Education and Communications: How to make international calls from the usa. Dial " 011 " on your keypad. Use the international direct dialing (idd) number for the u.s. before dialing any other numbers. This signals that the phone number you will dial next is outside of the united states.  Remember that " 011 " is the prefix for only the united states. If you are placing a call from a country other than the u.s., you will need to find the idd for that country.<|endoftext|> of consumers nationwide as well as here in Iowa -- Tom Miller is here. Give him a big round of applause. (Applause.) Also, your own Mayor -- Mayor Roy Buol is here. Give Roy a big round of applause. (Applause.)

And finally, my wife. (Applause.) Now, it is true, I have not seen her in five days and -- except I caught the end of Leno. (Laughter.) And the only reason that she, I think, is happy to see me is because she knows that after today, she gets to go tomorrow and get our girls from sleep-away camp, and she has been missing them terribly. So we stand in the way of her getting to her babies. (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We still love you. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: But I have to tell you, when I stand here and listen to her, I am just reminded how lucky I am, because she is a woman of strength and integrity and honor. (Applause.) She keeps me straight every single day. She is the best mom in the world. (Applause.) And she's cute. (Laughter.)

And the problem is, sometimes when I listen to her talk I start choking up a little bit, and I forget what I'm going to say. (Laughter.) But I could not be prouder of her. And I say often -- back in 2008, I said, look, I'm not a perfect man; I won't be a perfect President. I do think she is a perfect First Lady. I just want you to know that. (Applause.)

Now, this is our third day in Iowa. (Applause.) And she's right, we have been traveling all across the state. We did stop at the State Fair. We stopped to get something to eat before she showed up, just so there wasn't any issues --

THE PRESIDENT: Smart man. (Laughter.)

We began the journey in Council Bluffs, and just like four years ago, we've traveled all across this state, west to east, meeting with you and talking about your lives. We've driven through Boone and Des Moines and Oskaloosa and Marshalltown and Waterloo and Cedar Rapids.

We met farmers who've been badly hurt by drought and who now need us to pass a farm bill. (Applause.) We met folks who've helped Iowa become a leader in wind energy. (Applause.) And now they need us to keep investing in clean, renewable energy. (Applause.) This morning I had breakfast with some of our outstanding veterans who fought under our proud flag. (Applause.) And so now we need to serve them just as well as they've served us, and make sure that they've got new jobs and new opportunities and a roof over their heads when they come home. (Applause.)

And every stop, I've got fond memories of the last campaign -- the campaign we had four years ago. Every stop, I've gotten reminders of what makes Iowa so special and how this is where our movement for change happened. (Applause.)

It was because of you. It was because of your stories and your strength and your spirit that I had the strength and the spirit to go through that campaign. And it's because of you that I've had the strength to do the job over the last three and a half years.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you! (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: And I've got to tell you, Iowa, we're not done yet. This journey is not done yet. We've got some unfinished business to do. (Applause.) And I've come here to ask you to stand with me, just like you stood with me in 2008, to finish what we started. (Applause.)

Because less than three months from now, you will face a choice, and that choice could not be bigger. This is a choice not just between two candidates. It's not just between two political parties. More than any election in recent memory, this is a choice about two fundamentally different visions for our country, how we move this country forward. And the direction that you choose when you walk into that voting booth will have an impact not just on your lives, but on the lives of your children and the lives of your grandchildren. It will impact us for decades to come.

When we came together in 2008 -- and it wasn't just Democrats, we had independents and some Republicans, too -- it was to restore the basic bargain that built this country, the basic bargain that made us the most prosperous economy in the world. It's a bargain that says if we work hard, we should be rewarded. It's a deal that says if you put in enough effort, you can find a job that pays the bills. You can afford a home that you call your own. You won't go broke when you get sick. You can retire with dignity and respect. (Applause.) And, most of all, it's a bargain that says your kids will get a great education and they'll grow up safe and healthy. And they will have opportunities that you couldn't even dream of; that they will be able to achieve things that you could have only hoped for.

That's the basic promise of America. That's the American Dream. And we knew that restoring it wouldn't be easy, that it would take more than one year, or one term, or even one President -- because we had just gone through a decade in which the middle class had been taking a lot of hits. (Applause.) Jobs had been getting shipped overseas. Incomes and wages were flat or even going down, while the cost of everything from health care to college were going up. A few folks at the top were doing really well, but the average family was struggling.

And this was before we saw the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. And so many more of our friends and neighbors and family members lost their jobs and lost their homes, lost their savings and pushed that American Dream even further out of reach.

So when I ran for this office four years ago, I told you there were no quick fixes, there were no easy solutions. That's still true today. But what I also told you and what is also still true today is that we have the capacity to meet every challenge. We've got everything we need to meet our challenges. (Applause.) We've still got the best workers in the world. (Applause.) We've still got the best entrepreneurs, and small businessmen and women in the world. (Applause.) We've got the best scientists and researchers in the world. We've got the best farmers in the world. We've got the best colleges and universities in the world. (Applause.)

We are still a young nation and we've got the greatest diversity of talent and ingenuity -- people want to come here from every corner of the globe. So no matter what the naysayers say, no matter how dark the other side tries to paint things, there is not another country on Earth that wouldn't gladly change places with the United States of America. (Applause.)

Because people understand that even though we go through some tough times, there is a resilience and grit about this country. And this country is the place where if you're willing to work hard -- no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name is -- you can make it. (Applause.)

That's the idea that we were trying to rebuild in 2008. That's the idea that we continue to pursue in 2012. That is what this campaign is all about. And that is why I'm running for a second term as President of the United States. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Now, Dubuque, here's the thing -- I told you all the things we've got going for us. We do have one problem -- politics in Washington.

THE PRESIDENT: You've got the other side, which has decided that "compromise" is a dirty word, and thinks the only way to move forward is to go backwards to the same top-down economics that got us into this mess in the first place.

THE PRESIDENT: You know, Governor Romney chose his running mate this week -- Congressman Ryan.

THE PRESIDENT: No, no, no, Congressman Ryan -- I know him. He's a good man, beautiful family. He is the ideological leader of the Republicans in Congress. He is a articulate spokesman for Governor Romney's vision. I just happen to fundamentally disagree with his vision. (Applause.) Their vision is wrong for working families and it is wrong for the country.

Look, my opponent and his friends in Congress, they believe that if you just get rid of more regulations on big corporations and big banks, and then you give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, that that will automatically lead to jobs and prosperity for ordinary families. And I'm not exaggerating here, that's their basic economic plan.

The

 of consumers nationwide as well as here in Iowa -- Tom Miller is here. Give him a big round of applause. (Applause.) Also, your own Mayor -- Mayor Roy Buol is here. Give Roy a big round of applause. (Applause.)

And finally, my wife. (Applause.) Now, it is true, I have not seen her in five days and -- except I caught the end of Leno. (Laughter.) And the only reason that she, I think, is happy to see me is because she knows that after today, she gets to go tomorrow and get our girls from sleep-away camp, and she has been missing them terribly. So we stand in the way of her getting to her babies. (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We still love you. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: But I have to tell you, when I stand here and listen to her, I am just reminded how lucky I am, because she is a woman of strength and integrity and honor. (Applause.) She keeps me straight every single day. She is the best mom in the world. (Applause.) And she's cute. (Laughter.)

And the problem is, sometimes when I listen to her talk I start choking up a little bit, and I forget what I'm going to say. (Laughter.) But I could not be prouder of her. And I say often -- back in 2008, I said, look, I'm not a perfect man; I won't be a perfect President. I do think she is a perfect First Lady. I just want you to know that. (Applause.)

Now, this is our third day in Iowa. (Applause.) And she's right, we have been traveling all across the state. We did stop at the State Fair. We stopped to get something to eat before she showed up, just so there wasn't any issues --

THE PRESIDENT: Smart man. (Laughter.)

We began the journey in Council Bluffs, and just like four years ago, we've traveled all across this state, west to east, meeting with you and talking about your lives. We've driven through Boone and Des Moines and Oskaloosa and Marshalltown and Waterloo and Cedar Rapids.

We met farmers who've been badly hurt by drought and who now need us to pass a farm bill. (Applause.) We met folks who've helped Iowa become a leader in wind energy. (Applause.) And now they need us to keep investing in clean, renewable energy. (Applause.) This morning I had breakfast with some of our outstanding veterans who fought under our proud flag. (Applause.) And so now we need to serve them just as well as they've served us, and make sure that they've got new jobs and new opportunities and a roof over their heads when they come home. (Applause.)

And every stop, I've got fond memories of the last campaign -- the campaign we had four years ago. Every stop, I've gotten reminders of what makes Iowa so special and how this is where our movement for change happened. (Applause.)

