Disciple's Save Us All Doesn't - Christian Music Reviews, Interviews ...

Artist:?Disciple
Album:?O God Save Us All
Label:?Fair Trade Services

What?s in a name?

In the case of Disciple?s newest CD, an unfortunate appeal to a theological impossibility.

As a plea, their album?s title sounds like a prayer for universal salvation:?O God Save Us All.?In a perfect world, of course, it?s a nice thought. But let?s fact it:? this world isn?t perfect, and God has told us that not everybody is going to be saved.

So if CD titles mean anything to you, O God Save Us All is off to a hollow start.

The ninth release from this popular alternative metal Christian band features a robust and technically refined menu of radio-ready songs that, for better or worse, convey more digital precision than a human being?s musical aptitude. Good music shouldn?t be sloppy, of course, and hard rock is definitely technology-driven, but glimpses of a more organic rhythm could dilute the album?s aural artificiality.

True to its genre, O God Save Us All consistently relies on dramatic percussion, while the song ?Once and For All? integrates almost poignant interludes of cello and violin. This album?s dark and moody riffs have been fairly well received by the industry?s insiders, and Disciple?s hard-core fans will likely find much to like in it, even if ? or, perhaps, because ? it sounds ubiquitous in its melancholic aesthetics.

Song by song, its lyrics tend to revolve around the same theme of rebellion juxtaposed with a greater grace. That?s not exactly a criticism, of course, since the Gospel is replete with such tableaux. Nevertheless, what does it say about a band whose musical artistry explores the Gospel from what becomes one long song comprised of 11 identical verses? With the exception of ?Once and For All,? both lyrics and sound stay almost entirely the same throughout the CD, and while that may be just fine with its fans, is that the hallmark of originality? The band itself has been constantly evolving over the years, and only one original member, Kevin Young, remains; yet even this turnover can?t explain such pre-packaged sound.

And then there?s ?Trade a Moment,? which will likely make many Christian parents shudder. It?s a love song mixing confusing messages about unrealistic infatuation and evangelism dating, almost certainly designed to appeal to kids who are dealing with teenaged angst over being unequally yoked.

There?s a fine line between relating to people and enabling them. Indeed, Disciple?s product may enjoy a certain status within the Contemporary Christian Music industry, but giving the audience what it thinks it wants can sometimes be counterproductive.

*This Review First Published 2/1/2013

Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/culture/music/disciple-s-i-save-us-all-i-doesn-t.html

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Here's an Infuser That Goes Deep Tea Diving

You know what makes tea better? A deep sea diving tea infuser, that's what. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/M1yNxFWnZrQ/heres-an-infuser-that-goes-deep-tea-diving

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Farmland Owners to Pay Higher Property Taxes in 2014 | Hoosier ...

Indiana?s farmland owners will pay higher property taxes in 2014 on the heels of an increase in the base rate for assessed land value, Purdue Extension agricultural economist Larry DeBoer says.?The base rate, which is the starting point for calculating taxes on farmland, jumped from $1,630 per acre in 2012 to $1,760 for 2013. Taxes assessed on this year?s base rate will be paid in 2014.?The base rate has exactly doubled in just seven years, from $880 per acre in 2007.

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The value of Indiana farmland is assessed based on use value rather than market value. So, even if a parcel of farmland borders commercial or residential development, it is assessed based on the income it can generate from farming, not the selling price.?When determining property taxes, Indiana?s Department of Local Government Finance takes into account the base rate, a productivity factor and an influence factor. Productivity factors are based on the soil?s productivity for growing corn. They are scheduled to rise for taxes in 2014, but according to DeBoer, bills have been proposed in the General Assembly to cancel that change.

The influence factor is a percentage reduction in the dollar amount of the productivity factor to account for conditions, such as frequent flooding, grade or forest cover.

The assessed farmland value has been rising because the base rate is calculated annually based on a number of factors, such as commodity prices, land rents, input costs and interest rates.??The base rate is calculated using a capitalization formula,? DeBoer said. ?The rent or net income earned from an acre is divided by a rate of return. The department calculates capitalized values for six years, drops the highest value and then averages the remaining five years to get the base rate.??Each year, a value from an earlier year leaves the calculation and a value from a recent year is averaged in. The base rate goes up when the value coming in is higher than value dropping out.?

