exmánager de Green Day, Jeff Saltzman, para luego enviar las grabaciones a los principales sellos discográficos de Estados Unidos. La mayoría de los sellos rechazaron al grupo, pero Warner Bros. los invitó al evento MOBfest en Chicago. Aunque Warner Bros. no quedó impresionado con The Killers después del evento, la banda llamó la atención de Niall Norbury, quien era del Reino Unido. Norbury llevó consigo un demo con cinco canciones compuestas por la banda: «Jenny Was a Friend of Mine», «Mr. Brightside», «Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll», «Somebody Told Me» y «On Top», y se lo mostró a su amigo Ben Durling, que trabajaba en la discográfica independiente Lizard King Records. The Killers firmaron con el sello británico en julio de 2003.

2003-2005: Hot Fuss
El 19 de agosto de 2003, la canción «Mr. Brightside» fue estrenada en el programa del DJ Zane Lowe a través de BBC Radio 1 en el Reino Unido. Luego, The Killers viajaron a Londres e hicieron cuatro conciertos en cuatro noches. El 29 de septiembre de 2003, la canción «Mr. Brightside» fue lanzada en un número limitado de CD y vinilos en el Reino Unido, obteniendo críticas positivas de la canción y de los conciertos. Como resultado de los rumores generados en el Reino Unido, la banda, al regresar a Estados Unidos, fue invitada a tocar en la ASCAP CMJ Music Marathon en Nueva York. Una variedad de sellos discográficos se vieron interesados en el grupo, pero finalmente Island Def Jam fue escogido.

La banda terminó de grabar Hot Fuss en noviembre de 2003 junto a Jeff Saltzman. Decidieron no cambiar los demos grabados anteriormente ya que sentían una mayor espontaneidad, cosa que en las nuevas grabaciones no sucedía. Poco después, volvieron a Londres para telonear a British Sea Power y para terminar de mezclar el álbum junto a Alan Moulder. Durante la primera parte de 2004, recorrieron el Reino Unido y Estados Unidos siendo teloneros de Stellastarr; además, Morrissey los escogió para que abrieran en algunas de las fechas que él tenía en Estados Unidos. La primera gira propia de la banda comenzó en el Reino Unido en mayo de 2004. Durante la primavera y el verano boreal del mismo año, la lista de canciones interpretadas en festivales de Europa y de Norteamérica fue elogiada, lo que ayudó a aumentar la creciente base de fanáticos de The Killers.

The Killers lanzaron su álbum debut, Hot Fuss, en junio de 2004 en el Reino Unido, a través de la discográfica Lizard King, y en Estados Unidos, a través de Island Records. Recibió críticas principalmente favorables. Lo extenso de la gira, el éxito tras las nominaciones de los sencillos «Somebody Told Me», «All These Things That I've Done» y «Mr. Brightside» a los Grammy, y que la banda entrara en los diez mejores del Reino Unido y de Estados Unidos, llevó al álbum a convertirse en un gran éxito comercial. Hot Fuss alcanzó el número uno en el Reino Unido en enero de 2005, tan solo siete meses después de su lanzamiento, y ha sido certificado 7 veces con disco de platino en el Reino Unido e Irlanda. En cambio, en Estados Unidos, el álbum alcanzó el puesto número siete en abril de 2005 y fue certificado 3 veces con disco de platino. Además, alcanzó el primer lugar en Australia, donde fue certificado 3 veces con disco de platino al igual que en Canadá, en Nueva Zelanda también obtuvo disco de platino, mientras que en Alemania, Argentina, Bélgica y Francia obtuvo disco de oro. The Killers fueron nombrados en 2005 como el grupo nuevo que más vendió en el mundo por World Music Awards; de hecho, ese mismo año fueron nominados a tres premios Grammy, entre los que destacaba la nominación de Hot Fuss a mejor álbum de rock. En el Reino Unido ganó un premio NME por mejor banda internacional.

En la versión inglesa de Hot Fuss, la octava canción es «Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll» en vez de «Change Your Mind». En 2005, una edición limitada del álbum fue lanzada en Norteamérica, en donde se incluyeron los lados B «Under the Gun», «The Ballad of Michael Valentine» y «Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll».

La banda despidió a su mánager, Braden Merrick, en 2005. Más tarde, Merrick presentó una demanda en contra la banda y en contra el nuevo mánager y abogado de esta, Robert Reynolds. La defensa de The Killers afirmó que la mala gestión de Merrick le había costado al grupo millones de dólares. El caso llegó a su fin en 2009.

En julio de 2005, The Killers actuaron en el concierto Live 8 realizado en Londres, tocando «All These Things That I've Done», donde posteriormente Robbie Williams les rindió un pequeño homenaje, incorporando el estribillo de la misma canción, «I got soul, but I'm not a soldier», en su propia presentación. Coldplay y U2 hicieron lo mismo y, en sus distintos conciertos realizados en Las Vegas, con The Killers en la multitud, incorporaron aquel estribillo en sus canciones «God Put a Smile Upon Your Face» y «Beautiful Day», respectivamente.

2005-2007: Sam's Town y Sawdust
Poco tiempo después de que terminara la gira de Hot Fuss, la banda regresó al estudio para comenzar con las grabaciones de su segundo álbum junto a Alan Moulder y Flood. La mayor parte del álbum se grabó en el Studio at the Palms en Las Vegas y los últimos detalles se hicieron en los Criterion Studios de Londres en junio de 2006. Al terminar Sam's Town, Flowers sintió que la banda había hecho «uno de los mejores álbumes de los últimos veinte años»; además, este capturó «todo lo importante que me llevó a donde estoy hoy». En julio de 2006, el sencillo principal, «When You Were Young», se estrenó, convirtiéndose en un éxito. Obtuvo, en su mayoría, críticas positivas al incorporar elementos del heartland rock.

El segundo álbum de The Killers, Sam's Town, fue lanzado en octubre de 2006 a través de Island Def Jam Music Group. Por parte de la crítica, fue recibido de manera mixta: algunos elogiaron el álbum y la evolución de la banda, mientras que otros lo criticaron y se burlaron de él, en especial la revista Rolling Stone. El nuevo material vendió más de 706.000 copias en todo el mundo en su primera semana de lanzamiento, alcanzando el puesto número dos en la lista estadounidense de Billboard y el puesto número uno en las listas del Reino Unido. Además, ha sido certificado 5 y 4 veces con disco de platino en el Reino Unido e Irlanda, respectivamente; 2 veces con platino en Australia, Canadá y Nueva Zelanda; con platino en Estados Unidos; y con oro en Alemania, Argentina, Bélgica y Rusia.

The Killers grabaron una sesión en vivo en Abbey Road Studios el 29 de noviembre de 2006 para el programa Live from Abbey Road. Realizaron una presentación casi totalmente unplugged, la cual incluía una versión del éxito de Dire Straits, «Romeo and Juliet». En diciembre de 2006, la banda lanzó un sencillo navideño (el primero de lo que sería una tradición anual), «A Great Big Sled», cuyas ganancias fueron destinadas a la campaña Product Red.

En febrero de 2007, The Killers asistieron a los Premios Brit en el Reino Unido, donde interpretaron «When You Were Young». La banda ganó dos premios: mejor grupo internacional y mejor álbum internacional. En ese mismo mes, el vídeo musical dirigido por Tim Burton, «Bones», ganó en la categoría de mejor vídeo en los Premios NME. Durante la gira de Sam's Town, The Killers tocaron en el Madison Square Garden por primera vez, además de participar en una serie de festivales importantes de Europa como el festival de Glastonbury.

La banda lanzó un álbum recopilatorio llamado Sawdust en noviembre de 2007, el cual incluía lados B, rarezas y material inédito. Sawdust fue certificado con disco de platino en el Reino Unido. El primer sencillo del álbum fue «Tranquilize», que tuvo la colaboración de Lou Reed, el cual fue lanzado en octubre de 2007. El álbum también incluyó un cover de la canción «Shadowplay», original de Joy Division, que fue grabado para la banda sonora de la película Control dirigida por Anton Corbijn.

