What does it mean to be a pastor? When ‘secular’ people ask me about my vocation, I often feel lost as to how can I explain and justify the existence of my pastoral work. In our secular age, it seems that we have lost vocabulary, importance and essence of the pastoral ministry.
The Pastor in a Secular Age is written to help us understand and navigate the perplexity murky waters of the pastoral ministry in our secular age. Andrew Root, using the paradigm of Charles Taylor, masterfully explores the question of what does it mean to be a pastor in our secular age? Root attempts to dig the roots of secularism and its impact on the pastoral ministry. He does this by showing us the portraits of pastors throughout the history such as Augustine, Jonathan Edwards, and Martin Luther King Jr. etc.
After outlining the problems that secularism presses on the pastoral identity, Root offers an alternative vision for ministry which is less pragmatic and more biblical. He explores the Old testament and draws out helpful principles that can be life-saving in wading in the strong currents of secularism.
This book is for anyone who would like to understand and appreciate the complexity of the pastoral ministry in our secular world. At times, this book can be dense but mostly it is written in such a way that all kinds of audiences can benefit from this work.
I thank Baker Academic for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


The Dark Tower Buch Möchten Sie sich anmelden?
Der Dunkle Turm (The Dark Tower) ist eine achtbändige, düstere Fantasy-Saga des Im Buch stellt King selbst eine existenzbegründende Rolle dar, von der der Weiterbestand der Balken und der Welt, so wie sie existiert, abhängig ist. Das Buch selbst endet mit einigen Gedanken Stephen Kings zu diesem Werk und dem Gedicht von John Browning auf dem die Geschichte von Roland Deschain. The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (Volume 1) | King, Stephen | ISBN: "Schwarz" (der deutsche Titel) war damals mein erstes Stephen-King-Buch, das ich in. Thalia: Infos zu Autor, Inhalt und Bewertungen ❤ Jetzt»The Dark Tower 1. The Gunslinger«nach Hause oder Buch (Taschenbuch, Englisch). 9,59€. 9,59€. Buch (Taschenbuch). Zustand: Gebraucht - Sehr THE GUNSLINGER is the first volume in Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series. The Dark Tower is Soon to.
Das Buch Stephen King: The Dark Tower 1. The Gunslinger jetzt portofrei für 6,99 Euro kaufen. Mehr von Stephen King gibt es im Shop. The Dark Tower – Bücher gebraucht, antiquarisch & neu kaufen ✓ Preisvergleich ✓ Käuferschutz ✓ Wir von AHA-BUCH GmbH, Bewertungen 99,7% positiv. THE GUNSLINGER is the first volume in Stephen Kings epic Dark Tower series. The Dark Tower is Soon to be a Tower 1. The Gunslinger. Broschiertes Buch.
He is a man who lacks imagination, and this is one of the stated reasons for his survival against all odds: he can not imagine anything other than surviving to find the Tower.
Through these doors, Roland draws companions who will join him on his quest, as the Man In Black foretold. The first to be drawn is Eddie Dean, a drug addict and a first-time cocaine mule.
Eddie lives with his older brother and fellow junkie Henry, whom Eddie reveres despite the corrupting influence Henry has had upon his life. Roland helps Eddie fight off a gang of mobsters for whom he was transporting the cocaine, but not before Eddie discovers that Henry has died from an overdose of heroin in the company of the aforementioned mobsters after which the mobsters decide to chop off Henry's head.
It is because of Eddie's heroin addiction that he is termed 'The Prisoner' the inscription above the door Roland draws Eddie from.
Roland also acquires medicine for his infection during the trip to Eddie's world, but this only temporarily quells the fever. Eddie passes through the door into Roland's world, and faces heroin withdrawal symptoms, but despite his suffering, he also shows an affinity for the way of the gun—and a good deal of what Roland calls 'steel'.
Unwillingly at first, Eddie becomes Roland's companion through Mid-World, and he soon falls in love with Susannah, the next member of Roland's ka-tet.
Eddie and Susannah consider themselves husband and wife, although they never formally marry. In the final novel, during the attack on Algul Siento, Eddie is shot and killed by Pimli Prentiss, the master of the establishment.
Roland also notes that Eddie's character strongly resembles that of Cuthbert, a gunslinger of Roland's past, and one of Roland's greatest friends.
Also hailing from New York City, Susannah is a black woman although as a woman of , she prefers the term " Negro " over the term considered appropriate in Eddie's time, " Black " with two major afflictions: her legs below the knees were severed in a subway accident, and a childhood head injury left her with dual personalities , which Eddie incorrectly labels schizophrenia.
She is "The Lady of Shadows", the second companion predicted by Walter to be drawn into Roland's world via the mysterious doors.
Initially, her dominant personality is that of Odetta Susannah Holmes, a well-mannered but priggish woman active in the civil rights movement.
At times, however, she is taken over by Detta Susannah Walker—murderously psychotic, incredibly crafty, completely unbreakable—whom neither Eddie nor Roland can control.
Neither Odetta nor Detta are aware of the existence of the other, and confabulate memories for the periods when they are not the dominant personality.
Roland manages to resolve these personalities by forcing Detta to look through the third door while he himself looks out of it, forcing Detta and Odetta to see themselves for what they really are, and almost kill each other upon realising their presence.
However, Odetta chooses to embrace Detta, and the personalities are integrated into a single, far more balanced individual, known as Susannah Dean, Eddie's wife, although they were never formally married.
Susannah has access to the memories and personalities of both Holmes and Walker, and can call upon their skills and temperaments at will.
During the drawing of Jake, she submits to sex with the demon of the doorway in order to distract it and afterwards, she becomes pregnant.
Susannah shares the experience of her pregnancy with a demon-turned-mortal named Mia, resulting in Susannah housing yet another personality in her mind.
Mia takes over Susannah's body and melds with it, giving her legs for a short while and runs in it to yet another when of New York, this one circa , to give birth to the demon child.
Susannah is the last member of Roland's ka-tet to leave him and the only one to survive in a Keystone world , having been given the chance to return to another form of Eddie and Jake in a parallel world.
Jake Chambers is an eleven-year-old boy from the New York of , and is considered by Roland to be his "true son". Jake's given name is John, but he prefers to be known by Jake, and is called "'Bama" by his housekeeper, who is far closer to him than his parents.
In his home world, he dies at the hands of Jack Mort who Jake initially believes is Walter and ends up in Roland's world as a result.
The gunslinger and the boy travel together in pursuit of the Man in Black, developing a strong bond along the way. However, in order to reach the Man in Black, Roland lets Jake fall to his death.
The child Roland allowed to die reappears in Roland's mind in The Waste Lands resulting in a paradox. Since Roland in The Drawing of the Three prevented Mort from shoving Jake into traffic, he never died, therefore he never appeared in Mid-World and was never left to die under the mountains.
Jake and Roland, however, can remember both timelines, and the knowledge is slowly driving them insane. In the first half of The Waste Lands , Roland's ka-tet figure out a way to draw Jake into Mid-world, where he belongs an action which finishes the real Drawing of the Three, Jack Mort never having been intended to join the ka-tet.
Eddie is driven to whittle a key out of wood as they approach a Speaking Ring, where Eddie draws another door into the ground, this one guarded by an invisible demon.
Susannah distracts the demon by allowing it to copulate with her, while Eddie perfects the key and uses it to open the door.
On the other side, Jake has been led by the younger version of Eddie who lived in that when to a haunted house indeed, Eddie has vague memories of the encounter himself , filled with evil spirits and a horrendous gate-keeper.
Jake, with some timely assistance from Roland, fights through them to reach the door. Once the boy is in Mid-World again, Roland's and Jake's memories are merged and their descent into insanity abated.
On the journey, Jake befriends a billy-bumbler who he calls Oy, who provides comfort for the boy on his quest. While crossing the desolate city of Lud, Jake is kidnapped by a deranged resident of the city.
He allows himself to be taken in exchange for the rest of the group's safe passage, and Roland promises to come for Jake, despite having to abandon him temporarily.
Despite the danger it poses, he rescues Jake with the help of Oy, reaffirming the father-son bond that has grown between them.
Like Eddie and Susannah, Jake shows amazing aptitude to the way of a gunslinger. Jake is the second member of the ka-tet to die, when he sacrifices himself to save Stephen King as a character in the series from certain death by putting himself between King and the van meant to take his life.
By the end of the tale Jake has died a total of three times. An alternate version of Jake is encountered later by Susannah Dean; in this world, he and Eddie are brothers, with the last name Toren.
Roland also notes that Jake strongly resembles Alain, another gunslinger, in his stable, reserved personality and talent with a psychic skill referred to as "the touch.
Oy is a "billy-bumbler," a strange creature found in Roland Deschain 's world. King describes Oy in the "Argument", or foreword, of the fourth book, Wizard and Glass —"Bumblers, which look like a combination of badger, raccoon, and dog, have a limited speaking ability".
Regarding Oy's appearance, by far the most frequently described feature throughout the series is his large, "bright"  almost glowing, "intelligent, gold-ringed eyes",  though King also frequently refers to the creature's "disproportionately long,  " "surprisingly graceful neck".
At the time of their meeting, Roland concedes that Oy may quite possibly be meant as another member of their ka-tet.
Later, in the 6th book, this is confirmed when the Tet Corporation forms as the association of "Deschain, Dean, Dean, Chambers, and Oy.
Oy develops emotions and even a sense of humanity beyond that of his ability to replicate some words that the others speak. Oy is often referred as the smartest bumbler that characters have seen since the world had moved on.
Oy provides a much-needed shelter from the harsh nature of the quest for Jake, often playing with him or providing moments of lightheartedness to the ka-tet.
His deep loyalty to his friend saves Jake's life several times, and he remains part of Roland's ka-tet even after the boy dies, as a final request from Jake.
Oy is killed in the last Dark Tower book. He saves Roland's life by attacking Mordred, who came to kill Roland in his sleep. Mordred snaps Oy's back and impales him on a tree limb while the bumbler is defending his friend, but Oy finds enough strength to lick Roland's hand one time before he dies.
Stephen King hints that Oy will be found in the same universe that Susannah travels to and will be in some form of a dog with "odd, gold-ringed eyes and a bark that eerily resembles human speech.
Cuthbert is Roland Deschain's childhood best friend, and a member of his original ka-tet. Roland and Cuthbert are described as having been playing together since they were toddlers.
Cuthbert, often called Bert, is first featured in The Gunslinger, but he does not play a major role in the series until Wizard and Glass, the fourth volume in the series.
