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Baccarat – Gambling Card Game

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Casinos and gambling have emerged as common source of entertainment in recent times. Baccarat is a very popular gambling card game and the traces of its origin can be seen in the 15 th century in Italy and from there it traveled to France where it became extremely popular during the reign of Charles the Eighth. It is a game of cards and there are several variants of the game. These include the baccarat banque, punto baccarat and baccarat chemin de fer. In case of the games like baccarat chemin de fer and the baccarat banque, there is enough opportunity for the players to make choices and therefore display and employ their gaming tricks and skills to ensure winning. However, much to the contrary the punto baccarat is based on chance as the cards determine the performance of the player and no exercising of skill is necessary. The game offers three different betting options to the player. These are known as the ‘banker’, ‘player’ and ‘tie’.

It is interesting to note that in the casino gambling game baccarat, each card has a separate set of values attached to it. For example, the face cards like Joker, Queen and King are valued at zero points as are 10s. The cards from 2 to 9 have the same values as denoted by their figures. The sum of the cards of a player are added up together and in case the added value exceeds 10, the tens digit is abandoned. The maximum points a player can obtain in this game is 9. An added value of 10 is equivalent to 0.

Baccarat

In the baccarat chemin de fer, the game begins with the croupier’s shuffling of the cards which then pass hands of each player. At the conclusion of shuffling, the player to the left of the croupier is offered a set of cards. The one to the right of the croupier is also given a set of cards and this individual is the ‘banker’ while the rest of the players are punters. The stakes are declared by the ‘banker’ followed by those of the punters. In the banque, the banker is in a more consolidated position and contrary to the baccarat chemin de fer, the loss of the banker means that it passes on to another player instead of concluding the game. Here three packs of cards are used while six packs of cards are used in baccarat chemin de fer. In punto baccarat, the hand with maximum points between the player and banker emerges winner.

Baccarat – Gambling Card Game

5 Ways You Can Become A Facility Engineering Superhero With LED Lighting

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Let’s face it; sitting in a facility engineering position is more than demanding.

Whenever the phrase ‘budget cuts’ starts to creep up, it usually results in leaner maintenance crews or losing valuable long-time employees. Maintenance replacement is part of inventory budgets, which are critical to a smooth operation, are usually reduced drastically or diminished completely and purchasing anything becomes a knee-shaking event. It’s no secret that times have changed and it’s hard to be loved as a facility engineer. After all, we are asking for money all the time to keep our facilities running at peak performance. Very rarely are we recognized in such a way that we get the VIP parking spot for Employee of the Month, even though we are responsible for the VIP parking sign and the painted parking stripes.

Lamp

Well what if you could impress your executive leaders so much that they give you the parking spot for a year? And who knows maybe even a little extra change in your pocket for a special lunch. Sales people and marketing teams spend their careers figuring every possible method to bringing in operating cash and boy do they get recognized when they do. What about accountants? They get the corner office with real windows when they save the company some money in taxes every year. Now, it’s your turn to shine.

5 Ways You Can Become A Facility Engineering Superhero With LED Lighting

The solution is an LED lighting retrofit. I know what you’re thinking: “Here we go again – another creative idea that I end up paying the bill on.” Well contraire my friend, this is your secret to success! Interested? Before you run out to your local home center store and get sticker shock from the LED lamps on the shelves, consider the following:

