Governor will host 2013 Virginia Wine Summit

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzLaAAhPFVd7rKh4aNeCnC-x6CHm5cuS4aWYK5epE6juyli_GOLZ29lUxrREXUNN1QIoVGuuoqaZoX5TuuY4X5hSlxPgkwRAQt2FXA0pbewsQWLOn4h-wPSUMSGM3rAD2sa6zuBEJf-NN/s1600/Wine+summit+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzLaAAhPFVd7rKh4aNeCnC-x6CHm5cuS4aWYK5epE6juyli_GOLZ29lUxrREXUNN1QIoVGuuoqaZoX5TuuY4X5hSlxPgkwRAQt2FXA0pbewsQWLOn4h-wPSUMSGM3rAD2sa6zuBEJf-NN/s320/Wine+summit+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that he and First Lady Maureen McDonnell will host the second annual Virginia Wine Summit on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_634751551" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday, October 28, 2013</span></span> at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond.  The event, which will feature famed British wine critic, author, and television personality Oz Clarke, will bring together wine experts and industry leaders from around the country to discuss the current and future state of Virginia wine.  In addition, the summit will feature Virginia wine pairings with culinary offerings, including Virginia oysters.  Panels, tastings, and discussions will be held throughout this day-long event.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Commenting on the event, Governor McDonnell stated, “The continued success of Virginia wine means more good jobs and economic opportunities for Virginians. Sales of Virginia wine are at an all time high with sales up more than 23% since 2010.  The Virginia Wine Summit quickly has become an important component of my administration’s efforts to promote Virginia’s outstanding wines. Because of our efforts, the Commonwealth is becoming the East Coast capital for wine and wine tourism.  We are very fortunate to have the internationally regarded wine expert Oz Clarke visit our great Commonwealth and be our keynote speaker. Oz, who I met in London several years ago on during a trade mission, and the Summit’s other notable speakers will undoubtedly help raise the profile of our wines to an even higher level.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In addition to Clarke’s (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">www.ozclarke.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">) keynote address, the Virginia Wine Summit will feature some of the nation’s foremost influential wine professionals, including:  Dave McIntyre of <i>The Washington Post</i>;<i> </i>Andrew Hoover, a Virginia wine specialist for <i>Wine Enthusiast</i>; Chef Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen (Baltimore, MD); Sommelier Charlie Berg of Blue Hill Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, NY); Sommelier Michael Madrigale of Bar Boulud, Epicierie Boulud & Boulud Sud (New York); Sommelier Steven Grubbs of Empire State South (Atlanta, GA) & Five and Ten (Athens, GA); Sommelier Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve (Alexandria, VA); Master of Wine and founder of the Capital Wine School Jay Youmans; and Master Sommelier Kathy Morgan.  These experts will inform an audience filled with winemakers, restaurateurs, sommeliers, connoisseurs, media, wine-shop owners, and other industry professionals. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Summit attendees will take part in panel discussions with topics ranging from wine pairings with signature Virginia foods like ham and peanuts, ageability of Virginia wines, “Bang For Your Buck”, and an in-depth analysis and tastings of key Virginia varietals, such as Cabernet Franc, Viognier, and others. A Virginia wine and oyster panel will be sponsored by the Virginia Tourism Corporation and led by a team of wine professionals that will discuss the pairing, as Virginia’s oysters have also had a record breaking harvest this year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The Virginia wine industry is coming off its most successful year ever,” said Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.  “Domestic and international sales reached an all-time high, record numbers of people visited our wineries, and major publications, such as <i>Decanter</i> and the <i>New York Times</i>, featured glowing articles on our wines and wineries.  In addition, last October’s first ever summit, which featured world-renowned wine critic Steven Spurrier, was an overwhelming success that helped bring together a wide variety of wine industry opinion leaders to discuss this fast emerging global wine region. The Governor, First Lady, and I, working in partnership with our wineries and vineyards, are looking to build on that success this year starting with the second annual Virginia Wine Summit, where we’ll proudly showcase our wines with the nation and the world.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Virginia currently ranks fifth in the number of wineries in the nation with more than 230. Virginia is also tied with Texas as the nation's fifth largest wine grape producing states. According to a 2012 economic impact study, the Virginia wine industry employs more than 4,700 individuals and contributes almost $750 million to the Virginia economy on an annual basis. In addition, more than 1.6 million tourists, a record high, visited Virginia wineries in 2011. Earlier this month Governor McDonnell announced that Virginia wines reached a new record sales level with more than 511,000 cases sold in fiscal year 2013.  That figure represents a five percent increase over the previous fiscal year.  Export sales, mostly to China and Great Britain, increased by 74 percent during the same period, from approximately 3,300 cases to more than 5,800 cases. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To register for the Virginia Wine Summit, and for more information, please visit </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.virginiawinesummit.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">www.virginiawinesummit.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Additional speakers and more information will continue to be announced on the site in the coming weeks.  For more information about the Virginia wine industry, please visit the Virginia Wine Marketing Office's website at </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.virginiawine.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.virginiawine.org/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <wbr></wbr>or call <a href="tel:804-344-8200" target="_blank" value="+18043448200">804-344-8200</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">  <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>

Bob McDonnell Maureen McDonnell Virginia Wine Summit Governor will host 2013 Virginia Wine Summit

Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that he and First Lady Maureen McDonnell will host the second annual Virginia Wine Summit on Monday,...

