*Kindly let me know if you are comfortable on below position.*

*Title: **Lead SQL Developer*

*Location: **Santa Ana, CA*

*Duration: **6 month rolling contract, long term expansions*

- 3+ years of experience as a SQL Developer - Manager does NOT want
somebody who is a data warehouse developer / DBA / BI Developer
- 2+ years experience with OLTP / T-SQL (Online transaction)
- Experience with Java or User Interface (UI)
- 2+ years of experience as a Lead
- Experience developing and supporting SQL queries, SSIS, SSRS, and stored
procedures, functions, and triggers.
- Excellent communication skills.

*Day-to-Day *

We are looking for a lead SQL Developer to work for a large insurance
company in Orange County. In this role, you will be responsible for
supporting a real-time application on a SQL back end. This will require you
to process large amounts of data in SQL queries, SQL stored procedures, and
then creating solutions by analyzing, designing, developing, implementing,
and testing. You will be focused on SQL development specifically for OLTP
and must have experience on OLTP applications and database performance. You
will also work heavily with QA and Business Analyst teams. This role is 20%
design and 80% development. It is a primarily JAVA and SQL Environment.
This is a 6 month rolling contract with long term extensions.

978-558-4666 x 103

or Oracle Financials" group.

Reply via email to


Of all mythological races, what Alterans dub “fey” is perhaps the hardest to describe. While all mythological creatures seem to have a gift for shape changing, the Fey are the only race for whom it is a primary trait. What is known about the Fey in all forms is that they are tricksters. This can range from imitation of courtly behaviour with intricate wordplay, to gross slapstick or ambush humor. Such tricks, riddles, and jokes can be entirely harmless or lethal in nature, and in many stories it is not possible to know which it is until it is far too late. Fey creatures seem to have less defining physical characteristics than others and instead are most often exaggerated examples of the mundane world. Monstrous fey are describes as being so hideous that they are nauseous to simply look at. Animalistic fey always have exaggerated qualities of the animal they mimic. In fact, the fey are the only race known to mimic the unique specific traits of another. Fey with scales and horns are recorded as creating a great offense and leading to a full scale war. This can be noted as hyperbole since there is no evidence of such a struggle ever occurring on Altera.

As stated, those creatures categorized as “fey” take all shapes and sizes, but there are a few consistent traits. Firstly, all cultures fey appear to have an otherworldly glow about them that is often described as either “twinkling” or “shimmering.” On the excessive side, are those who are described as “dripping silver moonlight in their wake” or on the more subtle side as those “for whom her hair had the glint seeming of a night’s sky full of stars even though the sun clearly shown.” Another consistent trait the fey possess in all stories is that they seem to be bound by whatever rules they create. Such rules are specific to the story in which they are found and do not apply to any other fey, but for that specific creature who set down a rule, it is absolute. In this way, they are often labeled as liars or tricksters but are in fact, academically at least, the most honest of mythological creatures. I have created a list of possible examples of fey but more than any other list it is highly likely that this contains factual errors

Moragon – Veles
Calakmel – Coyotl
Mathuradu – Yakshas
Larana – Reynard the Fox
Altera- Fey, Fay. Pharie, Ferie, Fairie

Fey Racial Abilities
Available at 50 xp
Detect Concealed
Character gains the ability to passively become aware of the general presence of Concealed Characters and items.. The character cannot pinpoint location, number, direction, or nature of the concealment but is aware that the effect is being actively used.
Sense Magic
Allows the character to gain the Sense Magic ability for free.

Available at 100 xp
Sense Truth
Character gains the ability to use the Sense Truth ability once per day. This is called as “Fey Natural Sense Truth”.
Character may, once per combat, use a Stupify effect as a packet or a point effect. This is called as “Fey Natural Stupify”.

Available at 150 xp
Wild Snare
Character may, once per combat, use a packet delivered Snare Foot effect. This is called as “Fey Wild Snare Foot”.
Wild Touched
Character may, once per combat, use a single Spellflux as a combat ability. This expressly breaks the limit of magical defensive abilities that can be used per combat.

Available at 200 xp
Astral Step
Character may, once per day, briefly cross into the Astral Plane for up to 10 steps or 10 minutes, whichever comes first. This is called as “Fey Astral Step”. While using this ability characters must (during the day) hold a strip of blue fabric at least three feet long wrapped around their hands while they are in a steeple position over the head or (during the night) hold a blue glow stick with steepled hands above their head to show that they are in the Astral Plane. This is called as “Fey Astral Step”.
Astral Charm
Character may, once per day, use a point Charm effect on a creature that is primarily native to the Spirit or Astral plane. Astral creatures will be marked by (during the day) having a blue headband and at least 2 foot long strips of blue fabric tied to each wrist or (during the night) a blue glow necklace and a blue glow bracelet on each wrist. This is called as “Fey Astral Charm”.

Available at 250 xp
Trusting Voice
Character may, once per day, use a point only dominate. This is limited to making factual statements that the target must accept as true. Wholly and obviously inaccurate statements such as “You are on fire” cannot be used. Statements such as “We are the guards here to relieve you” or “This is not the person you are looking for” are. This is called as “Fey – Dominate [statement]”.
Conceal Soul
Character gains a passive ability to answer any “Sense X” questions they are targeted with in any one word response they wish. This expressly includes complete nonsense answers such as “Sense Life?”/”Purple”. The Fey character must be conscious to make use of this ability. When unconscious the character must answer all questions with “No”.

Available at 300 xp
Character may, once per day, use a self only invisibility effect. While invisible they must keep their hands steepled above their head. This is called as “Fey – Natural Invisibility”.
Mimic Spell
Character may, once per day, use a Mimic effect to copy a single packet spell that has been cast/activated within the last 10 seconds and within 10 feet. This is called as “Fey – Magic [Spell Name]”.

Fey Character Modifications
Never intentionally tell an untruth (this is different from not lying)
Never deliver a Killing Blow
Tell an exaggerated story at least once a day
Always require payment of some form for services
Never explain your own actions
Do not accept an apology the first two times it is given
Have extensive glitter in your hair
Have Glitter on all exposed skin
Have animalistic appearance such as whiskers, blackened nose, tiger stripes, etc

Some images for inspiration on what the Fey might look like!


Brief History of Internet

Who was the first to use the Internet?
The Internet was designed in part to provide a communications network that would work even if some of the sites were destroyed by nuclear attack. If the most direct route was not available, routers would direct traffic around the network via alternate routes.

History of Swiss Bank

Swiss Bank Corporation traces its history to 1854. In that year, six private banking firms in Basel, Switzerland, pooled their resources to form the Bankverein, a consortium that acted as an underwriting syndicate for its member banks.[3][4] Among the original member banks were Bischoff zu St Alban, Ehinger & Cie., J. Merian-Forcart, Passavant & Cie., J. Riggenbach and von Speyr & Cie.[4] The establishment of joint-stock banks in Switzerland such as Swiss Bank's earliest predecessors (often structured as a Swiss Verein) was driven by the industrialization of the country and the construction of railroads in the mid-19th century.
The Basler Bankverein was formally organized in 1872 in Basel, replacing the original Bankverein consortium. Basler Bankverein was founded with an initial commitment of 30 million CHF, of which 6 million of initial share capital was paid in. Among the Bankverein's early backers was the Bank in Winterthur, one of the early predecessors of the Union Bank of Switzerland. The bank experienced initial growing pains after heavy losses in Germany caused the bank to suspend its dividend in favor of a loss reserve.[3] By 1879, Basler Bankverein has accumulated enough capital to resume dividends, initially at an 8% annual rate and then increasing to 10% in 1880.
Basler Bankverein later combined with Zürcher Bankverein in 1895 to become the Basler & Zürcher Bankverein. The next year, Basler Depositenbank and Schweizerische Unionbank were acquired. After the take-over of the Basler Depositenbank, the bank changes its name to Schweizerischer Bankverein (Swiss Bank).[4] The English name of the bank was changed to Swiss Bank Corporation in 1917
The St. Gallen, Switzerland, offices of Swiss Bank Corporation c.1920
SBC continued to grow in the early decades of the 20th century, acquiring weaker rivals. In 1906, SBC purchased Banque d'Espine, Fatio & Cie, establishing a branch in Geneva, Switzerland, for the first time.[4] Two years later, in 1908, the bank acquired Fratelli Pasquali, a bank in Chiasso, Switzerland, its first representation in the Italian-speaking portion of the country. This was followed by the 1909 acquisition of Bank für Appenzell (est. 1866) and the 1912 acquisition of Banque d'Escompte et de Dépots.
The onset of World War I put a hold on much of the bank's development. Although SBC survived the war intact, it suffered the loss of its investments in a number of large industrial companies.[3] Nevertheless, the bank surpassed 1 billion CHF for the first time at the end of 1918 and grew to 2,000 employees by 1920.[4] In 1918, SBC purchased Métaux Précieux SA Métalor to refine precious metals and produce bank ingots. the company would be established as a separate subsidiary in 1936 and spun-off in 1998. The impact of the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression would be severe, particularly as the Swiss franc suffered major devaluation in 1936. The bank would see its assets fall from a 1929 peak of 1.6 billion CHF to its 1918 levels of 1 billion CHF by 1936.
In 1937 , SBC adopted its three keys logo symbolizing confidence, security and discretion. The logo was designed by a Swiss artist and illustrator, Warja Honegger-Lavater.