First and foremost if you think a home center is going to give you what you need to get into that corner office then you belong in the basement! Remember this: experts, experts, experts – got it? LED lighting experts, such as those at LED Source, not only know how to save you money but they know how to make your lighting look incredible, which of course makes you look good.
Pay attention to the wattage savings – yes, they are real. Often times, you’re replacing 60-Watt bulbs with 7-Watt LED lamps. That’s a huge reduction in wattage, which results in big savings on your lighting bills.
Let the experts audit your facility and tell you where you can save and where it does not make sense to change. One very important note here: Never pick a vendor who is locked into one manufacturer because you will quickly find out that one manufacturer does not have the best product for every application. Pick a an LED lighting solutions company that has access to all the best manufacturers and products on the market.
When you save on maintenance, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re losing something. There is no lighting maintenance warranted for at least 10 years in most cases with LED. Maintenance costs are real so pay attention here: Let’s say your incandescent lamp costs and lasts 800 hours. You have to send your electrical maintenance staff to change the lamp when it burns out – so consider his labor rate (if you’re lucky to get someone cheap at /hr, then you can expect to see a charge of about .50). Even if your facility is conscientious about shutting lights off every morning, you’re operating hours are 10 hours a night, 7 days a week. That’s 3,650 hours annually, which means you divide that number by the lamps life expectancy of 800 hours, which results in replacing the lamp 4.6 times a year. Now for the total cost: .50 x 4.6= .50. If you weren’t following, it will cost you nearly every year to replace that one lamp. Remember the LED sticker shock you were feeling when you saw one LED lamp cost ? It doesn’t look so bad anymore, does it? In fact it’s a gift that keeps on giving because for the next 14 years (LED lamp life = 50,000 hours) you will be putting that .50 in your pocket. LED lighting is maintenance free for 50,000 hours or more. Can you feel yourself pulling into that VIP parking spot yet?
Now the last and final step will earn you the corner office with windows and move your accountant to the basement for not thinking of this – so pay close attention here. The federal government wants to give you a federal tax deduction for up to .60 per sq. ft. until they run out of their .5 billion dollars allocated to the program. To put that into perspective: If you have a 100,000 sq. ft. building, you get a ,000 deduction the year the installation takes place. Pretty impressive to get that much back from Uncle Sam, right? But be careful, it’s a one-time deduction. You cannot submit it more than once, so don’t piece your project with small budgets. Do it in one shot and you win the big prize.

Be sure you do your research or talk to the experts about the Commercial Building Tax Deduction (Partial Systems) or CBTD. It’s important to understand that the ability to deduct what is left over from the CBTD is still deductible. For example, if a project costs X but the CBTD only covers a portion of X then the remainder is deducted normally. So if a retrofit project in a 100,000 sq. ft. commercial office building costs 0,000 and the cost is .60/sq. ft., then ,000 could be the gross deduction in the tax year that the new lighting was installed, while the remaining ,000 would be deducted normally—capitalized and amortized over time. Local rebates are also big bonuses.

Now you have all the tools to be the new super hero in the office. In conclusion,

You reduced your operating costs significantly
You reduced your lighting costs by more than 50%
You reduced your lighting inventory to nothing for at least 10 years
You reduced your companies tax obligation dramatically

To learn more about LED Lighting and to get inside tips from the Experts, visit the Get LEDucated blog at http://www.GetLEDucated.com.

5 Ways You Can Become A Facility Engineering Superhero With LED Lighting

Gambling In The United States – The Domino Effect It Helped Create

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Once just a gentleman’s game, U.S. gambling began its rise to the center of attention around 400 years ago. A time where gambling was the root of all evil, yet it could still help the colonies from financial issues. Deliberation over the subject went on for years and still is today, but gambling never stopped to wait for an answer. While challenges were being discussed, different forms of gambling were being created to stave off bankruptcy and other money problems.

The first company to hold a gambling lottery was a bank in Jamestown, Virginia, which’ of course’ was an instant success. It wasn’t like the state lotteries you see today, but still was beneficial for a short period of time. After awhile, England felt as though they weren’t making a profit from this form of gambling, so they ended up banning it from everyone. However, that wouldn’t last long as all thirteen colonies eventually were allowed to hold their own without question.

Baccarat

Four centuries removed, you can drive along the eastern states and see prestigious universities like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale that were all started by revenue created by state lotteries. As several other venues were being built thanks in part to U.S. gambling, greed started to as people in the colonies wanted freedom and independence from England. While this was over several issues, lotteries were one of the bigger issues never mentioned in history books.