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Service Systems Engineer ( Optics | Metrology | Troubleshooting ) (# 109825)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="WordSection1"><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Position:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Service Systems Engineer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Milpitas, CA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Duration:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Full time<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Job Description:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As a service systems engineer, you will be actively engaged in improving KLA-Tencor's advanced semiconductor optical metrology products, and the service teams which support them. You will be based in Silicon Valley and work in a globe-spanning team. <o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">1) Gain a systems-engineering level knowledge of highly complex, leading edge systems by working with the product development team. The systems include optics, electronics, mechanical components, and custom software and algorithms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">2) Assess systems with respect to design for reliability, stability, and serviceability<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">3) Participate in the development and testing of diagnostics and spec tolerances<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">4) Act as a two-way conduit for information transfer between the engineers who are responsible for designing our products and field service teams who are responsible for product maintenance and support<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">5) Gather and analyze data from systems populations at customer sites to identify sources of systematic issues, including technical, process, and people-based issues<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">6) Help develop and document technical service procedures<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">7) Train support personnel such as tech support and field service engineers<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">8) Assist in developing training materials<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">9) Respond to situations where field service engineers have failed to resolve complex system performance problems, by providing written plans of action by e-mail or hands-on assistance at customer sites in the US, Asia, and Europe<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">10) Write technical reports to communicate issues, analysis, technical assessments, system status, and engineering recommendations<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">11) Take a proactive approach to improving service quality and profitability<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The person who will thrive in this kind of  job is interested in technology, human factors, and business, is motivated by helping others succeed and by driving improvements, and enjoys communicating, building working relationships, and influencing people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Preferred Qualifications:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Results oriented and driven to excel.  Enjoys teaching, troubleshooting, working with groups of people, and explaining complex things as simply as possible. Strong analytic and data analysis skills.  Experience with analytical software such as Matlab or JMP is desirable. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary, multicultural teams and to take a leadership role when needed. Quick grasp of challenging, complex technical information.  Natural curiosity, inventiveness, and an interest in making things work better. Multi-lingual proficiency in English plus Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, German, or French is desirable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Basic Qualifications:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Qualifications:  Recent Ph.D. graduate in Physics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field or equivalent experience. Hands-on experience designing, building, and/or troubleshooting complex instruments, such as experimental research instruments.  Knowledge of optics, electronics, software, and/or mechanical systems. Availability for travel both domestically and internationally (<25% time).  Ability to work non-standard working hours if needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Kindly send your resume to <b><a href="mailto:raju.balaji@kla-tencor.com">raju.balaji@kla-tencor.com</a></b> <o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div>

Service Systems Engineer ( Optics | Metrology | Troubleshooting ) (# 109825)

Position: Service Systems Engineer Location: Milpitas, CA Duration: Full time Job Description: As a service systems engineer, you will be...

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GOD IS POWERFUL BUT DOES "GOD" = "POWER"? WHAT DO WE WORSHIP & WHY?