Cuthbert is characterized by his outwardly flippant, care-free view of the world. He constantly makes jokes, often testing the nerves of his companions.
He is notably skilled with a sling-shot: it is said that he could 'take a bird on the wing at 50 yards' with it. This is a skill that comes in handy on many occasions in Mejias when the boys cannot openly carry their guns.
Cuthbert is quick-witted and sometimes has a way with words—his proclivity for words can be noticed as he often stops to repeat and muse over phrases he finds to be nice and 'round'.
Physically, Cuthbert is described as being trim and tall with shoulder-length dark hair and dark eyes. During the battle of Jericho Hill, Cuthbert is shot through the eye by an arrow fired by Randall Flagg.
Alain is one of Roland's original ka-tet , and along with the gunslinger and Cuthbert is evacuated to Mejias in Wizard, and Glass for safety, due to the ongoing war against John Farson.
Alain is strong in the 'touch', which is the mid-world term for a combination of telepathy, precognition, and hypersensitivity to the guiding hand of Ka.
Alain is described as being stout with blond hair. He is calm, reserved and often plays the role of level-headed mediator between ever pragmatic Roland and ostensibly care-free Cuthbert—particularly when Susan Delgado is seen to be interfering with Roland's decision making.
Shortly before the battle of Jericho Hill, the last stand by the gunslingers of Gilead against Farson's men, Alain was accidentally killed by Roland and Cuthbert, who mistook him for an assassin in the night.
Jamie De Curry was a member of Roland Deschain's original ka-tet. He grew up and trained with Roland under Cort and Vannay in Gilead.
He was the first to discover Roland's plan to attempt to finish his training by fighting Cort, their veteran teacher at the unprecedented age of He is characterized by a birthmark on his face, leading some in Gilead to refer to him as "Jamie of the marked face.
It's stated by Roland that as a child he excelled in archery—the use of a bow and 'bah' crossbow —far more so than Roland himself, although by the time of the Battle of Jericho Hill he is a Gunslinger, like the rest of Roland's ka-tet.
Jamie figures prominently in the novel The Wind Through the Keyhole , traveling with Roland to investigate rumors of a shape-changing "skin-man" that is attacking a frontier town.
In this novel, his birthmark is described as being a deep red one on his hand, making it appear as if it has been dipped in blood, and he has the nickname "Jamie Red-Hand.
Not much is known about Thomas Whitman. He is only briefly mentioned in The Gunslinger as one of Roland Deschain's childhood friends who studied under Cort.
He is shown in several installments of the The Gunslinger comic series. He is shown to have a lean build with short, black hair.
In the Battle of Jericho Hill, he and several other Gunslingers are killed by a flamethrower. She is a resident of Hambry, in the Barony of Mejis, where the year-old Roland and his ka-tet have been sent for their own safety.
Susan's father was purportedly killed in a horseback riding accident, which Susan later learned was a murder premeditated by the town's leadership.
Shortly before Roland's arrival, Susan has been cajoled by her aunt Cordelia into becoming a concubine, or "gilly", for Mejis' mayor, Hart Thorin.
Although Susan is to be paid for her services, she is a recognized consort and any heir she bears to the heretofore-childless Thorin will be considered legitimate.
Before consummating her relationship with Thorin, however, she falls in love with Roland and becomes involved in the young gunslinger's plans to prevent John Farson from using an oilfield near Hambry to supply his troops with crude oil.
When Roland and his friends are framed for Thorin's murder and arrested, she breaks them out of jail and helps them escape Hambry. Before she can flee, however, she is captured, brought back to town, and publicly burned at the stake as an alleged accomplice in the murder.
At the time, she is already pregnant with Roland's first child. Roland is devastated by her death—not just because of his love for her—but because, when confronted with the choice of returning for her or setting out for the Dark Tower and thus saving all of creation, he chose the Tower, thus condemning her to death.
He is a powerful "Breaker", a psychic, whose extraordinary powers as a facilitator are sought by the Crimson King so he can hasten the destruction of the beams and Dark Tower.
Ted arrives in the Devar-Toi , the prison camp where the Breakers are held, in , and with help from Roland's old friend from Mejis, Sheemie Ruiz, soon escapes the Devar-Toi and enters the Connecticut of , which is when the story of "Low Men in Yellow Coats" takes place.
After his adventure in Connecticut, the low men capture and smuggle him back to the Devar-Toi via the Dixie Pig and Thunderclap Station.
Ted meets Roland and his ka-tet in the final novel of the series, and he, Dinky Earnshaw, and the newly revealed psychic Sheemie assist the ka-tet in the attack on the Devar-Toi and ultimately succeed in obliterating the low men and the taheen.
After Roland, Jake, and Oy travel to the Maine of to prevent Stephen King from dying, Ted and his friends escort Susannah Dean to Fedic Station, and Ted, along with a handful of the other Breakers depart for the Callas, where they hope to first find redemption from the Calla folken and then return to America via the Doorway Cave.
Sheemie, introduced in Wizard and Glass , was a mildly mentally handicapped tavern boy at a saloon in Hambry. Sheemie assisted Roland and his first ka-tet in preventing the followers of John Farson , and more specifically, the Crimson King, from reviving the Great Old Ones' war machines, later following the group back to Gilead.
Sheemie joined Roland's ka-tet briefly and helped the gunslingers ward off the Crimson King's followers until he and his mule Capi mysteriously disappeared.
However, while Roland assumes Sheemie is dead, he is not; he had been captured by the low men and taken to the Devar-Toi, the Breaker prison, because of his telepathic abilities, which remained unknown to Roland's ka-tet.
He reappears in the series' final novel and assists the new ka-tet in defeating the low men and the taheen. However, during the battle, he steps on a piece of glass, causing an infection accelerated by the "poison air" around Thunderclap.
While escorting Susannah to Fedic on the train, he dies of blood poisoning. Although Susannah never learns this, she is indirectly responsible for his death, as it is her bullet that breaks the glass out of his window, causing it to be there for him to step on.
Sharpton who was the head of a North Central Positronics subsidiary. However, when Dinky discovered what Sharpton was truly using him for, he killed Sharpton.
Unfortunately, the low men captured him and transported him to the Devar-Toi, where he later met Ted Brautigan and Sheemie Ruiz.
The three joined forces with Roland and his ka-tet in the final novel of the series and they helped to defeat the Devar-Toi's guards.
Donald Frank Callahan is the "damned" priest who first appeared in the novel 'Salem's Lot. He makes his first appearance in the Dark Tower series in Wolves of the Calla , although his involvement in the series was hinted at in the afterword to Wizard and Glass.
After being marked by the vampire Kurt Barlow , and therefore forced out of his church, Father Callahan spends time volunteering in a homeless shelter.
Callahan made it a goal to get even with the vampires for what they did to him and his friend, who contracted HIV after being bitten by a vampire. He is aided in this by his ability to spot the vampires; since Jerusalem's Lot and the forced ingestion of some of the vampire Barlow's blood he has been able to recognize vampires on sight.
He becomes a partial member of the ka-tet, assisting the ka-tet in the Battle against the Wolves and Susannah's rescue mission from New York, and sacrificing himself so that Jake may live in the final stand in The Dark Tower VII against the can-toi low men and vampires.
For the second time, Callahan kills himself before allowing himself to fall at the hands of the vampires. Patrick appears in Insomnia as a promising child artist, then again at the end of the Dark Tower series as a young adult artist with enough talent to shape the real world as he sees fit.
As a young boy, he was prophesied to save two men in the future. He drew pictures of Roland and the roses as well. In the Dark Tower series, he was kept imprisoned for an unknown amount of time by the psychic vampire Dandelo and was rescued by Susannah and Roland.
Patrick draws a door that allows Susannah to enter a parallel world, and later draws and erases a picture of the Crimson King, causing him to disappear from the Tower so that Roland can safely enter it.
When Roland Deschain came to River Crossing, she was years old. She and the people of River Crossing provided food and shelter for the ka-tet while they were on their way to Lud.
Talitha gave her cross to Roland to lay at the base of the Dark Tower. When Roland came to the Dark Tower, Talitha Unwin was one of the names that he called out and he remembered to place her cross at its base.
Teacher of Roland's original ka-tet. Roland earned his guns by defeating him with the hawk David, who was mortally wounded in that battle.
After Roland's challenge, Cort laid in his cabin for a week in a coma, being tended by two nurses. Cort was often rough handed with his students, using physical punishment and denial of food to punish mistakes.
He also fancied calling the prospective gunslingers "maggots". According to Roland, he is murdered soon after Roland's class graduates.
He acts as a sort of a spiritual guide to Roland throughout the series, his voice and teachings popping up in the Gunslinger's mind every so often as Roland needs to reflect upon his training.
Also known as "Vannay the Wise", he was the other primary tutor of Roland's ka-tet and of apprentice gunslingers.
Discordia, an online game, was released on based on The Dark Tower series. More than 30 million copies of the Dark Tower have been sold in 40 countries, making it one of the best adventurous fantasy series.
Many critics in National newspaper applauded the dark Tower series and described it as magnum opus filled cataclysmic encounters and desolating tragedy.
The epic journey of Roland is worth reading for all the wonders and high speech dialogues in the Dark Tower series.
This is one of the greatest series ever. It has been awhile however Stephenie Meyer has returned to the Twilight Universe with a new book this month.
The links beside each book title will take you to Amazon, who I feel are the best online retailer for books where you can read more about the book, or purchase it.
Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases. The answer is no. Each month I pick a charity and ask that you support them instead.
They need it more than me. If you see one missing just send me an e-mail below. Book s. She became a very popular author last year with her book Escape Room and she is back with a new novel this month.
Megan Goldin is our author of the month. Check out our Megan Goldin page. View Results. Dark Tower Books In Order. The Gunslinger la Description et achat sur Amazon.
Every 2 weeks we send out an e-mail with Book Recommendations. We'll base this on various factors for example "If you like Jack Reacher Someone, or something, is using the evil technology of the Great Old Ones to destroy it.
Roland wins his guns, but the price is high. Over the course of the story, Roland transforms from the dinh of a faithful ka-tet to a war-hardened loner, searching for the Dark Tower and for his ultimate enemies—a many-faced sorcerer and his master, an immortal were-spider who wants nothing less than to destroy the Tower and swallow the wreckage of the multiverse.