2007-2011: Day & Age y receso
Para el tercer álbum de estudio, la banda escogió a Stuart Price para que se encargara de la producción. Price había hecho anteriormente remixes de The Killers bajo el apodo de Jacques Lu Cont; el más destacado de ellos, el remix de «Mr. Brightside». El grupo y el productor se conocieron en el año 2007 en la casa de este último, ubicada en Londres, con el fin de discutir la posibilidad de que Price produjera algunos de los temas inéditos del álbum de lados B, Sawdust. Sin embargo, esa misma noche, terminaron en el estudio ubicado en la misma casa grabando el demo de «Human», una nueva canción que sería el primer sencillo de Day & Age. Cinco meses después del término de la gira de Sam's Town, la banda comenzó con las grabaciones, enviando las nuevas ideas a Price a través de Logic Pro. La banda terminó de grabar el álbum en los estudios Battle Born en Las Vegas junto a Price.

El tercer álbum de The Killers, Day & Age, fue lanzado el 24 de noviembre de 2008 en el Reino Unido y el 25 de noviembre del mismo año en Estados Unidos. Brandon Flowers afirmó que la grabación era «como mirar a Sam's Town desde Marte» y que, además, era «el álbum más alegre» de la banda. Day & Age se convirtió en el tercer disco del grupo en alcanzar el número uno en el Reino Unido e Irlanda, donde, además, alcanzó el puesto número seis en la lista estadounidense Billboard 200. Por otra parte, fue certificado 4 veces con disco de platino en el Reino Unido e Irlanda; en Alemania, Australia, Canadá y Nueva Zelanda fue certificado solamente con disco de platino; y en Austria, Estados Unidos, Grecia, el Medio Oriente, México, Noruega y Suecia con disco de oro.

En febrero de 2009, la banda ganó en la categoría de Mejor Banda Internacional de los premios NME, siendo la tercera vez en ganar en esa misma categoría, tal como lo hizo en 2005 y en 2008. La gira mundial en la que se embarcaron fue un gran éxito, tocando en todos los continentes, a excepción de la Antártica, y siendo partícipes de los festivales estadounidenses Lollapalooza y Coachella por primera vez. La gira fue nombrada como una de las cincuenta mejores del mundo de 2009. El 5 y el 6 de julio del mismo año, en el Royal Albert Hall de Londres, The Killers grabaron su primer DVD en vivo titulado Live from the Royal Albert Hall. Fue lanzado en noviembre y fue reproducido en varios cines alrededor del mundo. Live from the Royal Albert Hall fue certificado dos veces con disco de platino en el Reino Unido; con solamente platino en Estados Unidos y Australia; y con oro en Irlanda y Brasil.

En enero de 2010, la banda anunció que se tomaría un breve descanso tras estar en la escena musical casi ininterrumpidamente durante más de seis años. El receso duró alrededor de un año y medio, y, durante ese tiempo, los miembros de la banda se dedicaron a sus proyectos en solitario, mientras que el grupo en sí hizo apariciones esporádicas.

Posteriormente, a fines de febrero de 2010, la madre de Brandon Flowers falleció tras haber estado dos años luchando contra un tumor cerebral. Esto dio lugar a las cancelaciones de las fechas de la gira en Asia. Dos fechas australianas en Sídney y Perth también se cancelaron; sin embargo, los conciertos de Gold Coast y Melbourne sí se celebraron, con la gira llegando a su fin en esta última ciudad el 21 de febrero en el Good Vibrations Festival, organizado en Flemington Racecourse.

2011-2013: regreso y Battle Born
La banda regresó a los escenarios cuando participaron en el nuevo festival internacional de Lollapalooza realizado en Santiago, Chile, el 2 de abril de 2011, actuando también en el cierre de la temporada de invierno en Top of the Mountain realizado en Ischgl, Austria, el 30 de abril de 2011. Además, encabezaron por segunda vez el festival Hard Rock Calling realizado en el Hyde Park de Londres el 24 de junio del mismo año. The Killers también fueron partícipes de la inauguración del nuevo festival Orlando Callinged realizado en Orlando, Estados Unidos, el 12 de noviembre. En abril de 2012, Tommy Marth, quien se encargó de tocar el saxofón en los álbumes Sam's Town y Day & Age, y de haber sido músico de apoyo en la gira de Day & Age, donde se puede apreciar tocando en el DVD Live from the Royal Albert Hall, fue encontrado muerto en su casa ubicada en Las Vegas. El reporte oficial confirmó que se trató de un suicidio.

El cuarto álbum de estudio de The Killers, Battle Born, fue lanzado el 18 de septiembre de 2012. Durante las sesiones de grabación realizadas en el propio estudio de la banda, Battle Born Studios, el grupo trabajó con los productores Steve Lillywhite, Damian Taylor, Brendan O'Brien, Stuart Price y Daniel Lanois. El álbum fue mezclado por Alan Moulder, quien anteriormente había trabajado en los dos primeros álbumes de The Killers. El álbum se convirtió en el cuarto de la banda en llegar al puesto número 1 en el Reino Unido e Irlanda, y ha sido certificado con disco de platino en el Reino Unido y con disco de oro en Irlanda, México y Australia.

La gira de Battle Born ha sido la más larga de la banda, en donde incluso llegaron a visitar nuevos países como Rusia y China. El 22 de junio de 2013, la banda hizo su concierto más masivo hasta la fecha en el Estadio de Wembley, el cual tiene una capacidad para 90.000 personas, en donde interpretaron una canción hecha para la ocasión. Las críticas del concierto fueron muy positivas.

La banda una vez más estuvo en los principales escenarios de Europa, Australia, Sudamérica y Norteamérica. En octubre de 2013, la banda encabezó el festival inaugural Life Is Beautiful en su ciudad natal de Las Vegas, concluyendo con la gira mundial de Battle Born.

2013-2016: Direct Hits
El 11 de septiembre de 2013, la banda publicó en su cuenta de Twitter una foto que contenía caracteres en código morse. La traducción de aquel mensaje era «The Killers Shot at the Night». El 16 de septiembre del mismo año, exactamente diez años después de su primera presentación en Londres, The Killers lanzaron «Shot at the Night», el primer sencillo de su primer álbum de grandes éxitos, Direct Hits, conmemorando así los diez años de la banda y, además, como requisito impuesto por su discográfica. En el vídeo del sencillo destacan las participaciones de Bella Heathcote y Max Minghella.

El álbum fue lanzado el 11 de noviembre de 2013 en una variedad de formatos, incluyendo una edición «Uber Deluxe» que contiene un libro álbum con la historia de la banda. El segundo sencillo en ser lanzado fue «Just Another Girl». En el vídeo se puede apreciar a Dianna Agron interpretando a Brandon Flowers en varias situaciones que hacen referencia a los diez años de historia de la banda.

El 2 de diciembre de 2013, la banda continuó con su tradición anual de lanzar un sencillo navideño, siendo esta vez el lanzamiento de «Christmas in L.A.», junto con la colaboración de Dawes, cuyas ganancias están destinadas a Product Red. Además, la banda será partícipe del festival Hangout Music 2014 por primera vez.

Los lectores de Gigwise escogieron a The Killers como el mejor espectáculo en vivo de 2013. Más de 134.000 votos fueron emitidos, donde el cuarteto de Las Vegas se quedó con la mayoría de estos.

2017-2019: Wonderful Wonderful
A finales de julio de 2017, la banda anunció su quinto disco de estudio, que salió a la venta el 22 de septiembre de 2017 y que tiene por título "Wonderful Wonderful". Conteniendo 10 canciones dentro de él: Wonderful Wonderful, The Man, Rut, Life To Come, Run For Cover, Tyson vs Douglas, Some Kind Of Love, Out Of My Mind, The Calling y Have All The Songs Been Written? Con The Man nominada a Best Track en los premios Q Awards.

El 13 de enero la banda publicó que estarían estrenando "Something New". Al día siguiente sería liberada la canción "Land of the Free".

2019-2020: Imploding the Mirage
El 15 de noviembre de 2019, The Killers anunció su sexto álbum de estudio titulado "Imploding the Mirage" para su lanzamiento en la primavera de 2020. Ese día, la banda también anunció una gira por los estadios del Reino Unido e Irlanda que tendrá lugar en mayo y junio de 2020. El 12 de marzo de 2020, la banda publicó el primer sencillo del álbum llamado "Caution".  El 25 de abril de 2020, "Caution" alcanzó el puesto número 1 en la prestigiosa lista de Canciones Alternativas de Billboard, convirtiéndose así en la primera canción del grupo después de más de 13 años en alcanzar un nuevo número 1.

Los días 23 de abril y 16 de junio de 2020, publicaron el segundo "Fire in Bone" y el tercer sencillo "My Own Soul's Warning". El 15 de julio del mismo año, publicaron el vídeo oficial de este último sencillo. El álbum titulado bajo el nombre  "Imploding the Mirage" finalmente fue lanzado el 21 de agosto de 2020. El día 29 de enero de 2021, sería publicada la versión deluxe del mismo, incluyendo una nueva pista llamada "C'est la Vie", así como versiones acústicas de "Caution" y "Blowback".