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Compared with six years ago, farmland rents are higher, commodity prices are up and interest rates are down ? a combination that increases the base rate. But there?s a four-year lag between the numbers in the calculation and the tax year, so the numbers to be used for 2014 taxes are from 2005 to 2010.?For example, for 2012 assessments, which will be taxed in 2013, the capitalized value for 2003 was erased and the capitalized value from 2009 included, DeBoer said. The 2003 value was $1,407 per acre, and the 2009 value was $2,066. That means the base rate rose from $1,500 per acre for taxes in 2012 to $1,630 for taxes in 2013.

DeBoer said the trend of increasing property taxes will continue.

?Rents and commodity prices were higher and interest rates lower in 2011 than they were in 2005, so the base rate for taxes paid in 2015 should be about $2,050 ? a 16.5 percent rise from those paid in 2014,? he said.

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The drought?s reduction of corn yields to a 20-year low will affect property tax bills, but not until those payable in 2016, when the 2012 numbers enter the calculation.??Rising rents and prices and falling interest rates should raise the pay-2016 rate to about $2,430,? DeBoer said. ?The 2012 drought will have a small effect. If yields had been normal, the base rate probably would have been $100 to $200 higher.?

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DeBoer?s full report and accompanying podcast can be found in his column Capital Comments at https://ag.purdue.edu/agcomm/pages/Newscolumns.aspx

Related posts:

Source: http://www.hoosieragtoday.com/index.php/2013/01/31/farmland-owners-to-pay-higher-property-taxes-in-2014/

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Amazon scores Downton Abbey as a subscription streaming exclusive from June 18th (update: timing leak)

Anyone who's planning to catch up on Downton Abbey on their preferred service may want to plan a viewing marathon very soon: Amazon has struck a deal to become the exclusive home of the period drama on subscription-based streaming video platforms. Starting June 18th, only those Amazon Prime Instant Video members will have access to the third season and beyond on a commercial service without paying per show. The terms don't stop there -- seasons one and two will be pulled from other services later on in the year. While we're sure Kindle Fire owners will be happy, the move won't thrill those who want more of a choice as to how they keep up on their pseudo-historical intrigue.

Update: We've since gotten in touch with a source near the agreement that supports what The Verge heard: season one will disappear from Netflix on July 1st.

Filed under: Internet, HD, Amazon

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/01/amazon-scores-downton-abbey-as-a-subscription-streaming-exclusive/

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Mice Have 'Massage Neurons'

In mice, a particular type of neuron responds specifically to gentle touch. Stroking skin produces a pleasurable sensation in many mammals, including humans, but until now, it was unclear which neurons detected that stimulus

By Thea Cunningham and Nature magazine

PURRFECT: Why do hairy mammals like being stroked? Scientists think that the answer lies in a particular group of neurons which respond to gentle stroking in mice. Nature Video learns more with a little help from some furry friends: LOL cats. Image: Flickr/Gustaaf Prins

Picture the expression on your cat?s face when you stroke it. What makes it so happy? The answer lies in a particular type of sensory neuron that responds to pleasant stroking, say scientists at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. The neurons, identified in mice, are similar to certain human neurons, which could explain why we enjoy a massage too.?

Stroking skin produces a pleasurable sensation in many mammals, including humans, but until now, it was unclear which neurons detected that stimulus. It is easier to measure responses to pain than to pleasure, so neuroscientists have in general focused their attention on noxious stimulation.

The gentle touch
Writing in this week's Nature, the Caltech team shows that, in mice, a particular type of neuron, identified by molecular markers, responds specifically to stroking. The researchers used a custom-designed brush to pinch, poke or stroke mice on their hind limbs, as seen in the video above, and identified the responding neurons by imaging spots of fluorescence that represent the increase in calcium that occurs when a neuron fires. Another type was identified that was activated by the uncomfortable pinch stimulus but not by stroking.

The team carried out behavioral experiments to confirm that their mice enjoy the sensation produced by a gentle but firm stroke. The animals were genetically engineered in such a way that the 'stroking' neurons could be activated by a drug injection, and in further behavioral tests for 'place preference', the mice showed a preference for the special chamber within their experimental set-up in which the injection had been given.

Activating these neurons also helped to alleviate anxiety symptoms, which might explain why animals enjoy being groomed. Although humans are not as furry as mice, the sensory structures in the stroking neurons in mice resemble those on neurons found in at least parts of our skin (though not on hairless parts, such as the palms of the hands), suggesting that we might respond to stroking using a similar mechanism.

It?s too early to tell whether the results have any therapeutic potential but, with more work, a drug to please our pets is not unthinkable, says neuroscientist David Anderson, head of the Caltech team.

