Şi ghiocei în ghioci de rouă falnici cu strigăt şi’alăută nou născută…

Mă strigă, mă cheamă la ea primăvara dar ezit…ea nu’i acolo, nici acolo,

Ea e la tine…dă’mi’o, dă’mi’o te rog, ca să trăiesc…

.

One of the most interesting settings in which I’ve worked is definitely Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Oregon’s only women’s prison. Located in north Wilsonville, Coffee Creek is home to over 1,100 women serving prison sentences ranging from a year to life without parole.

While DOC officials can be stingy with information at times, they also have provided a surprising level of access to both the minimum and medium security wings at Coffee Creek, although the intake section of the prison remains off limits. The latter is where every individual sentenced to a prison term in Oregon, man or woman, is processed prior to permanent assignment to one of the state’s 14 prison sites.

Working inside a prison means losing everything of value at the door, except what you absolutely need to do your job. Because inmates normally are issued blue denim jeans, visitors or volunteers may not wear blue trousers. You also are asked to sign a waiver absolving the facility of responsibility in case of the visitor is kidnapped or assaulted.

That might seem over the top. But not when compared with the day-to-day routines of inmates living under constant head counts, searches and an utter lack of privacy.

I’ve visited Coffee Creek enough times to have amassed hundreds of photos, some of them quite interesting. The images are mainly of the inmates themselves, often showing the children of inmates taking part (as above) in programs, including the prison’s groundbreaking Through a Child’s Eyes (TACE) program initiated by the Wilsonville Rotary Club in 2006.

In the photos in this post, inmate Alicia Roach is enjoying time with her son Antawan, 2, at the 2011 summer TACE event (A gallery from that event can be seen here.). By the end of the afternoon, it didn’t matter that time was growing scarce with his mother. It was time for a nap and a restful drive home.

Some might cringe when considering that Roach was sent to prison for her role in a violent 2008 armed robbery in which she helped entice the victim by offering sex for money. But her children know nothing of that. They only see a mother that adores her children, despite a decidedly checkered past.

Because of the number of images I’d like to share, I intend for this to be an ongoing series of posts. Virtually none of the photos have been published before now, and it seems like a waste to keep them hidden, given the scarce look the public gets inside the correctional system.

Here’s another recent photo of mine from Coffee Creek being used by the DOC.

The book, was of course aimed at boy scouts and the motto, first published in the third instalment, was, and still is, “Be Prepared”.  Robert Baden-Powell (the Lieutenant-General) wrote that:

The Scout Motto is: “be prepared” which means you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your duty.

• Be Prepared in Mind by having disciplined yourself to be obedient to every order, and also by having thought out beforehand any accident or situation that might occur, so that you know the right thing to do at the right moment, and are willing to do it.
• Be Prepared in Body by making yourself strong and active and able to do the right thing at the right moment, and do it.

“To do the right thing at the right moment” can be extreme:

• “Where a man has gone so far as to attempt suicide, a Scout should know what to do with him.”
• “Be prepared to die for your country if need be, so that when the moment arrives you may charge home with confidence, not caring whether you are going to be killed or not”

Just over a century later, this motto could equally apply to the 21st Century developer intending to engage with the planning system.  And January and February provide a superb opportunity to ‘be prepared’.  Whilst developers are unlikely to need to prepare to die for their country, they could do worse than heed the general meaning invoked by this motto and think ahead, act and commission an ecology survey – something I’ve written about before and also here and here.

And why January and February?  Well, by commissioning a high level ecology survey now, you can be in an informed position in time for the spring 2012 survey season.

So as well as Think! Act! Commission! Ecology (TACE)…’be prepared’.

More Levels!

So Dancer is now up to level 39. I learned the hard way that, while Dancer is thoroughly awesome, it can’t take on three Very Tough Antican at the same time.  It was a lesson I learned twice, lol. I’ll try to be more careful from here on out.

Black Mage sits at 47. I’ll get to leveling that some more soon, but it’s much easier to handle things solo on Dancer than on Black Mage.

Windurst Rank 8

Yep. Thanks to the gracious help of Destiney (❤) and Tace, the rank 7 missions are done aaaaaand done.  Looking ahead, there is LOTS of running around to do in the future, so getting to 10 is on the backburner until I can sure up help again.  Gonna say though, I like the Windy story quite a bit more than the Bastokan one.

The May 2011 Version Update

So the big update was this week, and although it lacks in new areas or original content, it did make a few changes that I am looking forward to trying.

Voidwalkers – This is almost like “Abyssea Lite” from the update notes. I like the idea of reinvigorating some old areas.  Dangruf Wadi needs more love. Seriously.

The “New” Dynamis – I’ll see what this is really like tonight, as Soymilk is heading in there as a group. Maybe I could go in my spare time and get some RDM body finally? How about some BLM or DNC?  Maaaaaaaybe?