It’s been a busy time around here for us. We’re preparing for the annual “snowbird migration” when we move ourselves from Tampa to Traverse City for the summer. This is always a pleasure and a big job. We do look forward to the lilacs and the lake and all the wonderful summer produce Up North! Little Miki is excited. This was her Cinco de Mayo photo. Can you tell?
I’m finishing up edits and other work on Jack of Hearts to have it ready for you as promised on July 2. The preorders will be widely available soon for all formats. I’ll give you all the “scoop” on that next time, with buy links. The amazing Corey Snow is working on the audiobook and I really hope you’re going to love everything!
And I’m scribbling away on Straight Jack, the November Hunt for Jack Reacher Series title. The publishing schedule is a work of art, I’ll tell you. Lots of lead time is required to get the book from my head to your hands. The goal is to have the first draft of Straight Jack finished when Jack of Hearts releases — so everything can get out to you on time. Whew!
But until all that happens…. Something new to report on the Jess Kimball Thrillers! We’ve been working on this one for a while and I’m so excited to reveal it to you — finally!
We’ve just released the first three Jess Kimball Thrillers in audio! And, even better, the books are available in all formats in libraries and on platforms like Hoopla, Libby, and Cloud Library. How cool is that, right? The fabulous narrator for these books is Natalie Naudus and we’re thrilled to have her on board. (If you’re looking for buy links for ebooks, you’ll find them at the bottom of this email.)
Suspense, action, and plenty of thrills. Dig into Diane Capri’s series about Jess Kimball, an investigative reporter with a very personal mission. These thrillers are widely available as audiobooks for the first time ever! Don’t miss them!
Get the series exclusively on Apple Books: apple.co/jesskimball
Or, find them in your library here:
All in all, our spirits are lifted around here and I hope yours are, too. We’re turning the corner on this pandemic and our summer is looking to be much better this year than last. Here’s hoping we’ll all be able to say the same very soon.


She was the woman who prayed her wings were gonna fit her well.
As the world celebrates and remembers this extraordinary icon we call Dr. Angelou – I want to give a special tribute in her honor. I respected this woman for her eloquence and grace; wisdom, compassion for others, candidness, creativity and ability to overcome life’s challenges. I also loved her voice and ability to speak with such articulation, authority, confidence and wisdom.
She was that woman who told us she wouldn’t take nothing for her journey now, she told us that all God’s children needed traveling shoes, she knew why the caged birds sang, she encouraged us all to be phenomenal women. She wanted us to gather together in her name and what did she tell us? “I shall not be moved!”
I was first introduced to her literary excellence as a teenager. I remember reading her books and poems many times until I had most of them memorized. Now as an adult, my personal library is filled with her famous memoirs, poems and photos.
Although I never considered myself a writer, I always tried to write poems that would express my feelings and emotions the way she did. Her stories were real and transparent. She shared with us her inner-most thoughts, fears, challenges and victories. She was very descriptive in her writings and painted a clear picture of her journey along the way. She was my inspiration, motivator and mentor.
I’ll truly miss her.
Dr. Angelou, your wings fit you just fine.
In the videos below, Dr. Angelou recites her poem And Still I Rise (one of my favorites). She also tells us how Love Liberates.
And Still I Rise
The post Give Her Wings: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou, first appeared on aim4natural.com.