Church of the Crossroads

1212 University Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96822

(1) 2-8-006:097

SHPD Historic Site Number

National Register of Historic Places

The Church of the Crossroads complex contains a chapel with cruciform plan and clerestory windows; there are three contributing buildings on the site. The complex integrates the design influences of the diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds of the people of Hawaii in terms of architectural and artistic design forms. The Church of the Crossroads complex is significant for it’s association with the twentieth century social history of Honolulu. It is also significant as an example of the work of Claude Stiehl, master architect.

2017-04-21T01:02:55+00:00 February 19th, 2014|Categories: Historic Properties|Tags: , |


Our Portfolio

VisionScope Technologies, LLC

VisionScope Technologies, LLC manufactures a family of patented sub-2-mm diameter needle endoscopes with disposable optics and sterile barrier sheaths for diagnostic and minimally invasive surgical (MIS) applications. The product enables arthroscopy surgeons to visualize, diagnose and plan surgical procedures within several minutes in one single office appointment, thereby substantially reducing the number of physician appointments and the usage of MRI’s typically required for one complete arthroscopy surgery cycle.


Archangel's Kiss

Guild Hunter - Book 4

By Nalini Singh

Berkley Sensation - February 2010

Urban Fantasy Romance

This review assumes that the reader has read Angels' Blood in Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series, and does contain spoilers to that prior book.

It had been a year since the great battle. One year since Elena had fallen in love with an archangel, Raphael. She had been injured - and awaken a year later. Changed. Now an angel. No longer mortal, but still a human woman with a human heart, and a human mind.

She was no man's, or archangel's property.

After being in a coma for a year, she needs to regain her strength. Retrain her muscles. She also now has wings, and she has to learn how to use them. This can take time, but time is not a luxury they have.

There are enemies surrounding them. Someone has been attacked. Someone else abducted. Is it the enemy they suspect, or someone else? Events are unfolding that cannot be stopped. The only certainty that Elena has is her love for Raphael, that she is a hunter, and that the enemy will strike, and soon.

Archangel's Kiss is a riveting addition to Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series. Watching Elena learning to adapt to her new wings was fascinating. I loved that Elena has maintained her independence when interacting with Raphael, Archangel of New York. A being certain of his power, and used to gaining whatever he wants - and as we learned in Angels' Blood - he wants Elena. Still, we see the chink in his armor when it comes to Elena. The suspense continued from beginning to end, and will make readers eager for more. I devoured this story, and hated to reach the conclusion. I look forward to revisiting this world, and learning more about the various characters.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

FTC Disclaimer: I did receive an ARC directly from Nalini Singh. However, this website only posts "good" reviews. If I cannot post a positive review, I notify whoever has provided me with the book/ARC/ebook.


Watching my youngest son look out into the distance, peaceful and quiet, I start to think of all my hopes for him, all the possibilities, everything he can become. I put pressure on myself to make sure he has everything he needs, what’s funny is I always put things before myself, I think about schools, books, tutors, or activities. After the pressure I sometimes find myself worrying, what if he faces difficulties, or what if he fails along the way.

This time however I stopped, we have been spending a lot of time at the desert since New Years and I find that when I look at him he is just taking everything in, accepting what comes his way, when the wind gets hard and the sand hits his face he turns, when it got a little cold he asked for his jacket.

It was a beautiful reminder that we can never predict what comes lies ahead, but for some strange reason we will spend hours, days, weeks or even months worrying about it. We will let it consume our life and suck every ounce of energy and peace we have. Instead this moment taught me to just be, to just enjoy the moment and be at peace, to stop worrying, to accept what comes my way and do what needs to be done in that moment.

That is going to play a big part of my work in 2017, since quitting my job I spend a lot of time thinking about the future. Some of the time it’s helpful but other times it just stops me from enjoying the time I have today. I know my son is going to be alright, and that all the worrying that I do is not going to change what the future holds, I just need to trust that


IBM Enterprise Architect- Data Center in PETALING JAYA, Malaysia

Enterprise Architect: "This role defines a high level enterprise-wide IT Architecture focusing on the mapping of I/T capabilities to business needs. The focus is on defining the relationships, flows and implementation of business (processes/activities/functions, information), applications, data and technology in the enterprise and the transitional process necessary for implementing technology in response to changing business needs. The employee Influences the functional strategy.Skills:This would include the complete engineering of data centers including, but not limited to, infrastructure, overhead and underfloor racking, cabinets, network and server equipment, cable distribution, power (AC or DC), Cold Aisle Containment solutions, etc.Environment:

  • Professional knowledge of function, business unit or country operations. Understand organizational resources, priorities, needs and policies.

  • Guide other professionals. Adapt communications and approaches to conclude negotiations with various partners, resulting in common agreements.

Problem Solving:

  • Analyze complex/new situations, anticipate potential problems and future trends, assess opportunities, impacts, and risks. Develop and implement solutions.

  • Leads multi-functional teams, or conducts special projects, or manages department(s) (national or international). Has vision of functional or unit mission. Influences people and organizations, including executive management, when issues are complex/difficult and require considerable diplomacy. Considerable latitude in responsibilities to define and decide on tools, processes, priorities and resources following general business unit directives. Recognized as an expert in their field. Often no precedent exists.

Impact on Business/Scope:

  • Accountable for projects or programs involving multi- functional, country-wide or regional teams. Responsible for overall functional program success. Activities are subject to business measurements, impact customer satisfaction, and impact functional, business unit, or country costs or expenses. " "This job description contains the key concepts, responsibilities, and tasks associated with each position. It is also a partial list of essential functions. Essential functions are duties that are fundamental or intrinsic to the position. Accordingly, managers should understand the essential functions that make up each job.

Enterprise Architect

Domestic Delivery


Fast facts about the ‘Festival of Light’

“Diwali,” which is also referred to as Deepavali and Divali, is an important festival in India that is mainly celebrated by the Hindus. It is also known as the festival of light. Every year, the date of this festival is calculated by the Hindu lunar calendar. In 2016, the festival will be held on October 30.

1. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika. Hinduism is a major religion of India, and is considered to be the oldest religion in the world.

2. More than 800 million people celebrate this festival in various ways.

3. It is celebrated in honor of Lakshmi.

4. The festival also marks the return of the Lord Rama and Sita after completing 14 years in exile.

5. The word Diwali means “the row of lighted lamps (diyas)” in Hindi.

6. The festival signifies the victory of light over darkness.

7. Diwali also marks a major shopping festival in the places where it is celebrated. There are special discounts and offers that businesses provide to their customers. Buying new things during this festival is considered to be good.

8. It is the most famous, biggest and brightest festival of India, and is celebrated for five days.

9. It is a national holiday in India, Trinidad & Tobago, Myanmar, Nepal, Mauritius, Guyana, Singapore, Surinam, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Fiji.

10. On the same night that Diwali is celebrated, Jains celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of moksha by Mahavira.

11. Oil and light lamps are used in high numbers in and around peoples’ houses and properties to celebrate the festival. The festival commemorates the lighting that was done to bring Lord Rama and his wife Sita from the forest of Ayodhya.

12. Diyas light the houses; fireworks illuminate the skies and rangoli decorates the outside Hindu homes. They do this to attract Lakshmi, of good fortune.

13. Traditional diyas (light lamps) used during Diwali are earthen lamps, although plastic and metallic diyas have also become available recently. These diyas are filled with ghee or oil, and a cotton wick is used to bear the flame.

14. And the diyas are left burning all night.

15. Sikhs also celebrate Diwali, as it marks the release of their gurji – Guru Hargobind Sahibji – and 52 other kings and princess of India that were made captives by the mogul emperor Shah Jahan.

16. It is a tradition to clean the house, making it spotless before entering the New Year.

17. Businesses also start new accounting books, and farmers end the harvest season. The festival also signals the onset of winter.