It was because of you. It was because of your stories and your strength and your spirit that I had the strength and the spirit to go through that campaign. And it's because of you that I've had the strength to do the job over the last three and a half years.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you! (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: And I've got to tell you, Iowa, we're not done yet. This journey is not done yet. We've got some unfinished business to do. (Applause.) And I've come here to ask you to stand with me, just like you stood with me in 2008, to finish what we started. (Applause.)

Because less than three months from now, you will face a choice, and that choice could not be bigger. This is a choice not just between two candidates. It's not just between two political parties. More than any election in recent memory, this is a choice about two fundamentally different visions for our country, how we move this country forward. And the direction that you choose when you walk into that voting booth will have an impact not just on your lives, but on the lives of your children and the lives of your grandchildren. It will impact us for decades to come.

When we came together in 2008 -- and it wasn't just Democrats, we had independents and some Republicans, too -- it was to restore the basic bargain that built this country, the basic bargain that made us the most prosperous economy in the world. It's a bargain that says if we work hard, we should be rewarded. It's a deal that says if you put in enough effort, you can find a job that pays the bills. You can afford a home that you call your own. You won't go broke when you get sick. You can retire with dignity and respect. (Applause.) And, most of all, it's a bargain that says your kids will get a great education and they'll grow up safe and healthy. And they will have opportunities that you couldn't even dream of; that they will be able to achieve things that you could have only hoped for.

That's the basic promise of America. That's the American Dream. And we knew that restoring it wouldn't be easy, that it would take more than one year, or one term, or even one President -- because we had just gone through a decade in which the middle class had been taking a lot of hits. (Applause.) Jobs had been getting shipped overseas. Incomes and wages were flat or even going down, while the cost of everything from health care to college were going up. A few folks at the top were doing really well, but the average family was struggling.

And this was before we saw the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. And so many more of our friends and neighbors and family members lost their jobs and lost their homes, lost their savings and pushed that American Dream even further out of reach.

So when I ran for this office four years ago, I told you there were no quick fixes, there were no easy solutions. That's still true today. But what I also told you and what is also still true today is that we have the capacity to meet every challenge. We've got everything we need to meet our challenges. (Applause.) We've still got the best workers in the world. (Applause.) We've still got the best entrepreneurs, and small businessmen and women in the world. (Applause.) We've got the best scientists and researchers in the world. We've got the best farmers in the world. We've got the best colleges and universities in the world. (Applause.)

We are still a young nation and we've got the greatest diversity of talent and ingenuity -- people want to come here from every corner of the globe. So no matter what the naysayers say, no matter how dark the other side tries to paint things, there is not another country on Earth that wouldn't gladly change places with the United States of America. (Applause.)

Because people understand that even though we go through some tough times, there is a resilience and grit about this country. And this country is the place where if you're willing to work hard -- no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name is -- you can make it. (Applause.)

That's the idea that we were trying to rebuild in 2008. That's the idea that we continue to pursue in 2012. That is what this campaign is all about. And that is why I'm running for a second term as President of the United States. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Now, Dubuque, here's the thing -- I told you all the things we've got going for us. We do have one problem -- politics in Washington.

THE PRESIDENT: You've got the other side, which has decided that "compromise" is a dirty word, and thinks the only way to move forward is to go backwards to the same top-down economics that got us into this mess in the first place.

THE PRESIDENT: You know, Governor Romney chose his running mate this week -- Congressman Ryan.

THE PRESIDENT: No, no, no, Congressman Ryan -- I know him. He's a good man, beautiful family. He is the ideological leader of the Republicans in Congress. He is a articulate spokesman for Governor Romney's vision. I just happen to fundamentally disagree with his vision. (Applause.) Their vision is wrong for working families and it is wrong for the country.

Look, my opponent and his friends in Congress, they believe that if you just get rid of more regulations on big corporations and big banks, and then you give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, that that will automatically lead to jobs and prosperity for ordinary families. And I'm not exaggerating here, that's their basic economic plan.

The centerpiece of Governor Romney's economic plan is a new $5 trillion tax cut -- a lot of it going to the wealthiest Americans.

THE PRESIDENT: Now, keep in mind, $5 trillion is a lot of money, even in Washington. Our entire defense budget is a little over half a trillion dollars a year, so this tax cut would be like giving the equivalent of the entire defense budget in tax cuts -- a lot of it going to very rich people -- every year for 10 years.

Now, these folks say


Personal Care and Style: How to blow dry curly hair with a diffuser. Apply conditioner in the shower. This will keep your hair moisturized and help your curls stay together instead of frizzing. After you rinse out your shampoo, apply it about an inch from your roots (since your scalp's natural oils will keep your roots area conditioned) and use your fingers to comb it through to the tips.  Some people with curly hair opt to wash with conditioner only, since shampoo tends to dry out curly hair. Find the routine that feels right for your hair's texture.<|endoftext|> pontificate. In both years the total census collected was near 100 florins. In contrast, common services were becoming the Holy See’s principal source of income. In 1316–17 twentyone prelates paid 9,343 florins, but in 1332–3 nearly one hundred churchmen paid about 38,370 florins, or more than a four-fold increase. R.K.Rose

The Great Schism and the Councils Following the death in March 1378 of Gregory XI, who the previous year had returned the papacy to Rome, sixteen cardinals met in conclave. On 8 April they elected Bartolomeo Prignano, archbishop of Bari, as Urban VI, amidst raucous demands from the populace for a Roman pope. Although the regularity of his election might be doubted because of the disturbances, in its aftermath it is clear that the cardinals did in fact recognize and treat Urban as the legitimate pope. Only after four months did thirteen of the electors, weary of their master’s violent outbursts, desert him and declare his election

invalid. In a second conclave at Fondi, in the kingdom of Naples, they elected the French king’s cousin Robert of Geneva as Clement VII. Unable to dislodge Urban from Rome, Clement quite naturally chose to establish his court at Avignon, where five of Gregory XI’s cardinals had obstinately remained in residence. Allegiance to the rival popes largely reflected the national political alignments of Europe. Charles V of France had from the start encouraged the cardinals in their rebellion and prompted Joanna of Naples to follow his lead. It was natural therefore that England should remain loyal to Urban, while Scotland, 189

France’s ally, accepted the French pope. Within France itself, the clergy of Flanders and the English enclaves of Calais and Gascony rejected Clement. The emperor, Charles IV, along with other rulers of central Europe and Scandinavia, recognized Urban VI, but parts of the German kingdom, especially those bordering France, followed the opposite course. Urban engineered the downfall of Joanna of Naples, but his own creature also turned against him. Naples did not become officially Urbanist until 1400, though the Roman pope had until then enjoyed support in the kingdom. Portugal wavered between Rome and Avignon until 1385, when it finally embraced the former. The kings of Castile, Aragon and Navarre deferred their decisions until 1381, 1386 and 1390, respectively, when each in turn recognized Clement. While military action proved to be futile, the delicate question of how to heal the schism was debated in the universities. Jurists and theologians were in universal agreement that a pope could only be deposed for heresy, but neither pontiff was alleged to be a heretic. As early as 1379, Henry of Langenstein and Conrad of Gelnhausen, both of the University of Paris, advocated the calling of a general council, as superior to the pope, to examine the criminal misconduct of Urban VI and the illegal election of Clement VII. But it was generally accepted that only a pope could summon a general council.

The scandal of the schism deepened when the Roman cardinals elected Boniface IX after Urban’s death in 1389. Despite exhortations from the French crown not to proceed with an election after Clement died in 1394, his cardinals proclaimed Benedict XIII pope. Afterwards, the resignation of both popes, greatly promoted by Parisian scholars Pierre d’Ailly and Jean Gerson, was the most widely favoured means of ending the schism. In 1407 a meeting at Savona was arranged between Benedict and Gregory XII, Roman pontiff since the previous year, but Gregory could not bring himself to make the final leg of the journey. Frustrated by inaction, cardinals from both camps joined together and summoned a general council to meet at Pisa in March 1409. Without universal support and of doubtful legitimacy, it was a sham, and the end result was not one pope but three. It was still generally acknowledged that only a council could solve the problem. The deadlock was broken by the emperor-elect, Sigismund, who summoned the council of Constance, which met between 1414 and 1417. The Pisan pope, John XXIII, and Gregory XII resigned, but Benedict XIII kept up the pretence until his death in 1423. The council was careful not to elect the one, new pope, Martin V, until all ‘nations’ were represented, in November 1417. R.K.Rose

The Papal States The papal states were the basis for the papacy’s temporal power. Founded in 754 (when Pepin, king of the Franks, granted Pope Stephen II the exarchate of Ravenna and the Pentapolis) they were directly governed by the pope as secular ruler and acquired political autonomy from neighbouring powers in the thirteenth century. Despite an extensive network of roads, largely based on ancient Roman routes, the diverse terrain of the states presented formidable administrative problems. The key cities of Rome, surrounded by an infertile coastal plain, and