YesMagazine.org: It occurred to me also, holding Being the Change in my hands on that smoke-immersed train with my beloved child beside me, that Peter Kalmus has provided us with a different blueprint, and he’s shown through his own experimentation that we have the capacity to choose it, and to use it. On the cusp of climate catastrophe, we are neither choiceless nor powerless. (Chris Moore-Backman) Read full review
TreeHugger.com: “Being the Change” is a book I desperately needed to read…. The tone of authenticity kept me reading eagerly till the end. It is refreshing and empowering to read about real-life solutions, rather than the guilt-ridden, doom-and-gloom tales that dominate much of the environmental movement. Kalmus is positive, by contrast, bursting with practical strategies. He writes with joy, infectious curiosity, and a hopeful enthusiasm that’s hard to resist. (Katherine Martinko) Read full review
Library Journal (starred review): Kalmus, an atmospheric scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is strongly convinced that living without fossil fuels is not only possible but better for both the planet and the individual. The author draws on science, practical action, and spiritual examination to make the case that by reducing our carbon footprint, people can slow global warming and the ensuing civil unrest. Kalmus encourages meditation to provide satisfaction in the moment rather than the need for more, presenting valuable tips for opting out of what he deems a destructive system.
VERDICT Kalmus’s straightforward and necessary steps toward ameliorating the challenges of global warming will be welcomed by a wide readership. Highly recommended.
Foreword Reviews (five stars): “Being the Change” approaches climate change from a fundamentally different perspective. It repudiates the idea that individuals can do nothing about climate change and encourages mindful transition to a low-energy lifestyle—not as a sacrifice to stop a threat, but as a means of embracing a richer life. This emphasis on the bright side of climate change mitigation has a good chance of resonating with ambivalent audiences.
The book offers an unusually comprehensive and scientifically satisfying explanation of how climate change happens. While most people are familiar with the basics, and some will know about factors like albedo and feedback loops, Being the Change’s explanation will present something new to almost everyone. That it is able to do so in a straightforward way is a significant feat. (Anna Call)
HuffingtonPost.com.au: This really is a book like no other. Personal transformation books are often trite exercises in ego-driven vanity. Being The Change is not that. It’s one guy’s journey, written honestly, openly, with gallons of facts underpinning it all. Kalmus has an easy, optimistic style which makes you want to hang out with him. (Anthony Sharwood) Read full review
GreenGroundswell.com: I am an avid reader and I have read many books about global warming, climate change, and activism. Being the Change provides readers with solid information and practical inspiration. One thing that sets it apart from many of the books I have read is that Kalmus focuses on the joyfulness possible in a world without fossil fuels. I recommend reading Being the Change to anyone who is planning to continue residing on Earth or who is concerned about his or her children or future people’s ability to do so. (Linda Poppenheimer) Read full review
Slingshot.tao.ca: This book is inspiring as it holds the mirror just in front of my face: We are the (climate) change! It talks about our common predicament and our millions of little ways of denial and escaping. It’s written by a fellow traveler in the middle of this industrial society, though he has to deal with the undeniable data and facts every day as a climate scientist. Using very understandable language, [Kalmus] shares with us a critical view of how this data is processed in the culture/society. Why are we not f****** doing it? It’s right there! Let’s opt out of fossil fuels and everything connected! (elke) Read full review


Clayton Moore was the first African American hired onto the Fostoria, Ohio police force in 1986. In 2008, the City of Fostoria claimed sixteen conduct violations against Moore and fired him. He challenged the decision, and the arbiter of the case—in a scathing rebuke against the City—reinstated Sgt. Moore who went on to serve for another ten years, retiring in 2018. Moore remains actively involved in his community and is the author of the forthcoming book Good Cop, Black Cop: Guilty until Proven Innocent.
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
Racial profiling. Police brutality. The Black Lives Matter movement. Defunding the police. In each of these present struggles, inner bias needs to be part of the conversation, Moore asserts.
“We all have inherent inner biases,” he says. “In order to resolve them, we have to identify and acknowledge them in the first place.”
“My mission is to create change,” says Moore, “change that relieves pain, gives hope, and empowers people, regardless of their color, to do something. This book is an invitation to stand up, kneel down, or reach out in some way to people you may not have otherwise, and to view the world through a lens that acknowledges but does not judge the color of a person’s skin.”
With “Good Cop, Black Cop,” Clayton Moore is opening the door for respectful dialogue on matters of racial equality and injustice in both communities and law enforcement.
Communication expert, speaker, and retired police sergeant Clayton Moore is the author of “Good Cop, Black Cop: Guilty Until Proven Innocent.” The book shares Moore’s battle with and victory over racial discrimination as the first black officer in a small-town USA police force.
“I have witnessed and experienced many things as a citizen of the world, but I have never understood the depth and range of human vision surrounded by sheer pain until reading Good Cop, Black Cop. Simply brilliant and relevant to this moment in history! A must-read.”
“Clayton Moore provides a highly engaging and personal account of his experiences as the first African-American police officer in a small town with big city problems. His own fight for justice reveals a great deal about race relations in the United States, making it an essential book in these turbulent times.”
“Clayton Moore’s Good Cop, Black Cop is a real-life story riddled with lies, conspiracy, bigotry, implicit biases, a fall from grace, evidence, case files, suggestions, solutions, strength, perseverance, faith, and fortitude. It’s all in there! No matter your race, background, or preference, at the end you’re left staring at the person in the mirror asking yourself some very important life questions.”
“Clayton Moore’s reality is powerful, eye opening and disappointing at the same time as he takes readers through his life of a small town Sports Hero to a black man looked down upon over lies told about him. Good Cop he definitely was, but being a Black Cop put him in a trap that almost ruined his life. Everyone needs to read this TRUTH!”
Please feel free to contact me for more information about my book or to discuss having me speak at your event. I look forward to hearing from you.