2020-actualidad: Pressure Machine
El fin de semana del lanzamiento de "Imploding the Mirage", Flowers reveló que la banda se encontraba en el estudio trabajando en su séptimo álbum de estudio. En enero de 2021, Dave Keuning se reunió con la banda en el estudio de nuevo para las grabaciones de su séptimo álbum de estudio. Keuning también dijo que él y Mark Stoermer están abiertos a tocar en vivo con la banda. También dijeron que la banda no solo tenía un álbum, sino probablemente dos discos, y que se convertiría en el mayor "cambio" para ellos en esta etapa de sus respectivas carreras. Durante una entrevista de podcast en junio, Vannucci reveló que el álbum se lanzaría en agosto.

El 10 de junio de 2021, Bruce Springsteen, anunció su colaboración con la banda. Días más tarde, Dave Keuning anunció que la banda estaba trabajando en su octavo álbum de estudio. El 19 de julio de 2021, la banda reveló la fecha y el título de su séptimo álbum, "Pressure Machine" para el 13 de agosto de 2021.

Battle Born Studios y álbumes solistas
The Killers son dueños y usuarios de los Battle Born Studios. Los miembros que han utilizado estos estudios para sus propios proyectos han sido:
 Brandon Flowers, quien lanzó su exitoso álbum Flamingo a través de Island Records. El sencillo «Crossfire» se convirtió en el quinto sencillo de Flowers en entrar a los diez mejores del Reino Unido, incluyendo su trabajo previo con The Killers.
 Ronnie Vannucci, quien lanzó el álbum Big Talk de su banda homónima bajo su discográfica independiente, Little Oil, con la ayuda de Epitaph Records.
 Mark Stoermer, quien lanzó Another Life. Stoermer, además, produjo el tercer álbum de Howling Bells, The Loudest Engine, lanzado en 2011.

Miembros

Miembros actuales
 Brandon Flowers: vocalista, piano, teclado, sintetizador (2001-presente), bajo eléctrico (2002-presente)
 Dave Keuning: guitarra líder, piano, corista (2001-2017, 2020-presente, en hiatus de las giras entre 2017 y 2020 y desde 2022, en hiatus de las grabaciones entre 2017 y 2020)
 Mark Stoermer: bajo eléctrico, guitarra rítmica, corista (2002-2020, 2022-presente, en hiatus de las giras desde 2016, en hiatus de las grabaciones entre entre 2020 y 2022)
 Ronnie Vannucci Jr.: batería, percusión, sintetizador, corista (2002-presente)
Antiguos miembros
 Dell Neal: bajo eléctrico (2001-2002)
 Matt Norcross: batería (2001-2002)
 Brian Havens: batería (2002)

Músicos de apoyo en giras
 Ted Sablay: guitarra, teclado, corista (2006-2007, 2011-presente)
 Jake Blanton: bajo eléctrico, teclado, guitarra, corista (2011-presente)
 Robbie Conolly: teclado, guitarra, corista (2017-presente)
 Danielle Withers: corista, guitarra, violín (2017-presente)
 Erica Canales: corista (2017-presente)
 Amanda Brown: corista (2017-presente)
 Taylor Milne: guitarra, teclado, corista (2017-2021, 2022-presente)

Antiguos músicos de apoyo
 Rob Whited: percusión, corista (2006-2014)
 Bobby Lee Parker: guitarra (2008-2011)
 Tommy Marth: saxofón, corista (2008-2010, muerto en 2012)
 Ray Suen: teclado, guitarra, violín, corista (2008-2010)
 Brian Karscig: guitarra, teclado, corista (2016)

Cronología

Discografía

Álbumes de estudio
 2004: Hot Fuss
 2006: Sam's Town
 2008: Day & Age
 2012: Battle Born
 2017: Wonderful Wonderful
 2020: Imploding the Mirage
 2021: Pressure Machine

Álbumes recopilatorios
 2007: Sawdust
 2011: (RED) Christmas EP (EP recopilatorio)
 2013: Direct Hits
 2016: Don't Waste Your Wishes

 DVD
 2009: Live from the Royal Albert Hall Giras
 2003-2005: Hot Fuss Tour
 2006-2007: Sam's Town Tour
 2008-2010: Day & Age World Tour
 2012-2014: Battle Born World Tour
 2017-2018: Wonderful Wonderful World Tour
 2021-2022: Imploding the Mirage World Tour

 Premios y reconocimientos

The Killers han sido nominados para siete Premios Grammy, siete Premios Brit y veinticuatro Premios NME. Además, han sido ganadores del Premio ASCAP Vanguard.

The Killers han ganado en cuatro ocasiones en la categoría «Mejor banda internacional» de los Premios NME en los años 2005, 2008, 2009 y 2013. Incluso la banda ganó un Premio Brit como «Mejor grupo internacional» en 2006. Además, ganaron en la categoría de «Mejor grupo de rock» en los MTV Europe Music Awards de 2006. Hasta la fecha, el grupo ha obtenido seis nominaciones a «Mejor banda internacional» de los Premios NME, tres nominaciones a «Mejor grupo internacional» en los Premios Brit y tres nominaciones a «Mejor grupo de rock» en los MTV Europe Music Awards.

Reconocimientos del público:

Certificaciones de ventas:
 Hot Fuss ha vendido más de 7 millones de unidades alrededor del mundo, siendo el 26° álbum más vendido de los años 2000 en el Reino Unido. Estuvo 173 semanas en las listas de álbumes del Reino Unido, más tiempo que cualquier otro álbum.
 Sam's Town ha vendido más de 5 millones de unidades alrededor del mundo. En el Reino Unido, Sam's Town fue el 70° álbum más vendido de los años 2000.
 Sawdust ha vendido más de 1 millón de unidades alrededor del mundo.
 Day & Age ha vendido más de 3 millones de unidades alrededor del mundo.
 Live from the Royal Albert Hall ha vendido más de 500.000 unidades alrededor del mundo.
 Battle Born vendió más de 1 millón de unidades únicamente en 2012.

Reconocimientos de la crítica:
 Hot Fuss fue escogido como el mejor álbum debut de todos los tiempos por los lectores de Gigwise.
 Hot Fuss quedó en el puesto N° 33 de los 100 mejores álbumes debut de todos los tiempos según la revista Rolling Stone y en el puesto N° 9 según los lectores de esta.
 Hot Fuss fue incluido entre los 1.001 álbumes que hay que escuchar antes de morir.
 Hot Fuss quedó en el puesto N° 495 de los 500 mejores álbumes de todos los tiempos según NME.
 «Mr. Brightside» quedó en el puesto N° 116 de las 500 mejores canciones de todos los tiempos según NME.
 «All These Things That I've Done» quedó en el puesto N° 65 dentro de las 100 mejores canciones de todos los tiempos según The Daily Telegraph.

Reconocimientos de la radiodifusión:
 Once canciones de The Killers fueron incluidas en el libro 1000 Greatest Songs of All Time —en español: «Las 1.000 mejores canciones de todos los tiempos»— lanzado por la radio XFM. Además, Brandon Flowers, líder de la banda, escribió un prólogo para el libro. Dentro de aquella lista, entre las 10 mejores se encuentran «All These Things That I've Done» (#10), «When You Were Young» (#4) y «Mr. Brightside» (#1).
 «Mr. Brightside» fue escogida como la mejor canción de la década por los oyentes de XFM. «Somebody Told Me» también fue incluida en la lista, obteniendo el puesto #9.
 «Mr. Brightside» fue escogida como la mejor canción de la década por los oyentes de Absolute Radio. «All These Things That I've Done» también fue incluida en la lista, obteniendo el puesto #9.

 Activismo y filantropía

 Activismo político
Invitados por el presidente de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama, la banda tocó en el jardín de la Casa Blanca el 4 de julio de 2010 con motivo de la segunda edición de «Salute To The Military», organizado por la United Service Organizations como parte de las celebraciones del Día de la Independencia, y del cual Flowers describió como un «honor monumental». A pesar del receso, la banda se reunió para interpretar «Human», «Somebody Told Me», «Mr. Brightside», «A Dustland Fairytale», «Read My Mind», «When You Were Young» y una pequeña estrofa de «God Bless America». Posteriormente, el 8 de julio de 2010, Flowers, Keuning y Stoermer tocaron en un acto de campaña en el estado de Nevada para Obama y para la Mayoría del Senado estadounidense, incluyendo a Harry Reid, quien iba a la reelección.  The Killers interpretaron una versión acústica de «Read my Mind» e hicieron una versión del himno del estado, «Home Means Nevada».