Bologna, in the productive region of Romagna, were separated by the Apennine passes and the wealthy march of Ancona, a hilly region of varied economic activity and numerous small signori. The whole area was ruled by papal governors or rectors based in Perugia, Orvieto, the Patrimony of St Peter in Tuscia, Romagna and elsewhere. During the papal absence in Avignon (1309–77) de facto authority was usurped by numerous communes and latterly by signorial dynasties such as the Malatesta of Rimini and the Montefeltro of Urbino. The Roman hinterland was likewise 191

dominated by families such as the Orsini, Caetani, Colonna, da Vico and Anguillara, while Rome itself remained faction-ridden despite Cola di Rienzoâ€™s attempt to reorganize city government in 1347. Bologna, meanwhile, had rebelled in 1334. For decades the region was beset by warfare. In 1353â€“67 Cardinal Egidio (Gil) de Albornoz was charged by Innocent VI to restore papal fortunes. Through military and diplomatic means some recognition of papal authority was achieved and the legitimacy of some signori was recognized by

their appointment as papal vicars. After the return of the popes to Rome the papal states shared in the crisis of papal power provoked by the Great Schism and the Conciliar Movement: Ladislao of Naples, for example, seized Rome in 1408 and 1413. Papal authority was precariously reestablished by Eugenius IV (1431â€“47). Thereafter, income from the papal states did much to bolster financially a now spiritually weakened papacy. F.Andrews

Byzantine Cultural and Monastic Centres The loss of Egypt and Syria to the Arabs in the seventh century deprived the Byzantine Empire of many of its major cultural centres. These included Alexandria, along with Athens, the major university, and Beirut, the main centre of legal studies. Constantinople was left with a 192

virtual monopoly of higher education, scholarship and letters. Even here the university established in 425 disappeared. Education was a matter of private tutors and private schools. State supervision was limited to the provision of funds to selected masters and schools. There was no

institution of higher education approaching the model of the western university. Byzantium inherited the Hellenistic educational curriculum with its emphasis on rhetoric. Speculative thought, whether philosophical or theological, remained a private concern. This remained true in the twelfth century when the supervision of education came under the patriarchs of Constantinople. The disintegration of the Byzantine Empire after the Latin conquest of 1204 meant that Constantinople lost its cultural monopoly. Byzantine scholars found refuge at Nicaea and at Trebizond. After the recovery of Constantinople in 1261 the Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos took steps to revive education and

scholarship, but Constantinople never regained its cultural monopoly, being challenged by Thessalonica in the fourteenth century. In the final phase Mistra became the most prestigious centre of Byzantine scholarship thanks to the activities of the Platonist George Gemistos Plethon and his circle. While education and scholarship were the preserve of a tiny elite, monasticism involved the whole of Byzantine society. Constantinople was always the major centre of Byzantine monasticism. From its foundation in the mid-fifth century the monastery of St John Stoudios at Constantinople was always among the most prestigious. Its rule served as a model for many 193

other monastic foundations, though Byzantium had no monastic orders as such. Instead, there were Holy Mountains. The most famous and enduring example is Mount Athos, which is a confederation of monasteries under the presidency of a protos. Other examples were Olympus, Latros

 pontificate. In both years the total census collected was near 100 florins. In contrast, common services were becoming the Holy See’s principal source of income. In 1316–17 twentyone prelates paid 9,343 florins, but in 1332–3 nearly one hundred churchmen paid about 38,370 florins, or more than a four-fold increase. R.K.Rose

The Great Schism and the Councils Following the death in March 1378 of Gregory XI, who the previous year had returned the papacy to Rome, sixteen cardinals met in conclave. On 8 April they elected Bartolomeo Prignano, archbishop of Bari, as Urban VI, amidst raucous demands from the populace for a Roman pope. Although the regularity of his election might be doubted because of the disturbances, in its aftermath it is clear that the cardinals did in fact recognize and treat Urban as the legitimate pope. Only after four months did thirteen of the electors, weary of their master’s violent outbursts, desert him and declare his election

invalid. In a second conclave at Fondi, in the kingdom of Naples, they elected the French king’s cousin Robert of Geneva as Clement VII. Unable to dislodge Urban from Rome, Clement quite naturally chose to establish his court at Avignon, where five of Gregory XI’s cardinals had obstinately remained in residence. Allegiance to the rival popes largely reflected the national political alignments of Europe. Charles V of France had from the start encouraged the cardinals in their rebellion and prompted Joanna of Naples to follow his lead. It was natural therefore that England should remain loyal to Urban, while Scotland, 189

France’s ally, accepted the French pope. Within France itself, the clergy of Flanders and the English enclaves of Calais and Gascony rejected Clement. The emperor, Charles IV, along with other rulers of central Europe and Scandinavia, recognized Urban VI, but parts of the German kingdom, especially those bordering France, followed the opposite course. Urban engineered the downfall of Joanna of Naples, but his own creature also turned against him. Naples did not become officially Urbanist until 1400, though the Roman pope had until then enjoyed support in the kingdom. Portugal wavered between Rome and Avignon until 1385, when it finally embraced the former. The kings of Castile, Aragon and Navarre deferred their decisions until 1381, 1386 and 1390, respectively, when each in turn recognized Clement. While military action proved to be futile, the delicate question of how to heal the schism was debated in the universities. Jurists and theologians were in universal agreement that a pope could only be deposed for heresy, but neither pontiff was alleged to be a heretic. As early as 1379, Henry of Langenstein and Conrad of Gelnhausen, both of the University of Paris, advocated the calling of a general council, as superior to the pope, to examine the criminal misconduct of Urban VI and the illegal election of Clement VII. But it was generally accepted that only a pope could summon a general council.

The scandal of the schism deepened when the Roman cardinals elected Boniface IX after Urban’s death in 1389. Despite exhortations from the French crown not to proceed with an election after Clement died in 1394, his cardinals proclaimed Benedict XIII pope. Afterwards, the resignation of both popes, greatly promoted by Parisian scholars Pierre d’Ailly and Jean Gerson, was the most widely favoured means of ending the schism. In 1407 a meeting at Savona was arranged between Benedict and Gregory XII, Roman pontiff since the previous year, but Gregory could not bring himself to make the final leg of the journey. Frustrated by inaction, cardinals from both camps joined together and summoned a general council to meet at Pisa in March 1409. Without universal support and of doubtful legitimacy, it was a sham, and the end result was not one pope but three. It was still generally acknowledged that only a council could solve the problem. The deadlock was broken by the emperor-elect, Sigismund, who summoned the council of Constance, which met between 1414 and 1417. The Pisan pope, John XXIII, and Gregory XII resigned, but Benedict XIII kept up the pretence until his death in 1423. The council was careful not to elect the one, new pope, Martin V, until all ‘nations’ were represented, in November 1417. R.K.Rose

The Papal States The papal states were the basis for the papacy’s temporal power. Founded in 754 (when Pepin, king of the Franks, granted Pope Stephen II the exarchate of Ravenna and the Pentapolis) they were directly governed by the pope as secular ruler and acquired political autonomy from neighbouring powers in the thirteenth century. Despite an extensive network of roads, largely based on ancient Roman routes, the diverse terrain of the states presented formidable administrative problems. The key cities of Rome, surrounded by an infertile coastal plain, and

Bologna, in the productive region of Romagna, were separated by the Apennine passes and the wealthy march of Ancona, a hilly region of varied economic activity and numerous small signori. The whole area was ruled by papal governors or rectors based in Perugia, Orvieto, the Patrimony of St Peter in Tuscia, Romagna and elsewhere. During the papal absence in Avignon (1309–77) de facto authority was usurped by numerous communes and latterly by signorial dynasties such as the Malatesta of Rimini and the Montefeltro of Urbino. The Roman hinterland was likewise 191

dominated by families such as the Orsini, Caetani, Colonna, da Vico and Anguillara, while Rome itself remained faction-ridden despite Cola di Rienzoâ€™s attempt to reorganize city government in 1347. Bologna, meanwhile, had rebelled in 1334. For decades the region was beset by warfare. In 1353â€“67 Cardinal Egidio (Gil) de Albornoz was charged by Innocent VI to restore papal fortunes. Through military and diplomatic means some recognition of papal authority was achieved and the legitimacy of some signori was recognized by

their appointment as papal vicars. After the return of the popes to Rome the papal states shared in the crisis of papal power provoked by the Great Schism and the Conciliar Movement: Ladislao of Naples, for example, seized Rome in 1408 and 1413. Papal authority was precariously reestablished by Eugenius IV (1431â€“47). Thereafter, income from the papal states did much to bolster financially a now spiritually weakened papacy. F.Andrews