Obviously the most prestigious form of gambling at the time, state lotteries weren’t the only U.S. gambling going on around the country. By this time, horse races had already been around since 1665, but most bets were between owners only and not of a spectator kind. Also making its mark on cities throughout the colonies in the 1800s were casino style gambling with cards and dice. As areas grew, so did the size of gambling halls and local watering holes where games could be played.

Then came the Mississippi River and everything it had to offer with barter and trading through several owners. Business this way was quicker, and several well known individuals met on riverboats to play some casino style gambling. This was the true introduction of the professional gambler. Winning enough money in small towns to play on the riverboats with the big boys was a common tale. After awhile, many were thought to be cheaters and many would perish at the hands of people who lost money to them.

Just as the state lotteries were part of the reason for the American Revolution War, it was the Civil War that ended the time of professional gambling in the 1860s. While not the main reason, it created a business stand still, which led to no traffic up and down the great Mississippi. For the next sixty years, gambling would be loved by many and hated by that many more. States that had good fortune would create gambling booms like in California and Nevada,

As years moved ahead, people like Al Capone and his mob used gambling money to front their businesses, while at the same time sports were becoming one of the major things to bet on during this period. Fast forwarding to the seventies, lotteries held around the country were making over a billion dollars on a annual basis. Gambling in the United States was considered a normal part of living and still is today.

Now we’re in the 21st century and the gambling business is booming with billions upon billions of dollars being made annually. The Super Bowl is the most anticipated gambling event each year, and land based casinos are popping up all over the country. Still, many Americans protest gambling due to family members who have ongoing problems with controlling their addictions. However, the future looks bright and the government will have a hard time trying to give up all the tax revenue that is made off of gambling alone.

Which brings us to the future, and online casino gambling. While the United States was one of the leaders in gambling online, President Bush tried to ban them from using debit cards that are bank issued to try to control the outbreak. It didn’t take long for U.S. players to realize that adding money to different accounts like Netteller or Moneybookers, then transferring it over may take a little longer, but the end result is the same.

There will never be a solution to gambling no matter if it’s online or offline, and others will always protest the morals and what it all stands for overall. A cat and mouse game that will never be solved, and while everyone continues to argue back and forth, the sport of gambling will only become bigger. Hurry, someone go check the odds on that, you might want to bet on it.

Gambling In The United States – The Domino Effect It Helped Create

Parent Involvement – A Must For a Child’s Progress

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Children learn not only at school or with an online tutor; they also learn from their parents. Home, after all, is the first school that your child begins his education at. Parents can contribute to their child’s progress by doing small things that can really make a difference. Considering the fact that most couples do a none-to-five job, it becomes tedious for them to find time for their children. Still, with a little effort, you can help your child grow into a responsible, smart citizen.

The following tips would surely come handy:

Soccer Tip

Read with your Child

Parent Involvement – A Must For a Child’s Progress

Parents should ensure that they spend some time daily with their child reading. Start with story books and gradually switch over to books on general knowledge, history, arts, and science. You can also ask your child to read out aloud an excerpt from a story book or a newspaper article. Next comes discussing the content with your child. You can ask about the characters mentioned in the story you two just finished.

Letter Writing

The arrival of the Internet and emails has made letter writing an almost obsolete thing. There was a time when children would write long letters to their grandparents, expressing their views, talking about the things that they love, and so on.

That is why parents should encourage their children to write letters (not e-mails) to their elders, especially grandparents. This habit can help children master the art of writing, expressing their feeling using beautiful words.

Judicious use of Television and Internet

Sure, the television and Internet offer us knowledge in abundance. However, there is a flip side to this too. Watching irrelevant videos and serials on the TV can hamper your child’s education. Many of the bad habits, according to popular research, are developed by watching TV. Parents should ensure that adult-content is not visible to their children. The number of hours children watch TV should also be fixed. Encourage children to watch channels like Discovery, History, or National Geographic.

The same goes with the Internet. Though it is not possible for you to keep an eye on everything that your child browses on the WWW, you can definitely limit his online presence, not by force, of course.