En febrero de 2011, Flowers tuvo un almuerzo privado con Mitt Romney durante la visita de este último a la convención del Partido Republicano realizado en Nevada, Estados Unidos. En octubre de 2012, Flowers confirmó que la banda había rechazado una oferta para apoyar a Romney y afirmó que la banda se mantendría neutral para las elecciones presidenciales de 2012.

 Sencillos navideños
Anualmente, The Killers han estado involucrados con la campaña Product Red liderada por Bono y Bobby Shriver. Hasta la fecha, la banda ha lanzado nueve canciones navideñas con sus respectivos vídeos musicales: «A Great Big Sled» (2006), «Don't Shoot Me Santa» (2007), «Joseph, Better You Than Me» (2008), «¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!» (2009), «Boots» (2010), «The Cowboys' Christmas Ball» (2011), «I Feel It in My Bones» (2012), «Christmas in L.A.» (2013), «Joel the Lump of Coal» (2014) y « Dirt Sledding» (2015). El 30 de noviembre de 2011, The Killers lanzaron (RED) Christmas EP'' a través de iTunes, el cual contiene las seis canciones navideñas que habían sido lanzadas hasta esa fecha. Todas las ganancias de aquellas canciones son donadas a la campaña Product Red, la cual lucha contra el sida en África. A la hora de grabar las canciones, han obtenido las colaboraciones de Elton John, Neil Tennant (del dúo Pet Shop Boys), Toni Halliday (de la banda Curve), Wild Light, Mariachi El Bronx y Dawes.

Canciones solidarias
La canción de The Killers «Goodnight, Travel Well» fue utilizada con el fin de crear conciencia sobre la trata de personas, campaña que fue encabezada por la Unicef, MTV EXIT y la Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional. Además, la canción «Hotel California» de Eagles fue versionada por la banda para Rhythms del mundo con el fin de recaudar fondos contra los desastres climáticos que se estaban viviendo en aquella época.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Premios World Music
Ganadores del Premio Brit
Cuartetos de música de Estados Unidos
Artistas de Universal Music Group
Artistas de Island Records
Artistas de Vertigo Records
Grupos de música de Nevada
Grupos de rock de Nevada
Grupos de indie rock de Estados Unidos
Grupos de rock alternativo de Estados Unidos
Grupos de post-punk revival
Grupos de música de los años 2000
Grupos de música de los años 2010
Grupos de música de los años 2020
Grupos de música formados en 2001
Grupos de música formados en los años 2000
Intérpretes número uno de Los 40 Principales de España
Ganadores de los MTV Europe Music Awards

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Let's Teach English to All of America's Children
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← No time to waste
L.B. Parents to Face Big Choice →
Bilingual teacher crusades for pride
By Anastasia Cisneros-Lunsford • San Antonio Express-News • December 23, 1998 • 900 Words
Laura Barrera's students have built Aztec museums and altares (altars) for Dia de los Muertos. They have crushed herbs and other plants for remedios (remedies).
Last year, when her fourth-grade students at Brewer Elementary School in the San Antonio School District recreated the relics, rituals and traditions of their Hispanic heritage, Barrera wanted them to make an existential connection between their native language and culture.
"They do a lot of things with their families, but they don't know why they do them," she said. "People are looking for validation. It's OK who we are. Somos Mexicanos. (We are Mexicans.) We were here first."
Barrera's passion for teaching and relating to her students as a "Mexicana" is the reason she was chosen the 1998 Texas Bilingual Teacher of the Year by the Texas Association for Bilingual Education.
Her journey down this road came by accident. She mistakenly registered for a bilingual education course 20 years ago at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her instructor spoke about identity and language. That lecture inspired her, Barrera said, because she had lost her sense of identity.
There was a time when Barrera was ashamed of her heritage. She was a military brat. While her father was stationed in North Carolina, children taunted Barrera with a racial epithet because her maiden name was Negron.
Her teacher explained that she had two strikes against her. One was her name. The second was the color of her skin.
"I was so hurt and so embarrassed about being dark," Barrera said. "I would never do this to a kid."
In the eighth grade, Barrera became pregnant. She dropped out of school and married. By age 17, she had three children.
When her toddler daughter attended the Jose Cardenas Center, an early childhood campus in the Edgewood School District, someone asked if any parents were interested in getting a General Education Development certificate, or GED. She studied and obtained one.
Then, it was time for college. She worked all day and attended the University of Texas at San Antonio at night. On weekends, she cleaned houses. At age 30, she graduated.
Barrera can't compete for the National Bilingual Teacher of the Year title because she was transferred to an administrative position this school year at Connell Middle School.
Instead, she is working with teachers in developing better instructional techniques, strategies and resources. She is working with parents whose middle-school-aged children are battling peer pressure during the crucial transition from childhood to adolescence.
Her next venture will be to form a Chicano Studies club at Connell. Parents also have expressed interest in joining the club.
"Anyone who knows me knows I always say, 'I'm brown and proud,'" Barrera said.
Her pride is obvious in her office at Connell Middle School, where she is an instructional guide.
Although she is no longer a bilingual teacher in a classroom, she has brought the classroom to her office.
A papier-mache Aztec calendar is propped on top of a bookshelf that also acts as a wall, or divider, to an adjoining room. Calaveras (skulls), velas (candles) and a print of Mexican artist Diego Rivera with his wife, Frida Kalo, are among the mementoes adorning her office bookshelf and walls.
Those walls also pay homage to farmworker's union leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez's call for a boycott of grapes.
Books on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee and South African President Nelson Mandela also are part of her ethnic mosaic.
"My classroom was like a multicultural center," she said.
Other accents enrich her teaching of cultures.
Barrera said she respects the Native American people's belief in the earth as mother and the Asians' dedication to peace.
Rosa Rabago, SASD director of bilingual education, said Barrera epitomizes what a good bilingual teacher should be.
"She did an excellent job with the children, teaching them their language and culture, bridging their native culture with their culture," Rabago said. "She has served as a mentor to other teachers and is always willing to share ideas (and resources) with her colleagues."
Barrera believes in multiculturalism in education and helping students develop a sense of self. When students think about their heroes, Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan or San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson might come to mind.
But she said youngsters should remember the unsung heroes who toiled, sometimes in ridicule, to give them the freedom they take for granted today.
Chavez, Sorjuana Inez de la Cruz, who could have been one of the first feminists, and novelist Sandra Cisneros could be those heroes, she said.
"These were real-life people that look like you and like me, working to create change in our community," Barrera said.