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Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tms Rmn","serif";} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">An Excerpt from Ch. 5 of God Of Our Silent Tears -- a chapter on several things God is not. God of Our Silent Tears is now available from the Cathedral Bookstore (Los Angeles). </span><span style="line-height: 200%;">http://cathedral-bookstore.myshopify.com/products/god-of-our-silent-tears</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">       </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">              Atheist philosopher David Hume and his successors have defined God in terms of only two characteristics – goodness and power, with “power” being understood as total dominance or control. That power is what makes him God. Well, that is a seriously flawed understanding of God and it makes “the problem of evil” intractable. Feminist theologians call that image of God “patriarchal.” They are not necessarily rejecting the image of God as “father.” “Patriarchal” here means God as dominator, God as autocrat. The patriarchal God is God because he is <i>omnipotent. God’s </i>literal omnipotence is the lynchpin of “the problem of evil” and the erroneous assumption in all the flawed attempts to answer the problem of evil. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            It is an oddly philosophical and peculiarly Greek notion about God, this “omnipotence” – but it is one of the most widely accepted beliefs about God, even to the extent of understanding that God is God because God is omnipotent, that  “God” means one who is omnipotent.  If you and yours are free of this patriarchal God image, “the problem of evil” is probably not troublesome for you. But because most people assume that divinity equals omnipotence, that patriarchal picture of God persists as the lynchpin of “the problem of evil.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: .05pt .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: .05pt .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">                        Bart Ehrman, in describing why he cannot believe in God, assumes that if God did exist, he would prove it by intervening in the world to impose his will. Even sophisticated theologians are not exempt. Their “doctrine of God” chapters generally show a much richer sense of who God is. But that is not the God who shows up in their “doctrine of evil” chapters. When it comes to this issue, even theologians who should know better lapse into patriarchal assumptions. If you do not share those assumptions at all, then feel free to skip on to the next chapter. But if your image of God is to any degree snared in the prevailing cultural definition of God as dominating power, then we need to clear up a few things. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: .05pt .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: .05pt .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">                        First, the very concept of omnipotence is not to be found in Scripture. We have expanded the Biblical description of God as “almighty” into this notion of omnipotence. However, “almighty” in the Bible means “most powerful” – not literally omnipotent. The President of the United States is the “most powerful” political leader in the world, but that does not make him omnipotent in global politics. Omnipotence is not a Hebrew concept. It comes from the Greek philosophical preference for absolute terms. The doctrine of absolute literal omnipotence is not supported by Scripture. In the Bible, things usually do not go God’s way. If things always accorded with God’s will in the Bible, the Divine would be in a better mood and would not have come off as so irritable in the prophets.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            In addition to being without Scriptural basis, absolute omnipotence does not make sense. I was once teaching a Great Books course to college freshmen who were greatly fond of their subjectivity. They were forever insisting that each of us has our own truth, our own right, our own wrong, and that no one should impose any kind of belief on another. At last the curriculum allowed me to ambush their subjectivity with Euclid. A student went to the board and proved by indubitable logic Euclid’s theorem that parallel lines do not intersect. I questioned the class as to whether this might be true. “Yes” they said, “it is true.” On cross-examination they held that it would be true even if a majority of us should vote that parallels lines henceforth would intersect. They held that no government could change this truth by decree, and that it had always and everywhere been true and would always be so, even in Singapore and Sweden. But when I asked them, “And what if God should decide that parallel lines intersect?” fully half the class insisted that then parallel lines would intersect despite the logical impossibility. Omnipotence leads people to say and think the strangest things!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            Analytical philosophers point out that the notion of literal omnipotence is simply nonsense – “internally incoherent” is their term for it.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>They demonstrate the senselessness of the word by asking questions such as, “Can God build a rock so big God cannot pick it up?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            Orthodox doctrines of the Church have never made such silly claims about God. The leading authorities in theology, the people who have defined the boundaries of the Church’s faith, have always acknowledged that God’s “omnipotence” does not mean God can do anything which is either logically inconsistent or foreign to God’s nature. Medieval theologians such as Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus, along with modern writers such as C. S. Lewis and D. Z. Phillips, all agree that “omnipotence” is subject to those two fundamental limitations.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            So Scripture, Tradition, and Reason all oppose the view of God as literally omnipotent. Some theologians emphasize that God’s power is limited by God’s own nature.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>For example, God cannot will evil.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn4" name="_ednref4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>Others say the nature of reality constrains God’s power.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn5" name="_ednref5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> God cannot make the world flat and round at the same time. Others argue that God has deliberately limited God’s own jurisdiction, withdrawn divine power, in order to let the cosmos be free and personal with a meaningful history instead of just playing out a script or dancing like a puppet.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn6" name="_ednref6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>These are variations on a single theme. God is not literally omnipotent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            Aside from being unbiblical and logically incoherent, equating God with absolute power is corrupting. It deifies power, not love or relationship. It is obeisance to the celestial dominator, the big guy in the sky, the patriarchal, monarchical God. This is not the God of love represented by the Trinity. It is not the Christian God revealed by Christ on the Cross. That God can also be manifest in weakness, defeat, and suffering.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn7" name="_ednref7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            Rather than a cosmic patriarch, the God on the cross renounces dominating or controlling power. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams places this decision to renounce power at the center of Christian theology. He writes, “The absence of God’s manifest power is bound up with . . . a decision for powerlessness, against the domination of the world by manipulation . . . a decision to live with and within the potentially hurtful and destructive bounds of the world, a decision not to escape.” He calls it a “decision for reality,” coming to terms with things as they are – not passively or disengaged – but without trying to overcome the world with power.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn8" name="_ednref8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[viii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: -1.5in -1.0in -.5in .05pt .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: -1.5in -1.0in -.5in .05pt .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">                        The most influential Protestant theologian of the 20th Century, Karl Barth rejected “<i>a priori </i>notions of omnipotence” – that is the idea that God’s omnipotence means whatever happens is the will of God. He maintained that the world is always threatened and often undone by the mysterious power of Nothingness <i>(das Nachtige)</i>which God did not create. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">            We do not worship domination or worship because we are dominated. Once we have clarified that point, “the problem of evil” does not appear so daunting. The first premise simply does not hold water.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_edn9" name="_ednref9" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[ix]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>More importantly, once we get past the fixed assumption that divinity consists of dominating power, we can think anew about who God is. We can think far more creatively about how God responds to suffering and evil in the world. The point of denying God’s literal and absolute omnipotence is not to get God completely off the hook for the bad things that happen. It is to open a door to a better understanding of how God is involved with our life of mixed joy and sorrow. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">            </span> <br /><div><!--[if !supportEndnotes]--><br clear="all" /><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><!--[endif]--> <br /><div id="edn1"><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> D. Z. Phillips, <i>The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God,</i> pp. 3-21.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div id="edn2"><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Alister McGrath, <i>Christian Theology, </i>(Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2001)<i> </i>pp. 281-282. Phillips demonstrates that “There are countless activities it does not make sense to attribute to God” because what God can do depends on who or  what you believe God is. D. Z. Phillips, <i>The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God,</i> pp. 3-22..<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div id="edn3"><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Alister McGrath, <i>Christain Theology, </i>p. 295. D. Z. Philips develops this point at some length in <i>The Problem Of God And The Problem Of Evil.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div id="edn4"><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref4" name="_edn4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> David Bentley Hart, <i>The Doors Of The Sea</i>, p. 70.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div id="edn5"><div class="MsoEndnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref5" name="_edn5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Philosophers call the restraints imposed by logic “eternal compossibilities.” The world can be round or flat, but not both.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoEndnoteText"><br /></div></div><div id="edn6"><div class="MsoEndnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref6" name="_edn6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">Alister McGrath, <i>Christian Theology,</i> pp. 281-284. We will look more closely at self-limitation in the next chapter in the context of creation. This is the most helpful understanding of the limits of divine power for purposes of explaining suffering. See also D. Z. Phillips,<i> The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God,</i> p. 181.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br /></div></div><div id="edn7"><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref7" name="_edn7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Shirley Guthrie, <i>Christian Theology, </i>at 112.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div id="edn8"><div class="MsoEndnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1941566034196038608#_ednref8" name="_edn8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[viii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Rowan Williams, <i>On Christian Theology</i>. (Oxford: Blackwell Press, 2000) p. 122. J. R. R. Tolkien’s <i>Lord of the Rings </i>trilogy is about this kind of religion. In <i>Lord of the Rings</i>, there are good guys and bad guys. The bad guys are threatening the good guys – but the good guys have a magical ring which gives them vast power. The problem is that using the power will turn them into bad guys. The power of the ring corrupts. So their goal is to destroy the ring, and their constant moral challenge is to refrain from using it.  <i>Lord of the Rings </i>was written during World War II, and it has the marks of World War II all over it. So, as we might expect, it reflects the theology of one of the greatest theologians from that time, Reinhold Niebuhr. Notwithstanding Tolkien’s Catholicism and Niebuhr’s Protestantism, they shared some theological perspectives evoked by that time of crisis. Niebuhr said our greatest danger lay not in the evil in the world but in the power used to restrain that evil. Our own power was more dangerous than Hitler. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div id="edn9"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[ix]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Alvin Plantinga observes that the argument against faith actually depends on additional premises about what an omnipotent God <i>can </i>do and on what a good God <i>will</i> do. Plantinga’s argument is too intricate to recount here. But suffice it to say that :<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">     </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial;">Omnipotence does not entail being able to do logically inconsistent things (draw a square circle, etc.). There at least may be good things that, as a matter of logic, cannot be preserved without also preserving a corresponding evil (parable of the wheat and the tares situation). The freedom to choose between good and evil is such a good thing. That freedom depends on evil being an available option.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">     </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial;">Goodness does not require God to eradicate every evil, especially if such an evil cannot be eradicated without also destroying something good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoEndnoteText" style="margin-left: .75in;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Alvin C. Plantinga, <i>God, Freedom, and Evil</i> (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Co., 1974) pp. 10, 12-34; Peterson, pp. 17-18.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoEndnoteText"><br /></div></div></div><!--EndFragment-->

GOD IS POWERFUL BUT DOES "GOD" = "POWER"? WHAT DO WE WORSHIP & WHY?

An Excerpt from Ch. 5 of God Of Our Silent Tears -- a chapter on several things God is not. God of Our Silent Tears is now available f...