Regular Discussion with Teachers

Parents should visit their child’s school quite often, and talk to his teachers. Feedback from teachers can help you monitor the progress of your child. Parents-teacher meets, though sometimes overlooked, provide both the parents and teachers to discuss the learning progress of a child. If you have enrolled your child for online tutoring, you should make it a point to take regular feedback from his online tutor.

Be a good Listener

Often, we fail to listen to our children. This can result in communication gap. It is important for parents to listen to their children. A conversation over dinner or a walk in the park can bring your child closer to you.

Play with your Child

Children love to indulge in outdoor sports. You should take out time to play baseball or soccer with your child. Take your child to a baseball game or bowling. All these would help you develop a friendly elation with your child. And remember, friends never hide things from each other!

Parent Involvement – A Must For a Child’s Progress

The Lights are off, that Means Do Not Disturb!

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Ever had that sinking, inevitable feeling that visitors, in-laws or even trick-or-treaters were going to be making their way to your home even though you’re just not in the mood to see any of them? Or maybe you’re just looking forward to turning in early at eight in the evening and you’re hoping to not be disturbed? Well whatever the reason, keeping your lights off is one of the key ways to prevent such annoyances from happening.

Turning off all your lights, and this includes outdoor lights like porch lights and post mounted lanterns in addition to your regular indoor lights like table lamps and wall sconces will surely fend off visitors during the night hours. In keeping them on, not only would you be inviting these guests, pests, what have you, to your home. You could also get a little creative with this tactic; for instance, you could look into getting motion sensor outdoor lighting installed outside your porch or front door.

Lamp

Think about it, how many times have you been disturbed by someone who didn’t even consider giving you a phone call to see if you were available? With a motion sensor light, you’ll know when someone is coming up to your home, giving you enough time to decide whether you want to invite the visitor in or completely ignore them. Speaking from experience though, there is one downfall to motion sensor outdoor lighting: anything that can and will move, such as a person, car or even a cat will set off the motion sensor detector. As such, this may become an inconvenience to some but truthfully, I’ve come to know the difference between a walking human being to an all-wheel drive vehicle pulling up to my house.

But to ensure that you get no visitors, keep your lights off and put a note stating that you are not to be disturbed on your front door. The only risk is that you’ll have a handful of angry trick-or-treaters who will probably egg your house, along with angry in-laws that will give you an earful about how they feel about your unapologetic note. But look on the bright side, at least you’re doing your part to save energy and cut the electricity bill!

The Lights are off, that Means Do Not Disturb!

Essential iPhone 4S Apps For Sports Fans

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Like most other hobbies and pastimes, the Apple iPhone 4S provides numerous apps for sports enthusiasts via the massive library in the AppStore. In this article I will look at a couple of the popular free apps within the AppStore’s Sports category.


[b]Soccer Tip[/b]

Official RBS 6 Nations Championship App

If you are a Rugby fan this is definitely an essential app if you own an Apple smartphone like the iPhone 4S. It provides comprehensive info on the teams, players and fixtures as well as news, results and live commentaries. If you are unable to watch one of the matches, you can use the app to stay up to date with the commentaries provided you have a Wi-Fi or 3G connection. If you are using a 3G connection, then data charges may apply depending on your tariff and data allowance, but if you are able to use a Wi-Fi connection then you can stay up to date for the duration of a rugby match for free.

Racing Post

Horse racing is a popular sport in the UK and many other countries, and the Racing Post app provides all the information you need to stay up to date with the day’s races as well as relevant information regarding horses, jockeys and trainers etc. The Racing Post is the UK’s bestselling horse racing publication, and it is trusted as the most knowledgeable and reliable source of horse racing information. It provides its own tips, form and ratings for every UK racehorse, so you can make an informed decision if you want to make a bet. If you do, it even provides links to the bookmakers with the best odds. If you are a horse racing enthusiast, the Racing Post app is an essential addition to your iPhone 4S.