AMERICAN MUSIC: Shakers, Moravians and Grofé by Judith Eckelmeyer
(GRACE WOODS MUSIC SESSION OCTOBER 9, 2023)
Title page of the copy of the Bay Psalm Book held by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
The early settlers in New England, Puritan separatists who fled England first to Holland and then to what is now Massachusetts, brought with them collections of Psalms (called Psalters) set to music. The Ainsworth Psalter (1612), the Ravenscroft Psalter (1621), and the Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter (1562) had been in use in their communities in England and Holland. Even though the texts were contemporary translations from Hebrew, the Puritans found them not close enough to the original, so they commissioned a group of 30 ministers to produce a new translation. This translation was set to familiar melodies from the previous psalters and printed in 1640 in Cambridge. Titled the Bay Psalm Book, it is the earliest music publication in the U.S.
Stained glass emblem of Agnus Dei at Trinity Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Understandably, music was not the focus of most new settlers; survival and land settlements were. The religious institutions were the primary sustainers of music and art well into the 18th century, when music “education” of the ordinary citizen took its first tentative steps. Many musicians were self-taught, but there were also communities of European immigrants who arrived here already trained as musicians. Among these were the Moravians, a sect from the area around the Czech Republic.
The Moravian Church’s history goes back to the reform movement headed by Jan Hus(s) (1370-1415) in the 15th century. Closely related to the Lutheran movement that emerged after 1715, the growth of this sect, called Hussites and later the Unitas Fratrum or Bohemian Brethren, was blocked during the 30-Years’ War (1618-1648) and even afterward by the suppression of Czech culture by the Catholic Hapsburgs. The Czech underground community preserved its language and Protestant heritage, but a German nobleman, sympathetic to their plight, offered his property, “Herrenhut” (the Lord’s protection) in Saxony, as a refuge in which to revitalize their church and religious practice. Once established there, the church’s major commitment was to send missionaries to support members who had settled in America, helping them in their task to convert the native people. The first American community in Georgia (1735) failed, but mission settlements after 1740 had better luck. Especially successful were their locations in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Emmaus and Lititz, Pennsylvania. In 1772, David Zeisberger founded two mission villages near each other in Ohio. The settlements were called Schoenbrunn (Beautiful Spring) and Gnadenhutten—the protection of grace. The mission succeeded for 10 years, until a massacre of the local natives and the pacifist Moravians was carried out by a Pennsylvania militia as retribution for an unrelated massacre of Europeans elsewhere.
Because of their musical training in Europe, supporting the strong presence of music in the broader Lutheran tradition, the Moravians in America continued the tradition of German music of their time. There was not only multi-part choral music and congregational singing, but also use of instrumental ensembles, brass choir being a favorite. Texts were in English or German. Principal composers were John Antes (1740-1811), Johann Friedrich Peter (1746-1813), and Christian Gregor (1723-1801), whose several hundred compositions included accompanied anthems and the editing of the church’s hymnal and chorale book. The hymn Freuen wir uns (Let us rejoice*) for the Christmas “Lovefeast” (Communion)
*Freuen wir uns: Let us all rejoice together/Give praise and glory only/ To God the Father and to the Son,/as well as the third aspect. For he has proven to us/his mercy in the time of great peril; And inscribed his wisdom and his law into our hearts. So that herafter we may all together/live virtuously in You/ And find in the end the reward of an eternal throne.
and John Antes’s anthem “Loveliest Emmanuel” are samples of Moravian music.
Antes: Loveliest Immanuel Boston Baroque | Martin Pearlman | Cyndia Sieden
Life of the Diligent Shaker,
Shaker Historical Society
Meanwhile, in another part of the country, a group of dissidents from England arrived in the Albany area in 1774. Followers of “Mother” Ann Lee (1736-1784), Jane Wardley and Lucy Wright, they were known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, or more commonly, Shakers.
Mother Ann Lee
(In America, the women leaders were joined by male leaders, Father James, Father William Lee and Father Joseph Meacham.) Founded in England in 1747, they valued simplicity of life, equality of the sexes, celibacy, communal living, and pacifism.
Shaker dance and worship, during the Era of Manifestations
Their worship included unaccompanied tunes, which might be sung by a soloist in unison by either men, women, or both, along with action—walking rhythmically, moving arms and/or hands, bending, stamping, clapping, and other movements—the origins of their “Shaker” designation (for example, “Come Life, Shaker Life”). Men and women were seated separately and moved in groups of their own sex. Their music often reflected sounds of English folk music, including especially modal scales. Texts of the songs were very much in the vernacular; for instance, in the “Followers of the Lamb”: “O Brethren ain’t you happy…Sing on, dance on, ye followers of the Lamb,” Some of the “songs” have no text, just a single syllable on which to carry the tune; Brother James’ evidently extemporized a wordless song after having been whipped at Harvard, a famous incident of persecution of the “outsider” sect at the time. The Shakers, as we know today, were great craftsmen and designed furniture and other household equipment. The pinnacle of the U. S. Shaker population, about 5,000, extended from Maine to Kentucky in the middle of the 19th century.
This features several authentic songs and dances performed at Hancock Shaker Village.
Ferdinand Rudolf von Grofé is not a particularly recognizable name to most Americans, but we might better recognize him as Ferde Grofé, composer and arranger associated with popular music and the formal European tradition. Soon after he was born in New York City in 1892, the Grofés moved to Los Angeles, joining other family members who were musicians. Ferde’s father was a baritone and actor, his mother a cellist and well-known music teacher. It was probably inevitable that Ferde pursued a music career. And what a career it was! When he was 7 his father died and his mother went to Leipzig to study at the conservatory; Ferde joined her there. When they got back to L.A. three years later, Ferde began composing. And never really stopped. By the time he was 14, he began playing for casual parties. At 17, he received his first commission for a composition—a march for the Elks Club. Six years later, he was playing at a club where Paul Whiteman heard him and brought him into his orchestra as a pianist. He served as pianist, assistant conductor, orchestrator and librarian.
In 1924 he orchestrated Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
Leonard Bernstein conducts the New York Philharmonic and plays piano in a performance of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at the Royal Albert Hall in 1976.
Then he began composing his own music, using as his inspiration his experience of his life in cities and natural sites all across America. The Mississippi River, Niagara Falls, the Hudson River, Death Valley, Broadway, newspapers, gems, patriotic themes, Knute Rockne, Rip Van Winkle, a farm, Yellowstone, aviation, automobiles (Wheels), Rudy Vallee, the Kentucky Derby, and even implements at a garage ,like a bicycle pump, were some of his diverse subjects.
Two of his works, The Mississippi Suite (1926) and The Grand Canyon Suite (1931) are two of (sadly) the few recordings of his works available on CD now. They are highly descriptive “tone poems” in several movements, alluding to vistas or people or locations relevant to their subjects. Each is treated in unique sounds via Grofé’s well-developed musical imagination. Mississippi Suite: 1. Father of Waters (native people’s name for the river); 2. Huckleberry Finn; 3. Old Creole Days; 4. Mardi Gras.*
Grofé's Mississippi Suite Felix Slatkin, The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
Grand Canyon Suite: 1. Sunrise; 2. The Painted Desert; 3. On the Trail; 4. Sunset; 5. Cloudburst. *Do you recognize the embedded melody in this movements?
Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite Eugene Ormandy & The Philadelphia Orchestra Krachmalnick, violin


Spring is upon us, and once again it’s time for the EDIBLE BOOK FESTIVAL! The festival will take place on March 29th, from 2-4pm at the Kilgarlin Center. All entries need to be submitted by 1:45pm that day. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
- Best in show
- Best Book Structure
- Least Appetizing
More information can be had from the Edible Book Festival website. Bon appétit!
Here are some action shots from today’s Book Lab 3 class. Chela gave a demo on blind-tooling, Emily and Suzy did 3-on sewing, Danielle realized it really was “Frog Chicago” that was written on her mapstock case, Sarah was cleaning the spine on her UT Dallas book, Melissa made some awesome new endpapers utilizing the magic of Photoshop, and Meg sagely warned us all about the dangers of blind tooling through water puddles.
This summer, I was fortunate enough to see the “Book of Origins” fine-binding exhibit, curated by Karen Hanmer, when it was at the Cincinnati Public Library. From Syracuse University’s Library website:
The 2007 traveling exhibition features twenty contemporary fine bindings by ten American binders. The group includes established masters as well as gifted emerging artists. Two works are presented by each binder: their binding in response to the set Book of Origins text, and an additional example of their work.
My favorite binding was Karen Hanmer’s take on Jorge Luis Borge’s Ficciones.
Check out the exhibit here!


When I first started teaching hand clapping games to my children, I spent a lot of time searching YouTube and the Internet for different games. We have had a blast learning new clapping games and building brain connections. I am excited to present what we have learned in Hand Clapping Fun!
With this product you will...
It can be time consuming to find quality videos demonstrating the rhymes and clapping games. (And sadly not all of the videos you find will be appropriate for children.) Hand Clapping Fun is a collection of 20 hand clapping games and rhymes compiled into one convenient place.
ENJOY ORGANIZED AND APPROPRIATE CONTENT
How do you know which rhymes to introduce first and which ones are appropriate in skill level and content? Hand Clapping Fun breaks the rhymes into three skill levels. And all of the rhymes are modest and stay away from questionable content.
DISCOVER HELPFUL TEACHING TIPS
What do you do if your child is having difficulty learning the rhymes? An introductory section includes information for parents, such as detailed benefits of clapping games and how to modify them for different skill levels.
MAKE LEARNING EASY AND FUN
It is frustrating to have only the words to a rhyme or just a video to watch. Neither on its own is sufficient to learn clapping games easily. Each game is demonstrated by children in a short video where you can clearly see their hand motions. Each game also includes a PDF download ready for printing comprised of the full text of the rhyme, a clapping term glossary, and the rhyme written with easy to understand clapping instructions.
I remember playing and really enjoying hand clapping games when I was young, but I can't remember them well enough to teach them to my children. I'm not able to spend time searching the internet for hand clap games. Hand Clapping Fun takes all the work out of looking for rhymes.
There is no way I will hand over the computer for my kids to search for clapping games on their own because of what may come up in the search, but now I can open this website, which is super easy to navigate, and let them learn on their own.
Hand Clapping Fun is a blessing and has brought a lot of fun and laughs into our home! ~ Jenny R.
About the Author
Crystal Wagner is a homeschool mom, author, and speaker. She loves reading, camping, and spending time with her family.
Crystal has a Master’s degree in Accounting and was a Certified Public Accountant working in auditing, systems analysis, and church administration before staying home to educate her children. She has been studying the philosophies of Charlotte Mason, Louis Benezet, and Jane Healy since 2006. She uses the knowledge and skills she has learned to create a rich learning environment for her children, and she inspires others to do the same.
She has been featured in the OCHEC Informer and on several popular blogs including the 2:1 Conference, iHomeschool Network, and CurrClick. In addition, she has co-hosted a webinar about Homeschool Planet for the Homeschool Buyers Co-op.


