Datasets:

meg

/

fineweb-jewish-sentences

like 0

Marjorie Becker has been invited to participate, with Prof. David St. John, in "Peruvian Portals: A Cross-Cultural Hymn." This assessment of Quechua poetry and Andean history will take place at the Fisher next fall. She also participated in a conference assessing the legacy of Muriel Rukeyer's complex and remarkable role as independent progressive, internationalist, (and translator of the great Mexican poet Octavio Paz,) feminist and foremother of many writers and artists. In addition, Marjorie just learned that her monograph, Setting the Virgin on Fire: Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán Peasants and the Redemption of the Mexican Revolution, is in its sixth printing. Sarah Gualtieri has been invited to present a paper at the International Immigration History Conference, " A Century of Transnationalism", at UCLA on April 26, 2013. Organized by Roger Waldinger (Director, Program on International Migration and Professor of Sociology, UCLA) and Nancy Green (History, L’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris), this two-day conference will bring together an international group of historians and social scientists who focus on the history of international migration. Wolf Gruner’s article “Peregrinations into the Void? German Jews and their Knowledge about the Armenian Genocide during the Third Reich” (Central European History 2012) was translated into Armenian and published in three chapters in the journal: Nor Or Weekly, 28 February 2013, VOLUME 91, NO. 9, pp 2 and 14; 7 March 2013, volume 91, No. 10, p.11; 14 March, VOLUME 91, NO. 11, pp. 3 and 14. Wolf Gruner’s chapter on the persecution of the Jews and the reaction of the Berliners in a recent book on Berlin between 1933-1945 was highlighted in an article “Feigheit und Mut: Berlin zur NS-Zeit”, in a big German newspaper: Süddeutsche Zeitung on 12 March 2013. His presentation “Individual Defiance and Protest. A micro historical Reevaluation of Jewish Responses towards Nazi Persecution” was highlighted in the internet blog of the Duitsland Instituut Amsterdam, Netherlands, with the article “Microgeschiedenis en Holocaust” (micro history of the Holocaust) by Froukje Demant, 12 Dec 2012. María Elena Martínez was awarded a 2012-2013 Mellon Mentoring Award in the Faculty to Graduate Students category. She was also invited by the University of Nantes to give a talk this summer on her book Genealogical Fictions and assess the work of their graduate students in her field (declined). Joan Piggott has published the first in a series of articles and translations of the eighth-century Japanese law code, known as the Yoro Code, in "Gender in the Japanese Administrative Code, Part 1: Laws on Residence Units." The article appears in the Teikyo Journal of History 28 (February 2013), pp. 317 to 418. In addition, a workshop and lectures pertinent to the next phase of the project will be held at USC during the week of April 22-25, with two visiting professors from Japan joining Professor Piggott. They are Prof. Akiko Yoshie and Prof. Yoko Ijuin. Besides their working meetings and presentations to both undergrads and grad students, Professors Piggott, Yoshie, and Ijuin will participate in a roundtable discussion concerning the recently published work on April 23, 3:30 to 6:30, in the Polymathic Study Room (Rm 241) of Doheny Library.

By Simon Friend November 21, 2008 Nominations have opened for the chair of the Union of Jewish Students. Campaigning began on November 18 and continues for a week before the candidates' road show arrives in Scotland for the first leg of the annual tour. Canvassing around the major campuses over the years has become innovative, with last year's election featuring sophisticated websites, YouTube videos, interviews and podcasts. This year's election, with more locations than ever before, will be no less hotly contested. The new road show format has increased participation over the past few years, with more than 700 people voting last year in the election. The 2008 Road Show will visit nine venues over two weeks, culminating in Manchester on December 4.

The Cooking Ape in Frankfurt am Main had been plucked from the search engine particularly because of its name! This was Silke's initiative for finding our group of fifteen photo snappers a table in this chill-out loft style room. Our meeting spot has turned into a new experience of eating out - as The Cooking Ape's subtitle suggests: Manufaktur der Esskultur (The manufacture of eating culture). A catering distribution, deli and eating area has been transformed under the one roof. This family run business firmly believes that their innovative approach to food fare, is owed to the inspiration of their meshed family cultures: German, Jewish and Portuguese. Besides this, they like to be thorough in what they do to ensure the best quality of their produce. This is being achieved by the pastas, sauces, pastries and ice creams all being made in-house; through their persistence of blending all ingredients of choice. Through their open style Kitchen, chefs are preparing antipasti variations. Homemade pasta is being topped with prawns, tomato pesto and brandy. A hearty pumpkin and ginger soup is steaming, and deer meat is being served on a plate with red cabbage noodles; all are an array of seasonal autumn dishes. Juan demonstrates how to use their state-of-the-art cold griddle by mixing goodies into self-prepared ice creams and sorbets. I've let Juan surprise me with a 'Basil Sour' by whipping together two scoops of lemon sorbet, balsamic and topped with fresh basil like the actions of a Teppanyaki chef, then places the mixture into a bright coloured container that is has been made with corn. Along with its colourful spoon, I feel like I've won a prize from a funfair, but only without the additives! Happy with our refueled stomachs both Frankfurt and Karlsruhe Flickr groups have ventured out to greet the city of Frankfurt am Main. ...for more pictures

Although the Alshich did not compose a commentary on Pirkei Avos itself, in the course of his explanations of the verses and narratives of Tanach he expounds on many of the Mishnayos contained in Avos. Employing the same incisive questioning and analytical scalpel that he applies to whole chapters and individual verses in his commentary on Scripture, the Alshich interprets these Mishnayos, paying meticulous attention to numerous seemingly inconsequential details of the written text. He reveals their underlying structure and meaning, while emphasizing the moral and religious lessons to be derived from each Mishnah. Among the Alshich’s themes are many of the principles and key concepts of Jewish faith, including the afterlife, reward and punishment, hashgachah pratis (Divine intervention in human affairs), proper study habits, and the correct path to a Torah way of life. The Alshich’s flowery language, enigmatic style, and frequent borrowing of phrases from Scripture and the Talmud have made it difficult for all but the most accomplished Torah students to reap the full benefits of his brilliant writing. This new adaptive translation makes his work more accessible to the English reader. It includes copious footnotes that identify the Alshich’s sources, extensive explanations to clarify the more difficult passages, an explanatory foreword, and a thoroughly researched biography. |Ships Free?||Eligible for Free Shipping| |Author||Avie Gold , Nahum Spirn| |Dimensions||6.3" x 9.2"|

Germophobe Stirs Emotions (“Married to a Germophobe” – Chronicles, Feb. 15) Reading the article about the Germophobe wife made me think of my mother, Mrs. Irene Klass, of blessed memory. From the time that I was a child, it was a common refrain in our home: “Wash your hands with soap. Lather up and scrub them, then rinse them off and dry them.” Whenever I tried to rush through the process, she would say that a job worth doing is worth doing well. Mom’s hands were always clean and white. Sometimes after I would tell her that I had washed my hands she would show me how white hers were, and of course mine didn’t match up. As a youngster I would tell her that my skin was darker than hers, but she would take me over to the sink and show me that my hands could be as white as hers with a little more effort. In the winter when the flu was going around, or even the common head cold, she would tell my sister and me that washing our hands well with soap was the best protection against catching whatever was going around. In fact she wrote articles on the Women’s page of The Jewish Press about this very subject. Years later she was vindicated when doctors and health officials came out with the same conclusion. How did your mother know, all those years ago, my friends have asked me. How did she know so very many things, long before they became common knowledge? I can’t really answer that except to say that she was one of the smartest women I have ever known, and I miss her and all of her wise advice every day. Naomi Klass Mauer Some mothers are blessed with extraordinary wisdom and common sense. To their children, this reality often begins to really sink in after they’re gone. Maybe it’s because while they’re with us we tend to take them for granted. But let’s look at the bright side — the wonderful legacy they’ve left us! Chasdei Hashem!! I think I can almost top the husband who feels he is married to a germophobe. My wife is a neatnik who can’t stand clutter, let alone uncleanliness. The passing of years hasn’t done anything to relax her compulsion for tidiness. She is a firm believer in “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Here’s the clincher: Once a week, on Thursday, my wife has cleaning help. Guess what she does on those mornings? She starts cleaning up for the cleaning lady! I kid you not. Her excuses are endless: She doesn’t know where things belong… She won’t possibly get to everything… She never cleans this properly… I don’t want her touching my bed linen… I don’t want her touching my Shabbos leichter… I don’t like the way she folds the laundry… and inevitably: I hope she won’t show up; she just gets in my way. Rachel, we’re not youngsters anymore and my wife simply can’t do what she used to. I try telling her that the extra help is for her own good, but her lament continues to replay itself week in and week out. Last Thursday while the cleaning lady was busy in another part of the house I walked in to find my wife polishing the kitchen tabletop. “Why are you going to the trouble when you have someone here who is getting paid to do it for you?” I asked. My wife’s reply: “I can’t serve her lunch on this dirty table.” The “dirt” was a few cookie crumbs I had left there earlier, with maybe a couple of my fingerprints visible on the glass surface — point being that she is cleaning up for the cleaning lady. Is that absurd or what?! She might kill me for this, but I believe my wife cleans the toilet so that the cleaning lady won’t see it, or need to use it, in its “unclean” state. In your response to the husband who claims to be married to a germophobe, you asked him to picture himself living with a careless slob. Just to make it clear, I’d choose my fastidious wife any day (Thursdays as well). To be honest, even our grown kids gush about how “neat” it is to come home to an orderly environment when they visit and have many times conceded that when they were younger it felt great to be home after staying with friends whose houses were in complete disarray. As you’ve said in the past, Rachel, life is not perfect. Thanks for giving us a forum to kvetch in. Feel better already My vibes tell me that your wife has lots of company (besides which good help is not easy to come by). Regardless, you may want to encourage your wife to replace her current help with someone she would feel more at ease with. Patience goes a long way in training even the best domestic help to perform to one’s liking. Many women are prone to turning a blind eye or just leave their housemaids to do their own thing, but those of us who stand around and watch incompetence at work are bound to become unnerved and steel ourselves against snatching that mop or shmatte right out of the klutz’s hands. This is just one of those things that are not apt to change. To put it in perspective, the crooked painting on the wall does not bother some people, while others won’t rest until they’ve straightened it. If this were our greatest concern today, we’d be in fine shape. Editor’s note: Regrettably, an error in the letter by Hindy K. (see Chronicles, Feb. 15) had the name of the Rabbi stated incorrectly. The sentence in its entirety should have read, “Words cannot describe the hakorat hatov that we feel toward our wonderful Rabbi Jay Weinstein and this amazing community.”Rachel About the Author: We encourage women and men of all ages to send in their personal stories via email to email@example.com or by mail to Rachel/Chronicles, c/o The Jewish Press, 4915 16th Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204. If you wish to make a contribution and help agunot, your tax-deductible donation should be sent to The Jewish Press Foundation. Please make sure to specify that it is to help agunot, as the foundation supports many worthwhile causes. If you don't see your comment after publishing it, refresh the page. Our comments section is intended for meaningful responses and debates in a civilized manner. We ask that you respect the fact that we are a religious Jewish website and avoid inappropriate language at all cost. If you promote any foreign religions, gods or messiahs, lies about Israel, anti-Semitism, or advocate violence (except against terrorists), your permission to comment may be revoked.