Byzantine Cultural and Monastic Centres The loss of Egypt and Syria to the Arabs in the seventh century deprived the Byzantine Empire of many of its major cultural centres. These included Alexandria, along with Athens, the major university, and Beirut, the main centre of legal studies. Constantinople was left with a 192

virtual monopoly of higher education, scholarship and letters. Even here the university established in 425 disappeared. Education was a matter of private tutors and private schools. State supervision was limited to the provision of funds to selected masters and schools. There was no

institution of higher education approaching the model of the western university. Byzantium inherited the Hellenistic educational curriculum with its emphasis on rhetoric. Speculative thought, whether philosophical or theological, remained a private concern. This remained true in the twelfth century when the supervision of education came under the patriarchs of Constantinople. The disintegration of the Byzantine Empire after the Latin conquest of 1204 meant that Constantinople lost its cultural monopoly. Byzantine scholars found refuge at Nicaea and at Trebizond. After the recovery of Constantinople in 1261 the Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos took steps to revive education and

scholarship, but Constantinople never regained its cultural monopoly, being challenged by Thessalonica in the fourteenth century. In the final phase Mistra became the most prestigious centre of Byzantine scholarship thanks to the activities of the Platonist George Gemistos Plethon and his circle. While education and scholarship were the preserve of a tiny elite, monasticism involved the whole of Byzantine society. Constantinople was always the major centre of Byzantine monasticism. From its foundation in the mid-fifth century the monastery of St John Stoudios at Constantinople was always among the most prestigious. Its rule served as a model for many 193

other monastic foundations, though Byzantium had no monastic orders as such. Instead, there were Holy Mountains. The most famous and enduring example is Mount Athos, which is a confederation of monasteries under the presidency of a protos. Other examples were Olympus, Latros, Ida, Kyminas, Galesion and Ganos. The Meteora in Thessaly became an important monastic centre from the midfourteenth century. The rock-monasteries of

Cappadocia indicate the hold that monasticism enjoyed in the provinces. Contact was maintained with distant orthodox monastic centres, such as St Catherine’s on Mount Sinai, while the lavra of St Sabbas outside Jerusalem exerted a deep influence on Byzantine monasticism with its combination of the coenobitic and eremitical life. M.Angold

The


 no-one's ever given us E-paper. I don't want or need a whole forest of paper to be re-used after a single day (or whatever arbitrary number they set). I just want a single big sheet of foldable, high contrast (equivalent to todays paper-paper) E-paper that I can re-use whenever I see fit. I need it to be able to update wirelessless whatever data I happen to want (e.g. page 7 of the NYT), through a simple interface. And I need it be inter-active. If I double-tap a word, for instance, I want it to provide me with a definition, or perhaps wiki article, about that word. This reusable paper doesn't even come close.

Slashdot Top Deals
<|endoftext|>Sunday, January 28, 2007

Week Five: Your High School Life

This week's journaling prompt is very similar to last week's, with a few additions and changes to fit the topic of high school life. As in all journals, you may wish to filter any information you place on the Internet.

*What was/were the name(s) of the high school(s) you attended, and where was it/were they located?

*What grade(s) did you attend at each school? During which years?

*Did you graduate from high school? Why or why not? In what year did you graduate?

*Were your classes focused in a certain direction (Vocational Training, College Prep/AP, etc.)?

*What electives did you take, and why?

*Did you take Driver's Ed at school? If so, tell about your early driving days. What kind of car did you have?

*What kind of grades did you make? What was your GPA and/or class ranking at graduation?

*Did you walk, ride (bike or auto), drive, or take a bus to school? What memories do you have of going to and from school?

*What field trips do you remember?

*What do you remember about certain projects or essays you had to do?

*What kinds of assemblies do you remember having?

*What sports, clubs, musical groups, and/or activities were you involved in? Did you ever run for class/ASB leadership positions? Tell about some of the memories you have of these activities. For instance, if you were in band, what parades or concerts did you perform in? If you participated in sports, do you have special memories of a certain game or did your team go to championships?

*What awards did you earn?

*Were you ever punished? Why?

*Did you have a boyfriend/girlfriend during high school? Tell about him/her, and some of the dates you had.

*Did you go to dances, formal or informal? Share your memories of homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, prom, and any other dances you remember. Were you ever elected prom/homecoming king/queen?

*Did you earn any scholarships for college?

*Did you participate in any end-of-year senior parties or activities (grad night, etc.), school-sponsored or not?

*Tell about your baccalaureate and graduation ceremonies. Do you remember any of the motivational speech that was given at your graduation?

*Did you have a family graduation party and/or receive gifts?

*Did you have any idea of what you wanted to do after high school? How did those plans come into fruition (or not)?

*What is your general overall perspective on your high school years?

School and graduation photos would make a nice addition to your journal, as well as photos of activities and copies of awards and your diploma. Don't forget to write captions for your photos...just because YOU know who everyone is doesn't mean your descendants will!

Next week's prompt will be on the topic of college life, or life after high school, for those who may not have attended college. And the following week's prompt will be about your religious/church life.

No comments:<|endoftext|>Circumcision And Cervical Cancer

By Sharon A Bell

The bad news about cervical cancer is that it is one of the most common cancers affecting the female reproductive organs. But cheer up! It's a slow-growing cancer and 100 percent curable if detected early.

Cervical cancer usually affects women between 30 and 55 years old. The National Cancer Institute said there are over 11,000 cases discovered every year.

Who gets cervical cancer? Naturally, any woman with a cervix is prone to the disease, but there are certain risk factors to consider. Sexual promiscuity is one of them.

Women who begin having sex before age 18 are more likely to get the disease. The cervix simply can't stand numerous penile thrusts from different men who may carry a variety of infections. These include the papilloma virus (which is responsible for warts), genital herpes, the chlamydia organism, and other cancer-causing agents.

It you have had many pregnancies which started at a tender age, that puts you at risk for cervical cancer as well. On a positive side, women who use barrier methods of contraception, namely, the cervical cap, diaphragm, or let their partners wear a condom, which in all cases protect the cervix, have a lower cancer rate.

For some reason, smoking affects the cervix and the nicotine buildup in that organ can trigger the disease. Passive smokers face the same risk. So stop smoking now and avoid those who do. A diet rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and folacin is believed to be protective against cervical cancer. So it's probably wise to eat your veggies.

Circumcision was once thought to protect women from cervical cancer but we now know that this is not true. This painful procedure has no medical benefit and should be discouraged except in special cases.

There are usually no symptoms in the early stage of the disease. Warning signals include bleeding after intercourse, bleeding between periods or after menopause. In some, there is a watery, bloody discharge from the vagina. A dull backache may be felt later.

With early detection, cervical cancer is highly curable provided it has not spread beyond the uterus. A yearly pelvic exam and a routine Pap test can save you a lot of trouble.

Since the 1940s, the Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer death rates by 70 percent. Today, only about three percent of women die from the disease thanks to this valuable test.

"A Pap smear is the best screening procedure for cervical cancer. It can detect early lesions as well as pre-malignant lesions of the cervix. Aside from that, a Pap smear can also detect infection," according to Dr. Rey de los Reyes, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the United Doctors Medical Center in the Philippines.

The Pap smear is named after Dr. G.N. Papanicolaou who developed it. In this test, the doctor gathers cell samples from the surface of the cervix by means of scraping it with a wooden spatula, brush, or cotton swab. The cell samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis.

"A negative result means that your cervix is normal; positive result indicates some abnormal cells. A positive result does not prove that you have cancer or even dysplasia, a precancerous condition, but it usually does mean you should have further evaluation, such as colposcopic examination and biopsy,'' said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book."

A colposcope is an instrument with a magnifying lens which helps the physician examine the cervix. While doing so, he removes a bit of the cervix (biopsy) for analysis.

"Once you have a suspicious lesion on the cervix that should be biopsied. Since some lesions of the cervix and even an infection can look like cervical cancer, a biopsy can accurately detect the disease," De los Reyes said. (Next: When should you have a Pap test?)

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril - your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system.[source]

Post a Comment<|endoftext|>Personal Care and Style: How to style your hair (male ). Consider your situation. If you are choosing a new everyday style, it's best to keep details about your life in mind. Consider the needs of your workplace, how much time you have to style your hair, and how much effort you are willing to put in to your daily look.  Regardless of the hairstyle you choose, it should work with your personality. You'll need to be comfortable with your new style, so don't pick a style that doesn't match your own personal tastes.<|endoftext|>Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Students learn what they need, not what is assigned

A friend recently wrote about her experience with the currently fashionable style of teaching where students are expected to reinvent mathematics.