Sky Sports News

The popular TV news channel now has an app which allows users to stay up to date with popular sporting events. These include football (soccer), rugby, Formula 1, horse racing, golf, tennis, boxing, cricket and several others. It provides news stories relating to these events, and you can jump to a specific sport where only info relevant to that sport will be displayed. It offers features like live scores, results, fixtures and league tables. If you are a subscriber to Sky TV, you can even watch Sky Sports News on your iPhone 4S by using your login details. If you are a fan of any major sport, this is an essential app, as it allows you to stay up to date with your favourite sporting events wherever you are.

With the popularity of various sporting events all over the world, it is no wonder that the AppStore offers thousands of sports apps. I have covered some of the more popular apps in this article, but if you take the time to browse the category you will find apps which relate to lesser known sports as well as country and regions specific sports apps, and official team apps. For example, as the most popular spectator sport in the UK and Europe, most football (soccer) teams from these regions have apps which provide up to date news, info, fixtures and scores, so fans can stay informed wherever they are.

Essential iPhone 4S Apps For Sports Fans

What to Look For in Online Poker Providers

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In the last couple of years, poker has emerged as one of the most popular forms of game play online. A popular card game in its own right and an extremely popular way to gamble, everyone from first-timers to seasoned experts can play the game from the comfort of their own home.

The only problem online players have: which poker provider should they use? There’s no straight answer to that question. Many of the online providers – the vast majority of them – are highly reputable and recommended by their customers. The question you should really ask yourself: what features am I looking for?

Baccarat

Online poker providers come in all shapes and sizes. Some providers only offer the chance to place poker; some are even more specific about the type of poker you can play and the rules to which you must adhere. Other providers are jack-o-trade for online casino games. In addition to various kinds of poker, you can sign up with some providers to play table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and sic bo. Some also offer slots and video slots.

Most poker sites require you to download some software in order to play. The size of the download might factor into your decision about which provider to use. You might also have to think about sign up processes and fees. For the most part, you have to sign up, providing personal details. If you’re a nut for internet security, checking the privacy policies might also be an important aspect of your decision making process.

If you decide to gamble with a bank role online, then you also need to consider options for funding your online account and the withdrawal process. Whenever you share your bank information online, it’s important to make sure there’s sufficient security to protect your assets.

You may like to read customer reviews or FAQs on the individual poker sites, as it’s a great way to find out what problems people encounter and how those problems are solved.

Another consideration is, whether you want to use money at all. Online gambling, whether it’s poker or sports betting, is subject to increased controversy due to recent legislature designed to enforce the prosecution of illegal gambling activities. Although poker is not directly mentioned or even targeted by the law as an illegal activity, the more cautious may like to cover all their bases by engaging in the only form of play that is definitely 100% legal: poker that doesn’t involve gambling with money but instead offers credits or coupons that aren’t exchanged for cash.

You should also ask around for information on the types of players that frequent particular sites and think about the level of game in which you’d like to participate. The larger poker sites have a reputation for attracting players with little or no poker playing experience, so the stimulation for a seasoned player may be limited. On the other hand, many of the worst players are happy to part with their money to more experienced players. Consider your reasons for playing poker – for fun or for income – another factor in your decision about which site to use.

If you’re totally new to poker, the number of poker sites is going to seem pretty daunting. While most people find it easier to pluck up the courage to play online rather than in real life at a table, it still takes some nerve to get involved in online games, particularly if you have no experience with the game at all. If you are new to the game and you want to make it a hobby, you shouldn’t dive in playing with bad players or exceptional players right off the bat – both will clear your pockets before you have time to acclimatize! Instead, you should find a site that nurtures newbies; perhaps one that offers tutorials and some basic information about strategies and game play. The game may not be as thrilling, but you’ll hone some important skills and get the chance to practice the basics if you play first on a site that’s tailored to meet the needs of a beginner.

The opposite applies if you’re a really seasoned and serious player. You probably don’t want to play with people who don’t take the game seriously or who are completely new to it so you may want to hunt down an site frequented by intermediate to advanced or even expert players.

Where ever you decide to start out, in the end, you may decide to join or play on more than one online poker site if you have the time and money, which allows for the good old benefit of choice. Check out http://www.gamma-seven.com/top7.shtml to find out more about the top ranked poker sites on the web.