18. Hindus all over the world, and especially in India celebrate the festival by exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes and preparing festive meals.

19. Diwali is also celebrated in honor of the marriage of the Vishnu and Lakshmi. And it also marks the triumph of the Krishna over the demon Naraka. Hindus in Bengal honor the fearsome Kali on the occasion of Diwali.

20. The English city of Leicester hosts the biggest Diwali celebrations outside of India.

21. Diwali also plays a significant role in Sikhism. The foundation stone of the Golden Temple was laid on the day of Diwali in 1577.

22. “Shubh Deepavali” is a customary greeting associated with Diwali. It means, “Have an auspicious diwali”.

23. During the festival of Diwali, fireworks worth billions of dollars are ignited. These fireworks cause a lot of pollution, which is a particularly life hazard for those living in densely populated areas such as the cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai in India. Fireworks produce a variety of pollutants affecting sound, light, air and water.

24. These fireworks cause health hazards such as respiratory issues, heart attacks, high blood pressure and many more. Moreover, fireworks during Diwali also cause safety hazards to the children handling them. Many of these firecrackers burst near children, causing them direct injuries. Hence, necessary precautions must be taken during the festival season, and a more environmentally friendly way of celebrating the festival should be adopted in the coming years.

25. Electricity consumption also rises significantly during the festival season, which results in heavy use of diesel generators to meet the demand for power. In turn, more pollution is caused due to the burning of fossil fuels.

26. The total cost of the firecrackers exploded in Diwali is estimated to be around $1 billion. This is a significant amount of money, which could be used for other purposes like providing education and better health care facilities to those individuals who need them.

27 Interesting Facts About Diwali

This article was published on 29/10/2016


Michael Maitner

Oil Painter

Michael Maitner was born in Grand Rapids, MI in 1942 and still resides and paints there today. He is a self-taught artist.  He is influenced by a style of painting known as regionalism – an American realist modern art movement from the 1920’s to 1950’s .  His whimisical and lilting landscapes are inspired by rural scenes full of rolling farmlands and farm houses seen all around Michigan.  The delightful charming style of a Maitner painting is instantly recognizable.

“I have been influenced by a group of artists in the 30’s known as regionalists. My landscapes are based on landforms, farm buildings and billowy cloud formations so prevalent in Michigan.”  –  Michael Maitner

Michael is one of the original Joyce Petter Gallery artists!


A Custodian of Grammar: Essays on Wittgenstein's Philosophical Morphology

Ludwig Wittgenstein was once some of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century. this article discusses his philosophical technique in his later interval, occasionally often called morphology.

Show description

Quick preview of A Custodian of Grammar: Essays on Wittgenstein's Philosophical Morphology PDF

Similar Philosophy books

The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past

What's background and why should still we examine it? Is there one of these factor as old fact? Is historical past a technology? the most comprehensive historians at paintings this day, John Lewis Gaddis, solutions those and different questions during this brief, witty, and humane publication. The panorama of heritage offers a looking out examine the historian's craft, in addition to a powerful argument for why a ancient cognizance should still subject to us at the present time.

From Robocop to the Terminator to Eve eight, no photo larger captures our private fears approximately know-how than the cyborg, the person that is either flesh and steel, mind and electronics. yet thinker and cognitive scientist Andy Clark sees it otherwise. Cyborgs, he writes, will not be anything to be feared--we already are cyborgs.

Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction

In Kabbalah: a truly brief advent, Joseph Dan, one of many world's prime experts on Jewish mysticism, deals a concise and hugely exact examine the historical past and personality of a number of the structures constructed via the adherents of the Kabbalah. Dan sheds gentle at the many misconceptions approximately what Kabbalah is and isn't--including its connections to magic, astronomy, alchemy, and numerology--and he illuminates the connection among Kaballah and Christianity at the one hand and New Age faith at the different.

Phenomenology of Spirit

This excellent learn of the phases within the mind's valuable development from instant sense-consciousness to the placement of a systematic philosophy contains an introductory essay and a paragraph-by-paragraph research of the textual content to assist the reader comprehend this such a lot tough and such a lot influential of Hegel's works.

Extra info for A Custodian of Grammar: Essays on Wittgenstein's Philosophical Morphology

Show sample text content

Indb a hundred and forty 12/14/11 1:03 PM Wittgenstein the Morphologist III 141 tween a grammar and the character we must always point out his declare that grammatical and empirical propositions “merge into each other” (OC 309, for explanation see Glock 1996:155). If this can be right, then (17) looks additionally right, yet within which method? absolutely, a grammar is a grammar of a definite assessment, and an outline is an summary of convinced use of our phrases. yet so as to assessment definite use of our phrases we needs to attract extra-linguistic activities diverse from our use of those phrases (to formerly pointed out “correspondence,” PI p. 230, RPP I 46). consequently, on the middle, each grammar is a grammar of anything non-grammatical, or nonetheless, of activities (described via experiential propositions, for example “Emma is portray a meadow”). the 1st a part of (17) is in accord with an anti-metaphysical stance, and the second one half is going in addition to the prompt interpretation that Wittgenstein brought definite ontology of FOL regardless of how implicitly. The proposition (17) additionally states the most obvious, i. e. that rule-forms as yes styles, and during this experience additionally the ontology of FOL, are expressed via grammatical propositions. specific perform is unquestionably expressed via experiential (empirical) propositions, yet rule-forms are expressed through grammatical propositions, or by means of hinge propositions (like these of a “world-picture”). A FOL isn't really arbitrary, similar to it's not arbitrary that water boils at a hundred levels Celsius (despite varied conditions, for instance, at various altitudes in the world water doesn't boil accurately at a hundred levels Celsius). yet, what's now not arbitrary is, in a fashion, given, and that FOL are given looks not only a grammatical proposition, yet a average truth to boot. In different phrases, grammar too isn't really arbitrary. concerning the distinction among transcendental and naturalistic interpretations (see formerly (8) and (9)), there's one other extra very important distinction, particularly the only among neo-Kantian “a priori” of FOL and Hegelian “historicism” of FOL. 18. The historicism of FOLs is actually their historical past within the feel that they make (natural) heritage like a lifestyles weaves its carpet (see CE 397, Lebensteppich). nonetheless, if we now have a sort, then we should always have content material additionally, and content material doesn't have a background. each content material endure background and this discomfort is its shape. yet after all, FOL doesn't have content material like a few goods in Aristotelian first philosophy for example, or like evidence of TLP ontology, i. e. uncomplicated gadgets, ingredients. 19. In a FOL there is not any Beschreibungen / “descriptions,” simply because principles are descriptions of activities, practices / Handlungen (PI 241–2). In FOL there are not any agreements on descriptions simply because principles belong to a framework (PI 240). 11_434_Krkac. indb 141 12/14/11 1:03 PM 142 bankruptcy 4 Wittgenstein’s idea of “agreement” (in PI 241, Übereinstimmung) is actually an interlocutor’s suggestion; principles are descriptions, yet there are not any descriptions.