She wrote:
So much attention is given as to why - and to having students figure out algorithms themselves. Some teachers feel this is a waste of time - time that could be used for the students to be practicing the algorithms and becoming more fluent.

I think that this is largely a waste as well. We cannot expect students of all abilities to recapitulate in 6 years the history of more than 2000 thousand years of thought by the best minds the earth has ever seen. To imagine that they can is simply ludicrous. To imagine that what they can invent in

 the sky.
The girl decides to live a happy life, while loving… the sky.<|endoftext|>

Forgot your password?

Comment not quite what's needed (Score 1) 204

>> Predictions that paper would disappear in the 1970s in favor of electronic documents were wrong

That's because no-one's ever given us E-paper. I don't want or need a whole forest of paper to be re-used after a single day (or whatever arbitrary number they set). I just want a single big sheet of foldable, high contrast (equivalent to todays paper-paper) E-paper that I can re-use whenever I see fit. I need it to be able to update wirelessless whatever data I happen to want (e.g. page 7 of the NYT), through a simple interface. And I need it be inter-active. If I double-tap a word, for instance, I want it to provide me with a definition, or perhaps wiki article, about that word. This reusable paper doesn't even come close.

Slashdot Top Deals
<|endoftext|>Sunday, January 28, 2007

Week Five: Your High School Life

This week's journaling prompt is very similar to last week's, with a few additions and changes to fit the topic of high school life. As in all journals, you may wish to filter any information you place on the Internet.

*What was/were the name(s) of the high school(s) you attended, and where was it/were they located?

*What grade(s) did you attend at each school? During which years?

*Did you graduate from high school? Why or why not? In what year did you graduate?

*Were your classes focused in a certain direction (Vocational Training, College Prep/AP, etc.)?

*What electives did you take, and why?

*Did you take Driver's Ed at school? If so, tell about your early driving days. What kind of car did you have?

*What kind of grades did you make? What was your GPA and/or class ranking at graduation?

*Did you walk, ride (bike or auto), drive, or take a bus to school? What memories do you have of going to and from school?

*What field trips do you remember?

*What do you remember about certain projects or essays you had to do?

*What kinds of assemblies do you remember having?

*What sports, clubs, musical groups, and/or activities were you involved in? Did you ever run for class/ASB leadership positions? Tell about some of the memories you have of these activities. For instance, if you were in band, what parades or concerts did you perform in? If you participated in sports, do you have special memories of a certain game or did your team go to championships?

*What awards did you earn?

*Were you ever punished? Why?

*Did you have a boyfriend/girlfriend during high school? Tell about him/her, and some of the dates you had.

*Did you go to dances, formal or informal? Share your memories of homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, prom, and any other dances you remember. Were you ever elected prom/homecoming king/queen?

*Did you earn any scholarships for college?

*Did you participate in any end-of-year senior parties or activities (grad night, etc.), school-sponsored or not?

*Tell about your baccalaureate and graduation ceremonies. Do you remember any of the motivational speech that was given at your graduation?

*Did you have a family graduation party and/or receive gifts?

*Did you have any idea of what you wanted to do after high school? How did those plans come into fruition (or not)?

*What is your general overall perspective on your high school years?

School and graduation photos would make a nice addition to your journal, as well as photos of activities and copies of awards and your diploma. Don't forget to write captions for your photos...just because YOU know who everyone is doesn't mean your descendants will!

Next week's prompt will be on the topic of college life, or life after high school, for those who may not have attended college. And the following week's prompt will be about your religious/church life.

No comments:<|endoftext|>Circumcision And Cervical Cancer

By Sharon A Bell

The bad news about cervical cancer is that it is one of the most common cancers affecting the female reproductive organs. But cheer up! It's a slow-growing cancer and 100 percent curable if detected early.

Cervical cancer usually affects women between 30 and 55 years old. The National Cancer Institute said there are over 11,000 cases discovered every year.

Who gets cervical cancer? Naturally, any woman with a cervix is prone to the disease, but there are certain risk factors to consider. Sexual promiscuity is one of them.

Women who begin having sex before age 18 are more likely to get the disease. The cervix simply can't stand numerous penile thrusts from different men who may carry a variety of infections. These include the papilloma virus (which is responsible for warts), genital herpes, the chlamydia organism, and other cancer-causing agents.

It you have had many pregnancies which started at a tender age, that puts you at risk for cervical cancer as well. On a positive side, women who use barrier methods of contraception, namely, the cervical cap, diaphragm, or let their partners wear a condom, which in all cases protect the cervix, have a lower cancer rate.

For some reason, smoking affects the cervix and the nicotine buildup in that organ can trigger the disease. Passive smokers face the same risk. So stop smoking now and avoid those who do. A diet rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and folacin is believed to be protective against cervical cancer. So it's probably wise to eat your veggies.

Circumcision was once thought to protect women from cervical cancer but we now know that this is not true. This painful procedure has no medical benefit and should be discouraged except in special cases.

There are usually no symptoms in the early stage of the disease. Warning signals include bleeding after intercourse, bleeding between periods or after menopause. In some, there is a watery, bloody discharge from the vagina. A dull backache may be felt later.

With early detection, cervical cancer is highly curable provided it has not spread beyond the uterus. A yearly pelvic exam and a routine Pap test can save you a lot of trouble.

Since the 1940s, the Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer death rates by 70 percent. Today, only about three percent of women die from the disease thanks to this valuable test.

"A Pap smear is the best screening procedure for cervical cancer. It can detect early lesions as well as pre-malignant lesions of the cervix. Aside from that, a Pap smear can also detect infection," according to Dr. Rey de los Reyes, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the United Doctors Medical Center in the Philippines.

The Pap smear is named after Dr. G.N. Papanicolaou who developed it. In this test, the doctor gathers cell samples from the surface of the cervix by means of scraping it with a wooden spatula, brush, or cotton swab. The cell samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis.

"A negative result means that your cervix is normal; positive result indicates some abnormal cells. A positive result does not prove that you have cancer or even dysplasia, a precancerous condition, but it usually does mean you should have further evaluation, such as colposcopic examination and biopsy,'' said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book."

A colposcope is an instrument with a magnifying lens which helps the physician examine the cervix. While doing so, he removes a bit of the cervix (biopsy) for analysis.

"Once you have a suspicious lesion on the cervix that should be biopsied. Since some lesions of the cervix and even an infection can look like cervical cancer, a biopsy can accurately detect the disease," De los Reyes said. (Next: When should you have a Pap test?)

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril - your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system.[source]

Post a Comment<|endoftext|>Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Students learn what they need, not what is assigned

A friend recently wrote about her experience with the currently fashionable style of teaching where students are expected to reinvent mathematics.

She wrote:
So much attention is given as to why - and to having students figure out algorithms themselves. Some teachers feel this is a waste of time - time that could be used for the students to be practicing the algorithms and becoming more fluent.

I think that this is largely a waste as well. We cannot expect students of all abilities to recapitulate in 6 years the history of more than 2000 thousand years of thought by the best minds the earth has ever seen. To imagine that they can is simply ludicrous. To imagine that what they can invent in this short time and that they don't need the benefit of those great thoughts is similarly ludicrous.

At the risk of sounding self-contradictory, I also think that when the student owns the task of learning, they


Personal Care and Style: How to get shiny hair. Use an egg. It may sound strange, but an egg can do wonders for your hair. The yolk nourishes your hair by adding moisture so that it doesn't look dull. The white clarifies your hair by helping to remove any buildup. The egg also has protein in it, which strengthens your hair.<|endoftext|> a few berries, and ate them, enjoying their warm, satiny feel. Thus they climbed for a long time. The rests were frequent, the course not of the straightest. For many years their recollection of that hill was as of a mountain. Finally the top sprang at them abruptly, as though in joke. "Come over this way, I'll show you," said Bobby.

He led the way to a point where the scant timber had in times past suffered a windfall. Through the opening thus made they looked abroad over the countryside. They could see the snake-fences about the farms, and the white dusty road like a ribbon and the stumps like black dots, and the waving green tops of the "wood lots" and far away the flash of the River. Thus Bobby gained another of his great desires. Celia proved strangely acquiescent to suggestions for these excursions. Gerald's dreaded attractions relaxed their power over Bobby's spirit; and in corresponding degree Bobby regained the lost captaincy of his soul. The self-confidence which he lacked seeped gradually into him; and he began, though very tentatively, to recognize and respect his own value as an individual. These are big words to employ over the small problems of a child; yet in the child alone occur those silent developments, those noiseless changes which touch closest to true abstraction. Later in life our processes are stiffened by the material into forms of greater simplicity. They explored the country about; and what the shortness of their legs denied them in the matter of actual distance, the largeness of their children's imaginations lavished bounteously. Bobby had explored most of it all before--the stump pastures, the wood-lots, the hills, the beach, the piers, the upper shifting downs of sand--but now he saw them for the first time because he was showing them to Celia. One day they made their way under tall beech woods, through a scrub of cedars, and found themselves on the edge of low bluffs overlooking the yellow shore and the blue lake. Long years after he could remember it vividly, and all the little details that belonged to it--the flash of the waters, the dip of gulls, the gentle wash of the quiet wavelets against the shore, the thin strip of dark wet sand that marked the extent of their influences, and, in a long curve to the blue of distance, the uneven waste of the yellow dry sand on which lay and from which projected at all angles countless logs, slabs and timbers cast up derelict by the storms of years. But at the time he was not conscious of noticing these things. In the darkness of his room that night all he remembered was Celia standing bright and fair against the shadow of ancient twisted cedars.