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Bikram - Drury Street

I signed up for a month of Bikram yoga in the Dublin City Centre location in Drury street this evening. It was my first time going to this studio and I thought it was good.  There were windows in the studio which was surprising but made for a nice view when I was in savasna. <div><br></div><div>I didn't feel great during the class so nipped to the bathroom where I promptly sat on the bench as the room began to spin.  After a few mins I splashed cold water on my face and the back of my neck and then made my way back in to the hot room.  Phew!  I was sooo glad to get through the class without fainting (particularly after I had fainted the last time I was in Harold's Cross).  </div><div><br></div><div>It was an amazing class with such positive energy - I can't wait to go back!!<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNf14ncBlvHWB8_fUU9VK4TaEcbX3jSY9GNe6xUPdNvfM2jBUbBjChBNmfXyAwbWqz9zMDvOi8ssccv2t2zw6x2PcDTEvD9SdID1CaeiUBsq8d9tjt-C8g8fR-EC3TDpelvD7po1WFyf6/s640/blogger-image-2051444522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNf14ncBlvHWB8_fUU9VK4TaEcbX3jSY9GNe6xUPdNvfM2jBUbBjChBNmfXyAwbWqz9zMDvOi8ssccv2t2zw6x2PcDTEvD9SdID1CaeiUBsq8d9tjt-C8g8fR-EC3TDpelvD7po1WFyf6/s640/blogger-image-2051444522.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div><br></div><div>My sister then made me a healthy (somewhat!) dinner of quinoa and salmon.  Delish!</div><div><br></div><div>What a super energizing day....</div>

Bikram - Drury Street

I signed up for a month of Bikram yoga in the Dublin City Centre location in Drury street this evening. It was my first time going to this s...

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Skinny Pop: Black Pepper Popcorn Review!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lHK8FdJbU58/Uh-4Nw8ErOI/AAAAAAAAJdY/Ufoa51DkVOk/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lHK8FdJbU58/Uh-4Nw8ErOI/AAAAAAAAJdY/Ufoa51DkVOk/s320/13+-+1" width="320" /></span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">I've tried <a href="http://skinnypop.com/">Skinny Pop</a> before in an earlier review and absolutely loved their popcorn! It's full of flavor and best of all it's guilt free which is great it tastes like movie theater popcorn without all the butter how awesome is that!? </span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">So when I stumbled upon their new flavor black pepper on the web I just knew I had to see if I could do a review featuring their black pepper pop corn!</span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">I was beyond ecstatic when I received the black pepper popcorn I couldn't wait to try it to see how it differs from their other popcorn. </span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Peppery verdict:</span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">I packed some to go along with my lunch and had to nibble on a piece and first thought that occurred to me was that it was very good and doesn't have an overwhelming peppery taste at all. It's lightly peppered and is a great snack to have when watching a movie! </span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Website:</span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://skinnypop.com/">http://skinnypop.com/</a></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Facebook:</span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyPopPopcorn">https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyPopPopcorn</a></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Twitter:</span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://twitter.com/theskinnypop">https://twitter.com/theskinnypop</a></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Skinny Pop: Black Pepper Popcorn Review!

I've tried Skinny Pop  before in an earlier review and absolutely loved their popcorn! It's full of flavor and best of all it's ...

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Dancing through the fire

Yes, that is a line from Katy Perry's song, Roar. It's one of my favorite new workout songs. Thanks a lot Ms. Miley for ruining Blurred Lines for me. Every time I hear it - I now think of herand all the press coverage and the endless videos on the news of your bump and grind routine. That image is forever burned in my head (ugh!).<br /><br />So how is my life right now? I can honestly say, at this moment in time, today, all is good. I'm happy. All the junk is still in my life, the pending divorce trial (in November) the criminal trial against my husband (in October), the 50% chance that my rare and aggressive cancer will come back, my sister never recovered any mobility from after her stroke, my job is stressful, and I'm still fat. All the usual stuff that everyone has in their day to day life (okay, I admit, perhaps my is a little more drama filled than most).<br /><br />Even with everything going on, I'm a pretty happy lady these days. I got back to the gym this week and stopped taking Ambien. I think Ambien makes me a little crazy and prone to anxiety attacks--so I quit taking it totally.<br /><br />My weight has been stable at 193 for weeks, since post-surgery. My night-time eating has stopped completely. I haven't had a binge in months. I credit this to my roommate who swears that eating after 6pm makes a person fat. I don't necessarily agree with that logic, however, it has definitely stopped me from gaining weight.<br /><br />I have to listen to some of the stuff he says since he's 55 years old, six feet tall and maintains a constant weight of 160 (he's been that weight for years). He once weighed 225, but he could also bench press his own weight so he wasn't really what you could call fat. Fortunately for me, he's a bit of a health nut, with his only weakness being for Fig Newmans and dark chocolate. Well, and and occasionally an apple fritter pastry. He's usually more into lots of veggies and chicken or fish. I'm good with that too so it's working out nicely on the eating front.<br /><br />I'm posting this now, even though I have lots more I want to say here, I'm out of time. At work. Lunch time. Back to work now. I'm back to reading blogs and hope to get back to regularly posting again.

Dancing through the fire

Yes, that is a line from Katy Perry's song, Roar. It's one of my favorite new workout songs. Thanks a lot Ms. Miley for ruining Blur...

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Teamsters endorse Pat Quinn for Illinois governor

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmicsObFe4dUmE8i3vFAFpvFkUgqqybnvPHG51CAiknFlrGbFgHn4JzJk0Vz9inMRsP_pRqv_zUKRJP_NzGVR0Crq9m5h1BOBB2G8zx34CRtg5KUI9XPB6ZSVK0Ks4AlmRFz9o40YkFZ0/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-08-29+at+3.21.15+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmicsObFe4dUmE8i3vFAFpvFkUgqqybnvPHG51CAiknFlrGbFgHn4JzJk0Vz9inMRsP_pRqv_zUKRJP_NzGVR0Crq9m5h1BOBB2G8zx34CRtg5KUI9XPB6ZSVK0Ks4AlmRFz9o40YkFZ0/s400/Screen+shot+2013-08-29+at+3.21.15+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamsters endorse Pat Quinn for governor of Illinois.</td></tr></tbody></table>Cross-posting from <a href="http://www.teamstersjc25.com/news/2013/082913_JC25_QuinnEndorsement.html" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Joint Council 25</a>:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.teamstersjc25.com/index.html" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Joint Council 25</a> endorsed <a href="http://www.quinnforillinois.com/splash" rel="nofollow">Pat Quinn for a second term as Illinois governor</a> today in a press conference at the Chicago International Produce Market.<br /><br />“Pat Quinn is the right choice for Governor of Illinois and he is the Teamsters’ choice to continue to move our state forward,” said John T. Coli, President of Joint Council 25. “As Illinois’ “Jobs Governor,” Pat Quinn is supporting legislation to protect jobs for working families — from the $31 billion capital bill enacted in 2009 to nearly 700 project labor agreements he’s signed since being elected. No political leader is looking out for workers more than Pat Quinn.”<br /><br /><a href="http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/jobsnow/Pages/default.aspx" rel="nofollow">The Illinois Jobs Now capital bill</a> signed in 2009 was the largest in the state’s history, aimed at generating more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Gov. Quinn also signed a $12 billion capital plan to modernize the Illinois Tollway, which has supported Teamster workers and approximately 120,000 direct jobs.<br /><br />In August 2012, Gov. Quinn signed House Bill 4029 into law to support Illinois school bus drivers by encouraging higher safety standards in awarding public school bus contracts. This summer, the governor supported new legislation as well to recognize emergency patrol drivers with the Illinois Department of Transportation as emergency responders.<br /><br />In May, Gov. Quinn also joined the Teamsters at its annual Unity Conference to denounce right-to-work legislation, which has negatively impacted union workers in neighboring states.<br /><br />“As an advocate of Illinois labor, Pat Quinn has the experience to continue to fight for workers across our state,” Coli said. “With corporate interests and misguided legislators adversely affecting our political process, Pat Quinn is the leader Illinois needs for the long road ahead.”<br /><br />Teamsters Joint Council 25 represents more than 125,000 hardworking men and women throughout Illinois and northwest Indiana.