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.15 of 5 – based on 6 votes


Edo names Dictionary
Quotes About Wisdom
•“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens”
― Jimi Hendrix
•“If you wake up tired, you’ve been chasing dreams. If you go to bed tired, your making your dreams happen.”
― Benny Bellamacina
•“If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door”
― Milton Berle
•“More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren't so busy denying them”
― Harold J. Smith
― Benjamin Franklin
•“He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.”
― Confucius
― Kim Gruenenfelder
•“He who stands for nothing will fall for anything.”
― Alexander Hamilton
― Lao Tzu
― C.S. Lewis
― Joseph Campbell
― Abigail Van Buren
― Paulo Coelho
•“The past has no power over the present moment.”
― Eckhart Tolle
― Leo Buscaglia
― Abraham Lincoln
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley
― Truman Capote
•“The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.”
― William James
•“Where wisdom reigns, there is no conflict between thinking and feeling.”
― C.G. Jung
― Groucho Marx
•“People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little.”
― Jean-Jacques Rousseau
•“I'm not sure why I've decided to do this. I'm not any stronger than I was, and nothing else has changed. But all the same, this time I'm not going to run away. It's okay to feel weak sometimes. It's okay to be afraid. The important thing is that we face our fears. That's what makes us strong."-Yuki”
― Natsuki Takaya
•“Expectations make people miserable, so whatever yours are, lower them. You'll definitely be happier.”
― Simone Elkeles
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
want it badly enough, there are no limits on what you can achieve.”
― Brian Tracy
― Marcel Proust
•“Take the matter as you find it ask no questions, utter no remonstrances; it is your best wisdom. You expected bread and you have got a stone: break your teeth on it, and don't shriek because the nerves are martyrised; do not doubt that your mental stomach - if you have such a thing - is strong as an ostrich's; the stone will digest. You held out your hand for an egg, and fate put into it a scorpion. Show no consternation; close your fingers firmly upon the gift; let it sting through your palm. Never mind; in time, after your hand and arm have swelled and quivered long with torture, the squeezed scorpion will die, and you will have learned the great lesson how to endure without a sob.”
― Charlotte Bront
― Gautama Buddha
•“We do learn and develop when we are exposed to those who are greater than we are. Perhaps this is the chief way we mature.”
― Madeleine L'Engle
― Robert T. Kiyosaki
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
― Kahlil Gibran
― Mark Twain
― Maya Angelou
― Theodore Roosevelt
― Lisa Lutz
•“Patience and wisdom walk hand in hand, like two one-armed lovers.”
― Jarod Kintz
― Matsuo Bash
•“We learn from failure, not from success!”
― Bram Stoker
― Eleanor Roosevelt
•“A path is made by walking on it.”
― Zhuangzi
― Bruce Lee
 Benjamin Franklin
•“Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and importance, although
― Brian Tracy
― Baltasar Gracián
 Paulo Coelho
•“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
― Francis Bacon
“If you envy successful people, you create a negative force field of attraction
you want to be like.”
― Brian Tracy
― Confucius
― Alexander Pope
•“Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness.
Listen to it carefully.”
― Richard Bach
― Scott Adams
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
•“I AM IGNORANT of absolute truth. But I am humble before my ignorance and therein lies my honor and my reward.”
― Kahlil Gibran
•“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
― Socrates
•“Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.”
― Paulo Coelho
― William Shakespeare
― Isaac Asimov
― Mark Twain
― Maurice Switzer
― Patrick Rothfuss
― Voltaire
•“We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
― Martin Luther King, Jr.
•“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to
bigger and better than your current situation.”
― Brian Tracy
•“it is one thing to be clever and another to be wise.”
― George R.R. Martin
― C.S. Lewis
― Mahatma Gandhi
•“Wisdom is the oneness of mind that guides and permeated all things.”
― Heraclitus
― H.L. Mencken
― Albert Einstein
― Confucius
― René Descartes
•“The nail that sticks out farthest gets hammered the hardest.”
― Patrick Jones
― Desmond Tutu
•“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
― Socrates
― Friedrich Nietzsche
•“You do not write your life with words You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.”
― Patrick Ness
•“Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.”
― William Shakespeare
•“Think before you speak. Read before you think.”
― Fran Lebowitz
― Socrates
― Thomas Stephen Szasz
•“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
― Oprah Winfrey
•“There are some experiences in life they haven't invented the right words for.”
― Lisa Kleypas
•“Never complain, never explain. Resist the temptation to defend yourself or make excuses.”
― Brian Tracy
― Aristotle
― Paulo Coelho
What New


Good day to remember Washington

Posted: Sunday, February 22, 1998

Local News

Carolina News

In Focus

National News

Good day to remember Washington

Savannah Morning News editorial /

Was it President's Day or Presidents' Day last Monday? Singular possessive or plural?

My appointment calendar places the apostrophe before the ''s'', and that would make it singular. Yet that runs counter to the way the purpose of President's Day has been explained -- a day to honor the famous February-born George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as well as all others who have held our highest office.

Whatever, today, Feb. 22, definitely is George Washington's singular-possessive birthday. The real thing, not something consigned to third-Monday, long-weekend convenience.

Right now, considering all the attention focused on our current president, we ought to reflect a bit on the first president who to this day is referred to respectfully as the father of our country. Oh, some history revisionists have tried to debunk the Washington mystique.

There was that matter of his expense account while he was commander-in-chief of the forces who won independence for the United States. As if he should've picked up his own tabs after having left a peaceful life to champion such a noble cause. As best I can recall, Washington expense reports smacked nothing of what today's company comptrollers call creative accounting.

Also coming to light was his admiration of a certain lady other than Martha. Yet, I cannot recall even a suggestion in that ''expose'' that he touched or did anything other than look.

Washington, in retrospect, was not only the man for his time but likely the only man of that time who could have pulled it off when this new nation was in its fledgling stage. He could bring together factions for the good of the nation. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, for example, both of whom were abled and principled but each of whom held differing viewpoints on how things should proceed. He supported Hamilton's fiscal policies more keyed to the domestic side, yet also allowed Jefferson to seek trade and cooperation with European nations.

Washington at the helm of a start-up nation can be compared to Dwight Eisenhower in command of the war in Europe, and how Ike could listen carefully to the differing notions of the allied generals, and finally devise a plan for victory. Also, compare favorably the warnings of both Washington and Eisenhower (later as president) against entangling alliances, whether at home or abroad.

We may forget that Washington, a farmer, planted the seed for the Union. One of his last acts as commander-in-chief was to send a circular letter to the states imploring them to form a vibrant, vigorous national government. We can only speculate on whether he realized then, as he prepared to return to Mount Vernon and resume farming, that he would be summoned with other Virginia nationalists to bring about the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to promote that end. Indeed, he was the one the convention chose to preside.

Not only that, he surprised many of his contemporaries by presiding with a profound sense of fairness, laying aside personal druthers, entering into give-and-take deliberations that became the hallmark of the framers of the Constitution. Such even-handedness is what made it apparent that he would become our first president, and that we would become a republic and not a monarchy or parliamentary government.

Washington was the mold for The Presidency. Successors have changed it, chipped it, and sometimes nearly shattered it. But not all of them, thank God. It's good for us, now and then, to remember George Washington. What better day than this one?

Tom Coffey is a retired editor of the Morning News.

Web posted 2/22/98


Database Management

Course Overview

This course provides a comprehensive overview of database systems. Students will learn the fundamentals of data access and file systems, including hierarchical, network, relational and object oriented data models. The course will cover the elements of relational database design, data query languages, services such as data protection and integrity control, and database management. The course will provide a balance of theory and practical application and will culminate in a database implementation project conducted by teams of students.


Consumer Proposal Calculator

consumer proposal calculator

Consumer proposal calculator: how much does a consumer proposal cost?

Consumer proposal calculator – is there really such a thing? How much does a consumer proposal cost? This will depend on a number for factors:

  1. Your assets
  2. How much debt you owe
  3. Your monthly net income
  4. The number of dependents in your household (i.e., spouse and children)
  5. Your spouse’s monthly net income
  6. Whether your not you’ve previously file for personal bankruptcy

How these factors determine the cost of a consumer proposal is too lengthy to explain at the present time.

However, if you are single, have no assets and never previously filed for bankruptcy, we can provide a rough guide of what a consumer proposal would cost you:

How much debt do you have?What will be the cost of your consumer proposal?
Debt is less than $12,000$120 per month for 60 months ($7,200)
Debt is between $12,000 - $18,000$150 per month for 60 months ($9,000)
Debt is between $18,000 - $21,000$180 per month for 60 months ($10,800)
Debt is between $22,000 - $24,000$200 per month for 60 months ($12,000)
Debt is between $24,000 - $30,000$250 per month for 60 months ($15,000)
Over $30,00050% of the amount you owe, paid over 60 months

Again, we must stress that these our rough estimates. How much you will be paying in your consumer proposal will depend on your own individual circumstances and the advice of your Licensed Insolvency Trustee.

Consumer proposal calculator: The cost of doing nothing is interest payments

Of course, you have the option of continuing to pay your debts on your own. However, the cost of doing nothing is the interest you will be paying on that debt as you pay it down.

Below is a handy calculator in which you can enter: (1) your credit card debt; (2) the annual interest rate on that debt; and (3) your current monthly payment.

Let’s say that you had $30,000.00 in credit card debt at an annual interest rate of 18% and you were making payments of $500.00 per month to pay it off.

Inputting these numbers into the calculator, it would take you 155 months (or 13 years) to be debt free. You would pay a total of $77,327.90, comprised of the original $30,000.00 loan balance and $47,327.90 in interest.

Your Debt Snapshot
Months It Will Take To Be Debt Free:
Years It Will Take To Be Debt Free:
Total Amount Payed To Lender:
Total Interest Paid To Lender:

Clearly, there must be a better alternative to you than paying thousands of dollars of interest over several years. This is why consumer proposals exist – to help individuals like you who are drowning in debt.


Music News & Advices

What is the quality of aluminum products

Posted by on Feb 23, 2015 in Blog |

Many people always see aluminum products and they do not understand the importance of the metal in the human life. Aluminum is a metal, and it is one of the most valuable metals in the building and structural industry. Aluminum has one of the most abundant metal ores on Earth. It is also cheap and easy to mine, unlike many other metals. Aluminum is a white, soft and nonmagnetic metal. When it is in the pure state, aluminum cannot be fabricated to make other metals because it is very soft. However, when it is made into an alloy of other metals, it is crucial and can make other materials and structures that have transformed human life.