Chapter 6

Every Saturday evening the Hotel Ottawa gave a hop in its dining room. Mrs. Carleton suggested that the Ordes dine with her, and afterward take in this function. The hop proper began at nine o'clock; but the floor for an hour before was given over to the children. Mrs. Orde accepted. Promptly at half-past six, then, they all entered the dining room. Bobby, living in the town, had never taken a meal there. He saw a high-ceilinged, large room, filled with small, square and round tables arranged between numerous, slender, white plaster pillars. At the base of each pillar were still smaller serving tables each supporting a metal ice-water pitcher. Two swinging doors at the far end led out. Tall windows looked into the grounds where the children had been in the habit of playing.

People were scattered here and there eating. Statuesque ladies dressed in black, with white aprons, stood about or sailed here and there, bearing aloft in marvellous equilibrium great flat trays piled high with steaming white dishes. They swung corners in grand free sweeps, the trays tilted far sideways to balance centrifugal force; they charged the swinging doors at full speed, and when Bobby held his breath in anticipation of the crash, something deft and mysterious happened at the hem of their black skirts and the doors flew open as though commanded by a magic shibboleth. They were tall and short, slender and stout, dark and light, but they had these things in common--they all dressed in black and white, their hair was lofty and of exaggerated waterfall, and their expressions never altered from one of lazy-eyed, lofty, scornful ennui. To Bobby they were easily the leading feature of the meal. After dinner the party sat on the verandah a while, the elders conversing; the children feeling rather dressed up. By and by their other playmates joined them. The lights were lit, and shadows descended with evening coolness. From within came the sound of a violin tuning. Immediately all ran to the dining room. The tables had been moved to one end where they were piled on top of one another; the chairs were arranged in a row along the wall; the floor, newly waxed, shone like glass. A small upright piano manipulated by an elderly female in glasses; a tremendous bass viol in charge of a small man, and a violin played by a large man represented the orchestra. All the children shouted, and began to slide on the slippery floor. Bobby joined this game eagerly, and had great fun. But in a moment the music struck up, the guests of the hotel commenced to drift in and the romping had to cease. Gerald offered his arm to Celia, and they swung away in the hopping waltz of the period. Other children paired off. Bobby was left alone. He did not know what to do, so he sat down in one of the chairs ranged along the wall. After a minute or so Mrs. Carleton and the Ordes came in. Bobby went over to them. "Don't you dance, Bobby?" asked Mrs. Carleton kindly. "No, ma'am," replied Bobby in a very small voice. When the music stopped, the children gathered in a group at the lower end of the hall. Bobby joined them; but somehow even then he felt out of it. Celia's cheeks were flushed bright with the exercise and pleasure. Her spirits were high. She laughed and chatted with Gerald vivaciously. Poor Bobby she included in the brightness of her mood, but evidently only because he happened to be in the circle of it. She was sorry he did not dance; but she loved it, and just now she could think of nothing else but the enjoyment of it. Bobby could not understand that there was nothing personal in this. He saw, with a pang, that Gerald danced supremely well; that Morris romped through the steps with a cheerful hearty abandon not without its attraction; that Tad Fuller, who had come in with his mother and his brother, and half a dozen others whom Bobby knew, all made creditable performers; that even Angus, red-faced, awkward, perspiring as he was, could yet command the hand, time and attention of any little girl he might choose to favour. He himself was useless; and therefore ignored.

At the end of the children's hour he said good night miserably, and trailed along home at his parents' heels. Ordinarily he liked to be out after dark. The stars and the velvet shadows and the magic transformations which the night wrought in the most ordinary and accustomed things attracted him strongly. But now he was too conscious of a smarting spirit. Mr. and Mrs. Orde were talking busily about something. He could not even get a chance to ask a question; and that seemed the last straw. His lips quivered, and he had to remember very hard that he was not a little girl in order to keep back the tears. Finally the talk died. "Mamma," blurted out Bobby. "Yes?" "Can't I learn how to dance?" The pair wheeled arm in arm and surveyed him. In the starlight his round child face showed white and anxious. "Why, of course you can, darling," replied Mrs. Orde, "Don't you remember mamma wanted you to go to dancing school last winter, and you wouldn't go?" "How soon does dancing school open?" demanded Bobby. "I don't know. Not much before Christmas, I suppose." Having thus made a definite resolution to remedy matters, Bobby felt better, even though he would have to wait another year. This recovery of spirit was completed the next day. He went with some apprehension to ask Celia to walk again. She had seemed to him so aloof the night before, that he could hardly believe her unchanged. However, she assented to the expedition with alacrity. Hardly had they quitted the hotel grounds when Bobby shot his question at her. "Celia," said he, "if I learn how to dance this winter will you dance with me when you come back next summer?" "Why of course," said Celia. "Will you dance with me a lot?" "Yes." "Will you dance with me more than you do with any one else?" Celia pondered. "I don't know," she said slowly. She paused, her eyes vague. "I guess so," she added at last. "Then I'll learn," said Bobby.

"It's lots of fun," said she. Bobby trod on air. Without his conscious intention their course took direction to the river front

 a few berries, and ate them, enjoying their warm, satiny feel. Thus they climbed for a long time. The rests were frequent, the course not of the straightest. For many years their recollection of that hill was as of a mountain. Finally the top sprang at them abruptly, as though in joke. "Come over this way, I'll show you," said Bobby.

He led the way to a point where the scant timber had in times past suffered a windfall. Through the opening thus made they looked abroad over the countryside. They could see the snake-fences about the farms, and the white dusty road like a ribbon and the stumps like black dots, and the waving green tops of the "wood lots" and far away the flash of the River. Thus Bobby gained another of his great desires. Celia proved strangely acquiescent to suggestions for these excursions. Gerald's dreaded attractions relaxed their power over Bobby's spirit; and in corresponding degree Bobby regained the lost captaincy of his soul. The self-confidence which he lacked seeped gradually into him; and he began, though very tentatively, to recognize and respect his own value as an individual. These are big words to employ over the small problems of a child; yet in the child alone occur those silent developments, those noiseless changes which touch closest to true abstraction. Later in life our processes are stiffened by the material into forms of greater simplicity. They explored the country about; and what the shortness of their legs denied them in the matter of actual distance, the largeness of their children's imaginations lavished bounteously. Bobby had explored most of it all before--the stump pastures, the wood-lots, the hills, the beach, the piers, the upper shifting downs of sand--but now he saw them for the first time because he was showing them to Celia. One day they made their way under tall beech woods, through a scrub of cedars, and found themselves on the edge of low bluffs overlooking the yellow shore and the blue lake. Long years after he could remember it vividly, and all the little details that belonged to it--the flash of the waters, the dip of gulls, the gentle wash of the quiet wavelets against the shore, the thin strip of dark wet sand that marked the extent of their influences, and, in a long curve to the blue of distance, the uneven waste of the yellow dry sand on which lay and from which projected at all angles countless logs, slabs and timbers cast up derelict by the storms of years. But at the time he was not conscious of noticing these things. In the darkness of his room that night all he remembered was Celia standing bright and fair against the shadow of ancient twisted cedars.

Chapter 6

Every Saturday evening the Hotel Ottawa gave a hop in its dining room. Mrs. Carleton suggested that the Ordes dine with her, and afterward take in this function. The hop proper began at nine o'clock; but the floor for an hour before was given over to the children. Mrs. Orde accepted. Promptly at half-past six, then, they all entered the dining room. Bobby, living in the town, had never taken a meal there. He saw a high-ceilinged, large room, filled with small, square and round tables arranged between numerous, slender, white plaster pillars. At the base of each pillar were still smaller serving tables each supporting a metal ice-water pitcher. Two swinging doors at the far end led out. Tall windows looked into the grounds where the children had been in the habit of playing.