Despite its high taxes, congested roadways and gridlocked state government, New Jersey will always have a special place in our hearts. It’s where we were both born and raised and where our divorce mediation practice was founded. For a decade, we’ve been privately helping NJ families avoid the destruction of attorney-driven divorces. We enjoy practicing in New Jersey as it’s not only where we’re from and where we got started, but it’s also a “mediation first” state. Private mediators like us, judges, and even many lawyers - are all supportive of mediation for divorce in NJ. In fact, it’s rare that a divorce case ever gets into a courtroom for trial. It's estimated that only 2% of New Jersey divorces ever go to full litigation. That confirms what we already know - for divorce in NJ, mediation works! In New Jersey, we meet with couples in the following locations: If meeting with us face-to-face is challenging due to personal or professional demands, one party lives out of state, or you’re simply not located near one of our local locations, you can still work with us using our innovative online divorce mediation program. If you and your spouse have agreed to divorce, NJ is where you live and you both want to mediate, book an initial meeting for the two of you. In NJ, divorce mediation may be conducted privately or publicly, depending on whether you and your spouse choose to mediate first or hire attorneys first. If you take the preferred path and choose to mediate first, you would hire private NJ divorce mediators like us, typically before you file with the courts. Together we would identify, discuss, negotiate and resolve all of the issues surrounding your divorce privately, confidentially and without the use of attorneys, if you so choose. On the other hand, if you choose to go the attorney route first, you'd likely be sent to court-ordered mediation. And while we’re always supportive of couples who use this alternative dispute resolution process, no matter what route they took to get there, there are a number of shortcomings with going the court-ordered mediation route: For couples with no children or grown children, there are two main issues that need to be resolved in a New Jersey divorce. For couples with minor children, there are four: In New Jersey, issues of parenting responsibilities and timesharing are agreed upon and drafted into the parenting plan. The parenting plan covers all aspects of how you will co-parent your children once you’re divorced including where the children will spend nights, weekends, and holidays, as well as how you and your ex will engage in decision making on matters such as education, religion, and medical issues to name but a few. Because there is very little guidance on how to create a balanced and effective parenting plan, the help of an experienced and professional mediator is critical in this very gray area. To learn more about how parenting plans work and why they’re the most important issue you’ll face in your divorce, please read: Divorce with Kids: The Importance of a Good Parenting Plan. Here in the United States, all 50 states are required to have some sort of repeatable method for determining child support known as a child support guideline. How child support is determined varies greatly state-by-state, and each state’s model produces a significantly different result. That’s why you must follow the New Jersey child support guidelines and not one from another state. New Jersey uses something called the “income-shares” model which uses a number of factors to determine a basic child support amount, and allocates a portion of that amount to each parent. It is non-taxable, and the basic child support amount in NJ excludes a number of other “extraordinary expenses” such as college, and extracurricular activities, which must be negotiated separately. Determining child support in New Jersey is not as simple as running a calculator and coming up with an amount, as there is a lot left out of the child support guidelines in NJ. That’s why it’s important to work with a mediator with a financial background - to ensure your children get the financial support they need and don’t become the economic victims of your divorce. To learn more about how child support works in New Jersey, please read: Ensuring Your Children's Well-Being with Child Support in NJ. In New Jersey, the payment of money from one ex-spouse to another is called spousal support. Some states refer to this as alimony, maintenance or spousal maintenance. Spousal support in NJ is the exact opposite of child support. There is no guideline or repeatable method for determining it; it is to be used by the recipient spouse to assist with their expenses and not the children’s, and it is a taxable event. If ever there was an issue that NJ couples fight over, it’s spousal support. But just because there isn’t a guideline or other repeatable way to determine spousal support, it doesn’t mean all hope is lost. There are a number of ways we help New Jersey couples resolve this difficult and emotional issue, and have been doing so with great success for many years. To learn more about how spousal support works in New Jersey, please read: Determining Alimony in New Jersey. Equitable distribution is the process by which divorcing couples divide their marital assets and liabilities. And is typically the last issue a mediating couple will need to discuss and resolve in their New Jersey divorce. New Jersey is an equitable distribution state. Meaning couples can come to any agreement they find “fair and equitable” when it comes to dividing their marital assets and liabilities. NJ is not a community property state where assets and liabilities would be split 50-50. And just like spousal support, there is very little in the way of determining what’s fair. As you can imagine, if couples aren’t working with an experienced mediator with a financial background, this part of the divorce process can not only prove difficult, but costly, as there are a significant number of mistakes that can be made during this part of the process. Determining what marital property is, what’s the difference between marital and pre-marital property, and what factors are taken into account when discussing equitable distribution all factor into the negotiations. To learn more about how equitable distribution works in New Jersey, please read: Equitable Distribution in New Jersey. You did your homework, researched your options, and can now say with certainty mediation is the way you and your spouse wish to pursue your uncontested divorce in NJ. Good for you! You obviously know that involving lawyers in your divorce negotiations can cause a lot of damage to you, your children and your settlement and you’re not willing to gamble with your future. But while choosing mediation is a smart decision and an excellent first step, there’s something else you need to do in order to have a successful divorce in New Jersey: You need to make sure you have a high quality divorce mediation. In this section, you’ll learn: This way, you’ll be armed with the tools and knowledge you need to have the successful and high quality divorce mediation, and no-fault divorce, you want and deserve. Ready to get educated? Let’s dive in… There are five characteristics of a high quality divorce mediation in New Jersey: Let’s take a closer look at each of these and learn how having a highly skilled mediator can make all the difference between engaging in a basic mediation versus a high quality divorce mediation. There’s no question that going through a divorce is one of the single most stressful events you will ever experience. Experts say it runs second in stress only to the death of a loved one or parent. But that doesn’t mean you have to add to that stress by engaging in highly contentious divorce negotiations. Doing so is not only detrimental to your physical and mental health, but will also prevent you from making the sound and rational decisions necessary to complete your divorce and ensure your financial future. If your mediation session gets out of hand because the nuetral third party you’re working with doesn’t have the experience to manage the unique interpersonal dynamic between you and your spouse, you’re going to find yourself spending extra time and money in mediation trying to resolve the issues. Or worse yet, hiring divorce attorneys and going to court. Working with a highly skilled mediator will ensure that your sessions are conducted in an environment of mutual respect and dignity. There’s no room for name calling, verbal or physical abuse or dirty-tricks when working with a highly skilled mediator. A highly skilled mediator will know how to manage the room, make sure each of you are heard and validated and be able to keep the proceedings from going off track and ending up in litigation. He may even wind up improving communications between you and your spouse. Which is especially critical if you have children and want to be good co-parents. Having a peaceful divorce mediation NJ leads to a number of other positive benefits as well. Couples who negotiate in an environment of mutual respect and dignity create agreements that are more likely to be fair and equitable, thorough, cost-effective and child-focused. All components of a high quality divorce mediation. Guess you can see why peaceful is listed first! When you and your spouse got married, in addition to the romantic bond you created, you also created a legal bond. This bond allowed you to accumulate joint property and debts, file income taxes together and perhaps even become co-legal guardians of any children you had together. Who knew those two simple words “I do” would weave such a tangled web! Now that you’re seeking a divorce, you and your spouse will need to create a highly complex agreement that outlines in great detail how you intend on untangling that web. And that defines your respective financial and parental responsibilities moving forward. There are three components that make up a thorough agreement: The first is ensuring the four main topics of divorce (parenting plan, child support, spousal support and equitable distribution) are not only addressed but that they are addressed comprehensively. To demonstrate what that means, consider this parenting plan example: Beth and Mike were a divorcing interfaith couple – Beth was Jewish and Mike was Catholic. They were relatively civil to each other and before starting divorce mediation, had some discussions about their parenting plan and thought they had it “all worked out.” They decided that the kids would spend their time equally between each parent’s residences: Beth's in Bridgewater and Mike's in Morristown. Beth and Mike just wanted to get the divorce over and done with as quickly as possible. A basic mediator may have been satisfied with the arrangement the two parents made with regard to timesharing and let it go at that. But a highly skilled NJ mediator would have known to ask more questions. What if Beth kept kosher but Mike, her soon-to-be-ex didn’t? How that would be handled since the kids were going to spend 50% of their time at Mike’s place? What religion or religions would the kids be raised following? What holidays would the children observe? And what would happen if down the road they want to convert from one parent’s religion to the other? What if they were being raised Jewish? Could the kids put up a Christmas tree in dad’s house? Open Christmas gifts? Go to Christmas dinner at dad’s family’s house? A highly skilled mediator knows there’s a lot more ground to cover beyond just the number of nights and weekends the kids will be sleeping at a particular parent’s house. A highly skilled New Jersey mediator takes the time to ask the questions you and your spouse don’t even know need asking in order to create a comprehensive parenting plan that works for your family. Next are the myriad of other issues that are not a standard part of the four main topics previously mentioned. Issues surrounding taxation and tax optimization, support modification, relocation, cohabitation - the list goes on and on... Most mediators either skimp on details about these matters or don’t even address them at all. Leading to problems down the road when something comes up and your agreement offers no guidance on what to do in that particular situation. A highly skilled mediator will help you avoid all of that by ensuring that all basic as well as not-so-basic issues are addressed and clearly spelled out in your divorce agreement. Finally, you’ll want to make sure your agreement will stand the test of time because guess what? Kids grow up. People move. Sell houses. Most mediators don’t do much in the way of addressing future issues. They simply address the issues that are in front of them at the time and nothing more. They may add language that says the parties agree to “work it out” should something change in the future but that’s about it. On the other hand, a highly skilled mediator will craft language that lets you know what to do now as well as in the short, medium and long-term future as things change. Just because they’re not ready to go to college at this moment, are you just going to leave how their college tuition will be paid for out of your agreement? Do you really want to have to revisit these issues once your divorce is final? Or would you prefer to turn to a page in your agreement, look at what it says and follow the new guidelines that are already laid out for you? Having a thorough agreement benefits both of you by ensuring that not only are known issues covered, but as many potential future issues as possible are covered as well. Saving you time, money and the stress of having to return to mediation – or worse yet, court – to try to resolve these things - 5, 10 or 15 years down the road. For New Jersey couples with children, in order to have a high quality divorce mediation, you need to ensure your agreement is child-focused. A child-focused agreement is one that puts the needs of your children above your own when it comes to matters of timesharing and financial support. Certainly most mediators can help you devise a basic parenting plan and calculate a minimum amount of child support. But a highly skilled mediator can make the difference between having an agreement and a child-focused agreement. For example, a basic timesharing plan usually has the kids spending school nights and every other weekend with mom and the other weekend with dad. This type of plan has been in existence since the dawn of time and is the “go to” default for most mediators. If they’re trying to be creative, maybe some will throw in a night during the week to make 10 out of 14 days with mom and four out of 14 with dad. Now if you’re mom in this example and your goal is to spend as much time with the kids as you can, this is a great plan for you. But is it really OK that your children are only going to see their father 14% to 28% of the time? Even you must know that’s probably not in your children’s best interests. As a neutral third party, a highly skilled mediator will offer creative solutions for parenting arrangements that have each of you seeing the kids as much as possible. While minimizing the damage that constant switching from house-to-house can do to your kids, especially if they’re younger children. Then there’s the issue of financial support and the New Jersey child support guidelines. There are some real bombshells when it comes to child support in New Jersey. For example, did you know the child support guidelines represent the State of New Jersey’s best guess at the minimum amount of money an average family spends on their children? And that the child support guidelines are only a recommendation and can be increased if your children’s needs aren’t being met? Most mediators will run the guidelines, tell you the minimum amount it recommends and that’s that. Their assumption is that the minimum recommendation is “fine” for your children, you are an “average” family and the State of New Jersey knows what’s better for your children than you do. But a highly skilled mediator will work with you to come to an amount that takes into account your children’s unique needs and lifestyle. And prevents your children from becoming the economic victims of divorce. They will also help you understand in great detail what’s included and what’s not included in child support – because there’s a lot left out of the guidelines. The New Jersey Child Support Guidelines only takes into account basic items such as food, shelter and personal care but does not take into account items such as: Children are often the innocent victims of divorce. They didn’t ask for their world to be turned upside down or their financial security to be put in jeopardy. So bouncing them back and forth between houses and following the state mandated minimums for child support is no way to create a child-focused agreement. Working with a highly skilled mediator to craft a child-focused agreement will go a long way towards making sure your kids grow up happy, supported and well-adjusted. As you’re learning, in a New Jersey divorce there are very few specifics around many of the topics that you and your spouse will need to resolve. This is especially true in the areas of determining spousal support in NJ and equitable distribution (the division of your marital assets and liabilities.) So how can you reconcile the lack of specific, formulaic guidance the State of New Jersey provides with the ability to come to an agreement you both agree is fair and equitable when it’s unclear what that even means in the first place? Take for example the much maligned and highly controversial topic of spousal support. In New Jersey, spousal support is based on a series of 13 “statutory factors” with the 13th being “any other factors the courts [parties] may deem relevant.” Unlike child support, there is no guideline or model to calculate spousal support. So determining an amount can prove quite difficult for most couples and quite frankly, most mediators. Not only do you need to agree on an amount, but you also have to agree on the duration as well. As you can imagine, the spouse who is paying spousal support wants the amount and duration to be as low and short as possible and the spouse who is receiving spousal support wants it to be as high and for as long as possible. Most basic mediators will ask both of you what amount and duration you want to agree on. But our guess is that if you knew the answer to that question, you wouldn’t need the help of a divorce mediator in the first place. On the other hand, a highly skilled mediator will work with you and your spouse to balance both of your needs post-divorce as well as consider your incomes, ages, earning potential, education levels, and tax brackets among many other things. To help you come to a fair and equitable amount and duration of spousal support based on your unique situation. They will also suggest creative alternatives to the traditional “check in the mail” approach that most basic mediators take. Lump sum buyouts or exchanging equitable distribution for spousal support to name a few will all be in the tool belt of a highly skilled mediator… Especially if that New Jersey mediator has a financial background, which is extremely beneficial when it comes to settling matters of money and property in divorce. Then there’s equitable distribution where you and your spouse will need to divide your marital assets and liabilities in NJ in a “fair but not necessarily equal” manner. What does that mean? How do you do that if each of you have a different definition of what’s fair? Is fair 50-50? Some other permutation? What if you want to stay in the house and you know it’s the biggest asset you have? How is that going to be interpreted as fair by your soon-to-be-ex-spouse? Even if “on paper” some assets appear to be equal in value, they’re typically not. The tax implications of each asset, the liquidity of each asset, the cost-basis and tax gain or loss are many of the factors that come into play in determining whether two assets are worth the same thing. You may have a case of apples and oranges even though on paper they both may look like apples! How about dividing 401(k) plans and / or valuing complex financial instruments like pensions? Oh, and don’t forget the necessary paperwork that must be prepared and language that must be drafted into your divorce agreement in order to avoid any penalties or nasty tax surprises down the road. All of these things and more will be covered by a highly skilled mediator. One slip up by your mediator and you could find yourself the recipient of a letter from Uncle Sam asking for his share of those 401(k) proceeds you got as part of your divorce settlement from your now ex-spouse. The bottom line is that when it comes to things like spousal support and equitable distribution, there’s a lot of room for error, interpretation and chances for one party to get the short end of the stick. Having a settlement that’s fair and equitable allows both of you to move forward without regret. As you’ve been learning, there’s a lot of work that goes into a divorce. It’s a complex process with lots of moving parts, and literally hundreds of decisions that need to be made in order to have a thorough agreement and high quality mediation. And while a high quality mediation is less expensive than hiring two family law attorneys, it is by no means a cheap divorce like you see on those billboards on New Jersey Turnpike that scream: $399 for a complete divorce solution! Call our divorce center today! Yikes! No thank you… There are two things you need to know about what makes one divorce mediation more cost-effective than another. And surprisingly, neither has anything to do with the hourly rate of the mediator. First is the thoroughness of the New Jersey divorce mediation services and process. Mediation services can vary greatly in terms of their thoroughness and what services are included by the mediator in their mediation process. For example, after you’ve completed your discussions and come to your agreements, some basic mediators will prepare a “term-sheet” which is a bulleted list of the things you agreed upon in session. The term sheet looks a lot like your class notes from high school or college. Unfortunately, the term sheet will need to be reviewed and rewritten by a drafting attorney (at an added cost of a few thousand dollars) who will need to add in necessary language and clarifying details to ensure your agreement's intent is clear and easy to follow. But if you’re like many New Jersey couples, you’re probably seeking the services of a mediator because you want to avoid the use of attorneys in your divorce negotiations and save the added expense. So unlike a basic mediator, a highly skilled mediator will draft a comprehensive document called a Memorandum of Understanding that will outline in great detail exactly what you and your spouse agreed to as part of their normal process. No need to have to go to a drafting attorney and spend an additional $2,500 - $3,500 just to have your mediation agreement clarified and memorialized. Second is the thoroughness of the divorce mediation agreement. As you’ve learned, most mediators can cover the basics and help you and your spouse come to some high-level agreements. But often times, the agreements are incomplete or unclear. Either a topic wasn’t properly or thoroughly discussed in session or agreements were, in fact, reached, but were not written up clearly in the paperwork so they do not make a whole lot of sense when read at a later date. If this happens and you run into an issue in the future that either wasn’t covered or needs clarification, what do you do? You either end up arguing with each other or worse yet… You go to court. But if you work with a highly skilled mediator, you can avoid all of that. Highly skilled mediators draft extremely thorough agreements and cover a myriad of potential issues that may not even be on your radar at the time of your mediation. They know that while it may seem unlikely to you or your spouse at the time of your divorce that one or more of these scenarios will ever happen, highly skilled mediators know it’s better to discuss them now and agree on solutions rather than leave them to chance for the two of you to figure out on your own or in court, later. So if you do encounter a change in your future circumstances, you’ll be able to simply open up your agreement, turn to the appropriate section, and review the decisions and agreements made at the time of your divorce. No fighting, no hiring lawyers, no going back to court. Saving you both time, money and stress. Their comprehensive process and services will save you money. And the thoroughly written agreements they draft will stand the test of time and save you money and stress in the future. You’ve now learned how critical it is to get a high quality divorce mediation. And that a high quality divorce mediation is dependent on choosing a highly skilled divorce mediator. But now you’re probably wondering how to go about finding one. And what questions you should ask a potential mediator in order to determine if they are, in fact, highly skilled. The truth is finding highly skilled NJ mediators can be quite a challenge. First, due to confidentiality, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to get references. What if you got a call out of the blue one day from someone who wanted to ask you questions about your divorce mediator? You’d probably be pretty upset, already having put your painful past behind you. And since there aren’t many people who are willing to go on Yelp or Angie’s List and write a review about their mediator and discuss the details of their divorce, that’s not going to be a viable option for determining if the mediator you’re considering working with is highly skilled. Choosing a mediator isn’t like choosing a restaurant! Finally, most times you won’t know if you worked with a highly skilled mediator until your mediation is over, or it’s years in the future and you just found out there is something missing in your agreement. So what can you do? During your initial meeting you’ll want to learn more about the mediator’s background, training and experience, specifically in divorce mediation. Ask them how long they’ve been practicing and whether or not they mediate full-time. And what they do to stay on top of their ever-changing profession. Find out if the mediator has a financial background because three of the four main areas of a New Jersey divorce are financial in nature. What about their success rate? Meaning – how many of their clients were able to come to agreement in mediation and not wind up resorting to litigation? A highly skilled mediator should be able to successfully settle at least 90%-95% of their cases. Also as you’ve already learned, not all services provided by mediators are the same. So ask about the scope of services they offer and the associated fees. Ask if there are any hidden or extra fees you’ll need to pay in order to complete your divorce. Just because one mediator’s fees may appear to be higher than another, it’s not always the case. And it doesn’t mean you should necessarily pick the mediator who’s cheaper. Like the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for,” – especially when it comes to a basic mediator versus a highly skilled one. So there you have it. You now know: Hopefully you’re not overwhelmed, but instead feel educated, empowered and armed with the information you need to confidently take the next step. So what is the next step? If you and your spouse both already know that you want to mediate, your next step is to start researching providers so you can identify highly skilled mediators in NJ to help you through the mediation process. Whether you work inside the home or outside of it, have minor children, grown children or are child-free, have been married a short time or have been together for many years, mediation is the smartest way to divorce in New Jersey. To get started, take the next step and book an initial meeting for you and your spouse to learn more about our all-inclusive, flat-fee, divorce mediation services. Or, if you're early in the process, learn how you benefit using mediation for divorce in NJ.

The Feast of the Passover is part of an ancient Jewish tradition that dates back before Roman times. The VP of the Congregation B’nai Abraham in Hagerstown said, “Passover is the celebration and ancient retelling of the story of how the Hebrew slaves escaped Egypt.” Hagerstown Jewish locals were prepping their dinner table for Friday’s feast. There was wine, food and everything kosher at Barbara Schwab’s house, a Jewish local. She said that it’s no easy task. “I’m thrilled, but I’m stressed. I’m overworked. When you are finally sitting down at the table it’s like whew.” Schwab commented. She’s stressed but thankful to be amongst friends and observe this tradition.

Israel’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, addresses the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, in Tel Aviv Oct. 24. (photo by Pat Johnson) The theme of the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in Tel Aviv was “We need to talk.” The conference was explicitly dedicated to confronting the issues that divide Jews and alienate the Diaspora from Israel. But, when the moment came to meet with the most powerful man in Israel, conference organizers folded like a house of cards. Outgoing chair of the board of trustees of the JFNA, Richard Sandler, sat with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on a stage and performed what Haaretz rightly dismissed as a “fawning” conversation. More Oprah than interlocutor, Sandler first offered belated birthday wishes to the prime minister, then proceeded with one softball lob after another, allowing Netanyahu to control the dialogue – which he could have done more effectively if he had delivered a conventional address instead of the folksy sit-down – while Sandler offered no resistance or challenge to anything the prime minister said. The JFNA is a non-partisan organization, of course. But the very nature of this meeting was to frankly confront the very real divisions between Jewish people in the Diaspora and those in Israel. Here was the first question: “I’m just wondering, when you were back in high school or college, did you ever imagine someday you would be the prime minister of Israel, and would you share with us a little bit of the path from that time to what got you here?” Even Netanyahu seemed a bit embarrassed by the question and offered assurances that he was not, in childhood or young adulthood, some Machiavellian born with his sights on the levers of power. What seasoned politician would respond to such a question with, “Yes, I’ve been planning this since I toddled”? Next question: “I’m wondering, in all the years you’ve been doing this, how do you see the relationship between our two countries, between Israel and the United States, evolving – and what concerns you most, if anything, about that relationship today?” “If anything”? Thousands of people had traveled from North America to Israel to address the very tangible friction points between the two Jewish communities and the inteviewer effectively invited the prime minister to assert that everything is rainbows and unicorns. And Netanyahu accepted the offering. Everything is pretty great, he contended. The trajectory of American support for Israel is increasing, he said. When he and his wife walk around Central Park or visit the Strand bookstore in Manhattan, they get warmly welcomed. The audience of 1,300 at a performance of Hamilton gave him a standing ovation. (“How did you get tickets?” heckled an audience member. “My cousin’s wife works in the production,” the PM replied.) Then it was time for the interviewer to get tough. “One of the things that we spoke about, Mr. Prime Minister, that we’ve been talking about the last couple of days, are all the things that we have in common,” said Sandler, moving in for the kill, “We’re having frank discussions on some of the issues that concern many North American Jews and I’m sure you are aware, as I am, that we have a number of concerns about pluralism, acceptance of Reform and Conservative Jews here in Israel, the Nation State Law and.…” At this point, Sandler’s words were drowned out by applause from an audience who seemed to think they were finally going to get some red meat. Instead, Sandler asked, “Are we missing something? And where do we have it right?” “I don’t think you should be concerned, but I think you should be informed,” Netanyahu responded to a room filled with the leadership of every major Jewish community in North America. “So much of this is – let me be charitable – misinformation.” Netanyahu went on to say that, from the first prime minister on down, Israel’s leaders have managed the status quo by making modest, incremental compromises. “We have a series of slowly evolving arrangements and that reflects the evolution of the Israeli electorate,” he said. On the issue of an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall, Netanyahu acknowledged a delay in the opening, but insisted his goal remains a place where women and men can pray together. On a two-state solution, Netanyahu dismissed the terminology. “I believe that a potential solution is one in which the Palestinians have all the powers to govern themselves but not the power to threaten us,” he said. “What does that mean?” He explained by recounting a conversation with then-U.S. vice-president Joe Biden. “Well, Bibi,” Netanyahu said, describing the discussion, “are you for two states or are you not? I said, Joe, I don’t believe in labels.” Netanyahu committed that Israel would retain security control west of the Jordan River, envisioning a situation where Palestinians would govern themselves but that overall security would remain in the hands of the Israeli military. This is not only good for Israel, the prime minister said, but for Palestinians, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel uncovered and foiled a plan by Hamas to not only overthrow Abbas, but to murder him, Netanyahu said. Without Israel’s military control in the West Bank, Hamas would swoop in, overthrow Abbas’s Fatah and Israel would have another Gaza to the east. “They’d be overrun in two minutes,” he said. This is all true enough, perhaps, and the first job of the prime minister of Israel is to ensure the security of his country and people. But, in acknowledging that his position would negate the possibility of an independent Palestinian state, Netanyahu reduced it to a matter of nomenclature. “Give it any name you want,” he said. “But that’s the truth. And this truth is shared much more widely across the political spectrum than people understand, because we’re not going to imperil the life of the state for a label or for a good op-ed for six hours in the New York Times.” Like a flailing comedian, Netanyahu then turned to the audience and complained, “Nobody’s laughing.” Sandler’s final question to the prime minister was, “What are you the most proud of about Israel today that you want us to think about when we’re going home?” And Netanyahu offered a response worthy of the question, a meandering reflection on visiting a synagogue in his family’s ancestral home of Lithuania. As the loudspeaker was trying to advise people to remain in their seats while the prime minister’s entourage departed, Netanyahu, already standing for his farewell, interrupted to take the opportunity to tell the audience that his real concern for the Jewish people was the loss of identity. “It’s not conversion,” he said. “It’s the loss of identity.” He warned, “Jewish survival is guaranteed in the Jewish state if we defend our state. But we have to also work at the continuity of Jewish communities in the world by developing Jewish education, the study of Hebrew and the contact of young Jews coming to Israel.” He talked about additional funding for programs to support study-abroad programs in Israel and other things the Jewish state is doing to advance the strengthening of Jewish peoplehood. Given the last word at the close of the three-day conference – a meeting explicitly convened to address contentious issues between the parties – Israel’s prime minister took the opportunity to school the leaders of Diaspora Jewry in how their shortcomings could imperil Jewish survival. Then he departed.