Aluminum comes second after steel in terms of versatility, durability, and efficiency. The products of aluminum are sturdy and can support heavy machine parts without adding more weight to the machines. It is the reason it is commonly used in making automobiles ensure efficiency in fuel consumption because of light weight. Aluminum material is a good conductor of both heat and electricity and, as a result, important in the two sectors of the world economy.

The other reasons Aluminum is an excellent material for making components is because it has a low density and can resist corrosion. The aerospace industry prefers the aluminum material in making helicopters, aircrafts, and jets because of the light weight and its ability to resist rust. The fact that it is abundant on earth and does not affect the environment because it is non-toxic makes it one of the best metals in the structural and construction industry.

Aluminum is alloyed to improve its mechanical properties. It is alloyed with other metals such as zinc, copper, magnesium, and silicon. Each of the metals gives it a different alloy property that has diverse use in various industries.

Some of the uses of aluminum metal include making of automobiles, aircraft, and marine vessels as castings, tubes, and sheet covers. Aluminum is also used to make packaging cans because it is very resistant to corrosion and would not affect the food and other substances kept in the can. In the construction industry, it is used in making windows, building wire and doors used in the houses and protect our property. Most of the household utensils such as cooking utensils, watches, metallic chairs are products of aluminum material. You can find some diamond plates for sale here.

Electricity companies use its lighting poles because it is very durable. The electronic manufacturing companies depend on aluminum to produce transistors on products such as computers, mobile phones, and television sets.. Electrical transmission lines that distribute power to our homes, schools, and offices are aluminum products.


The Liturgy of the Faithful

In the early Church, the Liturgy of the Catechumens (those who are undertaking instruction but have yet to be baptized) ended with their expulsion from the congregation. They were not admitted to the Holy Mystery, the Blessed Sacrament itself until they were baptized. The Liturgy of the Faithful begins where instruction ends, with the Offertory.

To emphasize the difference between the Mass of the Catechumens and the Mass of the Faithful, some parishes distinguish between the Little Entrance, during which clergy, assistants, and choristers enter the nave of the Church and process to the altar; and the Great Entrance, during which the sacred elements of bread and wine (along with the money offering which for most of us now substitutes for bread and wine) are brought forward by lay representatives of the people.

Where “Little Entrance” is the only Entrance, representatives of the people bring forward the money that has been collected and present it to acolytes who, in turn, carry it to the priest. Acolytes, acting as representatives of the people, present the sacred elements (which the altar guild has placed on the credence table) to the priest.

Note: Anglicans will be interested to know that the Great Entrance was introduced to the Liturgy through the Sarum Rite.


There are several methods for choosing a mantra, or sound, for use in meditation and for self-healing. Part I of this article (in the January–February issue) ended with the practice of “so-ham” in conjunction with the breath. This is a natural mantra that can be used by anyone. So and ham are considered to be the natural sound of the breath. Continued practice will help make the breath long and smooth. A long and smooth breathing pattern creates a balanced soothing effect on one’s pranic (energy) field. A balanced pranic field helps support a calm and balanced mind field. Eventually the mind, the sound, and the breath will flow together like a steady, flowing stream, leading to silence. Silence is the end of confusion and the source of healing. Go to the silence as often as possible, and stay there as long as possible.

The second type of mantra is called a personal, or personalized, mantra. There are several methods for selecting or receiving a personal mantra. Perhaps the best method is to receive a mantra from a spiritual teacher as part of initiation into a spiritual tradition. This is called a guru mantra. The mantra is to be repeated silently as often as possible until it becomes a continuous presence in the mind. This presence becomes so powerful that it eventually fills the subconscious levels of the mind. Then, like a song that gets stuck in your head, the mantra will come forward on its own. This repetition by itself is called ajapa japa, repetition without repetition.

Another method is to choose a mantra according to one’s constitutional type. Ayurveda classifies mantras according to the three types, or doshas, known as vata, pitta, and kapha. Each type is defined as a combination of two elements and a correlated set of qualities. Each element has its own sound as follows. Earth is lam, water is vam, fire is ram, air is yam, and ether is ham.

Vata is air moving through space or wind. A vata type individual tends to become too cold, dry, light, fast, irregular, nervous, and changeable. They tend to think, talk, and move too fast to the point of exhaustion. They will benefit from mantras that are soothing and protective. The soothing mantras are sham and shrim (pronounced shreem). The protective mantras are ram and hrim (pronounced hreem). Please note that shrim, ram, and hrim all contain the consonant “r.” The consonant “r,” as in ram, represents fire, or warmth, as mentioned above.

Pitta is fire held in water. A pitta type tends to become too hot, moist, light, fast, sharp, intense, inflamed, and irritated. They will benefit from mantras that are cooling and calming. They are som, sham, shum, and shim (pronounced sheem). Also, aim (pronounced like I’m) can be used to clear the mind. Please note that none of these contain the consonant “r” for fire.

Kapha is water held in earth. A kapha type tends to become too cold, damp, heavy, slow, sluggish, and stagnant. They will benefit from mantras that are stimulating and clearing like aim, hum, and hrim (pronounced hreem). Aim is specific for clearing the mind. Hrim is specific for clearing the heart and the emotions. Please note that hrim contains the letter “h,” as in ham, for ether, and “r,” as in ram, for fire. Using this sound will balance an excess of water and earth with ether and fire.

Choose one of the above for use during meditation practice. After establishing a steady and comfortable posture and slowing down the breath, focus the mind on the chosen sound and repeat it continuously. Also use your personal mantra throughout the day at any time to help maintain your composure. But do not change your personal mantra. The more you repeat it, the more effective it becomes.

There is also a set of mantras that is used to enhance the positive qualities of each type. The positive qualities of vata, pitta, and kapha are known as prana, tejas, and ojas, respectively. Prana, tejas, and ojas represent the life force, the light of consciousness, and loving bliss. The mantras are aim for vata, hrim for pitta (note the “r” for fire), and klim (notice the “l,” as in lam, for earth) for kapha. They are used as a set. For example, let’s say a person is predominantly pitta but with some kapha qualities and fewer vata qualities—i.e., pitta-kapha-vata. They would repeat hrim-klim-aim. If a person were pitta-vata-kapha they would repeat hrim-aim-klim. Om can be added at the beginning making the mantra om-hrim-aim-klim.

Another method is to choose a mantra based on the time and place of one’s birth. This astrological method is based on the position of the moon when one is born. The zodiac is divided into 108 parts, each with its own sound. These sounds are traditionally used to help choose the name of a child in India. They can also be used to create a personal mantra. This mantra can be used by itself or added to the end of the previous set.

In Tibetan ayurveda, the mantra om-ah-hum is used to balance the doshas. Om is specific for kapha, ah is specific for pitta, and hum is specific for vata. One practice used to balance all three doshas is to repeat the mantras mentally with a long exhalation. After inhaling, exhale and hear the sound om in the head area followed by ah in the heart region and hum in the abdomen.

Still another method for choosing a personal mantra is to use the name or sound associated with your chosen ideal form of divinity. Your chosen form is called your Ishta-devata. For example, in India a follower of Shiva can repeat the name Shiva or the longer mantra Om-na-ma-shi-va-ya. A follower of Krishna will repeat the name Krishna or the longer Hare Krishna mantra. A Christian may use the Jesus prayer repeating the name Jesus. A Moslem may repeat Allah or choose one of the 99 names of God in the Islamic tradition.

There are many longer mantras that are used in correlation with specific forms of divinity or for specific purposes. In traditional ayurveda, the gayatri and the maha-mrtyunjaya mantras are used for their powerful healing effects. In Tibetan ayurveda, practitioners use the Medicine Buddha mantra. These longer mantras can be used in addition to the personal mantra. They are often given as group practices along with a blessing, an initiation, or an empowerment ceremony. They are typically recited a certain number of times over a specific period of time. The repetitions are counted using a mala or rosary. After completing a long practice, these mantras are remembered at least once a day to maintain their presence before and/or after remembering the personal mantra.

According to Shiva Sutra II.1, “By intensive awareness of one’s identity with the Highest Reality enshrined in a mantra and thus becoming identical with that Reality, the mind itself becomes mantra.”

Gary Gran

Share This


Trumps new immigration ban: a more moderate approach

On Monday morning President Trump released the new and reformed version of his January immigration ban, a controversial executive action that received major criticism both domestically and abroad.