What to Look For in Online Poker Providers

Personal Development: Practice Is More Important Than Theory

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Why Practice is More Important Than Theory

“In theory, there is no difference between practice and theory. In practice, there is.”

Buddhism

- Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut

If you read and talk about personal development too much, then it can begin to turn into a kind of mystical abstraction. The more you try to intellectualize about it, the further away your goals seem to become.

This is why you should view your personal development as a “practice-based philosophy.” The very nature of the subject “personal development” requires that you are capable of putting your values, beliefs, and ideas into action. Action is the primary requirement. Without action, you’re in a place of personal stagnation.

Have you ever heard of a “keyboard jockey?” A keyboard jockey is an individual who spends more time typing on their computers about how to do something than actually practicing it in the real world. It’s a term that first became popular in the Pick-Up Artist (PUA) community.

Whether or not you agree with PUAs, they were right on this one. They understood that in order to learn something, or get better at it, you need to go out into the “field” and practice it.

Michael Jordan didn’t become a professional basketball player by reading books about basketball. Gary Vaynerchuk didn’t become a Wine expert by reading books about wine. And Style didn’t become a Pick-Up Artist by reading books about seduction.

Nothing can replace practice and personal experience.

So what happens when we don’t practice and just theorize?

Paralysis by Analysis

In effect, we begin to think about a situation so much that we actually inhibit ourselves from ever taking action. We get an idea for a new business, then the very next day we think of 2 or 3 other possibilities. Eventually, our list keeps piling up, but we never follow through on any of them.

Paralysis by analysis is especially prevalent in today’s world because we have so many damn choices. There are so many different foods to eat, girls to date, careers to choose, places to see, music to listen to, etc. Sometimes there are so many possibilities that we don’t know where to start. So we just do nothing. We become so overwhelmed by the amount of choices we have that we’d rather not make a decision. Perhaps it’s because the “opportunity cost” of missing out on all those decisions is too much for us to bare.

The more we ruminate on our options, the more likely we are to suffer paralysis by analysis. This is one very obvious way that too much theorizing can greatly inhibit our personal development.

Goals become more clear and vivid when we begin working toward them.

Often we don’t really know what we want (let alone how to get it) until we get a taste of it. This is why experimenting with new experiences can be so beneficial. Sure, we may have some rough moments along the way, but that will just give us an even better idea on what we want and don’t want out of life.

Sometimes it’s better to let the bad things happen rather than keep theorizing and worrying about them inside your head. You may find:

It wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be.
You gain experience and learn from it in a way you never could just by thinking about it.
You build resilience – “what doesn’t kill you often makes you stronger.”
You develop a deeper understanding of your preferences and values.

Now, I’m not saying we should act recklessly without any sense of caution, but I do think that often the things we worry about are more harmless than we make them out to be.

Beliefs Should Be Practical and Flexible.

“Truth is what works.”

- William James

Beliefs are only as valuable as they are practical. You can theorize about alternative universes and multiple Gods all you want, but if you have no access to the truth, and it has no bearing on how you act on a daily basis, it shouldn’t really matter (at least not from a personal development perspective).

Sure, it may be fun to think about all these unknowns, and it may even make us more critical thinkers, but if these questions begin taking up too much energy and time, then it is probably best to re-focus on more practical matters. Focus on the ideas that bring you results and ignore abstract matters which are often inconsequential.

I recall the earlier years of my conscious pursuit for personal development. I began to become really infatuated with Buddhism, eastern philosophy, enlightenment, and seeking an “absolute truth” about the nature of reality and consciousness.

I would go to my universities libraries and take out books on all kinds of stuff, not excluding astral projections, the afterlife, paranormal activity, philosophy of mind, etc. It was a long and tiresome journey, and nothing very fruitful came out of it. I eventually had to abandon the pursuit, accepting the fact that there are some things I don’t know and can’t know, and those things aren’t worth obsessing over.