People were scattered here and there eating. Statuesque ladies dressed in black, with white aprons, stood about or sailed here and there, bearing aloft in marvellous equilibrium great flat trays piled high with steaming white dishes. They swung corners in grand free sweeps, the trays tilted far sideways to balance centrifugal force; they charged the swinging doors at full speed, and when Bobby held his breath in anticipation of the crash, something deft and mysterious happened at the hem of their black skirts and the doors flew open as though commanded by a magic shibboleth. They were tall and short, slender and stout, dark and light, but they had these things in common--they all dressed in black and white, their hair was lofty and of exaggerated waterfall, and their expressions never altered from one of lazy-eyed, lofty, scornful ennui. To Bobby they were easily the leading feature of the meal. After dinner the party sat on the verandah a while, the elders conversing; the children feeling rather dressed up. By and by their other playmates joined them. The lights were lit, and shadows descended with evening coolness. From within came the sound of a violin tuning. Immediately all ran to the dining room. The tables had been moved to one end where they were piled on top of one another; the chairs were arranged in a row along the wall; the floor, newly waxed, shone like glass. A small upright piano manipulated by an elderly female in glasses; a tremendous bass viol in charge of a small man, and a violin played by a large man represented the orchestra. All the children shouted, and began to slide on the slippery floor. Bobby joined this game eagerly, and had great fun. But in a moment the music struck up, the guests of the hotel commenced to drift in and the romping had to cease. Gerald offered his arm to Celia, and they swung away in the hopping waltz of the period. Other children paired off. Bobby was left alone. He did not know what to do, so he sat down in one of the chairs ranged along the wall. After a minute or so Mrs. Carleton and the Ordes came in. Bobby went over to them. "Don't you dance, Bobby?" asked Mrs. Carleton kindly. "No, ma'am," replied Bobby in a very small voice. When the music stopped, the children gathered in a group at the lower end of the hall. Bobby joined them; but somehow even then he felt out of it. Celia's cheeks were flushed bright with the exercise and pleasure. Her spirits were high. She laughed and chatted with Gerald vivaciously. Poor Bobby she included in the brightness of her mood, but evidently only because he happened to be in the circle of it. She was sorry he did not dance; but she loved it, and just now she could think of nothing else but the enjoyment of it. Bobby could not understand that there was nothing personal in this. He saw, with a pang, that Gerald danced supremely well; that Morris romped through the steps with a cheerful hearty abandon not without its attraction; that Tad Fuller, who had come in with his mother and his brother, and half a dozen others whom Bobby knew, all made creditable performers; that even Angus, red-faced, awkward, perspiring as he was, could yet command the hand, time and attention of any little girl he might choose to favour. He himself was useless; and therefore ignored.

At the end of the children's hour he said good night miserably, and trailed along home at his parents' heels. Ordinarily he liked to be out after dark. The stars and the velvet shadows and the magic transformations which the night wrought in the most ordinary and accustomed things attracted him strongly. But now he was too conscious of a smarting spirit. Mr. and Mrs. Orde were talking busily about something. He could not even get a chance to ask a question; and that seemed the last straw. His lips quivered, and he had to remember very hard that he was not a little girl in order to keep back the tears. Finally the talk died. "Mamma," blurted out Bobby. "Yes?" "Can't I learn how to dance?" The pair wheeled arm in arm and surveyed him. In the starlight his round child face showed white and anxious. "Why, of course you can, darling," replied Mrs. Orde, "Don't you remember mamma wanted you to go to dancing school last winter, and you wouldn't go?" "How soon does dancing school open?" demanded Bobby. "I don't know. Not much before Christmas, I suppose." Having thus made a definite resolution to remedy matters, Bobby felt better, even though he would have to wait another year. This recovery of spirit was completed the next day. He went with some apprehension to ask Celia to walk again. She had seemed to him so aloof the night before, that he could hardly believe her unchanged. However, she assented to the expedition with alacrity. Hardly had they quitted the hotel grounds when Bobby shot his question at her. "Celia," said he, "if I learn how to dance this winter will you dance with me when you come back next summer?" "Why of course," said Celia. "Will you dance with me a lot?" "Yes." "Will you dance with me more than you do with any one else?" Celia pondered. "I don't know," she said slowly. She paused, her eyes vague. "I guess so," she added at last. "Then I'll learn," said Bobby.

"It's lots of fun," said she. Bobby trod on air. Without his conscious intention their course took direction to the river front. They walked to the left along the wide, artificial bank of piling. Beneath them the water swished among the timbers. On one side were the sand-hills, on the other the blue, preoccupied river. Across the stream was another facade of piles, unbroken save for the little boatslips where the Life Saving men had their station.


 was old enough to be part of that sector. Today I have a good job thanks to all those years of dedication to the services and blessed opportunities. Like most I did not have the opportunity to go to college right out of high school, I worked and attend many years later.

I worked one full time job and one part time job while attending college full time. I swore to myself I would dedicate myself to college and graduate Suma Cum Laude. I graduated with a 4.0 and obtained my Suma Cum Laude status. People say good things come to those that wait, I believe that but I'm getting older fast and I've waited and waited for that good thing to come. So with that said, I ask the question: Does hard work really pay off?

The answer is YES it does. I know I'm not rich and live pay check to pay check but I love what I do and the people I'm surrounded by. They have no clue my life is one bad financial incident away from being destroyed and having to drop back and punt. The people I work with have their own issues they do not need to hear mine. I don't live outside my means, would you believe I spend the majority of the money I make on my 66 year old mother and 90 year old grandmother that do not have the money to make it on their own. I only wish I could help provide them with better homes.

After my rant about the "FORGIVENESS" offer I realized how much I really have tried to make life better for my family and myself. As far as the hard work paying off question; It's all about family, that's why hard work pays off. Thanks for listening to my rant!!

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See also:

Candace Cameron Bure’s fitness secrets impress ‘DWTS’ fans

Candace Cameron Bure reveals fitness secrets
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

As Dancing With the Stars gets harder every week, the fans know it takes lots of energy to stay on top. So how does Candace Cameron Bure keep up the fitness and still offer flawless routines? Apparently the star has been working out for a long time and puts health as a priority. According to ABC News on Wednesday she has a few fitness secrets too.

One way that Candace Cameron Bure keeps the weight off and the energy high is running races. That’s right, the star is at the starting line with other athletes looking to make her mark on the course. Sometimes she will even do a marathon her friend, Andrea Barber. The two celebrities enjoy the obstacles of a course as it offers up a challenge.

While running might sounds easy, there is plenty of training that goes on before game day. That’s why Candace is seen in the gym five days a week. One of her focuses is building muscles by lifting weights and her routine also focuses on other areas of improvement. Making sure her commitment to the gym is 100%, she is always looking to improve her body.

The competition in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom isn't easy, but it appears that keeping in good shape has helped Candace Cameron Bure stay one step ahead of the competition and that keeps her scores high and moves her along in the competition.<|endoftext|>Playing saxophone: A green title page appears, with words showing that the video will be of a tenor saxophone player as well as the website to receive to lessons. A black male then appears with a green sweater and black hat playing the sax.<|endoftext|>Carrier IQ: Another Silly Privacy Panic

Paul H. Rubin —  2 December 2011

By now everyone is probably aware of the “tracking” of certain cellphones (Sprint, iPhone, T-Mobile, AT&T perhaps others) by a company called Carrier IQ.  There are lots of discussions available; a good summary is on one of my favorite websites, Lifehacker;  also here from CNET. Apparently the program gathers lots of anonymous data mainly for the purpose of helping carriers improve their service. Nonetheless, there are lawsuits and calls for the FTC to investigate.

Aside from the fact that the data is used only to improve service, it is also useful to ask just what people are afraid of.  Clearly the phone companies already have access to SMS messages if they want it since these go through the phone system anyway.  Moreover, of course, no person would see the data even if it were somehow collected.  The fear is perhaps that “… marketers can use that data to sell you more stuff or send targeted ads…” (from the Lifehacker site) but even if so, so what?  If apps are using data to try to sell you stuff that they think that you want, what is the harm? If you do want it, then the app has done you a service.  If you don’t want it, then you don’t buy it.  Ads tailored to your behavior are likely to be more useful than ads randomly assigned.

The Lifehacker story does use phrases like “freak people out” and “scary” and “creepy.”  But except for the possibility of being sold stuff, the story never explains what is harmful about the behavior.  As I have said before, I think the basic problem is that people cannot understand the notion that something is known but no person knows it.  If some server somewhere knows where your phone has been, so what?

The end result of this episode will probably be somewhat worse phone service.

Paul H. Rubin

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  1. Technology Policy Institute - - December 2, 2011

    [...] posted from the Truth on the Market [...]<|endoftext|>Atlas Reactor: So XCOM, Frozen Synapse, and Overwatch walk into a bar...