jc 25 pat quinn Teamsters endorse Pat Quinn for Illinois governor

Teamsters endorse Pat Quinn for governor of Illinois. Cross-posting from Teamsters Joint Council 25 : Teamsters Joint Council 25 endorsed P...

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Chill Out And Spark One Up Dudes

Yeah huh.<br />The Feds apparently finally conceded defeat in their ridiculous positions concerning some states legalizing the Devil Weed.<br /><br /><blockquote>The Obama administration today announced <a href="http://e.latimes.com/a/hBSH4eAB8hLWGB802F$AAA2sDEq/exmp1">a limited pullback on federal enforcement of marijuana rules</a>, saying it will not interfere with new state laws that permit recreational use of pot. The Justice Department said it will not seek to block new state laws in Colorado and Washington that legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and it will not bring federal prosecutions against dispensaries or businesses that sell small amounts of marijuana to adults.</blockquote><br /><br /><br />Someone finally figured out that they have been pissing in the wind.<br /><br />Finally a breath of fresh air out of these tight assed motherfuckers.<br /><br />Have Another Hit.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1EacQEhrbBQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />And take a Journey To The Center Of Your Mind.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UN2VNFpiGWo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />(Pay attention, yes, that is Ted Fucking Nugent on guitar!)

Chill Out And Spark One Up Dudes

Yeah huh. The Feds apparently finally conceded defeat in their ridiculous positions concerning some states legalizing the Devil Weed. The Ob...

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Fast food strikes continue to sweep the nation

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQWC79I3-haJV3nBc6jC5uJ7Saf8PRcn0e6mr1zHv6JuammnoM_phyphenhyphenj4ue0X7dGPUVMp_XZDc3rLPSF_7zTueb2BSJM38E-mE5JpuDI4jLa7DGQSgEk7YozSRV_XHOMyI8QkU86fYacJ9/s1600/mcd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQWC79I3-haJV3nBc6jC5uJ7Saf8PRcn0e6mr1zHv6JuammnoM_phyphenhyphenj4ue0X7dGPUVMp_XZDc3rLPSF_7zTueb2BSJM38E-mE5JpuDI4jLa7DGQSgEk7YozSRV_XHOMyI8QkU86fYacJ9/s320/mcd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today’s national fast-food workers strike is going strong with reports rolling in from more cities joining the protests.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Organizers say the walkouts have </span><a href="http://huff.to/14GOfSH" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">spread to 60 cities</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Alameda, CA; Atlanta; Aurora, CO; Austin, TX; Ballwin, MO; Belleville, Ill; Berkeley, CA; Bloomington, Ill; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Columbia, MO; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Durham; East St. Louis, Ill; Flint; Fremont, CA; Greensboro; Gretna, LA; Hartford; Hayward, CA; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City, MO; Lansing; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Madison, WI; Manchester, CT; Memphis; Milwaukee; Missoula, MT; Newark, CA; New Orleans; New York; Northglenn, CO; North Las Vegas; Oakland; Richmond, CA; Peoria; Phoenix; Pontiac, MI; Raleigh; Richmond, CA; San Diego; San Leandro, CA; San Lorenzo, CA.; Seattle; Springfield, Ill; St. Louis; Tacoma, WA; Tampa; Topeka, KS; Wausau, WI; West Haven, CT; and Wilmington, DE. </blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The workers are not alone. Many Teamsters across the country are standing in solidarity with strikers, including UPS Teamsters in Atlanta this morning.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA87b3rxTNTqDbjFjn_jpnTuN9IDNrsq4MLt-b9HyM2BLCxTIL1uFBrPEiAIU9Sj0aGTUFUmrR16L3xuvdhl_8iVK8b-bnYAtAhyphenhyphen6ndyTQ6mK-1KRuK-wDnxvGq8BeTWBDlZIkjMHtEjy/s1600/Teamsters+fast+food+strike+solidarity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA87b3rxTNTqDbjFjn_jpnTuN9IDNrsq4MLt-b9HyM2BLCxTIL1uFBrPEiAIU9Sj0aGTUFUmrR16L3xuvdhl_8iVK8b-bnYAtAhyphenhyphen6ndyTQ6mK-1KRuK-wDnxvGq8BeTWBDlZIkjMHtEjy/s320/Teamsters+fast+food+strike+solidarity.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UPS Teamster David Allen supporting fast food workers</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elected officials are linking arms with fast-food workers on the picket line, too. </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LowPayIsNotOk/posts/623545847676136"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rep. Jan <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: inherit;">Schakowsky joined striking workers</span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in Chicago this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span inherit="" style="font-family: =;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The impact of the strikes is being felt in </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/29/fast-food-worker-strikes-expand_n_3831060.html#34_organizers-protests-spread-to-60-cities"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Michigan</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's only 10 a.m. in the Motor City, but striking fast food employees say they've already gained a victory. CBS Radio reports that a McDonald's restaurant located at Eight Mile Road and Lahser closed this morning after workers walked off the job.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to reports on social media, employees at other McDonald's locations and a Church's Chicken in the city, as well as a Checkers restaurant in nearby Lincoln Park, Mich. A spokesman for organizing group D15 told The Huffington Post that fast-food employees are also striking Thursday in Pontiac, Lansing and Flint.</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A St. Louis activist </span><a href="http://huff.to/1dThRzH"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">tweeted</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> this morning: </span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A 2nd location shut down at 7am RT <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">@LowPayIsNotOK</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Workers shut down this McDonald's in STL </span></span></span></blockquote><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>New York Times</em> columnist <a href="http://huff.to/1a2gUpr">Steven Greenhouse writes</a> on Twitter:</span></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Organizers say fast-food strikes have spread to 60 cities. Here in St Louis, shutdown of a Hardees counter</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">And Tiffany Hsu from the Los Angeles Times </span><a href="https://twitter.com/tiffhsulatimes/status/373083655674941441/photo/1" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">tweeted</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">: </span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#FastFoodStrike - dozens march outside a South LA #BurgerKing at the crack of dawn for $15/hr minimum wage </span></span></span></span></blockquote><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Chicago, there are reports on Twitter of workers outside the iconic downtown </span><a href="https://twitter.com/bellwak/status/373067959775670272/photo/1"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Rock N' Roll McDonald's</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">And </span><a href="https://twitter.com/829StrikeNOLA/status/373044144689528834/photo/1" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">here’s a picture</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of a father in New Orleans on strike for his kids.</span><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LowPayIsNotOk"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Low Pay is Not Okay</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Facebook page includes comments from workers in more than 30 cities that have joined today’s </span><a href="http://lowpayisnotok.org/home-0819/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">#829Strike</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> – and the day isn’t halfway over yet! <o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today’s labor protests build on walkouts in July that took place in several cities, with dozens of more cities expanding the reach of the strikes to </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/29/fast-food-worker-strikes-expand_n_3831060.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">the West Coast and into the South</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. The momentum of the fast-food workers’ movement and low-wage workers’ struggle in general is growing fast.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today is shaping up to be a historic day in the labor fight for raises and rights on the job. We’ll keep you posted on strike developments throughout the day.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep standing strong, brothers and sisters!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYUVCJ2C47DxqCrd8Q1zwQQ9TgPAqB5vztu-kg8o9SkmLeUrFCkuIJaNop2Iok2H7u9a1Az522qOb9Xu-c7autih6YdaefiNXsfAa4-Y8bmKblU5FRyeymaNdX9nv3Vt6Pm1WRaQ5rE31/s1600/ff2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYUVCJ2C47DxqCrd8Q1zwQQ9TgPAqB5vztu-kg8o9SkmLeUrFCkuIJaNop2Iok2H7u9a1Az522qOb9Xu-c7autih6YdaefiNXsfAa4-Y8bmKblU5FRyeymaNdX9nv3Vt6Pm1WRaQ5rE31/s320/ff2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><br /></div></span>