Since then it feels as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Being able to accept that you “don’t know and can’t know” everything is one of the most liberating feelings in the world.

It’s also the best reason to keep your beliefs flexible. It would be pretty presumptuous to think you can discover (and settle) for a few beliefs and principles and live your whole life in accordance to them. The universe is way too complex and humans are all too fallible for us to base all of our decision-making on a few static principles.

That’s not to say we should abandon all principles and values, only that it is important not to be bounded by them when they no longer apply. That is the big idea behind being ground in practicality vs. being grounded in theory.

You may make it a general principle “not to kill others,” but if you find yourself in a situation where someone was attacking you, then you may be willing to kill them in self-defense. In the same way, there are situations I may not even be able to imagine where I may need to compromise, adjust, or abandon certain values depending on the circumstances.

I want to finish by saying I believe choosing practice over theory also opens us up to more possibilities and more freedoms. Being completely fixed on our principles makes us stubborn and narrow-minded. But giving ourselves the flexibility and freedom to adapt to our surroundings allows us to navigate throughout life much more effectively.

Personal Development: Practice Is More Important Than Theory

Anglican Covenant Overlooks Liturgy – Flawed First Draft

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The drafters of the proposed Anglican Covenant (a document intended to hold together a fragmenting Anglican Communion) have failed to include the concept of common prayer – one of the jewels of Anglicanism.

The draft covenant proposes a sort of corporate papacy alien to Anglican (Episcopalian) thinking thus far. Whilst it might be surprising that the draft makes no mention of concepts of subsidiarity, reception, the three legged stool, or the wide tent of Anglican inclusiveness, it is the complete absence of shared liturgical practice that surprises me most.

Buddhism

The genius of the (Elizabethan) Anglican settlement was community formed not by confessional hegemony (as with Continental Protestantism on the one hand), nor by authoritarianism (as with Roman Catholicism on the other), but by a commitment to shared liturgical practice. Participants could interpret this shared practice in different ways (“I will not make windows into people’s souls” – Elizabeth I) and hence, people of a wide variety of opinions could participate in the same community with integrity. Many today who quickly turn to Buddhism or other traditions need to hear again that Christian spirituality is a discipline of practice not merely intellectual gymnastics without consequence (“believing six impossible things before breakfast” – from that wonderful Anglican cleric Lewis Carroll). Anglicanism offered a shared practice that inserted individuals and communities in a historical heritage going back to Christ and earlier.

In the church in which I serve, the Anglican Church in New Zealand, until 1984 there were two liturgical options available for the community’s celebration of Holy Communion – a traditional (thee, thou, thine), and a contemporary (you). From 1984 quite different contemporary rites were introduced – simple priest’s cues are met with scrambling through pages of books because different rites have quite distinct people’s responses to similar cues. In 1987, rather than encourage all to pray the Daily Prayer of the church (as Cranmer had intended), General Synod removed the ancient requirement for clergy to pray this. The reasoning: some clergy were not fulfilling this commitment and kiwis don’t like to induce guilt. Any clergy who still do pray Daily Services often see it as personal devotional time rather than part of the great corporate common prayer of all, in space as well as time. By 1984 there was also authorised a “Form for ordering the Eucharist”. This was a simple outline and included a eucharistic prayer framework. Borrowed from the BCP (USA), this “Form for ordering the Eucharist” was intended for a particular group (a prayer group, a youth camp) to carefully prepare a shared specific celebration of the eucharist. It was not to be used on Sundays when the community would gather to share common prayer and laity were spared the whim of the vicar’s current fancy. Following the general direction of this brief survey, it will not surprise the reader that General Synod 1998 removed the Sunday restriction of this outline. A eucharist could now, pretty much, take any format – unrecognisable possibly within the tradition – excepting that the eucharistic prayer still had to be authorised by Anglican processes within New Zealand. By 2006, however, that requirement too had been removed. General Synod made the (new) “Worship Template” a Standing Resolution of our church and one can now use a eucharistic prayer authorised anywhere in the Anglican Communion. This finally means that a person can arrive on Sunday at their local Anglican parish church without the slightest idea what might ensue at the eucharist. Common Prayer was finally buried. “Creativity” is the catch-cry. Gathered community has become audience, and “infotainment” the model replacing shared common worship.