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text:
Posted on November 13, 2012 April 26, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson
The Total Solar Eclipse Down Under: How to Watch it from Anywhere in the World
Scientists and interested skywatchers have been flocking to Cairns, Australia to witness one of the most spellbinding astronomical sights: a total solar eclipse. The November 13/14 total solar eclipse will only be visible in its entirety to ground-based observers watching from northern Australia, but several webcasts will be available so that people around the world can watch as well. At about 22:11:48 UT on November 13 (it will be the morning of Nov. 14th in Australia) the Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun, and totality will only last about 2 minutes, with the Sun having risen just 14 degrees above the eastern horizon. The total time of the event, from first contact to fourth contact (the end of a solar eclipse when the disk of the Moon completely passes from the disk of the Sun) will be about 3 hours.
During totality the Sun appears to have a white halo – a rare glimpse of the Sun's million-degree plasma atmosphere, or corona, which is too washed out by the Sun's brightness to be observed normally.
During an eclipse, "the Moon reveals the innermost corona, which manmade coronagraphs have trouble seeing," said Shadia Habbal of the Institute for Astronomy in Hawaii, who will be in Australia for the event. "That is where all the magnetic field and physical processes responsible for heating the corona are evolving most rapidly."
For this total solar eclipse, the path of totality will be about 174 km (108 miles) wide and will cover 14,500 km (9,000 miles) over a 3-hour period.
Below is a list of webcasts for those not in Australia, but an important note if you ARE going to be in an area where you can see the eclipse: DO NOT look directly at the Sun, and especially do not look through a telescope or binoculars at the Sun with your eyes directly. Doing so could cause serious and permanent eye damage. There are special eclipse glasses, or you can make your own eclipse viewers. Mr. Eclipse has a whole list with instructions for pinhole cameras, and other safe viewing methods. If you have a telescope, the folks from Galileoscope have instructions for how to build a Sun-funnel for safe viewing.
Proba-2 image of the solar disc taken during the total eclipse of July 2010, combined with ground-based images taken at the same time to reveal the exquisite details of the solar corona. Credit: ESA
Slooh will be having their webcast at Slooh.com, starting Tuesday, November 13th at 11:30 AM PST / 2:30 PM EST / 19:30 UTC. Viewers can watch the show on their PC or mobile device and will have the ability to ask questions to the Slooh team, including the crew located in Cairns, using the Slooh Conversations section on the Slooh homepage. Viewers will also be able to snap the live pictures directly from the Slooh homepage using Pinterest. The broadcast team includes Patrick Paolucci, Bob Berman, Lucie Green, Matt Francis and Paul Cox.
Another feed will be from the Cairns Eclipse 2012 Ustream channel, broadcast from over Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: http://www.ustream.tv/CairnsEclipse2012, and their website is http://www.eclipse2012.org.au
This channel will be live from 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET) on Nov. 13, and 5 am November 14th 2012 (AEST). It is considered the official destination website for the total solar Eclipse over Cairns and Great Barrier Reef will feature Terry Cuttle from the Astronomical Association of Queensland as the host. He will be joined by Kate Russo (eclipse chaser and author), Ben Southall (winner of the 'Best Job in the World' promotion and tourism ambassador), Richard Fitzpatrick (an underwater cameraman, will be live from under water) and Alan Hale (from Hale-Bopp comet who is studying comets close to the Sun which can only be seen during an eclipse).
Still another feed will be the Panasonic channel: Broadcast from Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/panasonic-eclipse-live-by-solar-power-1
Panasonic's project, described as, "Filming the Sun, using the Sun" aims to capture and broadcast to the world a solar eclipse using only the power of sunlight. They're using Panasonic's high efficiency solar power-generating system, "HIT" to generate power with a portable battery back for power storage. They'll then be able to broadcast the eclipse images captured on a Lumix GH2.
2012 Eclipse live from a Cairns Hot Air Balloon
http://www.hotair.com.au
Up to a dozen hot air balloons floating west of Cairns, Queensland Australia, with visitors from 20 different countries will be part of a live webcast of the 2012 total solar eclipse.
Cairns City Eclipse 2012 webcam
http://www.eclipsecairns.com
Can't make it to Cairns to see the Eclipse? No problem! Just check back on November 14 before 6:39am AEST (GMT+10) to see it live on their webcam.
GLORIA Project
http://live.gloria-project.eu
Videos and pictures of the eclipse will be broadcast live on the internet starting at 20:30 UT. Additionally meteorological data will be collected to allow students to perform an interactive experiment. During the broadcast there will be live commentary in Spanish and English.
Live Web Camera from Port Douglas Australia 2012
http://www.zincportdouglas.com/solar_eclipse_port_douglas.html
We'll be embedding a few of the feeds when they go live.
Find out more about the eclipse here.
CategoriesEclipses TagsCairns Eclipse, eclipses, solar eclipse
One Reply to "The Total Solar Eclipse Down Under: How to Watch it from Anywhere in the World"
novenator says:
Sweet! Thanks for assembling all of these for those of us who cannot be in totality.
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Topics: A first two-dimensional IRT model with an own latent variable for the positively and for the negatively formulated items. A first alternative to the Birnbaum model, Testing the hypothesis: The correlation between the two latent variables is 1, The general structural model for the latent variables and the matrices involved in this model, An alternative way of testing the hypothesis mentioned above. The regression of Xi2 on Xi1 is perfect. (The variance of the residual is 0).
Steyer, Rolf: 8. Lecture (12.12.2016): Alternatives to the Birnbaum model. Jena 2016.


I shared a post yesterday on my abundant experience at the Living in Balance Retreat, with Deepak Chopra, where we covered many wide ranging topics relating to our mind, body and soul. It was during this retreat that I learned about a new anxiety disorder coined, Nomophobia ("no-mobile-phone phobia"). This condition is the stress of separation from our cellphones and demonstrates just how attached we become to technology.
Basically, it's more of an anxiety disorder from the attachment that we have and the over-use of the phone. There is no real division between mind and body because of networks of communication that exist between the brain and neurological, endocrine and immune system.
So much of what we have accepted and incorporated into our daily lives has become stressful and damaging. The technological age is in full swing and we are all somewhat 'addicted' to the modern conveniences. Yet somehow, as I reflect upon my own life, I have noticed that the higher tech we become, the more we need high touch.
High Tech, High Touch, coined by Megatrend's author, John Naisbitt, is an examination of the role technology plays in our accelerated search for meaning. The body is ruled by the subconscious mind and it knows everything, it experiences everything. Not only must we feed it with high energy, pure nutritious food – but also with our thoughts and our environment. The total body-mind unit is a coherent, self-organizing system where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The holy trinity is the mind-body-spirit. There needs to be an integration. We need to listen to our sensory environment which influences our hormones. There is so much to learn, yet it is so simple.
We all need to stop pushing so much and listen to our bodies via mindful meditation. It gives us feedback all the time. We override it and steam roller ourselves without feeling through it. Our bodies have the wisdom of the universe as a miraculous self-regulating system. We need to take care and be gentle with ourselves.
Ayurveda can help. It's based on experience, "How do I feel". The basic questions for mindfulness meditation are "Who Am I?" and "What Am I?".
You can read our first story on the Living in Balance retreat here, and part three (which shares tips on how to achieve balance in your life) here.


text:
Researchers Discover a Unique Molecular Profile for Lung Cancer
A team of researchers has found that the expression pattern of certain microRNAs, or miRNAs, may predict tumor aggressiveness in some patients with lung cancer. These findings indicate that miRNAs may represent a new class of diagnostic and prognostic tools for lung cancer. The study is a collaboration among researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio; the Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan; and the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health. The study results appear in the March 13, 2006, issue of Cancer Cell*.
miRNAs are small segments of genetic material called ribonucleic acid, or RNA, and are thought to control gene expression. Their actions could change the expression of cancer-related genes within a cell and lead to malignancies.
The researchers identified two miRNAs — has-mir-155 and has-let-7a-2 — that could be used as prognostic indicators in patients with adenocarcinoma, a malignancy of the mucous glands in the lungs. High levels of has-mir-155 or low levels of has-let-7a-2 were associated with poor prognosis. Specifically, overexpression of has-mir-155, or the signalling of the miRNA to change the amount of a protein produced, was the most significant indicator of this prognosis, independent of tumor stage. Although these miRNAs have been identified in other cancers, this is the first evidence linking has-mir-155 to lung cancer.
A tumor with an overexpression of has-mir-155 or reduced expression of has-let-7a-2 would indicate the need for aggressive chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Other tumors that do not show high has-mir-155 or low has-let-7a-2 levels are less aggressive, and those patients might not require more therapy.
"This study is significant because it provides another tool for studying prognosis that is independent of tumor stage," said Curtis Harris, M.D., chief of the Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis at NCI and co-leader of this study. "Following surgery, 50 to 60 percent of patients with stage I lung cancer will develop metastatic disease within five years. This may indicate that there are micrometastases that have not been detected by imaging, scanning or pathology." Harris noted that "in the future, we can use miRNAs and other biological predictors to select patients who may need more aggressive treatment versus those who may not. Additional studies confirming these results are the next step before incorporating miRNA analysis into routine clinical practice."
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death due to cancer and is primarily caused by exposure to tobacco smoke. Scientists seek to better understand the mechanisms underlying this disease, and miRNAs may provide a way to examine the regulation of cancer-related genes.
"miRNAs are going to be important biomarkers of not only diagnosis and prognosis, but therapy, as well," said Harris. "The next step is to identify the genes that the miRNAs are affecting; they could be used as potential targets for developing novel therapies."
In the study, a total of 104 pairs of primary tumor tissues and corresponding noncancerous lung tissues were examined. The tumor and corresponding normal tissues were obtained from the same patient to eliminate genetic differences between tumor and normal tissues.
Researchers focused primarily on the more common adenocarcinomas in their analysis; adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Unlike adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas form in the cells lining the internal surfaces in the lung. These two tumor types are the most common lung cancers and are referred to as non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). In the study, adenocarcinomas of the lung comprised 63 percent of the tumors studied and squamous cell carcinomas comprised 37 percent.
Patterns of miRNA expression in each tumor and normal tissue pair were studied by microarray analysis. A microarray allows the measurement of hundreds of miRNAs simultaneously in a single sample. Five miRNAs displayed different expression levels in tumor tissues versus their corresponding noncancerous controls and, thus, were selected for further study. Upon statistical analysis, data showed that patients with high has-mir-155 or low has-let-7a-2 had poorer survival than patients showing low has-mir-155 or high has-let-7a-2 expression. The difference in the prognosis of these two groups was highly statistically significant.
After examining tissue from lung cancer patients, and following each patient to see how long they lived, researchers found that miRNA expression patterns were independent of tumor stage. When the scientists combined all clinical and molecular factors, they found that a high level of has-mir-155 or a low level of has-let-7a-2 was the most significant prognostic factor for an unfavorable patient outcome.
"This is promising research and is the first study to link these miRNAs to lung cancer," said Carlo Croce, M.D., chair of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics at The Ohio State University and study co-leader. "We are proposing that has-mir-155 may be acting like an oncogene in lung cancer." Oncogenes control cell growth and, when mutated, can contribute to abnormal cell growth. "miRNAs control the expression of a number of genes," noted Croce, "so if the miRNA is altered, this could lead to the alteration of a number of genes affecting malignant tumor growth. Although these results are encouraging, further testing is required to demonstrate the validity of using these markers for predicting patient outcomes."
Other types of cancers also have been shown to express specific miRNAs; however, the exact role that miRNAs play in the development of human cancers is unknown. A recent paper appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science supports the observation that cancer-related genes are regulated by miRNAs in solid tumors**.
For more information about cancer, visit the NCI Web site at http://www.cancer.gov or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
*Yanaihara N, Caplen N, Bowman E, Seike M, Kumamoto K, Yi M, Stephens RM, Okamoto A, Yokota J, Tanaka T, Calin GA, Liu C, Croce CM, Harris CC. Unique microRNA molecular profiles in lung cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Cancer Cell 2006; 9: Issue 3.
**Volinia S, Calin GA, Liu C, Ambs S, Cimmino A, Petrocca F, Visone R, Iorio M, Roldo C, Ferracin M, Prueitt RL, Yanaihara N, Lanza G, Scarpa A, Vecchione A, Negrini M, Harris CC, Croce CM. A microRNA expression signature of human solid tumor defines cancer gene targets. PNAS USA, 2006; 103:2257-2261.
NCI Media Relations Branch