With much surprise, the new reform is much more subtle in its intent clearly showing the power of the people’s outcry against the original version. But, before we get into what the new order says, I would like to start by informing my audience the power of the people is still within our grasps.

The absolute backlash of the last order clearly shook A LOT of heads around the world, which included republicans skeptical of the order. On my last post about the immigration ban, I was very stern in my criticism. I stand by what I stated before: the immigration was doomed from the start by its poor execution. It was unclear, lazy in its approach, and more so, caused confusion within the Department of Homeland Security about how to execute the order.  Legal residents, green card holders and Visa holders were barred from entering the U.S., a highly illegal action made by the administration.

Let us all be clear with something. This is NOT a “travel” ban, but a ban on immigration.

There is a strict distinction between an immigrant, a traveler and a refugee and the rhetoric needs to change as a lot of these terms are thrown together interchangeably. For starters, immigrates go through a strict vetting process which can take over two years to complete. Immigrants also usually come from countries where the government is functional, but the people choose to leave by choice (most of the time). This is important, because when a country has a substantially functional government, it is easy to compile information of the people seeking immigration status as records are easier to come across. This is exactly why am I so against this “extreme vetting” that the president so eagerly wishes to adopt. The vetting process is already tedious and timely. In the post-911 era the United States government has been extremely successful in combatting foreign terrorism. We have the best security in the world, hands down. “Extreme vetting” is a paradox in itself as the current measures are already extreme in a lot of senses.

Refugees come from countries that are usually in civil war, through government reform, plagued by famine (outdated) or in a state of war. Syria is a country with a high number of refugees because the government lost control of its own land against ISIS, to keep it simplified. Since the government of Syria is barely a functional entity, what vetting process is there to execute? These people have no records, no tracking, and can pose a threat to national security. In most cases, it is hard to track and monitor refugees’ behaviors simply by the nature of the native state.

This is why I am okay with not letting in refugees into the United States. Europe is proof that these kinds of integration laws don’t work when the people are so culturally different. We don’t need that problem here in the United States. Notice how I said I was “okay” with not letting refugees in. It’s painful to see what these people have to go through, but until there is a way to apply a vetting process to these refugees, it is in the best interest of the United States to keep them out.

Immigrants, however, do go through the vetting process, and for me, if they pass the requirements, should be allowed to enter the United States. We need immigrants. This is a land of immigrant and it will forever be that way. Refugees are NOT immigrants, so people need to be a little more careful with the rhetoric.

Okay, lets get into it:

The New Order:

Interesting enough, the new executive order, which will go into effect on March 16, is more moderate in its approach. For starters, there are now six countries on the ban, all of the same from last time excluding Iraq.

Looking into the text, the Trump administration is allowing previously accepted refugees to enter the United States, but is limiting the number to 50,000. To me, that number is very high, but to a lot of people on the left, this should be calming to you. When 50,000 refugees will be allowed to enter, it’s hard to argue that the United States isn’t trying its best to meet in the middle of the issue.

The new order doesn’t give priority to religious minorities (mainly Christians), a highly controversial topic of discussion on the last order.

The new order also lifts the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees to 120 days along with the rest of the countries.

Further information will be presented as this story progresses, but until now, this is all we know.

Concluding thoughts:

The administration clearly put more thought into complying the new order together looking at a more moderate approach to the issue.

Still, it only feels the current revision is a test to what the order should have been from the start, maybe saving the administration some headache from the backlash that followed. At the end of the day, it doesn’t change what was already done, and the pain still lingers for a lot of people. But I firmly believe it goes to show that Trump cannot simply do as he pleases. This reform is proof of a more tempered approach, something I hope everyone could appreciate.

Finally, the ban is still controversial in its own right, and although I’m not fully sold on the intent considering the president has stated he wants a ban on “Muslims,” this is exponentially better than what we got in January.

Sorry about the lack of content lately…senior year is kicking my ass. I’ll do a follow up when more information is presented.

-Exsar Misael

Morning briefing: Immigration Ban has been lifted

After over 48 hours of patiently waiting, the world finally has an answer to the recent controversy surrounding President Trump’s immigration ban. On Feb. 9, the 9th circuit court of the United States refused to reinstate President Trump’s Immigration ban, marking the president’s first big legal loss since taking office.

Today I want to focus on two key aspects of the discussion:

  1. What did the court decide and what was the legal question at stake? What comes next after the decision?
  2. Where did Trump go wrong? (Opinion)

The United States is split into 13 circuit courts. Each circuit has a few states that belong to its jurisdiction.  More importantly, if a state in a particular circuit rules in a specific fashion, then all the other states in the circuit must follow the precedent of that state. Confusing? Let me break it down.

For example, the 5th circuit court of the United States comprises of Texas, Alabama and Mississippi. If the circuit court of Texas decided to rule against state funded abortions, then the other two states in the circuit will follow suit.

The 9th circuit court includes the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho Montana, Arizona, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Simply put, the decision from the 9th circuit court is not a surprise by any stretch of the imagination. The states represented in the 9th circuit are by in large, liberal. Interesting enough, the three judges who ruled on the immigration policy all ruled unanimously against the ban, 3-0. A 29-page concurring opinion basically stated that the immigration ban was a violation of fundamental American constitutional values. The Washington Post reported that the 9th circuit court ruled that the executive order harms international business as it prevents students, faculty, and overseas employees of American companies from traveling abroad in fear of being stranded in another country.

Screen Shot 2017-02-09 at 10.31.49 PM.png

So what is the legal question being asked? Well, we don’t necessarily know. The court has stated that it goes against American constitutional values, and that’s about it.

During the first week of the executive order, green card and Visa holders were restricted from entering the United States, which is illegal. However, the Trump administration has since reversed that rule, one again permitting these people to enter.

Since the Supreme Court usually deals with pressing issues of national security, it is highly probable that the constitutionality of this order will be taken to the highest court in the nation. But until then, we patiently wait. As of now, the immigration ban has been halted in compliance with the decision of the 9th circuit court.

Furthermore, I feel this executive order was doomed from the start not because of its intent but because of the execution.

Like I stated in my last post, I am in no way against immigration bans that are done correctly. Unfortunately for the president, this executive action was amateur at best in its execution.

First, the president is on the record for stating he wanted a ban on Muslims from entering the United States during the campaign season. This was his first mistake. Although the executive order claims it to be an “immigration ban” it is hard not to see past the lines of those words considering the rhetoric. The United States is a country founded by people seeking religious freedom. This is a nation of diversity and something I deeply take pride in. The president’s words are not only contradictory to what makes this country great, but ultimately disrespect fundamental American values—such values which are written in the doctrine of our founding, the constitution.

Photo by Alyssa Schukar, The New York Times

The next mistake came with the actual signing of the executive order. Countless stories have surfaced the internet of constant confusion from different government agencies on how to properly execute the ban. During the first couple of days, the Department of Homeland Security was not properly informed on who exactly was allowed into the country, causing major confusion at airports around the world. People who legally had the right to enter the United States were being detained for extended periods of time without any explanation to why they couldn’t enter. For lack of a better word, the execution of the ban was messy.

So now we wait. This case is far from over and will most likely be presented to the Supreme Court very soon. As of now, the Supreme Court is split evenly 4/4. This is important because if the court cannot come to a consensus and the vote is evenly split, then the decision made by the 9th circuit court WILL STAND AS LAW marking the president’s first major defeat in office. Obviously that may be jumping the gun a little, but it is interesting to think about all outcomes of the situation.

Regardless of how you feel about the ban, this case could set precedent to how the judiciary reacts to Trump’s executive decisions. Only time will tell….

These past two weeks have been quite hectic, but I hope I can help out with any questions anyone may have.

Until next time, stay engaged!

-Exsar Misael


Page 1

1) Explain how X-ray diffraction arises from the scattering of X-rays in a crystal. 2) Derive the Bragg scattering equation. 3) Outline how cubic crystals may be used to measure the wavelength of X-rays. 4) Outline how X-rays may be used to determine the structure of crystals. 1) X-ray diffraction can be seen by directing X-rays at a regular arrangement of atoms in a crystal. From this, an interference pattern can be observed that is similar to the diffraction of light by diffraction grating.

2) nλ = AB + BC AB = BC nλ = 2AB AB sin θ = d AB = d sin θ nλ = 2d sin θ 3) In X-ray diffraction, the interatomic distances in the crystal are of the same magnitude as the wavelength of X-ray. This property enables the crystal to function as the slits in the diffraction grating with visible light. After measuring the lattice plane distances with x-rays of a specific wavelength, and by using cubic crystals of a known lattice plane distance, the wavelengths of x-rays can be measured. 4) X-ray crystallography can be used from Bragg’s law in which X-rays of known wavelengths are used to explore the crystal structure of different elements and compounds. In this method, crystalline atoms cause a beam of X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles and intensities of these refracted beams, a crystallographer can calculate the density of electrons within the crystal. From this method, chemical bonds of the crystal will be known.