Explore some of the holiest sites of the Jewish faith, in Jerusalem and beyond, with help from our listed flights, tours and accommodation. Trek up to the 17,000ft summit of Mount Ararat, where Noah’s ark came to rest. Visit Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island, the oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere , or the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Ukraine, the Hasidic Master who promised to intercede for penitents no matter their previous sins. Climb Mount Carmel in Haifa to visit Elijah’s Cave. Or travel to the sacred city of Jerusalem, to pray before the Western Wall or go up to the Temple Mount, where Abraham is said to have bound Isaac and where the Second Temple once stood.

"This is a message from Usama bin Muhammad bin Ladin to the American people regarding your aggression in Iraq. Peace be upon those who follow the righteous path. "Some have the impression that you are a reasonable people. But the majority of you are vulgar and without sound ethics or good manners. (I'm not entirely disagreeing with you, but that's an awfully rude way to start a conversation... besides, these criticisms are hardly reserved for just Americans. Arab men can be such twisted little sex monkeys. I mean *Japanese* twisted!) You elect the evil from among you, (*nods*) the greatest liars and the least decent and you are enslaved by your richest and the most influential among you (*nods!*), especially the Jews(Huh?! What the f*ck is it between you and the Jews anyway? You sound like one of those anti-semites I hear about every now and then. Now, I could understand if your problem was with the Israelis, but noooooo... you've got to always mention the Jews. I know a lot of Jewish people, and, surprisingly enough, they aren't all that rich and influential. They haven't enslaved me once yet -- much to my dismay -- and, well, they can be kinda cute at times, can't they?!), who lead you using the lie of democracy (Well, admittedly, we *aren't* a democracy. If we were, the person who got the most votes would be running this country...) to support the Israelis (Good for you. You didn't use the "J" word!) and their schemes and in complete antagonism towards our religion (Islam). (So, why drag in your religion now? Maybe Israel isn't so much anti-Islam as anti-people-who-pose-a-potential-threat-t "These schemes are paid for in our blood and land, and your blood and economy.This has been proved by recent events. And the war on Iraq, which has nothing to do with you, is proof of that. Bush and his gang, with their heavy sticks and hard hearts, are an evil to all humankind. They have stabbed into the truth, until they have killed it altogether in the eyes of the world. With this behaviour they have encouraged hypocrisy, and spread vice and political bribes shamelessly at the level of heads of state."(Amen! Testify, my brother!) "This gang and their leader enjoy lying, war and looting to serve their own ambitions. The blood of the children of Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq is still dripping from their teeth. (Um... don't you think that Vietnam is kind of old blood to be bringing up here?!) They have fooled you and deceived you into invading Iraq a second time. And they have lied to you and the whole world. Nations are nothing without ethics and morals. If these are gone, the nations are gone. (Wow. I'd applaud this statement if it weren't for the fact that -- if things were different -- you would gladly impose your ethics and morals upon all of us.) Bush has sent your sons into the lion�s den, to slaughter and be slaughtered, claiming that this act was in defence of international peace and America�s security, thus concealing the facts. "On one hand he (Bush) is carrying out the demands of the Zionist lobby (Stop saying the words Jews and Zionists. Really. Stop. As for your other point, while admittedly, Washington is very successfully and heavily lobbied by pro-Israel organizations, you make this Zionist lobby sound like a real, tangible place. "I have a friend who works as a security guard in the Zionist lobby...") that helped him to enter the White House. These demands are to destroy the military strength of Iraq because it is too close to the Jews in occupied Palestine, regardless of the harm that will happen to your people and your economy. "On the other hand, he (Bush) is concealing his own ambitions and the ambitions of the Zionist lobby and their own desire for oil. He is still following the mentality of his ancestors who killed the Native Americans to take their land and wealth. (Learn your history. Bush's ancestors wouldn't have dared to fight the Indians. People get hurt that way. His ancestors do, however, have experience in cozying up to bloddthirsty dictators and in war profiteering...) He thought that this time it would be an easy task and a lie that would not be exposed. "But God sent him to Baghdad, the seat of the Caliphate, the homeland of people who prefer death to honey. (Wow... maybe God really did tell Bush to attack Iraq!) So they (the Iraqis) turned his profits into losses, his joy into sadness and now he is merely looking for a way back home. (God loves a good practical joke!) "Thanks be to God Almighty who has exposed the lies of George Bush and made his term as president a term of continual catastrophe." (Thanks God! But couldn't you have spared our soldiers and just smited Bush's ass instead? He needs a good smiting!) "To Bush I say, you are begging the world to come to your aid, begging mercenaries from every corner of the world, even from small states. This begging has destroyed your pride and revealed how trivial and weak you are after claiming to defend the whole world. (I bet you wouldn't say that around our coalition partners from the Virgin Islands and Trashmanistan. Those guys'll kick your ass!) "Now you are like the knight who was trying to protect people from the Sword of Malik, (Sword of maWho??! Isn't Malik a friend of Jamal's? Does he know his sword is missing?) and ended up begging someone to protect him. "We reserve the right to retaliate at the appropriate time and place against all countries involved, (And we reserve the right to make your followers go all explodey. If they're nice, however, they may win an all-expenses-paid Caribbean vacation in lovely Cooo-bah!) especially the UK, Spain, Australia, Poland, Japan and Italy, not to exclude those Muslim states that took part, especially the Gulf states, and in particular Kuwait, which has become a beachhead for the crusading forces. (Offer limited while supplies last. Not available in Hawaii or Alaska. Local sales tax may apply.) "And to the American soldiers in Iraq I say, now that all the lies have been exposed and the greatest liar has been revealed, your stay on Iraq�s land is compounding the oppression and is a great folly. "It shows you are selling your lives for the lives of others. And you are spilling your blood to swell the bank accounts of the White House gang and their fellow arms dealers and the proprietors of great companies. And the greatest folly in life is to sell your life for the lives of others. (What tools!) "In conclusion, I say to the American people we will continue to fight you and continue to conduct martyrdom operations inside and outside the United States until you depart from your oppressive course and abandon your follies and rein in your fools. (Or reign out Bush, as the case may be...) "You have to know that we are counting our dead, may God bless them, especially in Palestine, who are killed by your allies the Jews. (*coff* Hitler! *coff*) We are going to take revenge for them from your blood, God willing, as we did on the day of New York. Remember what I said to you on that day about our security and your security. Baghdad the seat of the Caliphate, will not fall to you, God willing, and we will fight you as long as we carry our guns. And if we fall, our sons will take our place. (*sigh* He's probably right, you know....) "And may our mothers become childless if we leave any of you alive on our soil." ("Yer motherrrr was a hamsterrr and yer fatherrr smelled of elderberrries!...")