Macro Strategic Planning® Your Life and Business
Share this powerful workbook!
This publication has been designed to assist people with a true desire to better understand a proven process for achieving excellence in life, business, and relationships. If you are interested in helping yourself or others find more joy, fulfillment and effectiveness, you are going to really enjoy the journey that awaits you as you proceed through this workbook. It will cover essential concepts and many, but not all, of the details necessary to exploit the proven process known as Macro Strategic Planning®.


Winslow in the 19th-20th Centuries
This page will contain links to information about, and photographs of, events in Winslow in the 19th-20th Centuries. More contributions welcome!
- Bankruptcy of John Turpin, 1813
- Celebrating the peace in 1814
- Coach accident, 1817
- Opium prescription and growing at Winslow, c.1820-3
- A tale of a willing old nag with a sting in its tail (1844)
- Winslow Provident Society (1844-c.1904)
- Joseph Whichello of Winslow and the Indian Mutiny (1857-58)
- Forgery and embezzlement in Winslow Provident Benefit Society, 1862
- The Winslow (Bucks) Lace Industry (1875-1925)
- Balloon landing (1884)
- 1891 Buckingham By-election
- Claydon and Winslow Cycling Club (1896)
- Boer War, 1900
- Blackberry trade (1900)
- Winslow old customs (1902)
- Russo-Japanese War: Winslow supports Japan (1904)
- Winslow and the General Strike (1926) by Ed Grimsdale
- The great Winslow fire of 1933 by Ed Grimsdale
- The air crash of 1943
Winslow Market Square during the General Strike
Northampton Mercury, 15 Oct 1803
The Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt awarded and issued forth against THOMAS READ, late of WINSLOW, in the County of Bucks, Dealer and Chapman, intend to meet on Thursday 20th October inst. At Eleven of the Clock in the Forenoon, at the WHITE-HART in the town of NORTHAMPTON, in order to make a final Dividend of the Estate and Effects of the said Bankrupt; when and where the Creditors who have not already proved their Debts, are to come prepared to prove the same, or they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Dividend; and all Claims not then proved will be disallowed.
ROBERT ABBEY solicitor
Northampton Oct 7th 1803.
WANTED, at WINSLOW in the County of Bucks, An APPRENTICE to a CORDWAINER – For particulars apply to Mr. WILLIAM SEATON, Cordwainer, At Winslow aforesaid.
** A JOURNEYMAN, who is a good Man’s Hand, may have constant Employ and good Wages at the said Mr. Seaton’s.
Northampton Mercury, 29 Feb 1812
AUCTIONEER and APPRAISER
BENJAMIN DUDLEY, Draper, Market-Square, WINSLOW, Bucks, most respectfully begs Leave to inform his Friends and the Public in general, that in consequence of the Event of Mr JOSEPH DUDLEY’s death, he proposes taking out a License, empowering him to act as an AUCTIONEER and APPRAISER, and begs Leave to assure those that may please to employ him, that his utmost Abilities shall on every Occasion be Exerted for their Interest.


|Finlay Brothers history site|
|Preserving the bicycle and|
motorcycle heritage of
Finlay Brothers, Elizabeth St
Newspaper advertisements for the motorcycle brands sold by Finlay Brothers offer a fascinating glimpse into the commercial world of the early Melbourne motorcycle industry.
However, not only were companies competing strongly for customer attention. Competition between the various traders in Melbourne - in securing the agencies of some of the more popular motorcycle brands -would also have been fierce.
Source: Australian Motorist, April 1914. Form the collection of Robert Saward.
Source: The Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848-1956), July 27, 1920, 5.
Source: The Australian Motor Cycle, November 1, 1922, 4. From the collection of Robert Saward.
Source: The Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848-1956), March 7, 1929, 13.
Source: The Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848-1956), October 3, 1929, 16.


Mom's Choice Award Winning Book Summaries
Unfortunately divorce and children are connected and innocent children are affected. Dealing with divorce and its consequences can be challenging. Children often feel guilty about their parents divorce. They need reassurance that their parents will not abandon them and will always love them. There are many divorce books and there are many children's books about divorce. The goal of this easy to understand rhyming kid's book is to help children of divorced parents to realize and believe that it was not their fault for their parents divorcing.
Our Feet Were Made For Walking
This inspirational children's book demonstrates how people's lives can change and vastly improve by turning bad habits into good habits. Our feet were not created to walk out of necessity alone. A group of kids inspire their entire community to begin walking for pleasure while having the benefit of walking for exercise. Families including the dog begin to walk regularly. The news spreads and community "Walking For Fun" clubs start opening up all across the country. Regardless of your age, unless you are physically unable, it's not too late to develop this wonderful habit of "Walking For Fun." It's a great simple easy to do exercise for kids and the entire family.
WHY ARE WE FAT
"Why are we fat" is a children's book that attempts to motivate and encourage children of all age's who suffer from childhood obesity to develop strategies to turn bad eating habits into good ones. It teaches them how to become dependent free from foods they have become addicted to. The goal is to help overweight children and obese children reduce their body size by giving them guidance and workable solutions. It also reinforces the importance of reading nutrition facts labels and exercising.
How to stop bullying and why do bullies bully is the question? Unfortunately there will always be bullies. There are many bullying books for children of all ages. This children's book is written in rhyme with the intention of motivating children who are being bullied to seek out help sooner rather than later. Mikey took karate lessons to learn how to defend himself. He soon realized that fighting bullies would only get him into trouble, and wasn't the best way he could stop bullying from happening to him.
Maggie Eats Healthier
This is a heartwarming children's story about a 14-year- old girl named Maggie who loved to play sports but found it difficult to reach her potential because of her weight issues. She changed her life by altering her bad eating habits to healthy eating habits and by doing exercise for kids. As a result she became more physically fit and was able to achieve her goal of being the best she was capable of being. She also realized that nutritious foods could actually be quite tasty. Through time, exercising regularly and cutting out most junk food, Maggie's confidence improved and she was healthier and happier.
Zeep Needs More Sleep
This children's book was written to help children who suffer from sleep deprivation. It is intended to promote good sleeping habits and to motivate children to sleep more, to become more focused, less cranky, and to be happier. Phillipe saved his friends life because of his quick reflexes from getting plenty of sleep. The Mayor gave Philippe a medal for bravery and asked everyone to go to sleep one hour earlier each night for just one week. After the week ended just about everyone was nicer to each other, happier and more alert.


Media services can be streamed at any time you want. These services are also known as streaming or video on demand media providers. They usually offer a large selection of titles. These services can save you having to record shows and offer a wonderful alternative to watch a show in the absence of Wi-Fi. A few of these streaming services offer the option of downloading the shows in advance and this can be helpful when you’re not connected to computers.
A lot of streaming services provide original content. Crackle is a unique streaming service that features original content written by “Les Norton”, “The Uncommon History of Very Common Things” as well as other sources. Crackle is also available via Google TV and Apple TV as well as Android TV along with other gaming platforms. Crackle lets you view TV and films on your mobile device using Crackle.
Hoopla the other streaming service which is offered through the Library, can also be access via the Library. You can access its content through any browser that supports the web, iOS or Android devices and Roku devices. It’s free and you won’t see any advertisements while you watch the movies. In order to sign up for the service, you must have a library card. You can borrow up to five titles each month. Hoopla has an extensive selection of content, which includes television shows, documentaries as well as audiobooks. The Hoopla service is run by Sony Pictures Television and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, so you can anticipate a variety of material.
Crackle is among the most frequently used and popular free streaming websites. The site offers an extensive selection of anime, TV shows and movies to choose from. It is free , and lets you browse by alphabetical or genre. You can also search by title in order to identify a specific name. It also has a number of ways to share content with other people. Crackle is not able to allow users to download any content.
Peacock, a brand new streaming service by NBCUniversal It is a second streaming service with choices for paid and free. The service allows you to access two thirds of its content for free while the paid subscription gives you access to the remaining. It also provides news, exclusive original programming as well as current season programming from NBC, Fox, and other major parent companies.
Additionally, it is sold in a variety of other countries. It’s available not just in the United States however, it is also available in Mexico, Canada and South America. It is possible to find diverse content across all regions. Streaming media services are growing in importance, and there’s a wide range of options for users. Streaming media services allow you to view TV shows and films episodes at any time. It is sometimes difficult to locate the TV show or film that you are a fan of considering all the streaming possibilities. The sites that specialize on streaming these shows could aid you to locate local providers.
จูราสสิค เวิลด์1 For instance, it offers more than 22,000 titles in the library. Though it’s not home to many original titles, the catalog is impressive when you consider that it’s a free streaming service. Fox Corporation owns the service and collaborated with over 250 collaborators to build its library. Some of the titles available on the service are the Terminator, Foxcatcher, Kill Bill, and Fruitvale Station.