We recently found $6 million in current cost savings for a large healthcare client.
Within a week, we can be working together with you, uncovering hidden cost cuts.
1 Money-Saving Assessment: Using a proven, state-of-the-art methodology, we'll conduct a thorough search to assess exactly what hardware and software you have. By assessing who is using what, where and when they are using it — and what you have that no one is using — we'll know how to save you the most money.
2 Recommendations: We'll recommend quick efficiency wins and immediate organizational savings.
3 Negotiation Support: We'll negotiate the best contracts with all your software and hardware providers. We'll make sure you get the best price for what you need —because even the steepest discount on what you're not using is still a waste of money.
Want Better and Faster IT Asset Management?
On one level, IT Asset Management (ITAM) is fairly simple. It's about making sure you only pay for what you need — and not paying a dollar more to vendors or software publishers than what they're due. The problem is that getting to that answer is a complicated process.
We are dedicated to keeping the ITAM process as quick and easy as possible — and to providing long-term ITAM benefits. Yes, we make sure you spend the right dollars on the right things. But we also believe that ITAM is most effective when you can easily repeat the process year after year.
Security issues — such as migrating from XP to Windows 7/8/10, or removing counterfeit software.
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Clearly understand what you need to know so you can safely migrate or crack the code on counterfeit software.
Determine your best licensing options.
Know how many systems need to be upgraded or replaced.
Know how many systems are installed. This makes sure your organization isn't paying for "out of service" and disposed of equipment.
Efficiently track inventory/audit/IMAC activities at the highest accuracy levels.
Manage all receiving activities from any warehouse, dock or location.
Manage disposal activities — and make sure all your contracts and systems are updated to reflect the removal of equipment and software.
AND do IT Asset Management Better and Faster!


This Border Collie sold and went to a new family.
Our Border Collies are part of our family. Bear is being raised on our family farm where we are making sure he is getting the best of care. Our puppies are raised to be confident and well socialized. We feed all of our Border Collies "Taste of the Wild" dog food and our puppies "Taste of the Wild" puppy food. They are eager to please and learn very quickly any challenge presented to them. They are faithful and loyal and you can not ask for better companions.
We have a 10 year old boy who makes sure all the puppies get played with every day and they love to play in the yard with him. Our 16 year old daughter gives them plenty of love and guarantees they get equal amount of holding time. We firmly believe that the foundation we provide for the first 8 weeks or so of the puppies lives prepares them to be successful in their new families where they will adapt easily.
Bear will be doggy door potty trained.
Bear will be taken to the vet at 6 weeks of age to have a head to toe puppy wellness check and his first set of vaccinations.
All of our Border Collies have been tested CLEAR of CEA and the mother has been OFA tested.


text:
Charting its own rugged course in a sea of bland boxes.
JOSEPH CAPPARELLA
Overview: Most entries in the hot-selling compact-crossover segment prioritize utility over personality, going about the business of transporting people and stuff without much flair. Not so the Jeep Cherokee, which brings rugged attitude to the table with its butch looks and, when properly equipped, legitimate off-road credibility.
Plenty of controversy surrounded the revival of Jeep's legendary Cherokee name for a car-based crossover with polarizing styling when this model made its debut as a 2014 model. But the haters have quieted down. Anyway, they seem not to have much influence with the buying public: Cherokee was the bestselling Jeep nameplate in 2015. The Cherokee lineup offers more variety than most competitors have: You can choose among two engines, front-wheel drive or two different four-wheel-drive systems, and seven trim levels that range from the spartan base model to pricey upper trims that rival luxury SUVs in equipment. For this review, we drove the most off-road-oriented Cherokee, the Trailhawk four-by-four, equipped with the optional 3.2-liter V-6 engine.
What's New: The only mechanical update to the Cherokee since its debut came in the 2015 model year, when Jeep added an engine start-stop (ESS) system to V-6 models; this improved EPA city fuel-economy numbers by 1 to 2 mpg on most versions. It operates mostly unobtrusively in normal driving, but those bothered by the engine's shutting down at stoplights can easily find the console button to turn off the system. That's a choice you'll have to make on each outing. ESS returns to "on" as the default, but at the first stop of each drive, a reminder light on the dash asks if the driver wants to turn it off.
A luxurious Overland trim level was added to the top of the Cherokee range for 2016, offering a more polished exterior appearance, plenty of standard features, and plusher interior materials in exchange for its high price (loaded V-6 4x4 Overland models can top $40,000). A 75th Anniversary model also joined the lineup earlier this year, based on the mid-level Latitude trim, with some visual tweaks including different wheels, bronze trim pieces, and an available exterior color, Recon Green, that's exclusive to the special edition.
What We Like: The Cherokee imparts a feeling of solidity on the road, with secure handling and a firm, controlled ride. When equipped with the optional 3.2-liter V-6 engine, it's fairly quick and sporty-feeling considering its mass—the last Cherokee V-6 we tested weighed in at 4382 pounds, nearly 1000 pounds heavier than a four-cylinder Honda CR-V. Even the Trailhawk model, with its knobby off-road tires, has decent road manners thanks to well-weighted steering and good body control. The interior looks and feels similar to that of the more expensive Grand Cherokee, and the Uconnect touchscreen, which controls navigation, audio, and climate functions, is easy and intuitive to use.
What We Don't Like: Jeep needs room to cram beefy four-wheel-drive hardware into the Cherokee's compact-car architecture, so the interior packaging suffers even on models that lack those goodies. Rear-seat room and cargo space don't measure up to competitors like the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, and the high lift-over height can make it a challenge to load large or heavy items into the cargo area. The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is best avoided, as it's unrefined and struggles against the Cherokee's substantial mass. The nine-speed automatic transmission that is standard on all models doesn't help: it's sometimes slow to kick down when the driver requests more oomph. The V-6's power and torque help compensate for the gearbox's occasional confusion, but the engine upgrade makes for a thirsty Cherokee. Our most recent tests of V-6 four-wheel-drive Cherokee models netted 18 and 20 mpg combined, while an all-wheel-drive four-cylinder CR-V averaged 25 mpg in our care.
Verdict: Leave it to Jeep to create a compact crossover that charts its own rugged course in a sea of bland boxes.
BUILD YOUR OWN | RANK IN SEGMENT
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front- or 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
BASE PRICES:
Sport, $24,390;
Latitude, $26,290;
Altitude, $27,085;
75th Anniversary Edition, $28,870;
Limited, $29,990;
Trailhawk, $31,990;
Overland, $35,690
ENGINE TYPES: SOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 184 hp, 171 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.2-liter V-6, 271 hp, 239 lb-ft
Wheelbase: 106.3-107.0 in
Width: 73.2-74.9 in Height: 65.7-67.8 in
Passenger volume: 101-103 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3900-4400 lb
EPA city/highway driving: 19-22/26-31 mpg
C/D TEST RESULTS FOR:
2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk V-6
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.6 sec


Childish Gambino's "This Is America" won the Grammy for song of the year on Sunday, becoming the first rap song to win the prestigious award.
Childish Gambino, who is actor Donald Glover, was not at the Grammys. Here the rapper dances in the music video for "This Is America".
"It's about time that something like this happened with the Grammys". "This Is America" was also honored with the Grammy for Best Music Video and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.


text:
Q: What patch is played at worlds of Season 4? In the notes of 4.14 they said:

As 4.14 is potentially the patch we'll be playing the World Championship on

Which on is it finally? 4.14 got updated once more after the realease.