The New Name Font

Here’s one of the quirky parts of the update.  So they updated the font they use for names and numbers.  It’s a much higher resolution font, and I really like it.

Sadly, it seems quite a few others DON’T, and I really don’t get what the issue is.  It looks a hell of a lot better than the original one.

The World Merge 「Gilgamesh ⇒ Carbuncle」

Wow.  There’s a lot of people on Carbuncle now, lol.

And that’s it for now!  Expect a quick post on the new Dynamis sometime later this week.

See you in Vana’diel!

Wow! I am bot sure I’d like to have a cardboard cutout of Mario Cipollini and Magnus Backstedt in my gaff but should you then feel free to cop yours right here.

The week previous to Rapha’s Hell of the North ride comes this, the Northern UK equivalent to the monster that is the Tour of Flanders.

Come and join us for the real deal in East Lancashire on Sat 3rd April – cafe at the car park for post ride dissection, weather guaranteed (not saying what sort…) and of course more cobbles than you can shake a 24mm Pave tire at.

More details here.

tra le cose   la nasconde in noi

per raccoglierla improvvisa

il giorno in cui quella cosa

in noi si rinasce e

finalmente esiste

…

Io il mare me lo tengo dentro l’o(re)cchio

punt(u)ale incessante

r i v a e  ritorno

….

e un cuore come un tamburo

dentro il filo dei giorni

annoda le cose al mio sangue

mi ricorda che

anch’io appartengo

a tutto ciò che tace, che scompare e che è

qui ad una certa ora

mentre la vita  scrive sulla pagina

e svuota

l’ assenza

il duro esercizio del cadere

…morire?

no, sono certa che non muore niente

solo la gente non ricorda

che tutto cambia

la stessa voce     muta

in un mare  continuo di vento.

Pro-memoria del ritorno e della partenza- 30 agosto 2009

Last week, 2PM was on Inkigayo Special Idol stage.  I know it was last week, but I had to share these photos of the guys and the video.  They were just too amazing in their dances.  Nickhun really surprised me also.  Did you guys notice that in their debut, it was only Jaebeom who would show some extra skin?  Now that the guys are working out more, they’re starting to show more skin one by one.  First Jaebeom then Chansung and now Nickhun.  I am impressed.  I can’t wait to see who’s next.

It is weird that that in the image above, Nickhun is wearing rosary and he’s Buddhist. 

Poor Junsu.  He doesn’t look happy.  Well, I wouldn’t be either if I had to work and I was sick.

Credits:  lilygiang & nate.com

PNL-ul ar fi teoretic optiunea. M-au apucat insa toti dracii acu vreo cateva zile, cand am vazut clipu ala cu taxe mai mici pentru romani. As putea sa spun faza aia clasica cu “da bine ba, ca ati fost la guvernare, ce pula mea ati facut 4 ani?”. Dar nu. Eu nu fac dinastea, ca sunt baiat fin. Eu dau cifre:

inainte de cota unica microintreprinderile plateau 1.5% impozit pe venit si 5% impozit pe dividente – adica din 119 lei incasati, 19 se duceau ca tva la stat, 1.5 ca impozit pe venit si 4.925 pe impozit pe dividende si ramaneau 93.575 RON ; ca srl “normal” se platea tot 19 lei pe tva, 25 lei pe profit (25%) si 3.75 ron (5%) pe dividende si ramaneau 71.25 RON

Dupa cota unica, cand s-au prins baietii ca nu le ies socotelile cum vor ei, au crescut impozitul pe dividende la 10% dupa care la 16%. Iata si noile calcule:

O microintreprindere care incaseaza 119 lei da patronilor 81.48 RON (3% impozit pe venit si 16% pe dividende). O firma platitoare de impozit pe profit mai da patronilor  70.56 RON (se aplica odata 16% pe profit si 16% pe venit).  In primul caz SEMNIFICATIV mai putin, in al doilea oarecum neglijabil, dar, totusi, MAI PUTIN.

(nu e citat, e scris de mine, dar nu aveam cum sa evidentiez altfel)

Probabil ca o sa vina unii sa spuna (cum au mai spus si altii pana acuma) ca bine baaaaaaa, voi astia cu firmele astea mici. Guess what? Platesc taxe? Da. OK, atunci am pretentii. Basca ca noi astia cu firme mici suntem cei mai multi – pe cand aia cu firme foarte mari (care intr-adevar au profitat de scaderea impozitului pe profit la 16%) sunt doar o mana de oameni. Plus ca asta e interesul meu, asta sustin – taxe mai mici pentru MINE. (in loc de mine se poate pune oricine in aceeasi situatie)

Ceea ce PNL-ul nu a facut. Nu mi-a scazut taxele, ci mi le-a crescut – asa cum am demonstrat mai sus. Ma rog, aproape m-am obisnuit cu “tagma jefuitorilor” asa ca totusi, asi fi votat pnl. Daca nu ieseau sa ma minta pe fata ca cica taxe mai mici pt romani. Pai ba baieti, dupa ce MI-ATI CRESCUT taxele veniti acuma si promiteti TOT VOI ca ele trebuie sa scada? Pai de ce pula mea ati fost la guvernare?