fast food strikes fight for 15 low wage workers McDonald's strike Fast food strikes continue to sweep the nation

Today’s national fast-food workers strike is going strong with reports rolling in from more cities joining the protests. Organizers say the ...

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Anticipation of the weigh in

Tomorrow is my official weigh in at the doctors office.  Of course I will record it.  but, let me ask you this, how many pounds so far do you think I have lost?  Put your answer over here at the poll ----> on the right.  It'll be fun to see what everyone is thining.<br /><br />I've been getting the hiccups lately - kind of funny and at odd times.  I think it's my tummy adjusting ha.<br /><br />I am enjoying wearing all of my clothes that I haven't been able to wear in so long.  I feel like I have a new wardrobe.  I think I will be going through my closet and doing some organizing.  I am tossing out the old BIG clothes that don't have any flattering effect (well, donating them) and pull the smaller clothes from the spare closet that I haven't worn.  I am excited!!!!<br /><br />I am still not showing any reduction in the boobies or my lower abdomen below at the belly button.  I guess it's time to do crunches or something.  I notice more so in my mid abdominal area and my face (and butt).  <br /><br />There are so many people who tweet and post about how "EASY it is to lose weight - with diet and exercise anyone can do it.  That is just so far from the truth.  I've tried and for people in my situation, that alone fails.  Belviq is truly the only thing that has helped me.  So, if you are reading my blog and you think I should "try this" or "try that" to lose weight, don't bother, I will delete your suggestion.  I am 100% a Belviq Believer and unless it's a dietary/nutritional suggestion - I am NOT interested.<br /><br />Thanks so much for all of your support.  Get ready for tomorrow- It will be a great day!!!!!<br /><br />XOX<br />Ellie

Anticipation of the weigh in

Tomorrow is my official weigh in at the doctors office.  Of course I will record it.  but, let me ask you this, how many pounds so far do yo...

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Treadmills 101 - Things To Know