?Imagine smearing something on their skin that makes them feel like they're being stroked and petted even when you're away at work! ?It might make your pets feel better and make you feel less guilty for leaving them home alone,? he says.

This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on January 20, 2013.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=b322063e3d87158b0a7e1e97215d0943

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Washington state looking for marijuana adviser

SEATTLE Wanted: A green thumb with extensive knowledge of the black, or at least gray, market.

As Washington state tries to figure out how to regulate its newly legal marijuana, officials are hiring an adviser on all things weed: how it's best grown, dried, tested, labeled, packaged and cooked into brownies.

Those angling for the job were expected to learn more Wednesday in Tacoma. The state Liquor Control Board, the agency charged with developing rules for the marijuana industry, reserved a convention center hall with a capacity of 275 people ? plus an overflow room ? for its bidding experts to take questions about the position and the hiring process.

"The Liquor Control Board has a long and a very good history with licensing and regulation. We know it and know how to do it well," said spokesman Mikhail Carpenter. "But there are some technical aspects with marijuana we could use a consultant to help us with."

Last fall, Washington and Colorado became the first states to pass laws legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and setting up systems of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores where adults over 21 can walk in and buy up to an ounce of heavily taxed cannabis. Sales are due to begin in Washington state in December.

Both states are working to develop rules for the emerging pot industry. Up in the air is everything from how many growers and stores there should be, to how the marijuana should be tested to ensure people don't get sick.

Play Video

Marijuana in Wash.: Still illegal to sell, grow

Washington's Liquor Control Board has advertised for consulting services in four categories. The first is "product and industry knowledge" and requires "at least three years of consulting experience relating to the knowledge of the cannabis industry, including but not limited to product growth, harvesting, packaging, product infusion and product safety."

Other categories cover quality testing, including how to test for levels of THC, the compound that gets marijuana users high; statistical analysis of how much marijuana the state's licensed growers should produce; and the development of regulations, a category that requires "a strong understanding of state, local or federal government processes," with a law degree preferred.

In case no regulatory lawyers who grow pot in their spare time apply, multiple contracts could be awarded. Or bidders who are strong in one category could team up with those who are strong in another. Bids are due Feb. 15, with the contract awarded in March.

Many of the bidders are expected to come from the medical marijuana world.

Christy Stanley, a Kitsap County resident who has researched marijuana and considered opening a medical dispensary in the past, said she's attending the conference because she'd like the job, but wants to know whether it would disqualify her from also becoming a licensed grower or retailer. She knows growers, but has never grown marijuana herself, she said.

"This is big: The nation and the world are looking to us to set up a good model," she said. "If it works here, they're just going to cookie-cut this for other states."

Source: http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~r/CBSNewsGamecore/~3/tG6IrVpD-f0/

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Ramsey County officials may add to child porn charges against man ...

A man who previously ran for a seat as a commissioner in Ramsey County appeared in court last week in a child pornography case in Ramsey County. The man had previously held an administrator's job in state government, but no longer holds that position.

Prosecutors filed charges alleging 12 counts of possession of child pornography last March against the 39-year-old defendant. Now, Ramsey County officials are apparently considering filing up to 56 additional counts against the man, based upon computer forensics and a search of the man's computers.

A number of court rulings across the country have found that simply viewing an image on the Internet does not amount to possessing the image. However, when an image has been viewed, a remnant of the data may remain somewhere in the computer--even though a person may not be able to retrieve that image without a forensic type search.

The defendant in the Ramsey County case made that argument before the court recently. However, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the judge presiding in the case ruled that prosecutors in St. Paul are alleging that the man did more than view files online. Apparently, the state argues it has evidence of emails and images stored in different areas that the cache.

The judge reportedly scheduled a trial on the current 12 counts of unlawful possession of child pornography for late February. The state says that prosecutors may add additional charges based upon the search of the computers.

This blog has previously discussed issues that can arise with Internet crimes and allegations involving data stored on computers and other electronic media. Child pornography charges often involve highly complex allegations involving electronic media with today's technology. Many legal questions involving computer forensic may remain unresolved. It is important to vigorously defend on the law, as well as on the facts when facing criminal charges to advance the understanding of the law.

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune, "Ex-GOP House aide faces prospect of more child porn charges," Joy Powell, Jan. 25, 2013

Source: http://www.minneapolissexoffenseslawblog.com/2013/01/ramsey-county-officials-may-add-to-child-porn-charges-against-accused.shtml

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