The other month I wrote a column for Software Test and Performance magazine where I discussed Linux Performance Tuning. Shortly thereafter I received a request to review a new book titled "Performance Tuning for Linux Servers." After reading it, I offer the following as a summary:
"This book is "must have" for a novice to mid *nix tuner/administrator in terms of technical content and information and a "nice to have" reference book for more senior folks. It has the highest density of information that is directly applicable to tuning Linux servers for optimal multi-user application performance of any that I have come across that present material in ways that a non-expert can directly apply. Another positive but not-so-common thing this book does is provide the author's reference material at the end of each chapter, making it quite easy for the readers who want to know more to get the next level of detail.
On the other hand, editorially it leaves something to be desired. The chapter introductions are often repetitive and it is obvious that each contributing author was solicited to write their section independent of the other authors. I draw this conclusion based on how the presentation style changes section by section and how I quickly came to recognize the writing style of certain contributors as I made my way through the book. To be honest, it reads more like a well organized collection of articles than a book. Additionally, there are enough editorial oversights/errors (misspellings, etc.) to be periodically annoying if you are reading the book cover to cover – which I don’t recommend.
However, none of these minor criticisms keep this from being simply fantastic reference material for someone with at least some basic knowledge of Linux that has specific tasks to accomplish."
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the only compensation I received for reviewing this book was a free copy of the text – that I appreciate greatly -- which was in no way compensation enough to taint my opinion.
President & Chief Technologist, PerfTestPlus, Inc.
Co-Author, Performance Testing Guidance for Web Applications
Author, Web Load Testing for Dummies
Contributing Author, Beautiful Testing, & How To Reduce the Cost of Testing
"If you can see it in your mind...
you will find it in your life."


Tender information is placed on this page as tenders become available. For further information, contact the Shire office by phone (9734 9000) or email.
Requests for Quotes (RFQs)
RFQ CS 01/2019/20 – Community Facility at Collie Mineworkers Memorial Pool
The Shire of Collie is calling for quotes for the development of detailed design documentation for the proposed community facility at the Collie Mineworkers Memorial Swimming Pool. Submissions must be received by 4.30pm Friday 27 September 2019. Late submissions will not be accepted.
The Shire of Collie Public Library invites artists to quote for the creation of a piece of artwork on the Collie Public Library external wall (as pictured). The artwork will be contemporary in design and aim to brighten the space and attract visitors to the library.
For more details contact email@example.com
All quotes to be submitted by COB Friday, 20, September 2019.
Expressions of Interest


Understanding Forensic Psychiatry from One of the Best, William Reid, MD, MPH
In this episode we discussed “forensic psychiatry 101” in general, to set the context for better understanding his work, and in particular, we will discuss his latest book, A Dark Night in Aurora: Inside James Holmes and the Colorado Mass Shootings.
We have known each other for likely two decades and even co-authored a little here-and-there together, and in this episode chat about an overview or “101” of forensic psychiatry, including the M’Naghten Rule and how it came about, NGRI and how insanity is a legal not psychiatric term, the concept of guilty but insane, the forensic unit of Elgin State Hospital and getting patients fit to stand trial and mental health court, infanticide and that in England the maximum charge is manslaughter if withing 12 months post-partum but it’s the most common charge those in our maximum security state hospital for women in Illinois, that Kansas, Montana and Utah have abolished the insanity defense, and more.
Bill’s latest book, A Dark Night in Aurora, has been described by Daniel Patinkin, author of The Trigger: Narratives of the American Shooter said about your book, “Stunning, scrupulous, and relentlessly gripping . . . a triumphant work of investigative nonfiction . . . Reid is brilliant—as deft a storyteller as he is a scientific communicator.” New York Times Best Selling author, Robert Kolker, said “anyone searching for insight into our nation’s crisis of mass shootings should start here.”
Bill had a very rare and broad level of access to James Holmes—hew was the only psychiatrist allowed to video interviews, he worked with the case for over a year, reviewed 75,000 pages of material and hundreds of CDs and DVDs, interviewed dozens of witnesses and other sources, and he spent over 23 hours interviewing Holmes himself on video. He shares how he got involved with the case, and we do a deep dive in to all aspects of the case, his work, and the book and what spurred him to write it.
You can also listen on your favorite platform and please subscribe and leave us a rating:
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Libsyn download: http://livingalifeinfull.libsyn.com
“Living a Life in Full” is the conversation you always wanted to have with that person who gave an amazing TED talk, or the author of one your favorite books, or that inspirational Olympian you always wanted to know more about.
This show is for the intellectually curious. You want to not just know more about the interesting and the innovative, but also what makes them tick, and maybe even what makes them laugh. It’s graduate-level conversations with those making a difference in the world and the lives of others.
This show brings you new ideas and approaches so you can live a life in full.
The show is equal parts information and inspiration, but without the aphorisms and Pablum. We cover a wide range of topics in an engaging way—from Burning Man to The Renaissance Weekend, from the United Nations to top universities, Nobel Laureates to astronauts—we have an amazing Rolodex.
Interviewees are a who’s who of high performance athletes, bestselling authors, high-caliber leaders, world changing humanitarians, innovative researchers, amazing start-up founders, clever life-hackers, paradigm busting thought-leaders and global innovators.


( That is when their adventures are just beginning… )
ADVERTISING FOR THE MIDNIGHT GANG BOOK (DAVID WALLIAMS).
Welcome to the Midnight Gang! Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for… the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning…
The Midnight Gang tells an extraordinarily heartwarming and, of course, funny story of five children on a hospital ward – and on a quest for adventure! It is a story of friendship and magic – and of making dreams come true. Readers are set to be utterly spellbound by this heartfelt story that will bring magic to everyone.


The Call of the Catechist - A Webinar Series Presented by the CCCB Office For Evangelization & Catechists
The three-part series will explore the needs of the catechist today and will be of interest to those involved in evangelization and catechesis, including clergy, consecrated persons, lay ministers, directors, and Catholic educators.
- Tuesday, March 28 - Discerning Charisms | Sherry Weddell (Catherine of Siena Institute)
- Tuesday, April 11 - The Spirituality of the Catechist | Sr. Janet Schaeffler, OP (Adrian Dominican Sisters)
- Tuesday, April 18 - Theological Reflection & the Catechist | Dr. Anne Walsh (Redemptorist Lay Missionary)


Well, THERE WERE NO FUCKS GIVEN,
Or what better way could we say this?
It’s almost a delicate way of saying an impolite thing.
Do you often find yourself not saying the things you need to say?
Do you ever hold your tongue?
Do you speak differently around different people?
Have you ever burst out with a naughty word and an incredibly awkward moment?
“The Fancy Book of Curse Words” is a celebration of these awkward moments. Inside the covers are unique and “fancy” hand drawn lettering used to write out some of the glorious vulgarities from our vocabularies. And what better way to find entertainment than reading the word “TWATLIPS” in a beautiful hand drawn font!
In this fun new printing of Matte Refic’s classic book “The Fancy Book of Curse Words”, you will learn how Curse words have been an active part of most our vocabularies since we were children.
You will also gain insights into the creative process of a natural anti authoritarian artist.
Re-released in this new edition with an essay on Matte Refic’s personal thoughts on and experiences with curse words. Originally published in a sold out art zine in 2010
Do you use curse words as filler words?
Do you and your friend use curse words regularly?
In this book, rule breakers unite!
If you are training for the potty mouth championships, this book is for you!
Why is rebelling such a fun and important part of the growth process? One of the first acts we learn as a form of rebellion is the word no. And very soon after, the word fuck
Learn new ways of rebelling/ breaking the rules.
Why are vulgarities so funny? Because they are taboo, and this book is taboo after taboo after taboo. This book attempts to move beyond the taboo of curse words and completely recreate the way we look at and use words.
Who gives a fuck right?
What is your favorite curse word? Maybe it’s in the book.
Do you like hand drawn illustrations?
Learn new styles of lettering designed by a The counter culture teacher Matte Refic.
In this book, we can learn how art and perception can give things multiple meanings.
As a lettering artist and advocate for vulgarities Matte Refics book of curse words is an excellent study on alternate uses of the words with the most powerful emotional meanings in our language
GOD DAMN IT!
Expand your knowledge of swearing in this uniquely crafted book on naughty talk.
Discover the humor in using the inappropriate word at the most inappropriate of times.
Fuck the System, Love the world, UNFUCK THE WORLD!
WARNING!! Purchasing this book may give the reader a new perspective on vulgarities.
Join in this gutter-mouth celebration by purchasing the “The Fancy Book of Curse Words” today! Share in this adventure in learning new ways of experiencing typography and language.
Become a member today of the club that celebrates the dark and forbidden Side of language.
Click here now to purchase the book on Amazon. Make sure to leave a review after you get the book and learn some new ways of looking at the words that we use.
Thank you in the reading of this letter!
You truly are the greatest motherfuckers on the planet!