10 July 1509 |Died||27 May 1564 (aged 54)| |Education||University of Paris| |Occupation||Reformer, minister, author| |Institutes of the Christian Religion| |Tradition or movement||Calvinism| |Main interests||Systematic theology| |Notable ideas||Predestination, Monergism, Covenantalism, Imputed righteousness| John Calvin (//; Middle French: Jean Cauvin; French: Jean Calvin [ʒɑ̃ kalvɛ̃]; 10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor, and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism, including its doctrines of predestination and of God's absolute sovereignty in the salvation of the human soul from death and eternal damnation. Calvinist doctrines were influenced by and elaborated upon the Augustinian and other Christian traditions. Various Congregational, Reformed and Presbyterian churches, which look to Calvin as the chief expositor of their beliefs, have spread throughout the world. Calvin was a tireless polemicist and apologetic writer who generated much controversy. He also exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Philipp Melanchthon and Heinrich Bullinger. In addition to his seminal Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin wrote commentaries on most books of the Bible, confessional documents, and various other theological treatises. Calvin was originally trained as a humanist lawyer. He broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530. After religious tensions erupted in widespread deadly violence against Protestant Christians in France, Calvin fled to Basel, Switzerland, where in 1536 he published the first edition of the Institutes. In that same year, Calvin was recruited by Frenchman William Farel to join the Reformation in Geneva, where he regularly preached sermons throughout the week. However, the governing council of the city resisted the implementation of their ideas, and both men were expelled. At the invitation of Martin Bucer, Calvin proceeded to Strasbourg, where he became the minister of a church of French refugees. He continued to support the reform movement in Geneva, and in 1541 he was invited back to lead the church of the city. Following his return, Calvin introduced new forms of church government and liturgy, despite opposition from several powerful families in the city who tried to curb his authority. During this period, Michael Servetus, a Spaniard regarded by both Roman Catholics and Protestants as having a heretical view of the Trinity, arrived in Geneva. He was denounced by Calvin and burned at the stake for heresy by the city council. Following an influx of supportive refugees and new elections to the city council, Calvin's opponents were forced out. Calvin spent his final years promoting the Reformation both in Geneva and throughout Europe. Early life (1509–1535) John Calvin was born as Jehan Cauvin on 10 July 1509, at Noyon, a town in Picardy, a province of the Kingdom of France. He was the second of three sons who survived infancy. His mother, Jeanne le Franc, was the daughter of an innkeeper from Cambrai. She died of an unknown cause in Calvin's childhood, after having borne four more children. Calvin's father, Gérard Cauvin, had a prosperous career as the cathedral notary and registrar to the ecclesiastical court. Gérard intended his three sons—Charles, Jean, and Antoine—for the priesthood. Young Calvin was particularly precocious. By age 12, he was employed by the bishop as a clerk and received the tonsure, cutting his hair to symbolise his dedication to the Church. He also won the patronage of an influential family, the Montmors. Through their assistance, Calvin was able to attend the Collège de la Marche, Paris, where he learned Latin from one of its greatest teachers, Mathurin Cordier. Once he completed the course, he entered the Collège de Montaigu as a philosophy student. In 1525 or 1526, Gérard withdrew his son from the Collège de Montaigu and enrolled him in the University of Orléans to study law. According to contemporary biographers Theodore Beza and Nicolas Colladon, Gérard believed that Calvin would earn more money as a lawyer than as a priest. After a few years of quiet study, Calvin entered the University of Bourges in 1529. He was intrigued by Andreas Alciati, a humanist lawyer. Humanism was a European intellectual movement which stressed classical studies. During his 18-month stay in Bourges, Calvin learned Koine Greek, a necessity for studying the New Testament. Alternative theories have been suggested regarding the date of Calvin's religious conversion. Some have placed the date of his conversion around 1533, shortly before he resigned from his chaplaincy. In this view, his resignation is the direct evidence for his conversion to the evangelical faith. However, T. H. L. Parker argues that, although this date is a terminus for his conversion, the more likely date is in late 1529 or early 1530. The main evidence for his conversion is contained in two significantly different accounts of his conversion. In the first, found in his Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Calvin portrayed his conversion as a sudden change of mind, brought about by God: God by a sudden conversion subdued and brought my mind to a teachable frame, which was more hardened in such matters than might have been expected from one at my early period of life. Having thus received some taste and knowledge of true godliness, I was immediately inflamed with so intense a desire to make progress therein, that although I did not altogether leave off other studies, yet I pursued them with less ardour. In the second account, Calvin wrote of a long process of inner turmoil, followed by spiritual and psychological anguish: Being exceedingly alarmed at the misery into which I had fallen, and much more at that which threatened me in view of eternal death, I, duty bound, made it my first business to betake myself to your way, condemning my past life, not without groans and tears. And now, O Lord, what remains to a wretch like me, but instead of defence, earnestly to supplicate you not to judge that fearful abandonment of your Word according to its deserts, from which in your wondrous goodness you have at last delivered me. Scholars have argued about the precise interpretation of these accounts, but most agree that his conversion corresponded with his break from the Roman Catholic Church. The Calvin biographer Bruce Gordon has stressed that "the two accounts are not antithetical, revealing some inconsistency in Calvin's memory, but rather [are] two different ways of expressing the same reality." By 1532, Calvin received his licentiate in law and published his first book, a commentary on Seneca's De Clementia. After uneventful trips to Orléans and his hometown of Noyon, Calvin returned to Paris in October 1533. During this time, tensions rose at the Collège Royal (later to become the Collège de France) between the humanists/reformers and the conservative senior faculty members. One of the reformers, Nicolas Cop, was rector of the university. On 1 November 1533 he devoted his inaugural address to the need for reform and renewal in the Roman Catholic Church. The address provoked a strong reaction from the faculty, who denounced it as heretical, forcing Cop to flee to Basel. Calvin, a close friend of Cop, was implicated in the offence, and for the next year he was forced into hiding. He remained on the move, sheltering with his friend Louis du Tillet in Angoulême and taking refuge in Noyon and Orléans. He was finally forced to flee France during the Affair of the Placards in mid-October 1534. In that incident, unknown reformers had posted placards in various cities criticizing the Roman Catholic mass, to which adherents of the Roman Catholic church responded with violence against the would-be Reformers and their sympathizers. In January 1535, Calvin joined Cop in Basel, a city under the enduring influence of the late reformer Johannes Oecolampadius. Reform work commences (1536–1538) In March 1536, Calvin published the first edition of his Institutio Christianae Religionis or Institutes of the Christian Religion. The work was an apologia or defense of his faith and a statement of the doctrinal position of the reformers. He also intended it to serve as an elementary instruction book for anyone interested in the Christian faith. The book was the first expression of his theology. Calvin updated the work and published new editions throughout his life. Shortly after its publication, he left Basel for Ferrara, Italy, where he briefly served as secretary to Princess Renée of France. By June he was back in Paris with his brother Antoine, who was resolving their father's affairs. Following the Edict of Coucy, which gave a limited six-month period for heretics to reconcile with the Catholic faith, Calvin decided that there was no future for him in France. In August he set off for Strasbourg, a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire and a refuge for reformers. Due to military manoeuvres of imperial and French forces, he was forced to make a detour to the south, bringing him to Geneva. Calvin had intended to stay only a single night, but William Farel, a fellow French reformer residing in the city, implored him to stay and assist him in his work of reforming the church there. Calvin accepted his new role without any preconditions on his tasks or duties. The office to which he was initially assigned is unknown. He was eventually given the title of "reader", which most likely meant that he could give expository lectures on the Bible. Sometime in 1537 he was selected to be a "pastor" although he never received any pastoral consecration. For the first time, the lawyer-theologian took up pastoral duties such as baptisms, weddings, and church services. During late 1536, Farel drafted a confession of faith, and Calvin wrote separate articles on reorganizing the church in Geneva. On 16 January 1537, Farel and Calvin presented their Articles concernant l'organisation de l'église et du culte à Genève (Articles on the Organization of the Church and its Worship at Geneva) to the city council. The document described the manner and frequency of their celebrations of the Eucharist, the reason for, and the method of, excommunication, the requirement to subscribe to the confession of faith, the use of congregational singing in the liturgy, and the revision of marriage laws. The council accepted the document on the same day. As the year progressed, Calvin and Farel's reputation with the council began to suffer. The council was reluctant to enforce the subscription requirement, as only a few citizens had subscribed to their confession of faith. On 26 November, the two ministers hotly debated the council over the issue. Furthermore, France was taking an interest in forming an alliance with Geneva and as the two ministers were Frenchmen, councillors had begun to question their loyalty. Finally, a major ecclesiastical-political quarrel developed when the city of Bern, Geneva's ally in the reformation of the Swiss churches, proposed to introduce uniformity in the church ceremonies. One proposal required the use of unleavened bread for the Eucharist. The two ministers were unwilling to follow Bern's lead and delayed the use of such bread until a synod in Zurich could be convened to make the final decision. The council ordered Calvin and Farel to use unleavened bread for the Easter Eucharist. In protest, they refused to administer communion during the Easter service. This caused a riot during the service. The next day, the council told Farel and Calvin to leave Geneva. Farel and Calvin then went to Bern and Zurich to plead their case. The resulting synod in Zurich placed most of the blame on Calvin for not being sympathetic enough toward the people of Geneva. It asked Bern to mediate with the aim of restoring the two ministers. The Geneva council refused to readmit the two men, who then took refuge in Basel. Subsequently, Farel received an invitation to lead the church in Neuchâtel. Calvin was invited to lead a church of French refugees in Strasbourg by that city's leading reformers, Martin Bucer and Wolfgang Capito. Initially, Calvin refused because Farel was not included in the invitation, but relented when Bucer appealed to him. By September 1538 Calvin had taken up his new position in Strasbourg, fully expecting that this time it would be permanent; a few months later, he applied for and was granted citizenship of the city. Minister in Strasbourg (1538–1541) During his time in Strasbourg, Calvin was not attached to one particular church, but held his office successively in the Saint-Nicolas Church, the Sainte-Madeleine Church and the former Dominican Church, renamed the Temple Neuf. (All of these churches still exist, but none are in the architectural state of Calvin's days.) Calvin ministered to 400–500 members in his church. He preached or lectured every day, with two sermons on Sunday. Communion was celebrated monthly and congregational singing of the psalms was encouraged. He also worked on the second edition of the Institutes. Calvin was dissatisfied with its original structure as a catechism, a primer for young Christians. For the second edition, published in 1539, Calvin dropped this format in favour of systematically presenting the main doctrines from the Bible. In the process, the book was enlarged from six chapters to seventeen. He concurrently worked on another book, the Commentary on Romans, which was published in March 1540. The book was a model for his later commentaries: it included his own Latin translation from the Greek rather than the Latin Vulgate, an exegesis, and an exposition. In the dedicatory letter, Calvin praised the work of his predecessors Philipp Melanchthon, Heinrich Bullinger, and Martin Bucer, but he also took care to distinguish his own work from theirs and to criticise some of their shortcomings. Calvin's friends urged him to marry. Calvin took a prosaic view, writing to one correspondent: I, who have the air of being so hostile to celibacy, I am still not married and do not know whether I will ever be. If I take a wife it will be because, being better freed from numerous worries, I can devote myself to the Lord. Several candidates were presented to him including one young woman from a noble family. Reluctantly, Calvin agreed to the marriage, on the condition that she would learn French. Although a wedding date was planned for March 1540, he remained reluctant and the wedding never took place. He later wrote that he would never think of marrying her, "unless the Lord had entirely bereft me of my wits". Instead, in August of that year, he married Idelette de Bure, a widow who had two children from her first marriage. Geneva reconsidered its expulsion of Calvin. Church attendance had dwindled and the political climate had changed; as Bern and Geneva quarrelled over land, their alliance frayed. When Cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto wrote a letter to the city council inviting Geneva to return to the Catholic faith, the council searched for an ecclesiastical authority to respond to him. At first Pierre Viret was consulted, but when he refused, the council asked Calvin. He agreed and his Responsio ad Sadoletum (Letter to Sadoleto) strongly defended Geneva's position concerning reforms in the church. On 21 September 1540 the council commissioned one of its members, Ami Perrin, to find a way to recall Calvin. An embassy reached Calvin while he was at a colloquy, a conference to settle religious disputes, in Worms. His reaction to the suggestion was one of horror in which he wrote, "Rather would I submit to death a hundred times than to that cross on which I had to perish daily a thousand times over." Calvin also wrote that he was prepared to follow the Lord's calling. A plan was drawn up in which Viret would be appointed to take temporary charge in Geneva for six months while Bucer and Calvin would visit the city to determine the next steps. The city council pressed for the immediate appointment of Calvin in Geneva. By mid-1541, Strasbourg decided to lend Calvin to Geneva for six months. Calvin returned on 13 September 1541 with an official escort and a wagon for his family. Reform in Geneva (1541–1549) In supporting Calvin's proposals for reforms, the council of Geneva passed the Ordonnances ecclésiastiques (Ecclesiastical Ordinances) on 20 November 1541. The ordinances defined four orders of ministerial function: pastors to preach and to administer the sacraments; doctors to instruct believers in the faith; elders to provide discipline; and deacons to care for the poor and needy. They also called for the creation of the Consistoire (Consistory), an ecclesiastical court composed of the elders and the ministers. The city government retained the power to summon persons before the court, and the Consistory could judge only ecclesiastical matters having no civil jurisdiction. Originally, the court had the power to mete out sentences, with excommunication as its most severe penalty. The government contested this power and on 19 March 1543 the council decided that all sentencing would be carried out by the government. In 1542, Calvin adapted a service book used in Strasbourg, publishing La Forme des Prières et Chants Ecclésiastiques (The Form of Prayers and Church Hymns). Calvin recognised the power of music and he intended that it be used to support scripture readings. The original Strasbourg psalter contained twelve psalms by Clément Marot and Calvin added several more hymns of his own composition in the Geneva version. At the end of 1542, Marot became a refugee in Geneva and contributed nineteen more psalms. Louis Bourgeois, also a refugee, lived and taught music in Geneva for sixteen years and Calvin took the opportunity to add his hymns, the most famous being the Old Hundredth. In the same year of 1542, Calvin published Catéchisme de l'Eglise de Genève (Catechism of the Church of Geneva), which was inspired by Bucer's Kurze Schrifftliche Erklärung of 1534. Calvin had written an earlier catechism during his first stay in Geneva which was largely based on Martin Luther's Large Catechism. The first version was arranged pedagogically, describing Law, Faith, and Prayer. The 1542 version was rearranged for theological reasons, covering Faith first, then Law and Prayer. Historians debate the extent to which Geneva was a theocracy. On the one hand, Calvin's theology clearly called for separation between church and state. Other historians have stressed the enormous political power wielded on a daily basis by the clerics. During his ministry in Geneva, Calvin preached over two thousand sermons. Initially he preached twice on Sunday and three times during the week. This proved to be too heavy a burden and late in 1542 the council allowed him to preach only once on Sunday. In October 1549, he was again required to preach twice on Sundays and, in addition, every weekday of alternate weeks. His sermons lasted more than an hour and he did not use notes. An occasional secretary tried to record his sermons, but very little of his preaching was preserved before 1549. In that year, professional scribe Denis Raguenier, who had learned or developed a system of shorthand, was assigned to record all of Calvin's sermons. An analysis of his sermons by T. H. L. Parker suggests that Calvin was a consistent preacher and his style changed very little over the years. John Calvin was also known for his thorough manner of working his way through the Bible in consecutive sermons. From March 1555 to July 1556, Calvin delivered two hundred sermons on Deuteronomy. Voltaire wrote about Calvin, Luther and Zwingli, "If they condemned celibacy in the priests, and opened the gates of the convents, it was only to turn all society into a convent. Shows and entertainments were expressly forbidden by their religion; and for more than two hundred years there was not a single musical instrument allowed in the city of Geneva. They condemned auricular confession, but they enjoined a public one; and in Switzerland, Scotland, and Geneva it was performed the same as penance." Very little is known about Calvin's personal life in Geneva. His house and furniture were owned by the council. The house was big enough to accommodate his family as well as Antoine's family and some servants. On 28 July 1542, Idelette gave birth to a son, Jacques, but he was born prematurely and survived only briefly. Idelette fell ill in 1545 and died on 29 March 1549. Calvin never married again. He expressed his sorrow in a letter to Viret: I have been bereaved of the best friend of my life, of one who, if it has been so ordained, would willingly have shared not only my poverty but also my death. During her life she was the faithful helper of my ministry. From her I never experienced the slightest hindrance. Throughout the rest of his life in Geneva, he maintained several friendships from his early years including Montmor, Cordier, Cop, Farel, Melanchthon and Bullinger. Discipline and opposition (1546–1553) Calvin encountered bitter opposition to his work in Geneva. Around 1546, the uncoordinated forces coalesced into an identifiable group whom he referred to as the libertines, but who preferred to be called either Spirituels or Patriots. According to Calvin, these were people who felt that after being liberated through grace, they were exempted from both ecclesiastical and civil law. The group consisted of wealthy, politically powerful, and interrelated families of Geneva. At the end of January 1546, Pierre Ameaux, a maker of playing cards who had already been in conflict with the Consistory, attacked Calvin by calling him a "Picard", an epithet denoting anti-French sentiment, and accused him of false doctrine. Ameaux was punished by the council and forced to make expiation by parading through the city and begging God for forgiveness. A few months later Ami Perrin, the man who had brought Calvin to Geneva, moved into open opposition. Perrin had married Françoise Favre, daughter of François Favre, a well-established Genevan merchant. Both Perrin's wife and father-in-law had previous conflicts with the Consistory. The court noted that many of Geneva's notables, including Perrin, had breached a law against dancing. Initially, Perrin ignored the court when he was summoned, but after receiving a letter from Calvin, he appeared before the Consistory. By 1547, opposition to Calvin and other French refugee ministers had grown to constitute the majority of the syndics, the civil magistrates of Geneva. On 27 June an unsigned threatening letter in Genevan dialect was found at the pulpit of St. Pierre Cathedral where Calvin preached. Suspecting a plot against both the church and the state, the council appointed a commission to investigate. Jacques Gruet, a Genevan member of Favre's group, was arrested and incriminating evidence was found when his house was searched. Under torture, he confessed to several crimes including writing the letter left in the pulpit which threatened the church leaders. A civil court condemned Gruet to death and he was beheaded on 26 July. Calvin was not opposed to the civil court's decision. The libertines continued organizing opposition, insulting the appointed ministers, and challenging the authority of the Consistory. The council straddled both sides of the conflict, alternately admonishing and upholding Calvin. When Perrin was elected first syndic in February 1552, Calvin's authority appeared to be at its lowest point. After some losses before the council, Calvin believed he was defeated; on 24 July 1553 he asked the council to allow him to resign. Although the libertines controlled the council, his request was refused. The opposition realised that they could curb Calvin's authority, but they did not have enough power to banish him. Michael Servetus (1553) The turning point in Calvin's fortunes occurred when Michael Servetus, a brilliant Spanish polymath who introduced the Islamic idea of Pulmonary circulation to Europe, and a fugitive from ecclesiastical authorities, appeared in Geneva on 13 August 1553. Servetus was a fugitive on the run after he published The Restoration of Christianity (1553), Calvin scholar Bruce Gordon commented "Among its offenses were a denial of original sin and a bizarre and hardly comprehensible view of the Trinity." Decades earlier, in July 1530 he disputed with Johannes Oecolampadius in Basel and was eventually expelled. He went to Strasbourg, where he published a pamphlet against the Trinity. Bucer publicly refuted it and asked Servetus to leave. After returning to Basel, Servetus published Two Books of Dialogues on the Trinity (Latin: Dialogorum de Trinitate libri duo) which caused a sensation among Reformers and Catholics alike. When John Calvin alerted the Inquisition in Spain about this publication, an order was issued for Servetus's arrest. Calvin and Servetus were first brought into contact in 1546 through a common acquaintance, Jean Frellon of Lyon; they exchanged letters debating doctrine; Calvin used a pseudonym as Charles d' Espeville and Servetus used the moniker Michel de Villeneuve. Eventually, Calvin lost patience and refused to respond; by this time Servetus had written around thirty letters to Calvin. Calvin was particularly outraged when Servetus sent him a copy of the Institutes of the Christian Religion heavily annotated with arguments pointing to errors in the book. When Servetus mentioned that he would come to Geneva, "Espeville" (Calvin) wrote a letter to Farel on 13 February 1546 noting that if Servetus were to come, he would not assure him safe conduct: "for if he came, as far as my authority goes, I would not let him leave alive." In 1553 Servetus published Christianismi Restitutio (English: The Restoration of Christianity), in which he rejected the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and the concept of predestination. In the same year, Calvin's representative, Guillaume de Trie, sent letters alerting the French Inquisition to Servetus. Calling him a "Spanish-Portuguese", suspecting and accusing him of his recently proved Jewish converso origin. De Trie wrote down that "his proper name is Michael Servetus, but he currently calls himself Villeneuve, practising medicine. He stayed for some time in Lyon, and now he is living in Vienne." When the inquisitor-general of France learned that Servetus was hiding in Vienne, according to Calvin under an assumed name, he contacted Cardinal François de Tournon, the secretary of the archbishop of Lyon, to take up the matter. Servetus was arrested and taken in for questioning. His letters to Calvin were presented as evidence of heresy, but he denied having written them, and later said he was not sure it was his handwriting. He said, after swearing before the holy gospel, that "he was Michel De Villeneuve Doctor in Medicine about 42 years old, native of Tudela of the kingdom of Navarre, a city under the obedience to the Emperor". The following day he said: "..although he was not Servetus he assumed the person of Servet for debating with Calvin". He managed to escape from prison, and the Catholic authorities sentenced him in absentia to death by slow burning. On his way to Italy, Servetus stopped in Geneva to visit "d'Espeville", where he was recognized and arrested. Calvin's secretary, Nicholas de la Fontaine, composed a list of accusations that was submitted before the court. The prosecutor was Philibert Berthelier, a member of a libertine family and son of a famous Geneva patriot, and the sessions were led by Pierre Tissot, Perrin's brother-in-law. The libertines allowed the trial to drag on in an attempt to harass Calvin. The difficulty in using Servetus as a weapon against Calvin was that the heretical reputation of Servetus was widespread and most of the cities in Europe were observing and awaiting the outcome of the trial. This posed a dilemma for the libertines, so on 21 August the council decided to write to other Swiss cities for their opinions, thus mitigating their own responsibility for the final decision. While waiting for the responses, the council also asked Servetus if he preferred to be judged in Vienne or in Geneva. He begged to stay in Geneva. On 20 October the replies from Zurich, Basel, Bern, and Schaffhausen were read and the council condemned Servetus as a heretic. The following day he was sentenced to burning at the stake, the same sentence as in Vienne. Some scholars claim that Calvin and other ministers asked that he be beheaded instead of burnt, knowing that burning at the stake was the only legal recourse. This plea was refused and on 27 October, Servetus was burnt alive at the Plateau of Champel at the edge of Geneva. Securing the Protestant Reformation (1553–1555) After the death of Servetus, Calvin was acclaimed a defender of Christianity, but his ultimate triumph over the libertines was still two years away. He had always insisted that the Consistory retain the power of excommunication, despite the council's past decision to take it away. During Servetus's trial, Philibert Berthelier asked the council for permission to take communion, as he had been excommunicated the previous year for insulting a minister. Calvin protested that the council did not have the legal authority to overturn Berthelier's excommunication. Unsure of how the council would rule, he hinted in a sermon on 3 September 1553 that he might be dismissed by the authorities. The council decided to re-examine the Ordonnances and on 18 September it voted in support of Calvin—excommunication was within the jurisdiction of the Consistory. Berthelier applied for reinstatement to another Genevan administrative assembly, the Deux Cents (Two Hundred), in November. This body reversed the council's decision and stated that the final arbiter concerning excommunication should be the council. The ministers continued to protest, and as in the case of Servetus, the opinions of the Swiss churches were sought. The affair dragged on through 1554. Finally, on 22 January 1555, the council announced the decision of the Swiss churches: the original Ordonnances were to be kept and the Consistory was to regain its official powers. The libertines' downfall began with the February 1555 elections. By then, many of the French refugees had been granted citizenship and with their support, Calvin's partisans elected the majority of the syndics and the councillors. On 16 May the libertines took to the streets in a drunken protest and attempted to burn down a house that was supposedly full of Frenchmen. The syndic Henri Aulbert tried to intervene, carrying with him the baton of office that symbolised his power. Perrin seized the baton and waved it over the crowd, which gave the appearance that he was taking power and initiating a coup d'état. The insurrection was soon over when another syndic appeared and ordered Perrin to go with him to the town hall. Perrin and other leaders were forced to flee the city. With the approval of Calvin, the other plotters who remained in the city were found and executed. The opposition to Calvin's church polity came to an end. Final years (1555–1564) Calvin's authority was practically uncontested during his final years, and he enjoyed an international reputation as a reformer distinct from Martin Luther. Initially, Luther and Calvin had mutual respect for each other. A doctrinal conflict had developed between Luther and Zurich reformer Huldrych Zwingli on the interpretation of the eucharist. Calvin's opinion on the issue forced Luther to place him in Zwingli's camp. Calvin actively participated in the polemics that were exchanged between the Lutheran and Reformed branches of the Reformation movement. At the same time, Calvin was dismayed by the lack of unity among the reformers. He took steps toward rapprochement with Bullinger by signing the Consensus Tigurinus, a concordat between the Zurich and Geneva churches. He reached out to England when Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer called for an ecumenical synod of all the evangelical churches. Calvin praised the idea, but ultimately Cranmer was unable to bring it to fruition. Calvin sheltered Marian exiles (those who fled the reign of Catholic Mary Tudor in England) in Geneva starting in 1555. Under the city's protection, they were able to form their own reformed church under John Knox and William Whittingham and eventually carried Calvin's ideas on doctrine and polity back to England and Scotland. Within Geneva, Calvin's main concern was the creation of a collège, an institute for the education of children. A site for the school was selected on 25 March 1558 and it opened the following year on 5 June 1559. Although the school was a single institution, it was divided into two parts: a grammar school called the collège or schola privata and an advanced school called the académie or schola publica. Calvin tried to recruit two professors for the institute, Mathurin Cordier, his old friend and Latin scholar who was now based in Lausanne, and Emmanuel Tremellius, the former Regius professor of Hebrew in Cambridge. Neither was available, but he succeeded in obtaining Theodore Beza as rector. Within five years there were 1,200 students in the grammar school and 300 in the advanced school. The collège eventually became the Collège Calvin, one of the college preparatory schools of Geneva; the académie became the University of Geneva. Impact on France Calvin was deeply committed to reforming his homeland, France. The Protestant movement had been energetic, but lacked central organizational direction. With financial support from the church in Geneva, Calvin turned his enormous energies toward uplifting the French Protestant cause. As one historian explains: - He supplied the dogma, the liturgy, and the moral ideas of the new religion, and he also created ecclesiastical, political, and social institutions in harmony with it. A born leader, he followed up his work with personal appeals. His vast correspondence with French Protestants shows not only much zeal but infinite pains and considerable tact and driving home the lessons of his printed treatises. Between 1555 and 1562, more than 100 ministers were sent to France. Nevertheless French King Henry II severely persecuted Protestants under the Edict of Chateaubriand and when the French authorities complained about the missionary activities, the city fathers of Geneva disclaimed official responsibility. In late 1558, Calvin became ill with a fever. Since he was afraid that he might die before completing the final revision of the Institutes, he forced himself to work. The final edition was greatly expanded to the extent that Calvin referred to it as a new work. The expansion from the 21 chapters of the previous edition to 80 was due to the extended treatment of existing material rather than the addition of new topics. Shortly after he recovered, he strained his voice while preaching, which brought on a violent fit of coughing. He burst a blood-vessel in his lungs, and his health steadily declined. He preached his final sermon in St. Pierre on 6 February 1564. On 25 April, he made his will, in which he left small sums to his family and to the collège. A few days later, the ministers of the church came to visit him, and he bade his final farewell, which was recorded in Discours d'adieu aux ministres. He recounted his life in Geneva, sometimes recalling bitterly some of the hardships he had suffered. Calvin died on 27 May 1564 aged 54. At first his body lay in state, but since so many people came to see it, the reformers were afraid that they would be accused of fostering a new saint's cult. On the following day, he was buried in an unmarked grave in the Cimetière des Rois. The exact location of the grave is unknown; a stone was added in the 19th century to mark a grave traditionally thought to be Calvin's. |Part of a series on| Calvin developed his theology in his biblical commentaries as well as his sermons and treatises, but the most comprehensive expression of his views is found in his magnum opus, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. He intended that the book be used as a summary of his views on Christian theology and that it be read in conjunction with his commentaries. The various editions of that work spanned nearly his entire career as a reformer, and the successive revisions of the book show that his theology changed very little from his youth to his death. The first edition from 1536 consisted of only six chapters. The second edition, published in 1539, was three times as long because he added chapters on subjects that appear in Melanchthon's Loci Communes. In 1543, he again added new material and expanded a chapter on the Apostles' Creed. The final edition of the Institutes appeared in 1559. By then, the work consisted of four books of eighty chapters, and each book was named after statements from the creed: Book 1 on God the Creator, Book 2 on the Redeemer in Christ, Book 3 on receiving the Grace of Christ through the Holy Spirit, and Book 4 on the Society of Christ or the Church. The first statement in the Institutes acknowledges its central theme. It states that the sum of human wisdom consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Calvin argues that the knowledge of God is not inherent in humanity nor can it be discovered by observing this world. The only way to obtain it is to study scripture. Calvin writes, "For anyone to arrive at God the Creator he needs Scripture as his Guide and Teacher." He does not try to prove the authority of scripture but rather describes it as autopiston or self-authenticating. He defends the trinitarian view of God and, in a strong polemical stand against the Catholic Church, argues that images of God lead to idolatry. John Calvin famously said "the human heart is a perpetual idol factory". At the end of the first book, he offers his views on providence, writing, "By his Power God cherishes and guards the World which he made and by his Providence rules its individual Parts." Humans are unable to fully comprehend why God performs any particular action, but whatever good or evil people may practise, their efforts always result in the execution of God's will and judgments. The second book includes several essays on original sin and the fall of man, which directly refer to Augustine, who developed these doctrines. He often cited the Church Fathers in order to defend the reformed cause against the charge that the reformers were creating new theology. In Calvin's view, sin began with the fall of Adam and propagated to all of humanity. The domination of sin is complete to the point that people are driven to evil. Thus fallen humanity is in need of the redemption that can be found in Christ. But before Calvin expounded on this doctrine, he described the special situation of the Jews who lived during the time of the Old Testament. God made a covenant with Abraham, promising the coming of Christ. Hence, the Old Covenant was not in opposition to Christ, but was rather a continuation of God's promise. Calvin then describes the New Covenant using the passage from the Apostles' Creed that describes Christ's suffering under Pontius Pilate and his return to judge the living and the dead. For Calvin, the whole course of Christ's obedience to the Father removed the discord between humanity and God. In the third book, Calvin describes how the spiritual union of Christ and humanity is achieved. He first defines faith as the firm and certain knowledge of God in Christ. The immediate effects of faith are repentance and the remission of sin. This is followed by spiritual regeneration, which returns the believer to the state of holiness before Adam's transgression. Complete perfection is unattainable in this life, and the believer should expect a continual struggle against sin. Several chapters are then devoted to the subject of justification by faith alone. He defined justification as "the acceptance by which God regards us as righteous whom he has received into grace." In this definition, it is clear that it is God who initiates and carries through the action and that people play no role; God is completely sovereign in salvation. Near the end of the book, Calvin describes and defends the doctrine of predestination, a doctrine advanced by Augustine in opposition to the teachings of Pelagius. Fellow theologians who followed the Augustinian tradition on this point included Thomas Aquinas and Martin Luther, though Calvin's formulation of the doctrine went further than the tradition that went before him. The principle, in Calvin's words, is that "All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death." Calvin believed that God's absolute decree was double predestination, but he also confessed that this was a horrible decree: "The decree is dreadful indeed, I confess. (latin. "Decretum quidem horribile, fateor."; French. "Je confesse que ce decret nous doit epouvanter.") The final book describes what he considers to be the true Church and its ministry, authority, and sacraments. He denied the papal claim to primacy and the accusation that the reformers were schismatic. For Calvin, the Church was defined as the body of believers who placed Christ at its head. By definition, there was only one "catholic" or "universal" Church. Hence, he argued that the reformers "had to leave them in order that we might come to Christ." The ministers of the Church are described from a passage from Ephesians, and they consisted of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and doctors. Calvin regarded the first three offices as temporary, limited in their existence to the time of the New Testament. The latter two offices were established in the church in Geneva. Although Calvin respected the work of the ecumenical councils, he considered them to be subject to God's Word found in scripture. He also believed that the civil and church authorities were separate and should not interfere with each other. Calvin defined a sacrament as an earthly sign associated with a promise from God. He accepted only two sacraments as valid under the new covenant: baptism and the Lord's Supper (in opposition to the Catholic acceptance of seven sacraments). He completely rejected the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation and the treatment of the Supper as a sacrifice. He also could not accept the Lutheran doctrine of sacramental union in which Christ was "in, with and under" the elements. His own view was close to Zwingli's symbolic view, but it was not identical. Rather than holding a purely symbolic view, Calvin noted that with the participation of the Holy Spirit, faith was nourished and strengthened by the sacrament. In his words, the eucharistic rite was "a secret too sublime for my mind to understand or words to express. I experience it rather than understand it." Calvin's theology caused controversy. Pierre Caroli, a Protestant minister in Lausanne, accused Calvin, as well as Viret and Farel, of Arianism in 1536. Calvin defended his beliefs on the Trinity in Confessio de Trinitate propter calumnias P. Caroli. In 1551 Jérôme-Hermès Bolsec, a physician in Geneva, attacked Calvin's doctrine of predestination and accused him of making God the author of sin. Bolsec was banished from the city, and after Calvin's death, he wrote a biography which severely maligned Calvin's character. In the following year, Joachim Westphal, a Gnesio-Lutheran pastor in Hamburg, condemned Calvin and Zwingli as heretics in denying the eucharistic doctrine of the union of Christ's body with the elements. Calvin's Defensio sanae et orthodoxae doctrinae de sacramentis (A Defence of the Sober and Orthodox Doctrine of the Sacrament) was his response in 1555. In 1556 Justus Velsius, a Dutch dissident, held a public disputation with Calvin during his visit to Frankfurt, in which Velsius defended free will against Calvin's doctrine of predestination. Following the execution of Servetus, a close associate of Calvin, Sebastian Castellio, broke with him on the issue of the treatment of heretics. In Castellio's Treatise on Heretics (1554), he argued for a focus on Christ's moral teachings in place of the vanity of theology, and he afterward developed a theory of tolerance based on biblical principles. Calvin and the Jews Scholars have debated Calvin's view of the Jews and Judaism. Some have argued that Calvin was the least anti-semitic among all the major reformers of his time, especially in comparison to Martin Luther. Others have argued that Calvin was firmly within the anti-semitic camp. Scholars agree that it is important to distinguish between Calvin's views toward the biblical Jews and his attitude toward contemporary Jews. In his theology, Calvin does not differentiate between God's covenant with Israel and the New Covenant. He stated, "all the children of the promise, reborn of God, who have obeyed the commands by faith working through love, have belonged to the New Covenant since the world began." Nevertheless, he was a covenant theologian and argued that the Jews are a rejected people who must embrace Jesus to re-enter the covenant. Most of Calvin's statements on the Jewry of his era were polemical. For example, Calvin once wrote, "I have had much conversation with many Jews: I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness—nay, I have never found common sense in any Jew." In this respect, he differed little from other Protestant and Catholic theologians of his day. Among his extant writings, Calvin only dealt explicitly with issues of contemporary Jews and Judaism in one treatise, Response to Questions and Objections of a Certain Jew. In it, he argued that Jews misread their own scriptures because they miss the unity of the Old and New Testaments. The aim of Calvin's political theory was to safeguard the rights and freedoms of ordinary people. Although he was convinced that the Bible contained no blueprint for a certain form of government, Calvin favored a combination of democracy and aristocracy (mixed government). He appreciated the advantages of democracy. To further minimize the misuse of political power, Calvin proposed to divide it among several political institutions like the aristocracy, lower estates, or magistrates in a system of checks and balances (separation of powers). Finally, Calvin taught that if rulers rise up against God they lose their divine right and must be deposed. State and church are separate, though they have to cooperate to the benefit of the people. Christian magistrates have to make sure that the church can fulfill its duties in freedom. In extreme cases the magistrates have to expel or execute dangerous heretics. But nobody can be forced to become a Protestant. Calvin thought that agriculture and the traditional crafts were normal human activities. With regard to trade and the financial world he was more liberal than Luther, but both were strictly opposed to usury. Calvin allowed the charging of modest interest rates on loans. Like the other Reformers Calvin understood work as a means through which the believers expressed their gratitude to God for their redemption in Christ and as a service to their neighbors. Everybody was obliged to work; loafing and begging were rejected. The idea that economic success was a visible sign of God's grace played only a minor role in Calvin's thinking. It became more important in later, partly secularized forms of Calvinism and became the starting-point of Max Weber's theory about the rise of capitalism. Calvin's first published work was a commentary of Seneca the Younger's De Clementia. Published at his own expense in 1532, it showed that he was a humanist in the tradition of Erasmus with a thorough understanding of classical scholarship. His first theological work, the Psychopannychia, attempted to refute the doctrine of soul sleep as promulgated by the Anabaptists. Calvin probably wrote it during the period following Cop's speech, but it was not published until 1542 in Strasbourg. Calvin produced commentaries on most of the books of the Bible. His first commentary on Romans was published in 1540, and he planned to write commentaries on the entire New Testament. Six years passed before he wrote his second, a commentary on First Epistle to the Corinthians, but after that he devoted more attention to reaching his goal. Within four years he had published commentaries on all the Pauline epistles, and he also revised the commentary on Romans. He then turned his attention to the general epistles, dedicating them to Edward VI of England. By 1555 he had completed his work on the New Testament, finishing with the Acts and the Gospels (he omitted only the brief second and third Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation). For the Old Testament, he wrote commentaries on Isaiah, the books of the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and Joshua. The material for the commentaries often originated from lectures to students and ministers that he reworked for publication. From 1557 onwards, he could not find the time to continue this method, and he gave permission for his lectures to be published from stenographers' notes. These Praelectiones covered the minor prophets, Daniel, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and part of Ezekiel. Calvin also wrote many letters and treatises. Following the Responsio ad Sadoletum, Calvin wrote an open letter at the request of Bucer to Charles V in 1543, Supplex exhortatio ad Caesarem, defending the reformed faith. This was followed by an open letter to the pope (Admonitio paterna Pauli III) in 1544, in which Calvin admonished Paul III for depriving the reformers of any prospect of rapprochement. The pope proceeded to open the Council of Trent, which resulted in decrees against the reformers. Calvin refuted the decrees by producing the Acta synodi Tridentinae cum Antidoto in 1547. When Charles tried to find a compromise solution with the Augsburg Interim, Bucer and Bullinger urged Calvin to respond. He wrote the treatise, Vera Christianae pacificationis et Ecclesiae reformandae ratio in 1549, in which he described the doctrines that should be upheld, including justification by faith. Calvin provided many of the foundational documents for reformed churches, including documents on the catechism, the liturgy, and church governance. He also produced several confessions of faith in order to unite the churches. In 1559, he drafted the French confession of faith, the Gallic Confession, and the synod in Paris accepted it with few changes. The Belgic Confession of 1561, a Dutch confession of faith, was partly based on the Gallic Confession. After the deaths of Calvin and his successor, Beza, the Geneva city council gradually gained control over areas of life that were previously in the ecclesiastical domain. Increasing secularisation was accompanied by the decline of the church. Even the Geneva académie was eclipsed by universities in Leiden and Heidelberg, which became the new strongholds of Calvin's ideas, first identified as "Calvinism" by Joachim Westphal in 1552. By 1585, Geneva, once the wellspring of the reform movement, had become merely its symbol. Calvin had always warned against describing him as an "idol" and Geneva as a new "Jerusalem". He encouraged people to adapt to the environments in which they found themselves. Even during his polemical exchange with Westphal, he advised a group of French-speaking refugees, who had settled in Wesel, Germany, to integrate with the local Lutheran churches. Despite his differences with the Lutherans, he did not deny that they were members of the true Church. Calvin's recognition of the need to adapt to local conditions became an important characteristic of the reformation movement as it spread across Europe. Due to Calvin's missionary work in France, his programme of reform eventually reached the French-speaking provinces of the Netherlands. Calvinism was adopted in the Electorate of the Palatinate under Frederick III, which led to the formulation of the Heidelberg Catechism in 1563. This and the Belgic Confession were adopted as confessional standards in the first synod of the Dutch Reformed Church in 1571. Several leading divines, either Calvinist or those sympathetic to Calvinism, settled in England (Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, and Jan Laski) and Scotland (John Knox). During the English Civil War, the Calvinistic Puritans produced the Westminster Confession, which became the confessional standard for Presbyterians in the English-speaking world. As the Ottoman Empire did not force Muslim conversion on its conquered western territories, reformed ideas were quickly adopted in the two-thirds of Hungary they occupied (the Habsburg-ruled third part of Hungary remained Catholic). A Reformed Constitutional Synod was held in 1567 in Debrecen, the main hub of Hungarian Calvinism, where the Second Helvetic Confession was adopted as the official confession of Hungarian Calvinists. Having established itself in Europe, the movement continued to spread to other parts of the world including North America, South Africa, and Korea. Calvin did not live to see the foundation of his work grow into an international movement; but his death allowed his ideas to break out of their city of origin, to succeed far beyond their borders, and to establish their own distinct character. - "Calvin" Archived 21 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. - Robert Dean Linder, The Reformation Era, (Greenwood Press, 2008), 139. - Cottret 2000, pp. 8–12; Parker 2006, pp. 17–20 - Ganoczy 2004, pp. 3–4; Cottret 2000, pp. 12–16; Parker 2006, p. 21. McGrath 1990, pp. 22–27 states that Nicolas Colladon was the source that he attended Collège de la Marche which McGrath disputes. - Cottret 2000, pp. 17–18; Parker 2006, pp. 22–23 - Parker 1975, p. 15. According to Cottret 2000, p. 20, there may have been a family conflict with the clergy in Noyon. - Cottret 2000, pp. 20–24; Parker 1975, pp. 22–25 - Parker, T. H. L, John Calvin: a Biography, Louisville, KY (Westminster John Knox: 2006), 199–203. - J. Calvin, preface to Commentary on the Book of Psalms, trans. James Anderson, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1948), pp. xl–xli as quoted in Cottret 2000, p. 67. The translation by Anderson is available at "The Author's Preface", Commentary on Psalms, vol. 1 See also Parker 2006, p. 200. - from: Bruce Gordon, Calvin, New Haven; London 2009, p. 34. - Ganoczy 2004, pp. 9–10; Cottret 2000, pp. 65–70; Parker 2006, pp. 199–203; McGrath 1990, pp. 69–72 - According to Cottret 2000, pp. 68–70, Ganoczy in his book Le Jeune Calvin. Genèse et evolution de sa vocation réformatrice, Wiesbaden: F. Steiner, 1966 p. 302, argues that Calvin conversion took place over several years and that it was not a biographical or chronological event. Cottret quotes Olivier Millet, Calvin et la dynamique de la Parole. Essai de rhétorique réformée, Paris: H. Champion 1992 p. 522, noting a typological rather than a biographical perspective of the account of his conversion. The biographical argument is promoted by D. Fischer, "Conversion de Calvin", Etudes Theéologiques et Religieuses 58 (1983) pp. 203–220. According to Parker 1975, pp. 192–196 Parker is in sympathy with Ganoczy's view, but in his investigations, he concluded that a certain period for his conversion could be determined. - Bruce Gordon, Calvin, New Haven; London 2009, p. 34. - Ganoczy 2004, pp. 7–8; Cottret 2000, pp. 63–65, 73–74, 82–88, 101; Parker 2006, pp. 47–51; McGrath 1990, pp. 62–67 - Ganoczy 2005 - Ganoczy 2004, p. 9; Cottret 2000, pp. 110–114; Parker 2006, pp. 52, 72 - McGrath 1990, pp. 76–78; Cottret 2000, pp. 110, 118–120; Parker 2006, pp. 73–75 - Cottret 2000, p. 120 - Parker 2006, p. 80 - De Greef 2004, p. 50 - Cottret 2000, pp. 128–129; Parker 1975, pp. 74–76 - McGrath 1990, pp. 98–100; Cottret 2000, pp. 129–131; Parker 2006, pp. 85–90 - McGrath 1990, pp. 101–102; Parker 2006, pp. 90–92 - Calvin et Strasbourg Archived 8 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in French) - Parker 2006, pp. 92–93 - Parker 1995, pp. 4–5 - Parker 2006, pp. 97–101 - Cottret 2000, pp. 143–146 - Cottret 2000, p. 140 - Parker 1975, p. 87 - Cottret 2000, pp. 139–142; Parker 2006, pp. 96–97 - Ganoczy 2004, pp. 12–14; De Greef 2004, p. 46; Cottret 2000, pp. 152–156 - Parker 2006, p. 105 - Parker 2006, pp. 103–107 - Ganoczy 2004, pp. 15–17 - Cottret 2000, pp. 165–166; Parker 2006, pp. 108–111 - Cottret 2000, pp. 172–174; Parker 2006, pp. 112–115 - Cottret 2000, pp. 170–171 - Mark J. Larson (2009). Calvin's Doctrine of the State: A Reformed Doctrine and Its American Trajectory, The Revolutionary War, and the Founding of the Republic. Wipf and Stock. pp. 1–20. ISBN 978-1-60608-073-3. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015. - Harro Höpfl, The Christian Polity of John Calvin (Cambridge University Press, 1985) - DeVries 2004, pp. 106–124; Parker 2006, pp. 116–123 - See also Parker, T. H. L. (2002), The Oracles of God: An Introduction to the Preaching of John Calvin, Cambridge: James Clarke Company, ISBN 978-0-227-17091-5 - Currid, John D. (2006), Calvin and the Biblical Languages, UK: Christian Focus Publications, ISBN 978-1-84550-212-6 - Voltaire, 1694–1778. "The works of Voltaire : Volume XXVII. Ancient and Modern History. 4 . Charles V., 1512 – Philip II., 1584". cristoraul.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015. - Parker 2006, pp. 129–130 - Cottret 2000, pp. 183–184; Parker 2006, p. 131 - Schaff, Philip, "§ 108. Calvin's Struggle with the Patriots and Libertines", History of the Christian Church, vol. VIII, archived from the original on 9 May 2012, retrieved 17 January 2013 - Fisher, George Park (1912). The Reformation. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 192. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2015. - Cottret 2000, pp. 185–186; Parker 2006, pp. 124–126 - Cottret 2000, p. 187; Parker 2006, p. 126 - Parker 2006, p. 127 - De Greef 2008, pp. 30–31; McNeill 1954, pp. 170–171; Cottret 2000, pp. 190–191; Parker 2006, pp. 136–138 - Parker 2006, pp. 139–145 - Majeed, Azeem (2005). "How Islam changed medicine". BMJ. 331 (7531): 1486–1487. doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7531.1486. PMC 1322233. PMID 16373721. - "Michael Servetus: Saint, Heretic and Martyr (Part 3: A Radical Theology)". The PostBarthian. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2020. - Hunted Heretic, p. 141. - Cottret 2000, pp. 213–216; Parker 2006, p. 146 - Cottret 2000, pp. 216–217; Parker 2006, pp. 147–148; Levy, Leonard W. (1995), Blasphemy: Verbal offense Against the Sacred from Moses to Salman Rushdie, p. 65, ISBN 978-0-8078-4515-8. - See the letters in John Calvin, Opera Quae Supersunt Omnia, Book VIII, First Appendix, IV & VII. - Calvin and the Judaism, Influence and actions and obsessions. Revoeder Hebr.Press. Levi Lancaster 200, p. 106. - Gonzalez Echeverría," Andrés Laguna and Michael Servetus: two converted humanist doctors of the XVI century" in: Andrés Laguna International Congress. Humanism, Science and Politics in the Renaissance Europe, García Hourcade y Moreno Yuste, coord., Junta de Castilla y León, Valladolid,1999 pp. 377–389 - González Echeverría " Michael Servetus belonged to the famous converted Jewish family The Zaporta", Pliegos de Bibliofilia, nº 7, Madrid pp. 33–42. 1999 - González Echeverría" On the Jewish origin of Michael Servetus" Raíces. Jewish Magazine of Culture, Madrid, nº 40, pp. 67–69. 1999 - Inconsistencies of John Calvin, A.C. Williams, Artiviche Ed, Pressore, 2012, p. 34–39. - 1749 First questioning. Judgement of Vienne in Dauphiné against Servet. D'artigny Nouveaux mémoires d'histoire Tome Seconde. pp. 55–154. - 1749 Second questioning. Judgement of Vienne in Dauphiné against Servet.D'artigny Nouveaux mémoires d'histoire Tome Seconde pp. 55–154) - Parker 2006, pp. 149–150 - Parker 1975, p. 122 - Verdict and Sentence for Michael Servetus (1533) in A Reformation Reader eds. Denis R. Janz; 268–270 - McGrath 1990, pp. 118–120; Cottret 2000, pp. 222–225; Parker 2006, pp. 150–152 - Cottret 2000, pp. 195–198; Parker 2006, pp. 154–156 - Cottret 2000, pp. 198–200; Parker 2006, pp. 156–157; Manetsch 2013, p. 187 - Cottret 2000, p. 235 - Parker 1975, pp. 162–163 - Parker 1975, pp. 164–165 - Parker 2006, pp. 170–172 - Olsen 2004, pp. 158–159; Ganoczy 2004, pp. 19–20; Cottret 2000, pp. 256–259; Parker 2006, pp. 157–160 - Preserved Smith (1920). The Age of the Reformation. H. Holt. p. 201. - McGrath 1990, pp. 182–184; Parker 2006, pp. 178–180 - Parker 2006, pp. 161–164 - McGrath 1990, pp. 195–196; Cottret 2000, pp. 259–262; Parker 2006, pp. 185–191 - Rossel, Patrice (1994), Une visite du cimetière de Plainpalais, Les Iles futures; Palfi, Véronique (2003), Le Cimetière des Rois, De l'hôpital des pestiférés au cimetière de Plainpalais, Cinq siècle d'histoire, étude historique pour la Conservation architecturale de la Ville de Genève - Hesselink 2004, pp. 74–75; Parker 1995, pp. 4–9 - Bouwsma 1988, p. 9; Helm 2004, p. 6; Hesselink 2004, pp. 75–77 - Parker 1995, pp. 4–10; De Greef 2004, pp. 42–44; McGrath 1990, pp. 136–144, 151–174; Cottret 2000, pp. 110–114, 309–325; Parker 2006, pp. 53–62, 97–99, 132–134, 161–164 - Niesel 1980, pp. 23–24; Hesselink 2004, pp. 77–78; Parker 1995, pp. 13–14 - Parker 1995, p. 21 - Steinmetz 1995, pp. 59–62; Hesselink 2004, p. 85; Parker 1995, pp. 29–34 - "The human heart is an idol factory: a modern critique of John Calvin". The PostBarthian. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2020. - Hesselink 2004, p. 85; Parker 1995, p. 43 - Niesel 1980, pp. 70–79; Parker 1995, p. 47 - Gerrish 2004, pp. 290–291, 302. According to Gerrish, Calvin put his defence against the charge of novelty in the preface of every edition of the Institutes. The original preface of the first edition was addressed to the King of France, Francis I. The defence expressed his opinion that patristic authority favoured the reformers and that allegation of the reformers deviating from the patristic consensus was a fiction. See also Steinmetz 1995, pp. 122–137. - Niesel 1980, pp. 80–88; Parker 1995, pp. 50–57 - Parker 1995, pp. 57–77 - Niesel 1980, pp. 126–130; Parker 1995, pp. 78–86 - Parker 1995, pp. 97–98 - Niesel 1980, pp. 130–137; Parker 1995, pp. 95–103 - Parker 1995, p. 114 - Heron 2005, p. 243 - Calvin 1989, Book III, Chapter 21, Par 5 - "John Calvin confessed Double Predestination is a Horrible and Dreadful Decree". The PostBarthian. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2020. - Parker 1995, p. 134; Niesel 1980, pp. 187–195 - Parker 1995, pp. 135–144 - Potter & Greengrass 1983, pp. 34–42; McDonnell 1967, p. 206; Parker 1995, pp. 147–157; Niesel 1980, pp. 211–228; Steinmetz 1995, pp. 172–173 - Gamble 2004, p. 199; Cottret 2000, pp. 125–126 - Gamble 2004, pp. 198–199; McGrath 1990, pp. 16–17; Cottret 2000, pp. 208–211 - Gamble 2004, pp. 193–196; Parker 1975, p. 163 - Cottret 2000, pp. 227–233 - Ganoczy 2004, pp. 17–18 - See Daniel J. Elazar, Covenant and Commonwealth: Europe from Christian Separation through the Protestant Reformation, Volume II of the Covenant Tradition in Politics (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1995) - Pater 1987, pp. 256–296; Baron 1972, pp. 343–344 - Lange van Ravenswaay 2009, p. 144 quoting from Calvin, Institutes II.11.10 - Pak, G. Sojin. John Calvin and the Jews: His Exegetical Legacy. Reformed Institute of Metropolitan Washington, 2009, p. 25. - Calvin's commentary of Daniel 2:44–45 translated by Myers, Thomas.Calvin's Commentaries. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1948, quoted in Lange van Ravenswaay 2009, p. 146 - Detmers 2006, p. 199; Lange van Ravenswaay 2009, pp. 143–146; Pak 2010, p. 177 - Pak 2010, p. 3 - Ad Questiones et Obiecta Iudaei cuisdam Responsio Ioannis Calvini in CR 37:653–674 and translated by R. Susan Frank in M. Sweetland Laver, Calvin, Jews, and Intra-Christian Polemics (PhD diss, Temple University, Philadelphia, 1987), pp. 220–261. - Pak 2010, p. 27 - Jan Weerda, Calvin, in Evangelisches Soziallexikon, Stuttgart (Germany) (1954), col. 210 - Clifton E. Olmstead (1960), History of Religion in the United States, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., pp. 9–10 - Jan Weerda, Calvin, in Evangelisches Soziallexikon, col. 211 - Jan Weerda, Calvin, in Evangelisches Soziallexikon, col. 212 - Otto Weber, Calvin, Johannes, in Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 3. Auflage, Band I (1957), col. 1598 - De Greef 2004, p. 41; McGrath 1990, pp. 60–62; Cottret 2000, pp. 63–65; Steinmetz 2009 - De Greef 2004, p. 53; Cottret 2000, pp. 77–82 - De Greef 2004, pp. 44–45; Parker 2006, pp. 134–136, 160–162 - De Greef 2004, pp. 46–48 - De Greef 2004, pp. 50–51 - McGrath 1990, pp. 200–201; Cottret 2000, p. 239 - Pettegree 2004, pp. 207–208 - Holder 2004, pp. 246–256; McGrath 1990, pp. 198–199 - Pettegree 2004, p. 222 - Church of England Calendar Archived 22 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine - "John Calvin". satucket.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015. - "The Calendar". The Church of England. Retrieved 27 March 2021. - Baron, Salo (1972), "John Calvin and the Jews", in Feldman, Leon A. (ed.), Ancient and Medieval Jewish History, New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, OCLC 463285878 (originally published 1965). - Berg, Machiel A. van den (2009), Friends of Calvin, Grand Rapids, Mi.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN 978-0-8028-6227-3 - Bouwsma, William James (1988), John Calvin: A Sixteenth-Century Portrait, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-504394-5. - Calvin, John (1989) , Institutio Christianae religionis [Institutes of the Christian Religion] (in Latin), Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company - Chung, Sung Wook (2002), Admiration and Challenge: Karl Barth's Theological Relationship with John Calvin, New York: Peter Lang, ISBN 978-0-82-045680-5. - Chung, Sung Wook (2009), John Calvin and Evangelical Theology: Legacy and Prospect, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, ISBN 978-0-82-045680-5. - Cottret, Bernard (2000) , Calvin: Biographie [Calvin: A Biography] (in French), Translated by M. Wallace McDonald, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, ISBN 978-0-8028-3159-0 - De Greef, Wulfert (2004), "Calvin's writings", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - ———————— (2008), The Writings of John Calvin: An Introductory Guide, Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, ISBN 978-0-664-23230-6 - Detmers, Achim (2006), "Calvin, the Jews, and Judaism", in Bell, Dean Phillip; Burnett, Stephen G. (eds.), Jews, Judaism, and the Reformation in Sixteenth-Century Germany, Leiden: Brill, ISBN 978-90-04-14947-2. - DeVries, Dawn (2004), "Calvin's preaching", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Dyer, Thomas Henry (1850), The Life of John Calvin, London: John Murray - Gamble, Richard C. (2004), "Calvin's controversies", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Ganoczy, Alexandre (2004), "Calvin's life", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Ganoczy, Alexandre (2005), "Calvin, John", in Hillebrand, Hans J. (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-195-06493-3 - Gerrish, R. A. (2004), "The place of Calvin in Christian theology", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Graham, W. Fred (1971), The Constructive Revolutionary: John Calvin and His Socio-Economic Impact, Richmond, Virginia: John Knox Press, ISBN 978-0-8042-0880-2. - Helm, Paul (2004), John Calvin's Ideas, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-925569-6. - Heron, Alasdair (2005), "John Calvin", in Lacoste, Jean-Yves (ed.), Encyclopedia of Christian Theology, New York: CRC Press. - Hesselink, I. John (2004), "Calvin's theology", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Holder, R. Ward (2004), "Calvin's heritage", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Lane, Anthony N.S. (2009), "Calvin's Institutes", A Reader's Guide, Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-8010-3731-3 - Lange van Ravenswaay, J. Marius J. (2009) , "Calvin and the Jews", in Selderhuis, Herman J. (ed.), Calvijn Handboek [The Calvin Handbook] (in Dutch), Translated by Kampen Kok, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN 978-0-8028-6230-3 - Manetsch, Scott M. (2013), Calvin's Company of Pastors: Pastoral Care and the Emerging Reformed Church, 1536–1609, Oxford Studies in Historical Theology, New York: Oxford University Press - McDonnell, Kilian (1967), John Calvin, the Church, and the Eucharist, Princeton: Princeton University Press, OCLC 318418. - McGrath, Alister E. (1990), A Life of John Calvin, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, ISBN 978-0-631-16398-5. - McNeill, John Thomas (1954), The History and Character of Calvinism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-500743-5. - Niesel, Wilhelm (1980), The Theology of Calvin, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, ISBN 978-0-8010-6694-8. - Olsen, Jeannine E. (2004), "Calvin and social-ethical issues", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Pak, G. Sujin (2010), The Judaizing Calvin, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-537192-5. - Parker, T. H. L. (1995), Calvin: An Introduction to His Thought, London: Geoffrey Chapman, ISBN 978-0-225-66575-8. - ——————— (1975), John Calvin, Tring, Hertfordshire, England: Lion Publishing plc, ISBN 978-0-7459-1219-6. - ——————— (2006), John Calvin: A Biography, Oxford: Lion Hudson plc, ISBN 978-0-7459-5228-4. - Pater, Calvin Augustus (1987), "Calvin, the Jews, and the Judaic Legacy", in Furcha, E. J. (ed.), In Honor of John Calvin: Papers from the 1986 International Calvin Symposium, Montreal: McGill University Press, ISBN 978-0-7717-0171-9. - Pettegree, Andrew (2004), "The spread of Calvin's thought", in McKim, Donald K. (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-01672-8 - Potter, G. R.; Greengrass, M. (1983), John Calvin, London: Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd., ISBN 978-0-7131-6381-0. - Steinmetz, David C. (1995), Calvin in Context, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-509164-9. - ————————— (2009), "Calvin as Biblical Interpreter Among the Ancient Philosophers", Interpretation, 63 (2): 142–153, doi:10.1177/002096430906300204, S2CID 170454772 - Backus, Irena; Benedict, Philip, eds. (2011). Calvin and His Influence, 1509–2009. Oxford University Press. - Balserak, Jon (2014), John Calvin as Sixteenth-Century Prophet, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-198-70325-9. - Calvin, Claude Wesley (1945), The Calvin Families: Origin and History of the American Calvins, with a Partial Genealogy, Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers, Inc., ISBN 978-0-598-99702-9. - Gordon, Bruce (2009), Calvin, London/New Haven: Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0-300-17084-9. - Muller, Richard A. (2001). The Unaccommodated Calvin: Studies in the Foundation of a Theological Tradition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-515168-8. - Mullett, Michael (2011). John Calvin. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-41547-699-7. - Sewell, Alida Leni (2011). Calvin, the Body and Sexuality: An Inquiry into His Anthropology. Amsterdam: VU University Press. ISBN 978-90-8659-587-7. - Tamburello, Dennis E. (2007), Union with Christ: John Calvin and the Mysticism of St. Bernard, Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, ISBN 978-0-664-22054-9 - Selderhuis, Herman (2009). The Calvin Handbook. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-6230-3. - The State Archives of Neuchâtel preserve the autograph correspondence sent by John Calvin to other reformers - 1PAST, Fonds: Archives de la société des pasteurs et ministres neuchâtelois, Series: Lettres des Réformateurs. Archives de l'État de Neuchâtel. - Works by John Calvin at Project Gutenberg - Works by or about John Calvin at Internet Archive - Works by John Calvin at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks) - Works by John Calvin at Post-Reformation Digital Library - The John Calvin Bibliography of the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies - Calvinism Resources Database - Catholic Encyclopedia, Roman Catholic criticism of Calvin