Alongside this brief survey another could be told of decreasing clergy training, formation, and study that both adds to and explains the loss of common prayer. The national seminary, which only a small proportion of those to be ordained now attends, handed over its lecturing to the secular university which has little energy for what it calls “parsons’ subjects” (Liturgy, Anglicanism, preaching, and the like). The majority of ordinands are locally trained for ordination – often meeting for a day once a month. And some parishes (including city ones) no longer provide a stipend for a “trained” priest and, instead, have a calling process within their own small community (Locally Shared Ministry, otherwise known as Total Ministry).

In this context the lack of liturgical, ethical, theological, and canonical agility of many in significant positions of Anglican leadership is not surprising. The lack of even a mention in the draft Anglican Covenant of the gem of common prayer as a source and expression of community appears to indicate that the loss of this insight and practice is not merely a local New Zealand eccentricity but part of a wider trend. The Anglican five-fold mission statement is fine as far as it goes (proclaim Good news; teach, baptise, and nurture new believers; respond to human need; seek to transform unjust structures; safeguard creation). These are highlighted in the draft Covenant. But again, previous drafters of this mission statement have failed to underscore, I would argue, the primary mission of Christ and hence of Christians and of us as church: the worship of God.

The unique gift of Anglicanism to the wider, divided Christian community, and possibly as a parable for the world, was that of being able to hold together a wide diversity of perspectives through shared spiritual practice – common prayer. That gift appears to be being lost.

Anglican Covenant Overlooks Liturgy – Flawed First Draft

How to Make a Wish and Manifest It Using the Law of Attraction

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Manifesting your desires using the Law of Attraction can be compared to Aladdin rubbing his lamp, and then making a wish to his genie. The genie then magically gives whatever Aladdin wished for.

But it becomes different when it comes to the process of manifesting your desires because it is not as simple as just rubbing a lamp for the genie to come out, making a wish, and then you instantly get it. There are a series of steps you must take for you to be able to use the Law of Attraction to manifest your desires.

Lamp

Let me now show you the steps.

How to Make a Wish and Manifest It Using the Law of Attraction

1. On Wish at a Time

You must give all of your focus to one desire at a time. Thinking of too many at a time will not give you great results. How you feel when you think of your desires and the duration or how long you think of them will define if you are going to get your desire or not.

Thinking of your desires must make you feel good, and you must constantly send this kind of vibration to the universe. To have a burning desire towards attaining your goal is also a requirement. You are going to get or become what you think about most of the time because that is the way the Law of Attraction works.

2. Have The Right Kind of Expectation

You also must think of what you want as already part of your life. Go on with your usual day-to-day tasks but at the back of your mind, you must acknowledge your desire as already a part of your reality.

When you think of it this way, the universe can’t help but give you what you want for this is the right kind of expectation that aligns your thoughts and emotions to your intent.

3. Believe

Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, either way you are right. You must get rid of limiting beliefs because it will hinder the universe from giving you what you want. You must fill your personality with positivity about the possibility of attaining what you want.

Once you start thinking of what you want, you are already starting the process of manifesting it into your reality. For some people, the problem comes in when they start doubting that they are really going to get what you want.

Doubt can sometimes be the biggest problem for people who try to manifest their desires using the Law of Attraction specially when the desire that they are expecting takes longer to manifest than they expected.

The trick here is to not set a deadline when your desire is going to manifest into your reality. The universe will present what you want to you at the right time. We are not that smart to know when the right time will be.

So be patient and believe that you are going to have what you want at the right time. Just keep on thinking of your desire, feel good about it, and live your life as if you are already enjoying it. Manifesting your desires using the Law of Attraction can be really easy if you would follow and practice its principles with great discipline and with great belief in them.

How to Make a Wish and Manifest It Using the Law of Attraction