A: The LoL 2014 World Championship is played on Patch 4.14 just as they initially announced in the patch notes you mentioned above.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Nicole Daedone founded and became the CEO of OneTaste in the San Francisco Bay Area. OneTaste trademarked the "orgasmic meditation" (OM) procedure delivered through the company's classes. Born in Los Gatos, California, she holds a bachelor's degree in gender communications from San Francisco State University. She studied with teachers of yoga and Buddhist meditation, and with Ray Vetterlein, who was in turn inspired by Morehouse.

OneTaste has been investigated by the FBI for prostitution, sex trafficking, and violations of labor law. Daedone is the focus of a Netflix documentary called "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste".

Controversy
Former members of the organization testifying about their experience at OneTaste said it "resembled a kind of prostitution ring" where managers frequently ordered staffers to engage in sexual relations with customers. In 2015, a former employee received a six-figure settlement for sexual assault and harassment. The company made $18 million in revenue in 2017.

Publications

References

American non-fiction writers
American people in the sex industry
Living people
People from Los Gatos, California
American relationships and sexuality writers
San Francisco State University alumni
Women business executives
Writers from California
Year of birth missing (living people)
American women non-fiction writers
21st-century American women


text:
Eviota zebrina är en fiskart som beskrevs av Lachner och Karnella, 1978. Eviota zebrina ingår i släktet Eviota och familjen smörbultsfiskar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Smörbultsfiskar
zebrina


The new and unique shopping destination that is St Collins Lane was launched with much glamour in May 2016. Previously Australia on Collins this site was redeveloped to make way for what is now one the most luxurious retail malls in Australia.
Four hundred VIP guests attended the gala opening night to personally view the high end retail stores exhibiting their most sought after items. Featuring stores such as Coach, Tag Heuer and Cerrone as well as food in the very sleek food court from Neil Perry, the centre is the personification of style and functionality.
Director Operations Nick Drak attended and explained "we were selected through a rigorous tender process as the winning security provider. We welcome Lasalle Investment Management as a valued client. This mall is amazing and showcases the best of the best. It fits our profile and service capability perfectly and we are very excited at the innovation we will provide. Our teams have worked diligently with the Centre management to ensure that the build can be completed with no security issues while maintaining safety. It's another very proud moment for Team BRI. "


Using heart rate variability (HRV) as a clinical tool to track sympathetic and parasympathetic activity can teach you what foods we should avoid in our diet. We can use this data to identify individual stressors/food sensitivities. During the lecture, participants will measure their own HRV with polar heart rate monitor and Elite HRV app or with any readily available heart rate monitoring tool before and after food sampling. We ask that you bring a tool to monitor your heart rate. You can use a heart rate monitor, fitbit, apple watch, etc.
Psychophysiology (stress, depression, panic attacks, PTSD, etc).
Sport performance (recovery, training planning etc).
Learn and gain knowledge that can have a positive impact on your future. We can ensure that you will leave with a much better understanding of how to eat for your body.
Please take a moment to RSVP to our lecture, but hurry, we are down to the last 16 available spots.


DigiManic is a 360-degree service provider in Digital Marketing. We handle your brand's digital asset's that include Website Designing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Marketing (SMM), Online Reputation Management, etc. We analyze your digital media needs and provide you with packages and services that will help you meet your business goals. We help you create a bond with your customers and also help you build a better brand position in order to increase brand credibility. We connect, engage and promote your brand on Digital Platforms. We form a channel between brand and its audience. We provide innovative and unique services that help your brand to stand out in the digital marketing world.
SEO is the process that helps you rank higher in Google search engine.
SMM is marketing your brand on social media platforms like Facebook.
SEM is advertising your products & services on Google search engine.
Customise your own website with our expertise and experience.
The design is the balance between both form & function together.
Some write to impress, some write for fun, but we write to engage people.
With the new term Digital Marketing, marketing is not only a challenge but also has brought new opportunities to businesses. These new opportunities have created a gap in the marketing world which can't be filled with traditional mediums like Television, radio, newspapers, banners etc. Our Digital Marketing Agency helps you to create room for social media marketing for your business, helping you to extend & promote your business. Advertisement of a product and services is only a mouse click away, but to avail these facilities you need Digital Marketing consultants at DigiManic.
At DigiManic – digital marketing agency professional help you to choose best digital platforms to promote your business. If one wants to promote it digitally, DigiManic is one of the best Digital Marketing Agency in Mumbai on which you can trust. DigiManic is a Digital Marketing Agency in Mumbai that consists of a professional team of experts. Our Digital Marketing team will make use of sharp edge and modern technology to help your products and services reach the targeted audiences. We will give your business high reach, therefore, giving you an advantage over your competitors.
DigiManic is a Digital marketing company in Mumbai, that has begun its journey to become the leader of Digital marketing services in India. Each day we come closer to our destination with the help of you. By providing you best SEO and Social Media Marketing Services, we ensure high-ranking for our customers and make sure that brand has made its mark on social media globally. Only experts know the right technique to reach out to customers, increase brand image brand positioning & converting the potential customer into users. With the help of our digital marketing strategies, we will make sure that your brand becomes a trend!


Jeri is a logistical master and an art lover. She came to Dowbuilt first as a customer in a preconstruction meeting where she was representing her client's art collection. She says she was attracted to the company's experience, professional etiquette and office environment. Within a year, she joined the Dowbuilt team as a service department manager, coordinating work items and overseeing customer care.
Jeri has a background in Fine Arts with professional experience at Tacoma Arts Museum, Crocker Art Museum and Artech Fine Art Services. With more than a decade coordinating the safe handling and movement of public and private art collections, she is comfortable caring for the unique residences maintained by Schuchart/Dow. She believes beautifully crafted homes deserve to be cared for like a work of art.
Jeri received her BFA in Studio Art from University of Puget Sound. Gracing us from Minnesota, she is as you'd expect: optimistic, steadfast and diligent. She loves the office dogs and is passionate about making Seattle a supportive environment for handmade goods.


text:
"""
Utility functions which help with running tests.
"""

import numpy as np

from nervanagpu import GPUTensor

def assert_tensor_equal(actual, desired):
    """
    Ensures that Tensor array contents are identical in shape and each element.

    Arguments:
        actual (object): The first Tensor for comparison.
        desired (object): The expected value to be compared against.

    Raises:
        AssertionError: if any of the elements or shapes differ.
    """
    assert_tensor_near_equal(actual, desired, tolerance=0)

def assert_tensor_near_equal(actual, desired, tolerance=1e-7):
    """
    Ensures that Tensor array contents are equal (up to the specified
    tolerance).

    Arguments:
        actual (object): The first value for comparison.
        desired (object): The expected value to be compared against.
        tolerance (float, optional): Threshold tolerance.  Items are considered
                                     equal if their absolute difference does
                                     not exceed this value.