OF THE DEATH OF METROPOLITAN ANDRIY SHEPTYTSKYJ 20TH CENTURY UKRAINIAN PASTOR & PATRIOT LABORER FOR THE UNITY OF THE UKRAINIAN CHURCHES This year marks the 40th. anniversary of the repose of the renowned Metropolitan of Lviv, Andriy Sheptytskyj. He was known throughout the entire world for his labors on behalf of Christian Unity, particularly the unity and cooperation of all of the Ukrainian Churches. He did not limit his efforts only to his own Greek Catholic Church, but used his respected position to staunchly defended the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church when it was liquidated and its hierarchy, clergy and faithful persecuted by the Russian Soviet Regime. He was well ahead of his time in his pioneering vision of the unity of all of Ukrainian Christianity, an ideal that is still alive and sought after in our own day. Metropolitan Sheptytskyj saw his role as leader of the Ukrainian Church as one which extended to and united Ukrainian eparchies and parishes in both Ukraine and the Diaspora. Through his many pastoral visits and the broad episcopal authority granted him by the Apostolic See, he set in motion, the structure and events that have led to the idea of a Ukrainian Patriarchate encompassing Ukrainian Christians everywhere. Truly, the primatial role which he claimed on behalf of the church made him the first unilateral Ukrainian churchman of modern history and the precursor of today's philosophy of an indigenous Kyivan Church and universal Ukrainian Patriarchate. Already in June of 1918, because of his strong leadership and pro-Ukrainian views, he was approached by leaders of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox movement, to accept the position of Father and Head of a unified Ukrainian patriarchate, free from the clutches of Moscow and inclusive of all Ukrainian believers. The historical circumstances of the First World War and the communist system however, prohibited this goal from becoming a reality. During the decade of the 1930s, when the free Ukrainian Orthodox Church was fiercely persecuted by the authorities, Metropolitan Andriy firmly protested this action to the federal government. When this did not lessen the terrorism forced on the UAOC, the Metropolitan also appealed to the Vatican to intervene. Then, on July 20, 1938, he published a firm pastoral letter denouncing the actions of the government against the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, exposing the terrorism and ill-will used against it. Later, during the Second World War, he wrote another pastoral letter, striving to safeguard the human rights of the Jews in the face of severe persecution from the Nazi Gestapo. Throughout the entire German occupation of Ukraine, he assisted many Jewish families, providing shelter for them in his own palace or in one of the monasteries. Many of those who survived the Holocaust did so because of the direct efforts of Metropolitan Sheptytskyj and the Ukrainian clergy and religious who followed his example. It was in this way that the Metropolitan showed his love and concern for all of God's people and proved to be a strong defender of the dignity of all human beings. These ideals of "human rights" are those which we as Christians are still fighting for today in other lands where harsh forms of dictatorship have reigned. In honor of this historic anniversary, articles, programs, prayers and cultural events are taking place throughout the Ukrainian world. An article on the world-known Metropolitan's life and work will appear here in the immediate future. Below are featured an icon of Metropolitan Sheptytskyj and a prayer for his glorification. article above by Vladyka Michael Jafchak Champion Metropolitan Stephan Asks the Faithful to Pray for the Glorification of Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytskyj. Back to Main Page.