Motiv pentru care am ramas cu o singura optiune: UDMR. Niste baieti care stiu despre ce e vorba in propozitie, printre singurii pe care i-am auzit pe TV vorbind de kestii europene, nu de crescut pensii si scazut impozite, niste baieti pe care eniciodata nu i-am vazut aberand pe kestii de care nu au habar (imi amintesc iar de Bodu, care sef la ANAF fiind nu stia sa scoata TVA-ul dintr-un pret). Si, poate cel mai important, niste baieti care nu mi-au promis niciodata nimic.

Asa ca asta este protestul meu: votez cu ungurii. Daca nu votez, tot aia ajung acolo. Dar daca votez UDMR le mai scad lor sansele. Iar daca am face mai multi asa, le-am da peste bot “partidelor”, trimitand 50% udmr in PE. Plus ca astia sunt totusi indivizi coerenti.  Si va sugerez sa faceti si voi la fel. Messa, cred ca ai primit raspuns la intrebarea ta.

Bonus un banc:

I: de ce sunt unguroaicele asa de bune?

R: pentru ca sunt UDe MeReu (citit cu voce tare una mult mai bine)

Understanding Divine Knowledge from God–Part One

2Co 4:6

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(New King James Version)

_______________________________________

This verse begins with the word “for” which is translated from the Greek word hoti. One of the other English words for this Greek word is “because”.  Because God performed a certain divine act in the life of the believer, there was a manifested change in the mind of the believer.  The manifested change came in the form of divine revelation knowledge concerning the glory (doxa) of God.  Because God infused, (breathed into the spirit) of the believer, this came about.  This is the working of regeneration as a part of the salvation plan of God.  This regenerative act is a part of 2 Corinthians 5:17  speaks of the “newness” the believer. What was old has passed away, and replaced with all things new.  Our minds have been renewed through this divine act (Romans 12:2).  We have been made alive by God’s Spirit.  Old things–concepts and perceptions have been replaced with fresh spiritual enlightenment. This spiritual enlightenment is an ongoing process in the life of the believer. This renewal process began at the moment we accepted salvation.  Now we are responsible to walk in the light as He is in the light on daily basis.  This will help us to learn the new spiritual knowledge of Him through our growing relationship with Him. 

The action God performed came through a commandment.  The word “command” comes from the Greek word epo, which finds its root in a primary verb, which is used, only in the definite past tense.  The other tenses of this word are borrowed from the Greek word ereo which is translated into English as say 57 times, speak 7 times, tell 4 times and speak of 2 times for a total of 71 times in the King James Version.  It means to utter, to speak, or say.  The other alternate form of epo is rheo, which can be understood as a pouring forth.  In this divine act of God, He poured forth into the new life of the redeemed the knowledge of His glory. 

God broke the silence that had existed for 400 years.  All man had to go on was the laws and commandments that had been received by Moses on Mount Sinai.  Since then, many more man-made laws had been added making the total number of laws 613.  To break one of these laws was to break the whole law.  These inconsistencies were among the many things that Jesus pointed out to his disciples. It was time for humanity to hear and receive the revealed Truth of the One True living God.  It was time for them to come to the knowledge of truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ–God’s only begotten Son.  It was time to set the record straight.  It was time for humanity to get the true description of Who He was, and the love He had in His heart for them.

Since we have been given this knowledge, it should be understood that no man could successfully preach and be of much good if they do not have a working relationship with the Lord and His Written Word.  The individual mind cannot vacillate and hesitate concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ nor did the life that must lead.  When the mind is filled with doubts, there is no faith.  When there is timidity in doing the work of the Lord, then the boldness that is promised has not been received.  The individual who declares what he has no acquaintance with the Lord cannot be effective.  If there is no deep-felt conviction concerning the words written in the Bible, then how can this individual be effective for the kingdom of heaven?  There is a lack of understanding concerning what the individual affirms.  How can they stand by something that they do not understand? 

What then should be the standard by which to measure the effectiveness of a person’s words concerning Jesus and His gospel?  This lesson teaches that there must be God-given spiritual enlightenment.  The individual must be God-breathed upon in order to receive the right illumination.  There are illuminations that have their source in the rulers of darkness, and then there is the true Illuminator who shines through to the heart causing a change.  There must be a relationship developed through personal interaction and experience with Jesus Christ. 

Copyright©2008Pamela Ann Williams-Paige. All rights reserved

I’m wishing him all the best. Give him the strength, Dear Allah Almighty.