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Fawn Myers</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Why You Need To Exercise<br /> <br /> Today's times are becoming more sophisticated and high-tech every second, but the same cannot be said for health in general. If you want your overall health to peak to desirable levels, though, then you have to exercise. A simple plan to come up with a consistent exercise regimen is to get a treadmill in your home. Try searching for some <a href="http://treadmillfinder.blogspot.com/2013/02/easy-ways-to-get-fit.html">ProForm customer reviews</a> for several workout ideas.<br /> <br /> Treadmills And Their Benefits<br /> <br /> Running, jogging or even simply walking on a treadmill can actually condition and strengthen your body over time. Walking and running, being workouts that help make your heart work fast in a great way, burns a lot of calories. Depending on your objective, there is a treadmill program for you whether you want to build some muscle or merely increase your endurance. The treadmill's ease of use and wonderful benefits make it the top choice for anyone who wishes to up their health and fitness level.<br /> <br /> What Makes Up a Treadmill<br /> <br /> Speed adjustment is a basic and important feature on treadmills. Besides speed adjustment, most versions let you tweak their parts and features to help you achieve your fitness goals quicker. Variations in treadmill features add excitement to your workouts, making you more motivated to stick to them.<br /> <br /> Modern treadmills have lots of inbuilt workout programs. You can choose the program for weight loss, athletic training, muscle building or general body firming before the belt starts moving. As you utilize the treadmill, the speed and incline will instantly change at regular intervals. This can be a gradual increase or in a predetermined mixed pattern.<br /> <br /> There are pre-programmed workouts, thanks to a heart rate monitor, designed to monitor your heart rate. You can either hold this monitor or attach it on your body. Clipping your monitor to your body offers a more accurate reading, though, something that treadmills of more modern make have in common. This means that, it can record your cardiovascular fitness level and the intensity of your exercise routine.<br /> <br /> Spare yourself the trouble of entering your personal exercise settings by saving them in the treadmill's built-in memory. This is a helpful feature in particular when you're not using your own treadmill. Modern treadmills also have the ability to keep your exercise history and past fitness levels, perfect for pacifying your obsessive-compulsive side.<br /> <br /> iFit Live technology is a premium treadmill feature that gives you hundreds of virtual courses copying those at the live destinations. In this situation, you can prepare for an event without ever leaving the comforts of your home. With the iFit Compete Live course, you can pit yourself against other treadmill users training on the same course. Get an iFit Live-compatible treadmill and a reliable Internet connection, and you can try this feature on your own. Highly developed treadmills even have full-color LCD touch screens and a music player to keep your rhythm going as you exercise.<br /> <br /> Components Of A Treadmill<br /> <br /> The treadmill is principally composed of an electrically operated conveyor belt. To stay on the belt, which is made to move backward over the rollers, you have to move forward. The belt is installed in a running deck that stretches into the frame of the machine and helps your physique weight. You'll be able to raise or lower the deck to the preferred incline position to simulate an uphill climb or downward slope outdoors. A simple adjustment in the angle can create a huge healthy difference in your treadmill routine.<br /> <br /> Due to the damping elements positioned beneath the deck, treadmills don't break down even when exposed to certain amounts of shock. The belt is also cushioned for comfort when you're walking or running on it. Together, the motor, belt, deck and rollers curb a treadmill's quality and overall performance.<br /> <br /> You are able to fold the treadmill frames back or not. The foldable variety are more suitable for home gyms where area is limited. Because the deck can be folded up, even a small space will do. Keep in mind that the long-lasting foldable treadmills are more expensive compared to their non-foldable counterparts. But if you desire a treadmill that's designed for the regular grind, go with the non-foldable types.<br /> <br /> Treadmills And Their Types<br /> <br /> Treadmills are as well created with their users under consideration. It helps to notice what the treadmill is for considering that some treadmills-like those for runners, for example-are more expensive than, say, treadmills for walkers. More body weight will cause more bearing and wear on the treadmill; it requires a more powerful motor to assist heavy users and thus comes at a greater price. A person's height is another angle to think about when choosing treadmills. If your home gym treadmill will be used by the whole family, take into consideration the increased wear and tear that the machine will experience. If the treadmill is for several individuals, select the more strong units that can stand up the daily wear and tear.<br /> <br /> Summary<br /> <br /> Simply no home gym is ever complete without a treadmill. Yet there are factors to consider before choosing one for your needs. Also, assess the space available at home to place the treadmill and take into account the type of users and intended usage. Opt for the machine that not only accommodates<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Purchasing the right fitness product is generally a tough undertaking. <a href="http://fitnesshero.snappages.com/options.htm"> fitness reviews</a> are excellent tools to get going with. Read up on what others have to say and you'll see that these products are best of their class.</div><br /> </div><br />

Treadmills 101 - Things To Know

By Fawn Myers Why You Need To Exercise Today's times are becoming more sophisticated and high-tech every second, but the same ca...

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Understanding Treadmills

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Eva Mendes</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Need For Exercise<br /> <br /> Combining mobile devices, automatic gadgets, fast foods and a sedentary lifestyle today is causing more people to become over weight, out-of-shape and generally unhealthy. With fat and cholesterol levels rising and immunity and stamina levels diminishing, exercise is getting more important than ever. Even in these fast-paced moments, you can add health and wellness into your everyday life by getting yourself a treadmill. Start searching for some <a href="http://www.kiwibox.com/haddiethornton/blog/entry/105613817/exercise-machines/?pPage=0"> exercising merchant websites</a> for several workout ideas.<br /> <br /> Advantages Of Treadmills<br /> <br /> What sets the treadmill apart from other equipment is its simplicity of use-simply hop on it, and you're all set. Such cardio-intensive exercise can help you shed more calories compared to a cycling machine or most other gym workouts. You can pick the treadmill workout program that will fit your goal best, like shedding off those pounds, for instance. If you want to adopt a healthier, fitter lifestyle, the treadmill is the perfect equipment for you.<br /> <br /> Know Your Treadmill Better<br /> <br /> All treadmills come with a speed-adjustment feature. There are plenty of other standard features that vary your workouts to help improve fitness levels and meet your weight loss goals. Variations in treadmill features add spice to your workouts, making you more motivated to stick to them.<br /> <br /> Modern treadmills have many inbuilt workout programs. The feature works simply: just pick the program that corresponds to your health goal, and you're good to go. As you utilize the treadmill, the speed and incline will instantly change at regular intervals. Whether you want the increase to be steady or set to a particular plan is up to you.<br /> <br /> There are pre-programmed workouts, using a heart rate monitor, intended to monitor your heart rate. Heart rate monitors might be designed for gripping or clipping. Strapping your monitor on is more convenient though, hence this is what the latest treadmills come with. A heart monitor rate takes note of your cardiovascular and workout levels all at once, a convenient feature.<br /> <br /> To save time, you can save your chosen workout settings in your treadmill so you don't need to punch them in every time you exercise. This is a very helpful feature in particular when you're not utilizing your own treadmill. Today's treadmills also have the power to store your exercise history and past fitness levels, ideal for pacifying your obsessive-compulsive side.<br /> <br /> One high-tech feature that makes treadmills interesting workout venues is the iFit Live. This popular feature lets say, runners prepare for the next race that happens in another venue. This piece of technology will help you see how you perform with other individuals on different treadmills-maybe even across the world-but also training on the same course. Get an iFit Live-compatible treadmill and a reliable Internet connection, and you can test out this feature on your own. Manufacturers fully understand mixing exercise with entertainment, so they placed full-color touch screens and music-playing capabilities on their treadmills to suit this requirement.<br /> <br /> Components Of A Treadmill<br /> <br /> A treadmill includes a wide conveyor belt operated by an electric motor or flywheel of varying power. To stay on the belt, which is made to move backward over the rollers, you have to move forward. The conveyor belt helps your weight by letting it flow over the treadmill. For a more challenging work out, simply increase or decrease the position of the treadmill deck. A simple resetting in the angle can create a huge healthy difference in your treadmill routine.<br /> <br /> Thanks to the damping elements positioned underneath the deck, treadmills don't break down even if exposed to certain amounts of shock. The belt is also cushioned for ease and comfort if you are walking or running on it. You can tell alot regarding the quality of a treadmill by checking its motor, belt, deck, and rollers because these are the bare bones that comprise the equipment.<br /> <br /> The frames of treadmills are usually folded or not. The foldable variety are more suitable for home gyms where space is bound. The running deck can be folded up to meet the treadmill arms. You might need to pay more for a strong foldable treadmill that lasts several years. But if you desire a treadmill that's designed for the daily grind, choose the non-foldable types.<br /> <br /> The Kinds Of Treadmills<br /> <br /> Treadmills are also created with their users under consideration. A treadmill designed only for walking will cost less compared to a jogger's treadmill; a running treadmill is the priciest. More body weight will cause more bearing and wear on the treadmill; it requires a more powerful motor to aid heavy users and thus comes at a more expensive price. A person's height is yet another angle to consider when scouting for treadmills. How often will the treadmill be used, and how many individuals will use it? You're better off purchasing a treadmill that can withstand daily stress; it lasts for a longer time and is more pocket friendly in the end.<br /> <br /> Wrapping It Up<br /> <br /> Fitness buffs will agree: a treadmill is an essential health arsenal in every single home. However, there is more to choosing the right treadmill than what you know already. Also, appraise the space available at home to set the treadmill and consider the type of users and intended usage. what you're looking for but also the one that won't burn a hole in your wallet.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Searching for the appropriate fitness product is generally a difficult challenge. <a href="http://yourfitnesshelp.edublogs.org/2013/05/08/trendy-fitness-machines/"> treadmill product reviews</a> are good areas to get going with. Discover what consumers have to say and you'll see that these machines are best rated of their kind.</div><br /> </div><br />