X-Ray Diffraction Task

By Adrian Kwok

Read more
Read more
Similar to
Popular now
Just for you


A scary good Q&A with Jimmy George

JImmy George

Jimmy George, aka Script Butcher, has been writing and producing films for over a decade. Along with optioning several screenplays, Jimmy has lent his name as co-writer/co-producer to six award winning feature-length films, garnering rave reviews, and boasting international distribution.

He has a talent for engineering fun and innovative productions on shoe-string budgets with few of the modern technological marvels used in major Hollywood blockbusters. Each of his films have been praised for circumventing their meager budgets, standing out through memorable storytelling.

Jimmy co-wrote and co-produced WNUF Halloween Special (2013), which won numerous festival awards, alongside national press from The New York Times, VICE, MTV, Birth.Movies.DeathFandango, and Red Letter Media, and is currently available on the AMC Networks’ streaming service, Shudder.

After tearing up the festival circuit, his most recent film, Call Girl of Cthulhu generated enormous buzz in the horror industry. Harry Knowles of Aintiticoolnews declared it “fun, better than it should be and quite splattacular.”.

Jimmy’s current project (and his seventh feature), What Happens Next Will Scare You, will be released next year.

In addition to writing and producing, Jimmy has a passion for helping creators succeed. As the Script Butcher, he consults with screenwriters, empowering them with the necessary tools to sharpen their scripts into dynamic stories that slice through the competition.

The pilot episode for GLOW. The world-building is excellent. It takes you into a sub-culture that’s mysterious and relatively unknown. The characters are memorable and entertaining. We meet the lead character at her lowest point. It leaves us with so much promise for what could take place during the series. Does everything a pilot should do and more.

How’d you get your start reading scripts?

There are many screenwriting gurus out there. I am not one of them. I’m just a guy who’s written a ton of screenplays, produced a half-dozen movies of my own, and learned a lot along the way.

Over the last ten years of making movies, I’ve become the go-to script doctor for a lot of friends and colleagues. I’ve been doing this for free for a decade and it became clear a few years ago that this was my purpose. So I decided to start this service and try to make a living doing what I love.

Telling stories is what I was put on this Earth to do. Helping others fine tune their stories is a close second. I’ve been in your shoes. I know the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to complete a screenplay. This isn’t a job for me. It’s my passion. It’s what I live for.

Where does the moniker “Script Butcher” come from?

Whenever someone would ask for notes, I always delivered their script covered with red ink. The pages looked bloody. I once joked with a friend that I was their “script butcher” and it just stuck. To this day, every time I finish a set of notes my hands are covered with red ink splatters. I have a background in horror so a lot of people assume those are the only scripts I work with, but I provide the same exhaustive notes for all genres. I’d say 75% of my clients don’t write horror.

Writing well and recognizing good writing are skills that go hand in hand. Both can be taught and learned. For me, recognizing good writing as compared to bad has come from reading thousands of scripts at all levels of the talent spectrum. Having my own scripts brought to life on a frequent basis, sitting in theaters watching what works and doesn’t has also taught me invaluable lessons most script doctors haven’t had the opportunity to learn or pass along.

Studying the work of pros is a must too, but a lot of scripts available to the public are shooting drafts which are different from spec scripts and teach new writers bad lessons. So much can be learned from script consultants as well. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the mentoring advice and guidance I received from my own trusted script doctors.

I didn’t go to film school. The notes I received from these professionals over the course of a decade and a half, became my film school. By failing time and again, by continuing to experiment with the form and seeking constant feedback, I learned the craft. I never stopped trying to get better. Growing thick skin and learning how to use feedback to improve your stories is an important skill set for a writer.

Sending my scripts for notes became a crucial part of the writing process and continues to be.

What are the components of a good script?

A good script should have an original, marketable concept.

With flawed relatable characters who are actively seeking something they care deeply about, that we can emotionally connect with and root for, and that deals with the most important events of these character’s lives.

It should present a visual goal for the character or characters to achieve which form the central story question, and present primal, relatable stakes for what will happen if they fail to achieve those visual goals with formidable forces of antagonism that cause never-ending complications, standing in the way of the character’s achieving their goals.

It’s properly formatted on the page, relies on visuals instead of dialogue to tell the story, with plausible surprises and reversals of expectation at every turn.

And it builds to an emotionally satisfying climax that answers the central story question of whether our characters will achieve their visual goal in a positive or negative manner.

Other elements such as a quick pace, character arcs, thematic resonance, and memorable dialogue are a bonus, but not absolutely necessary for a script to do its job.

(Some of this is inspired by Terry Rossio’s 60 Question Checklist, which every screenwriter should read here.)

What are some of the most common mistakes you see?

A story is a promise. Imagine Mrs. Doubtfire if the story followed Robin Williams working as an accountant instead of following the trials and tribulations of trying to reconnect with his wife and kids while dressed as an old woman.

The audience is waiting for you to deliver on the promise of your concept. If your script is about killer beer, you better have a beer pong massacre scene.

If you’re writing Schindler’s List, there’s no room for campy comedy. Vice versa.

Even if you’re mixing genres, keep your characters’ reactions to the events around them and the events themselves consistent in tone.

Clarity of what a character is feeling in reaction to a situation or what is being conveyed in general is a common issue I encounter with client scripts. Because the story is alive in your head, it’s difficult to tell what is and isn’t conveyed on the page. It’s all crystal clear for the writer, but often muddled on the page.

There are many more common mistakes, but these are the big ones.

What story tropes are you just tired of seeing?

UNDESERVED CELEBRITY STATUS – I see so many scripts that give their characters a level of celebrity status that’s unbelievable simply for the sake of telling the media-frenzied story they’re trying to tell. The paparazzi and press are very specific about the types of people they will follow. Make sure your characters are worthy of the celebrity status you’re giving them in your story.

USING NEWSPAPER HEADLINES AS EXPOSITION – Many of my clients rely on one newspaper headline after another to show the passage of time and relay important exposition. Media has changed. This is an antiquated story device that no longer holds weight with the audience.

What are the 3 most important rules every writer should know?

1) REVERSE EXPECTATION at every turn in a way that feels organic to the story and not calculated or contrived.

2) FIND THE CLICHE AND THROW IT AWAY. If we’ve seen it or heard it before, find another way to show it or say it. This will ensure your story always feels fresh and unique.

3) MAKE IT VISUAL. If dialogue comes last instead of first when you’re crafting scenes, it will ensure your story is cinematic and not better suited for the stage.

I have once, it’s called BaSatai by my longtime client Suzan Battah. She’s in the process of turning it into a graphic novel. You can find out more here. https://www.patreon.com/suzanbattah

Not worth it. Writers put so much time, emphasis, and worst of all, money into contests. In my opinion they’d be better off spending that time improving their craft and spending their money on attending networking events and writing workshops.

While I understand the allure of getting a festival or contest win to stand out from the crowd of writers trying to break in, a contest win can be detrimental to a writer’s sense of skill level and give them a false sense of completion with their scripts.

I’ve worked with dozens of screenplays that were “award-winning” with multiple festival monikers to their name, that I don’t feel would get a RECOMMEND from a single studio reader.

Writers are paying money to contests, being assured their scripts are good enough, when they aren’t ready yet. There’s nothing more detrimental to your career than trying to shop around a script that isn’t ready.

My website has all the details you’ll need at www.scriptbutcher.com/services

You can also find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/scriptbutcher

Instagram at www.instagram.com/_jimmygeorge

And Facebook at www.facebook.com/scriptbutcher

Offbeat answer here. My wife and I were passing through Intercourse, Pennsylvania, otherwise known as Amish country. There was a gift shop that sold Shoofly Pie with cartoonish construction paper flies advertising how fresh it was. We bought a slice. Needless to say, it was so delicious we left with two whole pies.

It must be true. My business card says so.

So as to remove any further doubt
So as to remove any further doubt

I got a very interesting email the other day, with the subject of “Want to get your script into shape?”.

How could I resist such a persuasive sales pitch?

What followed was a lengthy diatribe about what an almost insurmountable task it was to write not just a good script, but a great one with the potential to open all kinds of doors and really get my career going.

If I wanted any of that to happen, then I should seriously consider the services of a script consultant.  Specifically, this person.