Of the Tabletop, and other, lesser varieties.

Moderators: SecondTalon, Moderators General, Prelates

User avatar
Posts: 827
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:03 am UTC

Postby DaBigCheez » Mon Oct 10, 2016 4:11 am UTC

So Atlas Reactor was officially released on Steam a couple days ago. I'd been playing it during the beta for a while, and it seemed like good fun.

It's simultaneous-turn-based, tactical combat using an ensemble cast of heroes and abilities resembling a MOBA or Overwatch or the like. All players lock in their actions for a turn during the twenty-second "decision phase" (with players able to stretch that out another five seconds up to twice per match per player), then all actions execute during the "resolution phase". The actions are split into four phases - Prep, Dash, Blast, and Movement - with all actions simultaneous within a phase, though it'll still show them going off one-by-one to make it easier to see what's going on. Prep is shields, heals and buffs, Dash is "quick movement" evasive rolls, charges and the like (sometimes with attacks attached), Blast is where most damaging abilities happen, and Movement is everyone running around after attacking. The system naturally leads to a lot of mind-games and second-guessing whether somebody's going to use a Dash, and where, when they have one available - and the short turn timer means there's not a lot of time to coordinate it and get it right.

Currently, the only game mode is a PvP deathmatch with 4v4 teams; I believe custom games let you vary the team size and turn time, and more game modes are planned to come in the future (I believe the first being a capture-the-flag variant).

The "Freelancers" (heroes, champions, avatars, whatever ya wanna call 'em) are split into Firepower, Frontline, and Support champions; Firepower have high damage and almost always have a Dash ability or some other way to avoid damage/reposition but have low health, Frontliners have high health and lots of defensive tools (plus often a charge) but have very short range, and Supports can heal or shield their teammates and have good health but very few ways to get themselves out of trouble.

Though the game's not f2p, it has a "free mode" which seems roughly like an indefinite, fully-featured trial - you get access to about a quarter of the Freelancers, on a randomized weekly rotation which is different for each player, but there's no way to unlock more aside from buying the game. Other than that, your Freelancers will be as effective as anyone else's; the only source of in-game "power" which is gated in any meaningful way is Mod Tokens, which allow

 the emergency services sector since the day I was old enough to be part of that sector. Today I have a good job thanks to all those years of dedication to the services and blessed opportunities. Like most I did not have the opportunity to go to college right out of high school, I worked and attend many years later.

I worked one full time job and one part time job while attending college full time. I swore to myself I would dedicate myself to college and graduate Suma Cum Laude. I graduated with a 4.0 and obtained my Suma Cum Laude status. People say good things come to those that wait, I believe that but I'm getting older fast and I've waited and waited for that good thing to come. So with that said, I ask the question: Does hard work really pay off?

The answer is YES it does. I know I'm not rich and live pay check to pay check but I love what I do and the people I'm surrounded by. They have no clue my life is one bad financial incident away from being destroyed and having to drop back and punt. The people I work with have their own issues they do not need to hear mine. I don't live outside my means, would you believe I spend the majority of the money I make on my 66 year old mother and 90 year old grandmother that do not have the money to make it on their own. I only wish I could help provide them with better homes.

After my rant about the "FORGIVENESS" offer I realized how much I really have tried to make life better for my family and myself. As far as the hard work paying off question; It's all about family, that's why hard work pays off. Thanks for listening to my rant!!

    0 of 8192 characters used
    Post Comment

    No comments yet.

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    Show Details
    LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
    AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
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    Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
    SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
    Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
    AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
    OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
    Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
    TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)<|endoftext|>Skip to main content

See also:

Candace Cameron Bure’s fitness secrets impress ‘DWTS’ fans

Candace Cameron Bure reveals fitness secrets
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

As Dancing With the Stars gets harder every week, the fans know it takes lots of energy to stay on top. So how does Candace Cameron Bure keep up the fitness and still offer flawless routines? Apparently the star has been working out for a long time and puts health as a priority. According to ABC News on Wednesday she has a few fitness secrets too.

One way that Candace Cameron Bure keeps the weight off and the energy high is running races. That’s right, the star is at the starting line with other athletes looking to make her mark on the course. Sometimes she will even do a marathon her friend, Andrea Barber. The two celebrities enjoy the obstacles of a course as it offers up a challenge.

While running might sounds easy, there is plenty of training that goes on before game day. That’s why Candace is seen in the gym five days a week. One of her focuses is building muscles by lifting weights and her routine also focuses on other areas of improvement. Making sure her commitment to the gym is 100%, she is always looking to improve her body.

The competition in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom isn't easy, but it appears that keeping in good shape has helped Candace Cameron Bure stay one step ahead of the competition and that keeps her scores high and moves her along in the competition.<|endoftext|>Carrier IQ: Another Silly Privacy Panic

Paul H. Rubin —  2 December 2011

By now everyone is probably aware of the “tracking” of certain cellphones (Sprint, iPhone, T-Mobile, AT&T perhaps others) by a company called Carrier IQ.  There are lots of discussions available; a good summary is on one of my favorite websites, Lifehacker;  also here from CNET. Apparently the program gathers lots of anonymous data mainly for the purpose of helping carriers improve their service. Nonetheless, there are lawsuits and calls for the FTC to investigate.

Aside from the fact that the data is used only to improve service, it is also useful to ask just what people are afraid of.  Clearly the phone companies already have access to SMS messages if they want it since these go through the phone system anyway.  Moreover, of course, no person would see the data even if it were somehow collected.  The fear is perhaps that “… marketers can use that data to sell you more stuff or send targeted ads…” (from the Lifehacker site) but even if so, so what?  If apps are using data to try to sell you stuff that they think that you want, what is the harm? If you do want it, then the app has done you a service.  If you don’t want it, then you don’t buy it.  Ads tailored to your behavior are likely to be more useful than ads randomly assigned.

The Lifehacker story does use phrases like “freak people out” and “scary” and “creepy.”  But except for the possibility of being sold stuff, the story never explains what is harmful about the behavior.  As I have said before, I think the basic problem is that people cannot understand the notion that something is known but no person knows it.  If some server somewhere knows where your phone has been, so what?

The end result of this episode will probably be somewhat worse phone service.

Paul H. Rubin

Trackbacks and Pingbacks:

  1. Technology Policy Institute - - December 2, 2011

    [...] posted from the Truth on the Market [...]<|endoftext|>Atlas Reactor: So XCOM, Frozen Synapse, and Overwatch walk into a bar...

Of the Tabletop, and other, lesser varieties.

Moderators: SecondTalon, Moderators General, Prelates

User avatar
Posts: 827
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:03 am UTC

Postby DaBigCheez » Mon Oct 10, 2016 4:11 am UTC

So Atlas Reactor was officially released on Steam a couple days ago. I'd been playing it during the beta for a while, and it seemed like good fun.

It's simultaneous-turn-based, tactical combat using an ensemble cast of heroes and abilities resembling a MOBA or Overwatch or the like. All players lock in their actions for a turn during the twenty-second "decision phase" (with players able to stretch that out another five seconds up to twice per match per player), then all actions execute during the "resolution phase". The actions are split into four phases - Prep, Dash, Blast, and Movement - with all actions simultaneous within a phase, though it'll still show them going off one-by-one to make it easier to see what's going on. Prep is shields, heals and buffs, Dash is "quick movement" evasive rolls, charges and the like (sometimes with attacks attached), Blast is where most damaging abilities happen, and Movement is everyone running around after attacking. The system naturally leads to a lot of mind-games and second-guessing whether somebody's going to use a Dash, and where, when they have one available - and the short turn timer means there's not a lot of time to coordinate it and get it right.

Currently, the only game mode is a PvP deathmatch with 4v4 teams; I believe custom games let you vary the team size and turn time, and more game modes are planned to come in the future (I believe the first being a capture-the-flag variant).

The "Freelancers" (heroes, champions, avatars, whatever ya wanna call 'em) are split into Firepower, Frontline, and Support champions; Firepower have high damage and almost always have a Dash ability or some other way to avoid damage/reposition but have low health, Frontliners have high health and lots of defensive tools (plus often a charge) but have very short range, and Supports can heal or shield their teammates and have good health but very few ways to get themselves out of trouble.

Though the game's not f2p, it has a "free mode" which seems roughly like an indefinite, fully-featured trial - you get access to about a quarter of the Freelancers, on a randomized weekly rotation which is different for each player, but there's no way to unlock more aside from buying the game. Other than that, your Freelancers will be as effective as anyone else's; the only source of in-game "power" which is gated in any meaningful way is Mod Tokens, which allow you to choose different Mods for your abilities that make them function differently. (Every Freelancer starts with one set of Mods unlocked, so getting Tokens for the others just lets you side-grade for more