Sport fishing in Brazil: the current state
Keywords:Fishery management, Recreational fishing, Fishery resources, Sustainability
Sport fishing has ecological, economic, and social importance, but there are few studies that characterize it according to the sustainability tripod. Due to this gap, we present a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the current situation of sport fishing in Brazil. The papers on the subject were systematically evaluated based on quantitative criteria. Additionally, in order to create a list of the species of interest of sport fishers, the survey of 22 papers was carried out regarding the species caught. A total of 70 complete papers published between 1994 and 2021 were included in the study. Since the 1990s, publications have increased quantitatively, with most studies coming from the South-Eastern region of Brazil (39.19%). The papers published discussed, in the majority, the sport fishing carried out in marine environment (55.38%), and the focus was “fishing and fishers” (30%). Evaluating the sustainability tripod, most of the papers provided only information regarding the ecological aspect (58.57%). About 330 species of marine and freshwater fish of interest to sport fishers were dealt with in the studies. This information reflects the current state of knowledge about Brazilian sport fishing, and it can serve as a basis for the management of the activity and the target species used by fishers. Additionally, the present review can serve as an aid for future research on this topic.
Copyright (c) 2023 Chiara Lubich, Flávia Siqueira-Souza, Carlos Freitas
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


Early Childhood Education (ECE):
Children who are three or four years old before October 1 each year may apply for our ECE program. We have half day programs (a.m./p.m.) for three year old children and full day programs for our four year old children. This helps to ensure an excellent transition from home or group care into the school environment. There is a small student – teacher ratio with a strong focus on oral language development in the student’s primary language. Literacy through stories and experiences is an important part of the curriculum and math activities that are interactive and “hands-on” teach very beginning skills. Social interactions and structured play help students learn to become friends and help one another.
We have two full day kindergarten programs, although families who choose only a half day may do so. Half day students will attend mornings only. Kindergarten teachers focus on oral language, phonics instruction and beginning reading skills, writing practice – through illustrations and words, and basic math skills using Everyday Mathematics and Engage New York strategies. Students receive instruction in their primary language and special services are provided as required (Special Education, Speech, OT/PT.) Content is taught throughout the day and students also participate in art, music, physical education and library/technology classes each week.
Students receive three hours of literacy instruction and practice daily. Time is divided into direct instruction, small group and individual conferences, independent reading and writing, and sharing among group members. Students read and write in a variety of genres and for authentic purposes. Many have opportunities to publicize their achievements during venues such as school assemblies, performances, and our annual Authors’ Tea in the spring.
Library Media Center:
Our library has been an area of significant resource to our students through various supports. We have had some “boosts” in our library through the Bell Grant and the Carmel Hill Foundation and Accelerated Reader. We received many new books in the library (and in classrooms). Students who are read to or read independently take AR on-line quizzes that assess comprehension. The program provides a wonderful incentive for all readers to progress and read more! Students read and test at their own independent level – so all students can progress and feel confident about their success!
Ben Carson Reading Room:
During the 2012-2013 school year, Columbian was a recipient of a Ben Carson Reading Room from the Carson Scholars Fund. Different from our library, students are granted individual opportunities to visit and choose books and stories contained within the reading room that was created as ” a nurturing environment for children to feel safe and secure as they develop their reading skills”.
Columbian uses the newest edition of the EveryDay Mathematics program (EDM) and strategies from Engage New York to teach mathematical standards. EDM provides an enhanced and balanced curriculum that is consistent throughout the grades and spirals from grade to grade. The instructional design is built on student interest and maximizes learning through a variety of activities.
Students have the excitement of science through the district’s BSCS Science Tracks curriculum for hands-on experiences and interactive learning. All grade levels explore units of learning through the lenses of Physical, Earth, and Life Sciences to support students’ proficiency in the Colorado Academic Standards.
The DPS social studies program was introduced to staff and students during the 2009-2010 school year. Grade level specific, the program uses a variety of teaching and learning strategies to address Colorado State Standards. Reading and Writing are integrated into the program as are field trip experiences and guest speakers.


WEST COAST LOST AND FOUND
book design / photography / copywriting
West Coast Lost and Found is a book in progress that follows my own experience making clothing out of so called “lost” material in thrift stores. The Eugene, OR chapter celebrates the accessability of fabric buying in local thrift stores, and acts as a starting point for other city installations along the West Coast.
design - Natalie Dulansky
copywriting - Natalie Dulansky
clothing design - Natalie Dulansky
photography - Natalie Dulansky


The big advantage of the standard library is that most library functions are independent of the other functions in the library, both in their specification and implementation. This lowers software complexity and simplifies verification, thereby reducing qualification effort. There are, however, two main caveats to this statement. The first, and most commonly recognized one, is that library functions must be qualified by execution on the target. The second caveat, which is far less well appreciated, is that library qualification must take into account the fact that library functions are not simply binaries, they are also very dependent on header files.
Because this second caveat is less well understood, let’s explore it in more detail. In many SDKs (Software Development Kits) for C and C++, the standard libraries are pre-compiled and delivered as a binary archive. This could lead you to conclude that it makes them largely insensitive to your use-case, because whatever options you use during compilation, the linked library code remains the same. So you might well be under the impression that if your library has been pre-qualified, you must be safe.
But wait! The binary archive is not the whole story
In the C standard library (libc), the definition of types, global variables, and macros is implemented in the form of header files, which are as much a part of the library as the pre-compiled functions. In addition, many functions are implemented both as a real function and as a macro. For speed and efficiency it is common practice to use the macro implementation. However, unlike the corresponding binaries, these macros are not pre-compiled! They are compiled by the SDK’s compiler using your configuration settings. So it is also essential that you verify the macro implementation and the other content in the header file with the actual use-case for your safety-critical application. Simply accepting that the library has been pre-qualified by your supplier is not enough.
What about C++?
In the C++ library, the idea of macros is elevated to a completely different level through the use of templates. Type-generic template functions only exist in the headers and they play a very important role in C++ container classes. They are always compiled with your application and your use-case.
So two things to remember
A lot of code that implements the C and C++ standard libraries is in the header files and cannot be pre-compiled. When you pick a test suite for the standard library, you need to make sure that it understands and fully verifies both functions and their macro definitions.
Dr. Marcel Beemster, CTO
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and surrounding areas which were taken in the 1960s.
2.) A set of Photographs of Biddulph High Street, some of which featured in the book “Goowin dine th’ grayn”.
3.) A set of documents relating to Court Summonses and other Legal Documents of the 1870’s - Up to No Good.
4.) A set of local For Sale Notices from 1828 through to 1948.
5.) A set of photographs of the family, friends, employees and vehicles of J Haydon & Sons, Livestock Hauliers from Wharf Road, Biddulph.
7.) A set of Photographs of Biddulph taken by Mr. George Plant.
6.) A set of Paintings of Biddulph and Biddulph Moor by Mike Salt.
8.) A set of adverts, articles and photographs taken from a copy of Staffordshire Weekly Sentinel of April 1945.
9.) A True Terrier and Perfect Note of the Glebe Lands belonging to the Vicarage of Biddulph