    Raises:
        AssertionError: if the objects differ.
    """
    if isinstance(desired, GPUTensor):
        desired = desired.asnumpyarray()
    if isinstance(actual, GPUTensor):
        actual = actual.asnumpyarray()
    np.testing.assert_allclose(actual, desired, atol=tolerance, rtol=0)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
IJPS Grand Opening by Headteacher Roz Levin
Posted on August 19 2014, 10:42 AM
You can imagine how excited our pupils were when they entered our new building for the first time just after last Rosh Hashanah. The shofar was sounded in the playground and the awe and wonder on those faces was a delight to see!
On 26 June this year, the new Wohl IJPS building on the Kantor Education Campus was officially opened by the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis. This was the culmination of a dream that started around 15 years ago when it was first mooted that we may be able to move onto the King Solomon High School campus thereby creating an educational complex on one site for pupils from Nursery to Sixth Form.
Of course, a new school building doesn't just happen - it takes years of planning and perseverance, optimism and organisation, consultations and, of course, many frustrations and obstacles to overcome along the way! The contribution and steady hand of Mr Jonathan Goldstein and the JLC throughout the building project was of crucial importance. And we are, of course, so very grateful to those who have supported us financially and, in particular, Mr Moshe Kantor and the Wohl Foundation.
This new building provides state of the art facilities and a much improved learning environment for our pupils. Modern facilities improve not only the school's physical environment but also its learning culture. However, a building alone cannot infuse the vision and passion that guide the school's development. It is the human spirit and interaction between teachers and pupils which make the difference and we will ensure that our new premises support the best secular and Jewish education possible.
We have now reached another milestone in the history of IJPS: We have great grandparents who attended the former school in Stepney; grandparents whose children were pupils at our previous site in Carlton Drive and their children who are now our pupils in this beautiful new building. This is a potent mix which will ensure we continue to help develop the next generation of good British citizens with a strong commitment to modern Orthodox Judaism.
I have been involved with the school for some 34 years, as a parent, Governor and, for the last 11 years, as Headteacher. The community may have changed but the ethos, vitality and family atmosphere of the school remain the same. We are full of hope for the future which is interwoven with good memories of the old days back in Carlton Drive. As I approach my retirement, I am confident that the school will continue to go from strength to strength and that East London/Essex Jewish youth will continue to be a credit to the whole community.


"current page" an active link in a "bread-crumb" trail.
as the current component of a flow chart.
A date token used to indicate the current date within a calendar.
A time token used to indicate the current time within a timetable.
Authors SHOULD NOT use . . .
a nav-element with an aria-label of ?breadcrumb?.
hierarchal links.  I believe there is also a "burden" or "responsibility"
Its use is demonstrated in the APG pattern Matt linked to.
And, what's more important is whether this causes a nuisance to AT users?
the breadcrumb, and another time from the heading?
How will users tabbing through the page hear "current page"?
to users with cognitive disabilities?
> what is the current thinking on breadcrumbs.
> heading, which I know can be a nuisance for text-to-speech users.
act as heading for the actual page's content.
In short, don't think it's an actual problem.
And as is often the case, it'll depend on the specific situation (i.e.
- a few words, or as long as a whole sentence - etc).
Previous message: Michiel Bijl: "Re: [breadcrumbs] best practice"
Maybe in reply to: Harry Loots: "[breadcrumbs] best practice"
Next in thread: Michiel Bijl: "Re: [breadcrumbs] best practice"
Reply: Michiel Bijl: "Re: [breadcrumbs] best practice"


The past three decades have seen tens of thousands of Christians from outside China engaged in myriad activities aimed at serving the Chinese church and society. Today their role is changing. New skills – one in particular – are needed to work out what this role and what their relationship to China's church should look like in days to come.
China's Christians and those who have sought to serve them find themselves walking together on an unfamiliar path. Having passed through a time of intense persecution, China's church has gradually become stronger, more visible, and less dependent upon foreign resources. A new generation of Chinese Christians has emerged and is taking the church into a new era of fruitful ministry under indigenous leadership.
The image that comes to mind is of a gentle slope leading out of a lush valley. On the initial assent both Chinese leaders and foreign workers are able to look back and relish the view below. They are thankful for the fruit of years of dedicated labor, grateful for new leaders trained, new churches planted, and the gospel moving into areas where it previously had not been proclaimed.
Climbing higher, however, the path becomes steeper. Greater effort is required to take fewer steps. As the well-worn path gives way to sheer rock their footing is less sure. Both realize that the comfortable shoes with which they had so confidently trod the valley floor are ill-fitted for the climb ahead. The air becomes thinner. They press on, knowing that after they crest the summit that looms somewhere in the fog above them they will descend into yet another valley. There the lessons they have learned during this difficult climb will instruct them in how to walk side by side in a new environment.
This journey knows no shortcut. Foreign workers who have spent the better part of their lives in China will be humbled, perhaps offended, as their once-valued contributions are no longer received with the same enthusiasm. China's newly emerged Christian leaders may struggle as they alternate between feelings of empowerment and feelings of inadequacy. Their climb will not be elegant. There will be missteps and misunderstandings.
As they move out of their respective roles of leader and follower, or of teacher and student, they become fellow travelers on a journey for which neither has an adequate map.
As a colleague remarked recently, it is in this transition time that the foreign worker, accustomed to being the one with the answers, must be willing to take on the unfamiliar role of student. Rather than relying on familiar metrics to gauge success, he or she must be willing to value the learning on this journey as a success in and of itself. It is this ability to gain a fresh understanding of oneself, one's partners, and the unfamiliar terrain ahead that will enable both climbers to successfully navigate the era to come.


text:
At Work & Theology 101
You Can Still Serve God in Retirement
Dr. Andrew Spencer
Retirement is generally recognized as a part of the American Dream. We grow up, we work, we retire, and we die. It's just another part of the rhythm of life. But is the hope of an easy life of retirement something Christians should cling to?
The model that the culture seems to point toward for retirement (at least if I can trust the ads on television) is one of complete leisure, once I quit working, for the rest of my life.
Yet even before sin came into the world, God told humans to work (Gen 1:28). Idleness and dissipation do not appear to be a part of the divine design for humans.
In fact, the model of retirement that is built around limitless leisure seems to undermine God's design for human existence.
A Rhythm of Work and Rest
The pattern given to humans in Scripture is of lifelong engagement in labor with regular periods of rest (e.g., Leviticus 23:3). Such a rhythm of work and rest points toward God's own activity in the creation account (Genesis 1:1-2:3). We should rest, but we should not look forward to a decades long rest in retirement as the end goal of our existences. The final rest for humans is not in this life, but in the life to come (cf. Hebrews 4:9–10).
On the other hand, there is a biblical case to be made for a change in work responsibilities due to age. The clearest example is the assignment of priestly responsibility for 25 to 50 year-old Levites in Numbers 8:23–26:
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.
Though God here prescribes a change in the level of activity at a certain age, this is not a shift to idleness. The older priests still had work responsibilities that were less physically rigorous. There is a place for a change, but our goal should not be to end our days in total leisure. The cultural mandate is still compelling after we reach retirement age.
Vices and Virtues of Retirement
In a 2010 article in the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, Edward Collins Vacek, SJ, considers the ethics of retirement.
He argues that retirement, properly implemented, allows for a change in responsibility but does not result in a complete detachment from society. He outlines several vices to avoid and virtues to pursue during retirement
Vacek cautions against a retirement to a lifestyle of dissipation where the retirees have no goals, and thus no purpose. Additionally, he argues against an attitude of self-gratification. Retired life should not become just about self-interest, since that denies the Christ-like attitude commended to Christians in Philippians 2:3. Avoiding these vices does not prohibit many healthy enjoyments, but it does prevent a loss of purpose that kills the spirit and diminishes real satisfaction.
Vacek encourages retirees to maintain an integrity of life, which includes maintaining relationships and continuing to pursue spiritual disciplines. He also encourages generosity in retirement, including "new opportunities for serving others." The service of others represents concern for the world that one will leave behind, which is consistent with the cultural mandate.
Retirement from a career may be socially and financially possible. There is no biblical mandate that we keep working in the same job until we die.
However, there is a message in Scripture that humans should continue to contribute as they are able. Our goals should be to pursue excellence in our vocation, to add value to the world, and to serve God through our daily work. This should extend to the phase of life even if we stop working for pay.
For the Christian, hope is in the Redeemer of all creation, whom we serve as we work, even after we quit our "day job." The challenge for us is to live with that hope in mind.
Leave your comments here.
Andrew Spencer is a Senior Research Fellow for IFWE. He holds a Ph.D. in Theological Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and regularly blogs at www.ethicsandculture.com. He recently published The Christian Mind of C. S. Lewis: Essays in Honor of Michael Travers.
"...the model of retirement that is built around limitless leisure seems to undermine God's design for human existence." Twitter Facebook
Further readings on At Work & Theology 101
IFWE's Top Ten Blog Articles of 2022
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