Understanding Treadmills

By Eva Mendes Need For Exercise Combining mobile devices, automatic gadgets, fast foods and a sedentary lifestyle today is causing m...

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Right-to-work sucks ... for Boeing

<div class="tr_bq">Remember when Boeing, that government contractor that offshores work to other countries, decided to <a href="http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2013/08/23/boeings-wage-slashing-move-to-sc-backfires-as-company-cant-meet-787-production-demand/" rel="nofollow">move production to South Carolina</a>, a No Rights at Work state, in order to <a href="http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2013/08/23/boeings-wage-slashing-move-to-sc-backfires-as-company-cant-meet-787-production-demand/" rel="nofollow">bust the union</a>? Guess how well that has worked out for the aerospace giant. Not so good.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/08/02/everett-will-have-to-make-of.html?page=all" rel="nofollow">Puget Sound Business Journal</a> tells us Boeing has found a less productive labor force:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Boeing’s South Carolina facility is running behind projections and won’t make its goal of producing three 787 Dreamliners a month by the end of 2013. In fact, the Everett plant will have to make up the difference in order for the company to reach its overall goal of 10 jetliners a month by year’s end.</blockquote>Some of the comments at the end of the Business Journal story are priceless. Mark Costas from Kansas City, Mo., writes:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Boeing decision makers continue to lie about the true speed and quality of work in Charleston. They continue to attempt to convince the public it was a wise decision to build that plant. Every single section of airplane that arrives in Everett from Charleston needs rework. Everett employees have to redo the work that Charleston botches and then still build the planes to meet the rate increases. You NEVER hear the media fawn over Everett because Boeing and Nikki Haley don't want the truth to get out. Trust me, you do NOT want to put your family on a 787 that is built entirely in Charleston. </blockquote>John A. Totten from Miami University writes:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Is anybody familiar with aircraft production surprised at all by this? Boeing needs to transfer people to SC that KNOW what they're doing although I suspect it 's a case of remedial education that's the problem. Pulling shrimp out of the bay doesn't teach you a lot about micrometers and dial indicators. </blockquote>And from Coetug Morgan:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Of course they are behind. It is a" right to work for less state" which means not only can you work for less as the boss decides but also do less. </blockquote>Bill Dow at the Economic Opportunity Institute writes:<br /><blockquote>Washington’s Boeing machinists and assembly line workers are some of the best in the world because our state has the infrastructure to support their training, certification and long-term employment. The skills, awareness and experience from years of work in the industry are held partly by individual workers, but also in a local network of relationships, trust and everyday interactions in the workplace. This is clear to workers and managers close to the factory, but less so to executives in offices 2,000 miles away. Washington’s competitive edge in aerospace has even <a href="http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130620/BIZ/706209919">led Airbus, Boeing’s major global competitor, to consider opening a Washington engineering center</a>. </blockquote><blockquote><a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021226174_airshowmcartorxml.html">Allan McArtor, chairman of Airbus Americas stated at the 2013 Paris Air Show</a>, “We are attracted to Washington state for the same reason we were attracted to Wichita. That’s where the talent is. If you want to have access to the talent that developed over the last 100 years of aviation, Washington is very fertile ground.” </blockquote><blockquote>Put simply, we know how to do aerospace in Washington and we do it well. Aerospace unions are a central part of that. Maybe, just maybe, Boeing will realize now that union-busting isn’t just bad for their workers’ bottom lines, but their own as well.</blockquote>

airplane manufacturing Boeing right to work Right-to-work sucks ... for Boeing

Remember when Boeing, that government contractor that offshores work to other countries, decided to move production to South Carolina , a No...

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New Android Camera from Samsung: Galaxy NX

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">Samsung will introduce its first Android smart camera in October. <a href="http://www.pc-gadgetworld.com/2013/08/first-digital-camera-with-android.html" target="_blank">Nikon</a> is already announced the Android supportable camera.  Smart camera will know as Galaxy NX and will hit the market of U.S in October. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">                                 <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BG3eORMny6c/Uh9sQsSKsiI/AAAAAAAAAQY/k4hl-DuSyP8/s1600/Samsung%252520Livestream%252520Product%252520Release,%252520June%2525202013%252520(7%252520of%25252033).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BG3eORMny6c/Uh9sQsSKsiI/AAAAAAAAAQY/k4hl-DuSyP8/s1600/Samsung%252520Livestream%252520Product%252520Release,%252520June%2525202013%252520(7%252520of%25252033).jpg" title="Samsung Galaxy NX smart camera " width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The   Galaxy NX camera will run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and similar to Android smartphones. The device have 4.8 inch screen with 20.3 megapixel of sensor. Galaxy NX has a hybrid auto focus system with a shutter speed that can click as fast as 1/6000 of second. It will powered by 1.6GHz Quad-Core processor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cnov0vRbtOo/Uh9r-98UChI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/XxStu6Q8hbk/s1600/SamsungGalaxyNX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cnov0vRbtOo/Uh9r-98UChI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/XxStu6Q8hbk/s1600/SamsungGalaxyNX.jpg" title="Samsung galaxy NX smart camera " width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mashable.com</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This device supports a Wi-Fi network and through this you can upload your photos and videos direct to Facebook, Twitter and also on YouTube.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/100638775997274345522" rel="author">Anil Swami</a></div></div>

android 4.2 jelly bean processor Wi-Fi New Android Camera from Samsung: Galaxy NX

Samsung will introduce its first Android smart camera in October.  Nikon is already announced the Android supportable camera.  Smart camera...

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