In the end of the ugly exercise in reciprocal intellectual bankruptcy that was this year’s 15th SD Senate race, incumbent Joe Addabbo beat Councilman Eric Ulrich 42,187 (57.57%) to 31,036 (42.36%), with 51 write-in votes going to others (which shows remarkable restraint on the part of the voters). The magnitude of Ulrich’s defeat is emphasized by the fact that he lost his home base in the 23rd AD 9,481 to 9041. In the end, Ulrich even lost the white Christian and presumably conservative 30th AD. Ulrich’s only victory came in the district’s mostly Orthodox Jewish portion of the 27th AD (he also managed a 22 to 22 tie in the District’s tiny portion of the 39th AD). Perhaps Ulrich can take consolation in the fact that he was also the runner up in 10th SD (where he and Shirley Huntley each attracted 14 write in votes) and the 14th, where Ulrich’s write-ins gave him second place to the shamefully unopposed “Democrat” Malcolm Smith. The question remains. Did Ulrich lose because of Hurricane Sandy? A full 29% of the 23rd AD’s votes were cast on affidavit ballots, the highest number in the City by a large margin. Many of these affidavits were cast in polling places outside the Senate District, resulting in no vote being cast in that race. This is borne out by the fact that of the 24,238 ballots cast by voters in the 23rd’s portion of this district, 5,705 contained no vote for State Senate, the hottest race on the ballot (if it was on the ballot). This is a rate of 23.54%. By contrast, in the SD’s next largest turnout AD, the landlocked 28th, 22,644 ballots were cast and only 2,264 votes were unrecorded, a rate of 10.00%. District-wide, there were 85,144 ballots cast, and 11,869 unrecorded, a rate of 13.94%. It is noted that though the 23rd accounted for 28.47% of the ballots cast in the State Senate race, it accounted for only 25.29% of the votes recorded. More tellingly, the 23rd accounted for 48.07% of the affidavit ballots cast. Now, not every unrecorded vote was because of the storm. A lot of voters in the Presidential year drop off after they cast their vote for the White House. So, let’s say that instead of a rate of 23.54%, the rate of unrecorded votes in the State Senate race in the 23rd AD portion of the district race was more in line with the 10% rate in of the 28th AD; using 10% as a metric, would mean that normally only 2,424 votes would have been unrecorded. Subtracting this from the total unrecorded vote of 5,705, would mean that approximately 3,281 voters who cast ballots were disenfranchised by Sandy from voting in the Senate race. But what about those who didn’t vote? Well, every Assembly District is the same size, but the number of votes cast varies widely. For instance, the black majority ADs in Queens had far higher turnouts this year than the others. This year voters in the 23rd AD cast only 31,370 ballots. I am going to be generous and posit that were it not for the storm, the 23rd AD would have cast as many votes as the highest performing white majority AD in Queens, the 28th, which cast 39,953. This is a difference of 8,583. I am going to assume that the storm did not affect Special Federal voters, who cannot cast votes in state level races, and therefore not assume there are not any among those 8000 voters. Even though over 7,000 of the votes cast in the entire 23rd AD came from outside the 15th Senate District, I am going to assume that all 8,000 plus voters who could not cast ballots are from the 23rd SD, which includes the areas of the AD which were hardest hit by the storm. I will, however, assume that the 10% rate of unrecorded votes still applies, so subtracting 858 from 8,583 leaves us a total of 7,753 votes which would have been cast in the Senate race if only the voters had been able to get to the polls. Adding the 3,281 voters disenfranchised by casting affidavit ballots which did not contain the race, this leaves us 11,006 votes which were not cast in the State Senate race in the 23rd AD because of Sandy. Ulrich lost by 11,084. Therefore, even if he picked up every single one of those votes, he still would have lost. Since the areas worst hit by the storm were Ulrich strongholds like Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Bayswater and Far Rockaway, I think it is fair to say that, but for Sandy, Ulrich would not have lost the 23rd AD. But it is preposterous to say that, but for Sandy, he would not have lost the election. .