It was a foregone conclusion I wasn’t interested, but I was intrigued to know more about them. Exactly who is this, and why should I invest the time and money to work with them? So I clicked on the link to their website.

Let’s just say it was not encouraging.

A very early-2000s look to the whole thing. Generic descriptions of what a script consultant is, how they can help me and lots of pie-in-the-sky descriptions of what could possibly happen with my script. No details about cost. Totally anonymous testimonials (which didn’t even sound true to begin with).

Did I mention this email showed up in my junk mail folder?

Just to seal the deal, I looked them up on IMDB Pro. Exactly. Nothing.

We all know this is an incredibly tough business to break into, and take all the help we can get.  Using professional feedback can really benefit your work and help develop your skills.  The tough part is figuring out who actually is a professional and gives you your money’s worth.

Utilize the tools at your disposal and do your homework. Ask questions of your peers via emails or Twitter. Check the numerous blogs and forums. There’s no reason you can’t find the information you need. And don’t be afraid to price-check and comparison shop. This is your time and money we’re talking about.

There will always be people who claim to be experts or professionals with all the answers, looking to take advantage of your desperation to succeed and ready to take your money.

Fortunately, you can go into this prepared and not let them.


Kanazawa City

Kanazawa is the prefectural capital of Ishikawa Prefecture and located in the central part of the mainland of Japan. The southeast of the city area faces the mountains and the northwest area faces the Sea of Japan. The city area is located between the Saigawa River and the Asano River. Kanazawa Castle Park and Kenrokuen Garden (one of the three greatest gardens in Japan) are located in the center of the city area, and shopping quarters (Korinbo, Kata-machi, Musashi, and Kanazawa Station) surround them.

Kanazawa has a population of 466,000 (as of April 2016), and is the center of the economy and culture of the Hokuriku area (Toyama Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, and Fukui Prefecture). The shopping quarters in the city are crowded with shoppers from various parts of Hokuriku on holidays.

Moreover, Kanazawa is a leading tourist city where 25 million tourists visit in the last few year. It was a great castle town ruled by an influential leader from the 17th century to the second half of the 19th century. Kanazawa has not suffered from any war devastation or big natural disaster. Therefore, Kanazawa maintains rows of historical houses and inherits traditional handicrafts and traditional performing arts.

The climate of Kanazawa is almost as mild as that of Tokyo or Osaka. There are not many days with temperatures below the freezing point between December and February. However, there are few fine weather days, and the snow often piles up.

The Hokuriku Shinkansen (a high-speed railway line)  reduced the travel time between Tokyo and Kanazawa to two hours and 28 minutes. The Tokyo-Kanazawa route of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line began services on March 2015. and the further economic development of Kanazawa is expected along with an increase in the number of sightseers.

※ All the data was offered from kanazawa-ctiy


Republicans and Democrats are currently conducting budget negotiations over how to handle the US debt.  While in general I think we would be much better off if more voters understood the singularity, in this instance I’m glad that any politician talking about the singularity would be dismissed as a lunatic.

The American people seem to like both low taxes and high levels of government spending on entitlements.  Alas, these dueling desires have created an enormous federal budget deficit that seriously threatens America’s long-term prosperity.  The threat is so strong that politicians might actually be on the verge of doing something to mitigate it.  The Democrats want to reduce the budget deficit by increasing tax revenue whereas the Republicans want to lower the deficit by cutting spending.  If, however, many voters believed in a coming singularity then our politicians’ budget solution would be to declare that we can run up as high debts as we want because it will be easy to repay them post-singularity.  The economic problem with this approach, however, is that government debt tends to crowd out private investment and so probably increases the time until singularity.


Image Systems in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian classic, The Handmaid’s Tale, is undergoing something of a revival these days. Reading the novel in search of practical wisdom for novelists, I was most struck by Atwood’s use of image systems. I’ve written about image systems before—here’s a quick introduction to the concept if you’re interested—and the ways in which they represent one of the writer’s most powerful instruments for conveying a novel’s subconscious impact.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood uses a highly effective image system to reinforce the novel’s prevailing mood, provoking a series of subconscious reactions in the reader that dovetail with her more explicitly presented themes and subject matter. The image system is easily spotted in passages like this:

The sun is out, in the sky there are white fluffy clouds, the kind that look like headless sheep. Given our wings, our blinkers, it’s hard to look up, get the full view, of the sky, of anything. But we can do it, a little at a time, a quick move of the head, up and down, to the side and back. We have learned to see the world in gasps.

And this, as the novel’s protagonist eats breakfast:

In front of me is a tray, and on the tray are a glass of apple juice, a vitamin pill, a spoon, a plate with three slices of brown toast on it, a small dish containing honey, and another plate with an eggcup on it, the kind that looks like a woman’s torso, in a skirt.

In these passages Atwood uses descriptive detail to capture the claustrophobic mindset of her protagonist, a woman who is kept as a reproductive slave who must get pregnant in order to survive, and whose masters, along with the cooks preparing her food, are single-mindedly focused on the overriding goal of fertilizing the egg inside the woman. Atwood’s images are powerful because they show the reality of this emotional situation in a sensory and visceral way without alluding to it directly.

The shadow side of fertility is barrenness, represented in the novel by the protagonist’s mistress, the vengeful Serena, as portrayed in this passage set in the garden as she deadheads tulips:

She was snipping off the seedpods with a pair of shears. I watched her sideways as I went past, with my basket of oranges and lambchops. She was aiming, positioning the blades of the shears, then cutting with a convulsive jerk of the hands. Was it the arthritis, creeping up? Or some blitzkrieg, some kamikaze, committed on the swelling genitalia of the flowers?

Oranges and lamb chops: a bounty of luscious fertility and recently slaughtered new life. And the shearing of the seedpods, the “swelling genitalia of the flowers”—well, it’s pretty much on the nose. But again, the imagery is a powerful subconscious way of reinforcing the unspoken emotional dynamics at work beneath the story.

But there’s a deeper thrust to Atwood’s image system as well. Remember that an image system consists not so much of repeated images as it does recurring riffs on categories of images. We can get a good sense of what that can mean in these passages, taken almost at random from the pages of the novel:

I walk along the gravel path that divides the back lawn, neatly, like a hair parting. It has rained during the night; the grass to either sides is damp, the air humid. Here and there are worms, evidence of the fertility of the soil, caught by the sun, half-dead; flexible and pink, like lips.

It’s Nick, I can see him now; he’s stepped off the path, onto the lawn, to breathe in the humid air which stinks of flowers, of pulpy growth, of pollen thrown into the wind in handfuls, like oyster spawn into the sea.

The doctors are still in their van; their faces appear at the window, white blobs, like the faces of sick children confined to the house.

We go along the corridor and through another flat gray door and along another corridor, softly lit and carpeted this time, in a mushroom color, browny pink. . . We emerge into a central courtyard . . . There’s a fountain in the middle of it, a round fountain spraying water in the shape of a dandelion gone to seed.

So now I imagine, among these Angels and their drained white brides, momentous grunts and sweating, damp furry encounters, or, better, ignominious failures, cocks like three-week-old carrots, anguished fumblings upon flesh cold and unresponding as uncooked fish.

Writing, and especially descriptive writing, is all about making choices. A well-constructed image system is an essential ingredient in the recipe for the mysterious, cumulative power that the best novels achieve. To build an image system, one must begin with the understanding that the reader’s subconscious mind can by played like a musical instrument. When she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood clearly knew this. Her image system is one of sexuality tainted by sickness, cloying bloodlessness, parasitism, squandered fertility, and death—all of which resonate perfectly with the themes and subtexts of the novel.

If you go back and look at it, so much of the meaning of The Handmaid’s Tale is carried in this image system, which is defined by the novel’s subject matter and works to greatly amplify that subject matter in the subconscious mind of the reader. Without the image system, the book would lose much of its oppressive emotional impact, an impact that lingers on far more than it would by simply coming to understand the sketched-in outlines of Atwood’s peculiar dystopia.


Designed with Edgar Monroy Rodriguez in Malinalco, Mexico

Concept - The Templo stool is the embodiment of our collaboration between Pratt Institute designers and Malinalco based master artisans.  It combines a clean and elegant outer form with an ornate and decorative relief carving over the interior surfaces.  By confining the relief carving to the interior, the stool conveys that the carving does not exist to be decorative but that it exists for its meaning.  The wonderful thing is that the carving is beautiful and, like ancient ruins, is there to be discovered.

Artwork - The artwork for the carving depicts four Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec feathered serpent god, running up each leg.   They represent north, south, east and west.  The carving continues to the underside of the seat, merging with a variation on an Aztec compass with the sun at its center.