Dec. 8, 2004 Poem: "Poetics" by Howard Nemerov, from Inside the Onion © University of Chicago Press, 1984. Reprinted with permission. You know the old story Ann Landers tells About the housewife in her basement doing the wash? She's wearing her nightie, and she thinks, "Well hell, I might's well put this in as well," and then Being dripped on by a leaky pipe puts on Her son's football helmet; whereupon The meter reader happens to walk through And "Lady," he gravely says, "I sure hope your team wins." A story many times told in many ways, The set of random accidents redeemed By one more accident, as though chaos Were the order that was before creation came. That is the way things happen in the world, A joke, a disappointment satisfied, As we walk through doing our daily round, Reading the meter, making things add up. Literary and Historical Notes: It's the birthday of the novelist Ron Hansen, born in Omaha, Nebraska (1947). He's the author of novels on a wide variety of subjects, including Mariette in Ecstasy (1991), about nuns in a convent, and Hitler's Niece (1999) about a woman Hitler may have murdered before he became a dictator. His most recent novel, Isn't It Romantic, came out last year. Ron Hansen said, "Stories give us access to otherwise hidden, censored, unsayable thoughts and feelings now shiftily disclosed in the guise of plot and character...The hungers of our spirits are fed by sharing in the glimpsed interiority of others." It's the birthday of Delmore Schwartz, born in Brooklyn, New York (1913). He's remembered mainly for a story he published when he was twenty-three years old: "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities," (1938) about a Jewish man who goes to a movie theater and sees the lives of his own immigrant parents projected on the screen. That story made him famous, but Schwartz never fulfilled his own early potential. On his thirtieth birthday, he wrote in his diary, "Too late, already too late." He suffered from alcoholism and mental illness. His life was a long slow decline and he eventually died in a Times Square hotel. But that one short story influenced all the major Jewish American writers of the twentieth century, including Saul Bellow, Philip Roth and Bernard Malamud. Delmore Schwartz wrote, "Time is the school in which we learn, time is the fire in which we burn." It's the birthday of the novelist Mary Gordon, born in Far Rockaway, New York (1949). One of the first books she read as a child was Peter Pan, but she was terribly afraid of Captain Hook. So her father took a pair of scissors and cut out every reference to the evil pirate. When they read the book after that, her father invented new characters and stories to take the place of the missing parts. He taught her to write poems and stories and took her to the New York City Public Library every Saturday. Her father had a heart attack in the main reading room of that same library when Mary Gordon was seven years old. She grew up in a house with her mother and grandmother, neither of whom supported her creativity. She said, "When my father died, it was like all lights went out." After college, Gordon published several novels, including Final Payments (1978) and Men and Angels (1985), and in each one there was usually a character based on her father. After years of writing about him in her fiction, she decided to write a nonfiction book about his life. But once she began to do some research, she realized that she hadn't known anything about him at all. She had grown up thinking he was a Harvard graduate, but in fact he'd never passed 10th grade. She'd always thought he was a writer, but in fact he was a publisher of pornography magazines. And though he'd grown up Jewish, he'd converted to Catholicism and become an anti-Semite. She remembered him going to work in the city every day, but in fact her mother had supported the family. Gordon wrote about the experience of investigating her father in the memoir The Shadow Man: A Daughter's Search for Her Father (1996). She said, "Writing the book made me realize...I'm more self-invented than I thought. She said that she resents the lies her father told her about his life, but she believes that if she hadn't believed his lies, she would probably never have become a writer. She said, "The myth of my father gave me courage." Mary Gordon's novel Pearl comes out next month. It's the birthday of the great humorist James Thurber, born in Columbus, Ohio (1894). He was one of the most important early staff writers for the New Yorker magazine, but he had a lot of trouble getting started there. He started submitting humor pieces to the New Yorker in 1926, when the magazine was barely a year old. He said, "My pieces came back so fast I began to believe the New Yorker must have a rejection machine." He took a job at the New York Evening Post, but he knew he wanted to write humor, so he kept at it. He was living in a basement apartment with his first wife. She thought that after twenty of his humor pieces had failed to find a publisher he should probably give up. But one night, he set his alarm clock to go off forty five minutes after he'd fallen asleep, and he woke up in sleepy daze and wrote the first thing that came to mind: a story about a man going round and round in a revolving door, attracting crowds and the police and eventually setting the world record for revolving door laps. It was the first piece of his published in the New Yorker. After Thurber published a few more pieces in the magazine, the editor Harold Ross asked him to come down to the office. Thurber was hoping he'd get a job as a staff writer, but Ross hired him instead as an administrative editor. For the first two months on the job, Thurber worked seven days a week, editing factual copy for all the most boring parts of the magazine. He hated the job, so he started making mistakes on purpose, hoping that Ross would demote him to working on "Talk of the Town," the humor section of the magazine. When that didn't work, he started submitting his own pieces without Ross's knowledge. One day Ross barged into his office and said he'd found out Thurber had been writing for the magazine in secret. Ross said, "I don't know how in the hell you found time to write. I admit I didn't want you to. I could hit a dozen writers from here with this ashtray. They're undependable...[but] if you're a writer, write! Maybe you've got something to say." So Thurber became a staff writer, and began sharing an office with E. B. White. In addition to writing, Thurber was constantly doodling on pieces of paper and throwing them away, and he liked to fill up all the pages of office memo pads with sketches and then put them back on the shelf, in hopes of driving someone crazy. He said, "It was E. B. White who got the mad impetuous idea that my scrawls should be published and, what is more, paid for with money." His first cartoon was rejected because the art editor said seal's whiskers didn't look like that. E. B. White defended the drawing and said that it wasn't a seal in the drawing but a "Thurber seal." Thurber went on to write for the magazine for more than thirty years, and his style of writing and sense of humor helped set the tone for the magazine as a whole. William Shawn said, "There will never be an issue of the New Yorker of which Thurber is not a part." He became famous for writing stories and drawing cartoons about a certain type of exasperated man. E. B. White said, "These 'Thurber men'...are frustrated, fugitive beings; at times they seem vaguely striving to get out of something without being seen (a room, a situation, a state of mind), at other times they are merely perplexed and too humble, or weak, to move." Thurber is best known for his short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1944), about a man who imagines he is a soldier, a deadly marksman, a world famous surgeon, and a condemned man facing a firing squad, all while running errands for his overbearing wife. The word "Mitty" has entered the lexicon, defined as a perpetual daydreamer. Thurber had poor eyesight for most of his life, which made him terribly clumsy. He said, "I once tried to feed a nut to a faucet, thinking it was a squirrel." He went completely blind later in life, but he said, "At least, I have been spared the sight of television." He published more than thirty books of short pieces. Most of his work is collected in Writings & Drawings (1996). James Thurber said, "There is no substitute for the delight of writing...If I couldn't write, I couldn't breathe." And, "The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself." It's the birthday of the novelist John Banville, born in Wexford, Ireland. He's the author of many novels, including The Book of Evidence (1989), Ghosts (1993), and Shroud (2002). He's one of the most experimental of contemporary Irish novelists. He said, "I don't think any novelist is happy being just a novelist...We should be poets. We should be composers. We should be painters. We should be making language do things that the novel won't allow you to do. This is what I've been trying to do for a long time." Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

Setting the Record Straight: The Non-Miracle of Islamic Science This is a refutation of Dr K. Ajram's "Setting the Record Straight: The Miracle of Islamic Science". - 1 Introduction - 2 Analysis - 2.1 Human Flight - 2.2 Glass Mirrors - 2.3 Mechanical Clocks - 2.4 Pendulum - 2.5 Movable Type - 2.6 Optics - 2.7 Light Rays - 2.8 Nature of Matter - 2.9 Trigonometry - 2.10 Decimal Fractions - 2.11 Algebra - 2.12 Cubic Equations - 2.13 Negative Numbers - 2.14 Logarithms - 2.15 Geometry - 2.16 Binomial Theorem - 2.17 Astronomy - 2.18 Optical Lenses - 2.19 Gunpowder - 2.20 Compass - 2.21 Racial Typing - 2.22 Geography - 2.23 Chemistry - 2.24 Geology - 2.25 Formation of Valleys - 2.26 First Great Experimenter - 2.27 Medicine - 2.28 Microbes - 2.29 Distilled Alcohol - 2.30 Surgical Anesthetics - 2.31 Opium Extracts - 2.32 Modern Anesthesia - 2.33 Medical Quarantine - 2.34 Antiseptic - 2.35 Surgery - 2.36 Blood Circulation - 2.37 Pharmacopeia - 2.38 Medical Theories - 2.39 Development of Medical Science - 2.40 Insane Asylums - 2.41 Kerosene - 3 Conclusion - 4 See Also - 5 External Links - 6 References The Islamic Golden Age lasted from 750 AD to at least the mid-11th to 12th century, when Al Ghazali managed to successfully argue for faith over reason; some say until the Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1258 AD. It was largely coincident with the Abbasid Empire and produced some great Muslim scientists. However, some apologists have overstated the achievements of these Muslim scientists, downgraded the achievements of non-Muslim scientists, or appropriated for Muslims the achievements of others. Some even claim the Golden Age ended in the 14th century. However, extending the Golden Age by another two centuries is non-factual because even before the year 1258, the Abbasid empire was decaying and crumbling. The purpose of this analysis is to put the achievements of Golden Age Muslim scientists in the proper perspective, neither denigrating their achievements nor inflating them. All scientific and technological progress is accomplished in progression; Muslim achievements are but links in the chain. Few of the great Muslim scientific achievements stood alone, but were derived by Muslim scientists standing on the shoulders of those who came before them. Also, by transmitting Greek, Roman, Hindu, Persian and Egyptian knowledge (some of which may have been lost were it not for these Arabic translations), these Muslim scientists did humanity a great service. While we do not take issue with the Muslim scientists, some of whom are acknowledged greats, we do think the lack of follow-up progress is a severe indictment of Islam. For instance, Newton (a non-Muslim scientist who was ranked as the second most influential person in history, by Michael H. Hart) and his work on optics lead to the invention of the telescope and microscope, and contributed to great strides in astronomy, geography, and microbiology. In contrast, Alhazen’s work on optics led to no new scientific breakthroughs. Most occasions, the initial discovery (basic science) is not enough to create technological progress, the basic discovery has to be followed by applied science, which the Muslim scientists largely failed to do. For instance, Sir Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin, but it also took Sir Howard Florey and Ernst Chain to develop a way to produce the antibiotic in therapeutic quantities. The Islamic Golden Age was mostly lacking in such scientific ‘follow-ups’ and allowed the works of their great scientists to wither on the vine or die stillborn. What Should be Taught: Ibn Firnas of Islamic Spain invented, constructed and tested a flying machine in the 800's A.D. Roger Bacon learned of flying machines from Arabic references to Ibn Firnas' machine. The latter's invention antedates Bacon by 500 years and Da Vinci by some 700 years. What Should be Taught: Glass mirrors were in use in Islamic Spain as early as the 11th century. The Venetians learned of the art of fine glass production from Syrian artisans during the 9th and 10th centuries. The Romans invented the glass mirror in Sidon in the 1st century AD. What Should be Taught: A variety of mechanical clocks were produced by Spanish Muslim engineers, both large and small, and this knowledge was transmitted to Europe through Latin translations of Islamic books on mechanics. These clocks were weight-driven. Designs and illustrations of epi-cyclic and segmental gears were provided. One such clock included a mercury escapement. The latter type was directly copied by Europeans during the 15th century. In addition, during the 9th century, Ibn Firnas of Islamic Spain, according to Will Durant, invented a watch-like device which kept accurate time. The Muslims also constructed a variety of highly accurate astronomical clocks for use in their observatories. The first fully-mechanical clock (water-driven) was built by Liang Ling-Can, in China in 724 AD. Some people think that the first weight-driven clock was invented by Pacificus, archdeacon of Verona in the 9th century. What Should be Taught: The pendulum was discovered by Ibn Yunus al-Masri during the 10th century, who was the first to study and document its oscillatory motion. Its value for use in clocks was introduced by Muslim physicists during the 15th century. The Romans were aware of pendulums as they used pendulums for scrying, and their methods were detailed in the writings of Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus. The first authenticated pendulum clock was built by Christian Huygens in 1657 although Galileo had thought about it around 1602. Some people think that Gerbert of Aurillac (c.945 - 1003 AD) who later became Pope Sylvester II invented the pendulum clock around 996 AD. What Should be Taught: In 1454, Gutenberg developed the most sophisticated printing press of the Middle Ages. However, movable brass type was in use in Islamic Spain 100 years prior, and that is where the West's first printing devices were made. The Chinese invented movable type printing. In 1041, a Chinese named, Pi-Sheng, developed type characters from hardened clay but was not totally successful. In the early 1200, Korea invented type characters cast from metal (bronze). The oldest extant metal type printing is ‘Baegun Hwasang Chorok Buljo jikji simche yojeol,’ abbreviated to ‘Jikji,’ which was published in 1377 Cheungju, Korea and is currently kept in the National Library of France. What Should be Taught: In the 1lth century al-Haytham determined virtually everything that Newton advanced regarding optics centuries prior and is regarded by numerous authorities as the "founder of optics. " There is little doubt that Newton was influenced by him. Al-Haytham was the most quoted physicist of the Middle Ages. His works were utilized and quoted by a greater number of European scholars during the 16th and 17th centuries than those of Newton and Galileo combined. Great as he was, al-Haytham (aka Alhazen) also built on the works of Ancient Greek scientists. What Should be Taught: This discovery was made in its entirety by al-Haytham (1lth century) and Kamal ad-Din (14th century). Newton did make original discoveries, but this was not one of them. Chalk one up for the apologists. Alhazen was a great scientist. Some people think he may have had to fake madness to avoid an impossible task set by the Caliph al-Hakim and used his self-imposed exile to pursue his interests in optics. Nature of Matter What Should be Taught: The principles of this discovery were elaborated centuries before by Islamic Persia's great scholar, al-Biruni (d. 1050). Lavoisier was a disciple of the Muslim chemists and physicists and referred to their books frequently. Great as al-Biruni was, he also stood on the shoulders of previous generations of scientists. In fact, he was a great translator of Sanskrit scientific texts, including Indian astronomy and mathematics which were of particular interest to him. Al-Biruni was amazingly well read, having knowledge of Sanskrit literature on topics such as astrology, astronomy, chronology, geography, grammar, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, religion, and weights and measures. What Should be Taught: Trigonometry remained largely a theoretical science among the Greeks. It was developed to a level of modern perfection by Muslim scholars, although the weight of the credit must be given to al-Battani. The words describing the basic functions of this science, sine, cosine and tangent, are all derived from Arabic terms. Thus, original contributions by the Greeks in trigonometry were minimal. The Muslim contribution to trigonometry is but a link in the chain of discoveries, beginning with the Egyptians and Babylonians, to the Greeks and Indians, then the Muslims, before the Western mathematicians took over the study. To claim that the Muslims developed it to a “level of modern perfection” is emotive and non-factual. In fact, the word ‘sine’ has Hindu roots and was merely a transliteration by the Arabs. To claim that trigonometry was largely a theoretical science among the Greeks is also emotive. The Greeks invented trigonometry for astronomical calculations. To claim that the original contributions by the Greeks in trigonometry were minimal is also highly uncharitable as the cited references clearly show. What Should be Taught: Muslim mathematicians were the first to utilize decimals instead of fractions on a large scale. Al-Kashi's book, Key to Arithmetic, was written at the beginning of the 15th century and was the stimulus for the systematic application of decimals to whole numbers and fractions thereof. It is highly probably that Stevin imported the idea to Europe from al-Kashi's work. Fractions were invented by the Babylonians. Although Muslim mathematicians had derived a theoretical basis for using decimal fractions, it was a Chinese named Yang Hui who in 1261 AD first used decimal fractions in the modern form. In contrast al-Kashi wrote the value of pi in decimal form more than a century later. What Should be Taught: Muslim mathematicians, the inventors of algebra, introduced the concept of using letters for unknown variables in equations as early as the 9th century A.D. Through this system, they solved a variety of complex equations, including quadratic and cubic equations. They used symbols to develop and perfect the binomial theorem. The Indians were the inventors of algebra. The earliest text on algebra is the Bakhshali Manuscript. Western scholars estimate its date as about 3rd or 4th century AD. It is devoted mostly to arithmetic and algebra, with a few problems on geometry and mensuration. Brahmagupta (598 - 665 AD) provided the rules for solving quadratic equations. What Should be Taught: Cubic equations as well as numerous equations of even higher degrees were solved with ease by Muslim mathematicians as early as the 10th century. The apologetic position is unexampled and unreferenced, and therefore cannot be assessed. Omar Khayyam is credited with solving the General Cubic Equations by Geometric Constructions and Conic Sections but he was a freethinking agnostic, not a Muslim. What Should be Taught: Muslim mathematicians introduced negative numbers for use in a variety of arithmetic functions at least 400 years prior to Cardano. Negative numbers were invented by Brahmagupta (598 – 665 AD). His main work was Brahmasphutasiddhanta, which was later translated into Arabic as Sind Hind. What Should be Taught: Muslim mathematicians invented logarithms and produced logarithmic tables several centuries prior. Such tables were common in the Islamic world as early as the 13th century. The apologetic position is unexampled and unreferenced, and therefore cannot be assessed. What Should be Taught: Mathematicians of the Islamic Empire accomplished precisely this as early as the 9th century A.D. Thabit bin Qurrah was the first to do so, and he was followed by Abu'l Wafa, whose 10th century book utilized algebra to advance geometry into an exact and simplified science. Apologists are relying on the ignorant assumption that anyone with a Middle-Eastern name must be Muslim. Thabit Ibn Qurrah (as with Omar Khayyam) did not belong to the Islamic faith. He was a member of the Sabian sect (who were star-worshipers) from Harran. And Abul Wafa’s 10th century book is titled, "Kitab al-Hindusa," probably betraying the debt he owed to Indian mathematics. What Should be Taught: Hundreds of Muslim mathematicians utilized and perfected the binomial theorem. They initiated its use for the systematic solution of algebraic problems during the 10th century (or prior). The apologetic position is unexampled and unreferenced, and therefore cannot be assessed. What Should be Taught: Muslim astronomers made numerous improvements upon Ptolemy's findings as early as the 9th century. They were the first astronomers to dispute his archaic ideas. In their critic of the Greeks, they synthesized proof that the sun is the center of the solar system and that the orbits of the earth and other planets might be elliptical. They produced hundreds of highly accurate astronomical tables and star charts. Many of their calculations are so precise that they are regarded as contemporary. The Alphonsine Tables are little more than copies of works on astronomy transmitted to Europe via Islamic Spain, i.e. the Toledo Tables. King Alphoso did not invent the Alphonsine Tables. He merely commissioned its creation by a team of astronomers (led by a Jew named Isaac Ibn Said). It was based on the principles set out by Ptolemy but including new observations (so, naturally, it was more accurate). The Toledo Tables were actually compiled by 12 Jewish astronomers, although led by the Cordovan Arab astronomer Ibn Arzarkali ("Azarchel"). What Should be Taught: Ibn Firnas of Islamic Spain invented eyeglasses during the 9th century, and they were manufactured and sold throughout Spain for over two centuries. Any mention of eyeglasses by Roger Bacon was simply a regurgitation of the work of al-Haytham (d. 1039), whose research Bacon frequently referred to. The Chinese were the first to use corrective optical lenses between 250 BC to 100 AD. The Roman tragedian Seneca, born in about 4 BC, is alleged to have read "all the books in Rome" by peering at them through a glass globe of water to produce magnification. However, Ibn Firnas may have invented eyeglasses (despite evidence of a prior Chinese invention) though we can find no evidence for this. Roger Bacon did owe a great debt to Kindi and Alhazen, but to say that his work is merely a regurgitation of the latter’s work is uncharitable. What Should be Taught: The Chinese developed saltpeter for use in fireworks and knew of no tactical military use for gunpowder, nor did they invent its formula. Research by Reinuad and Fave have clearly shown that gunpowder was formulated initially by Muslim chemists. Further, these historians claim that the Muslims developed the first fire-arms. Notably, Muslim armies used grenades and other weapons in their defence of Algericus against the Franks during the 14th century. Jean Mathes indicates that the Muslim rulers had stock-piles of grenades, rifles, crude cannons, incendiary devices, sulfur bombs and pistols decades before such devices were used in Europe. The first mention of a cannon was in an Arabic text around 1300 A.D. Roger Bacon learned of the formula for gunpowder from Latin translations of Arabic books. He brought forth nothing original in this regard. The entire apologetic case is false. The Chinese knew the formula for gunpowder and used it for military purposes including grenades, fragmentation bombs, rockets, and even an early form of the gun/cannon in the 12th century Sung Dynasty. What Should be Taught: Muslim geographers and navigators learned of the magnetic needle, possibly from the Chinese, and were the first to use magnetic needles in navigation. They invented the compass and passed the knowledge of its use in navigation to the West. European navigators relied on Muslim pilots and their instruments when exploring unknown territories. Gustav Le Bon claims that the magnetic needle and compass were entirely invented by the Muslims and that the Chinese had little to do with it. Neckam, as well as the Chinese, probably learned of it from Muslim traders. It is noteworthy that the Chinese improved their navigational expertise after they began interacting with the Muslims during the 8th century. Another appropriation of a Chinese invention. The first known compass surfaced in China in the 1st century AD (at least 5 centuries before there were Muslims). Some say that the compass was introduced by the Chinese to the Arabs (not the other way around) during the Northern Sung Dynasty (960 - 1127 AD). What Should be Taught: Muslim scholars of the 9th through 14th centuries invented the science of ethnography. A number of Muslim geographers classified the races, writing detailed explanations of their unique cultural habits and physical appearances. They wrote thousands of pages on this subject. Blumenbach's works were insignificant in comparison. Although we will not challenge the claim that Muslims invented racial-typing, their explanation above is false. Racial discrimination had been used much earlier by Muhammad bin Abdullah (c. 570 - 632 AD) when he called black people ‘raisin heads’. What Should be Taught: Muslim geographers produced untold volumes of books on the geography of Africa, Asia, India, China and the Indies during the 8th through 15th centuries. These writings included the world's first geographical encyclopedias, almanacs and road maps. Ibn Battutah's 14th century masterpieces provide a detailed view of the geography of the ancient world. The Muslim geographers of the 10th through 15th centuries far exceeded the output by Europeans regarding the geography of these regions well into the 18th century. The Crusades led to the destruction of educational institutions, their scholars and books. They brought nothing substantive regarding geography to the Western world. Strike two to the apologists. The Muslim geographers were at the forefront of geography before the western world became interested. What Should be Taught: A variety of Muslim chemists, including ar-Razi, al-Jabr, al-Biruni and al-Kindi, performed scientific experiments in chemistry some 700 years prior to Boyle. Durant writes that the Muslims introduced the experimental method to this science. Humboldt regards the Muslims as the founders of chemistry. Notwithstanding the contribution the Muslim alchemists made, the invention of chemistry should really be attributed to the Ancient Egyptians as evidenced by the Leyden Papyrus (reference: Prof. Hamed Abdel-reheem Ead, Professor of Chemistry at Faculty of Science-University of Cairo Giza-Egypt and director of Science Heritage Center.) What Should be Taught: Al-Biruni (1lth century) made precisely this observation and added much to it, including a huge book on geology, hundreds of years before Da Vinci was born. Ibn Sina noted this as well (see pages 100-101). It is probable that Da Vinci first learned of this concept from Latin translations of Islamic books. He added nothing original to their findings. There is no evidence that da Vinci consulted Arabic texts on this issue. To say that he added nothing original to the Arabic findings is highly uncharitable. At about 540 BC, Xenophanes described fossil fish and shells found in deposits on mountains. Similar fossils were noted by Herodotus (about 490 BC) and by Aristotle (384 - 322 BC). Aristotle believed volcanic eruptions and earthquakes were caused by violent winds escaping from the interior of the earth, thus perhaps making the first breakthrough in the human understanding of geology. Formation of Valleys What Should be Taught: Ibn Sina and al-Biruni made precisely this discovery during the 11th century (see pages 102 and 103), fully 700 years prior to Desmarest. Minor point. Conceded. First Great Experimenter What Should be Taught: Al-Biruni (d. 1050) was the world's first great experimenter. He wrote over 200 books, many of which discuss his precise experiments. His literary output in the sciences amounts to some 13,000 pages, far exceeding that written by Galileo or, for that matter, Galileo and Newton combined. Not to demean Al-Biruni’s genius, it must be pointed out that quantity does not equate to quality. Archimedes (287 – 212 BC) was also quite an experimenter for his time. What Should be Taught: Islam's surgeons were the first pathologists. They fully realized the nature of disease and described a variety of diseases to modern detail. Ibn Zuhr correctly described the nature of pleurisy, tuberculosis and pericarditis. Az-Zahrawi accurately documented the pathology of hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and other congenital diseases. Ibn al-Quff and Ibn an-Nafs gave perfect descriptions of the diseases of circulation. Other Muslim surgeons gave the first accurate descriptions of certain malignancies, including cancer of the stomach, bowel and esophagus. These surgeons were the originators of pathology, not Giovanni Morgagni. The field of Islamic Medicine owes its origins to two Christians, Yahya ibn Masawayh and Hunain ibn Ishaq. The Nestorian Christian, Yahya ibn Masawayh, wrote many works on fevers, hygiene, and dietetics. His was the first treatise on ophthalmology, but he was soon surpassed in this field by his famous pupil, Hunain ibn Ishaq, aka Johannitius, whom some regard as the father of Arab medicine. Razi, the physician of genius known in medieval Europe as Rhazes, profited greatly from the works started by Hunain ibn Ishaq. What Should be Taught: Muslim physicians used a variety of specific substances to destroy microbes. They applied sulfur topically specifically to kill the scabies mite. Ar-Razi (10th century) used mercurial compounds as topical antiseptics. There is no evidence that Muslim physicians knew the existence of microbes. In fact, pre-Roman civilizations used burned brimstone as a medicine and used "bricks" of sulfur as fumigants, bleaching agents, and incense in religious rites. Pliny (23 - 27 AD) reported that sulfur was a "most singular kind of earth and an agent of great power on other substances," and had "medicinal virtues”. The Romans used sulfur or fumes from its combustion as an insecticide and to purify a sick room and cleanse its air of evil. The same uses were reported by Homer in the Odyssey in 1000 BC. What Should be Taught: Numerous Muslim chemists produced medicinal-grade alcohol through distillation as early as the 10th century and manufactured on a large scale the first distillation devices for use in chemistry. They used alcohol as a solvent and antiseptic. What Should be Taught: Six hundred years prior to Long, Islamic Spain's Az-Zahrawi and Ibn Zuhr, among other Muslim surgeons, performed hundreds of surgeries under inhalation anesthesia with the use of narcotic-soaked sponges which were placed over the face. Dioscorides (40 - 90 AD), was a Greek surgeon with the armies of the Roman Emperor Nero. He wrote excellent descriptions of nearly 600 plants, including cannabis, colchicum, water hemlock, and peppermint, contained in his De materia medica. Written in five books around the year 77, this work deals with approximately 1,000 simple drugs. The medicinal and dietetic value of animal derivatives such as milk and honey is described in the second book, and a synopsis of such chemical drugs as mercury (with directions for its preparation from cinnabar), arsenic (referred to as auripigmentum, the yellow arsenic sulfide), lead acetate, calcium hydrate, and copper oxide is found in the fifth book. He clearly refers to sleeping potions prepared from opium and mandragora as surgical anesthetics “to such (people) as shall be cut, or cauteried .... For they do not apprehend the pain because they are overborn (overcome) with dead sleep .... But used too much they make men speechless.” As for surgical anaesthetics, Hua T'o (c. 100 - 145 AD) was the leading surgeon of his time and highly revered in Chinese historical texts. He was the first to use anasthesia in surgical practice. One concotion that he used as a local anesthetic was a mixture of wine and hemp extract. Hua T'o predated Az-Zahrawi and Ibn Zuhr by more than 1,000 years. What Should be Taught: Muslim physicians introduced the anesthetic value of opium derivatives during the Middle Ages. Opium was originally used as an anesthetic agent by the Greeks. Paracelus was a student of Ibn Sina's works from which it is almost assured that he derived this idea. Dioscorides (40 - 90 AD), wrote about the use of opium and mandragora as surgical anesthetics. The Ancient Egyptians also use mandrake and hashish as pain-killers. What Should be Taught: Modern anesthesia was discovered, mastered and perfected by Muslim anesthetists 900 years before the advent of Davy and Wells. They utilized oral as well as inhalant anesthetics. Again, Dioscorides (40 - 90 AD), wrote about the use of opium and mandragora as surgical anesthetics. In India, Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2,600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts. What Should be Taught: The concept of quarantine was first introduced in the 7th century A.D. by the prophet Muhammad, who wisely warned against entering or leaving a region suffering from plague. As early as the 10th century, Muslim physicians innovated the use of isolation wards for individuals suffering with communicable diseases. Quarantine was first proposed by Moses who ordered that cases of leprosy should be segregated, that dwellings from which infected Jews had gone should be inspected before again being occupied, and that persons recovering from contagious disease were not to be allowed to go abroad until examined. The modern quarantine harks back to these sanitary regulations of the Old Testament. What Should be Taught: As early as the 10th century, Muslim physicians and surgeons were applying purified alcohol to wounds as an antiseptic agent. Surgeons in Islamic Spain utilized special methods for maintaining antisepsis prior to and during surgery. They also originated specific protocols for maintaining hygiene during the post-operative period. Their success rate was so high that dignitaries throughout Europe came to Cordova, Spain, to be treated at what was comparably the "Mayo Clinic" of the Middle Ages. The Ancient Egyptians used ‘Oil of Fir’ as an antiseptic. Speaking of Cordoba and the Mayo Clinic, the Ancient Egyptian physicians were also much sought in the Ancient World. Ramses II sent physicians to the king of Hatti and many rulers, the Persian Achaemenids among them, had Egyptian doctors in attendance. The Egyptian theories and practice influenced the Greeks, who furnished many of the Roman Empire's physicians, and later Arab and Western European medical thinking for centuries to come. What Should be Taught: Islamic Spain's illustrious surgeon, az-Zahrawi (d. 1013), began ligating arteries with fine sutures over 500 years prior to Pare. He perfected the use of Catgut, that is suture made from animal intestines. Additionally, he instituted the use of cotton plus wax to plug bleeding wounds. The full details of his works were made available to Europeans through Latin translations. Despite this, barbers and herdsmen continued be the primary individuals practicing the "art" of surgery for nearly six centuries after az-Zahrawi's death. Pare himself was a barber, albeit more skilled and conscientious than the average ones.Included in az-Zahrawi's legacy are dozens of books. His most famous work is a 30 volume treatise on medicine and surgery. His books contain sections on preventive medicine, nutrition, cosmetics, drug therapy, surgical technique, anesthesia, pre and post-operative care as well as drawings of some 200 surgical devices, many of which he invented. The refined and scholarly az-Zahrawi must be regarded as the father and founder of rational surgery, not the uneducated Pare. The Ancient Egyptians were quite advanced in surgical medicine. The Edwin Smith Papyrus describing surgical diagnosis and treatments, the Ebers Papyrus on ophthalmology, diseases of the digestive system, the head, the skin and specific diseases like abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which some think may be a precursor of AIDS. As early as 3,000 BC evidence of brain surgery is found in papyrus writings in Egypt. "Brain," the actual word itself, is used here for the first time in any language (Edwin Smith Papyrus). What Should be Taught: In the 10th century, Islam's ar-Razi wrote an in-depth treatise on the venous system, accurately describing the function of the veins and their valves. Ibn an-Nafs and Ibn al-Quff (13th century) provided full documentation that the blood circulates and correctly described the physiology of the heart and the function of its valves 300 years before Harvey. William Harvey was a graduate of Italy's famous Padua University at a time when the majority of its curriculum was based upon Ibn Sina's and ar-Razi's textbooks. Blood circulation appears discussed in full and complex form in The Yellow Emperor's Manual of Corporeal Medicine in China by the 2nd century BC. What Should be Taught: According to the eminent scholar of Arab history, Phillip Hitti, the Muslims, not the Greeks or Europeans, wrote the first "modern" pharmacopeia. The science of pharmacology was originated by Muslim physicians during the 9th century. They developed it into a highly refined and exact science. Muslim chemists, pharmacists and physicians produced thousands of drugs and/or crude herbal extracts one thousand years prior to the supposed birth of pharmacology. During the 14th century Ibn Baytar wrote a monumental pharmacopeia listing some 1400 different drugs. Hundreds of other pharmacopeias were published during the Islamic Era. It is likely that the German work is an offshoot of that by Ibn Baytar, which was widely circulated in Europe. Pliny the Elder, Caius Plinius Secundus, (23 - 79 AD) wrote 10 books on drugs and medicines in his compendium ‘Natural History’. Dioscorides (40 - 90 AD), was a Greek surgeon with the armies of the Roman Emperor Nero. He wrote excellent descriptions of nearly 600 plants, including cannabis, colchicum, water hemlock, and peppermint, contained in his De materia medica. Written in five books around the year 77, this work deals with approximately 1,000 simple drugs. What Should be Taught: Ar-Razi, Ibn Sina, al-Kindi, Ibn Rushd, az-Zahrawi, Ibn Zuhr, Ibn Baytar, Ibn al-Jazzar, Ibn Juljul, Ibn al-Quff, Ibn an-Nafs, al-Biruni, Ibn Sahl and hundreds of other Muslim physicians mastered the science of drug therapy for the treatment of specific symptoms and diseases. In fact, this concept was entirely their invention. The word "drug" is derived from Arabic. Their use of practical experience and careful observation was extensive. Muslim physicians were the first to criticize ancient medical theories and practices. Ar-Razi devoted an entire book as a critique of Galen's anatomy. The works of Paracelsus are insignificant compared to the vast volumes of medical writings and original findings accomplished by the medical giants of Islam. The Muslim physicians listed above made great contributions to medical science. For many centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Arabic world was the center of scientific and medical knowledge. Texts from Greece and Rome were translated into Arabic and studied by Islamic scholars. They developed and refined Hippocrate's theories and Islamic physicians began to use the regulation of diet, exercise and the prescription of medicinal herbs in the treatment of their patients. Arabic pharmacists became skilled in the formulation of medicines from plants and minerals. One of the most important medical books of its time was written by the physician Ali al-Husayn Abd Allah Ibn Sina (also known as Avicenna). His massive manuscript, called the Laws of Medicine, was completed around 1030 AD and translated into Latin in the 12th Century. This encyclopaedia of medicine contained five books detailing the formulation of medicines, diagnosis of disorders, general medicine and detailed therapies. It continued to be a great influence in the development of medicine in medieval Europe for hundreds of years. However, it must be noted that the Muslim physicians did not invent medicine. They owed a great debt to two Christians in the court of the Caliph Mamun; Yahya ibn Masawayh and his student, Hunain ibn Ishaq who translated Greek medical texts and laid the foundations of Arab medicine. Development of Medical Science What Should be Taught: Harvard's George Sarton says that modern medicine is entirely an Islamic development and that Setting the Record Straight the Muslim physicians of the 9th through 12th centuries were precise, scientific, rational and sound in their approach. Johann Weger was among thousands of Europeans physicians during the 15th through 17th centuries who were taught the medicine of ar-Razi and Ibn Sina. He contributed nothing original. The Muslim physicians are generally acknowledged to have made great contributions to medical science, particularly ar-Razi and Ibn Sina. However, while not diminishing their greatness, once again, it must be noted that the foundation of Arab medicine was laid by two Christians; Yahya ibn Masawayh and Hunain ibn Ishaq. What Should be Taught: As early as the 1lth century, Islamic hospitals maintained special wards for the insane. They treated them kindly and presumed their disease was real at a time when the insane were routinely burned alive in Europe as witches and sorcerers. A curative approach was taken for mental illness and, for the first time in history, the mentally ill were treated with supportive care, drugs and psychotherapy. Every major Islamic city maintained an insane asylum where patients were treated at no charge. In fact, the Islamic system for the treatment of the insane excels in comparison to the current model, as it was more humane and was highly effective as well. There is evidence that the institution of the hospital, including the wards for the insane, was inherited by the Muslims from both the Persians and the Byzantines. Already before the rise of Islam, the hospital at Jundhapur, near the present Persian city of Ahvaz, was a major medical institution which, in addition to the care of patients, medical instruction was carried out on an extensive basis. There were also hospitals established by Byzantines in their eastern provinces such as Syria which became rapidly integrated into the Islamic world. The hospital was first introduced into Islamic societies in the reign of the sixth Ummayid caliph, Al-Walid Bin Abdul-Malik (705 - 715 AD) in Jundishapur, a Persian city in the province of Ahwaz. The early Islamic hospital, the bimaristan, was "an institution built by Muslim caliphs, sultans and kings and by benevolent persons in general, as an act of charity, such as mosques and hospices. Its function was not restricted to the treatment of the ill; it also served as a place for instruction in the sciences and medicine from which students would graduate much as they do from our modern medical schools today." The term “maristan” is a later abbreviation of the original Persian, bimaristan, meaning "house of the ill." The commonly held view which prevails to this day was that the bimaristan was an asylum for the insane. This misconception derives from the abbreviation of one of the institution's functions. "Bimaristans were public hospitals for the treatment of all illnesses, whether those requiring surgery or medication, whether physical or mental. With the passage of time, however, these institutions fell into disrepair and were abandoned by all their patients with the exception of the mentally ill. As a result, in recent times the term, if used at all, refers only to a madhouse." What Should be Taught: Muslim chemists produced kerosene as a distillate from petroleum products over 1,000 years prior to Gesner (see Encyclopaedia Britannica under the heading, Petroleum). Another one for the apologists. The real purpose of this article was to re-balance some of these flawed views readers may encounter on other websites and forums which use the works (or derivations thereof) of Dr. K. Ajram. We do think the Muslim scientists in the Golden Age (whether true adherents of Islam or not) did make substantial strides in science and technology, which resulted in a significant contribution to the sum of human knowledge. Scientific accomplishments are often the culmination of accumulated knowledge, rather than lone "miraculous" discoveries by individuals because of their religious and cultural settings. It is a matter of public record that the western scientists who came after the scientists of the Golden Age, e.g. Roger Bacon and Sir Isaac Newton, were aware of their works and also learned from them. However, an analysis of the apologetic claims about their greatness shows some exaggeration. In his haste to exaggerate, Ajram appears to have maligned the contribution of other cultures, downgraded the greatness of non-Muslim scientists, or misappropriated their works. This analysis also highlights the biggest flaw of the Islamic Golden Age. There were few ‘follow-up’ breakthroughs on the backs of the works of the great Muslim scientists. In effect, the Ummah allowed or encouraged these works to wither on the vine or die stillborn, even before the rise of mysticism at the expense of rational thinking, an event often attributed to al-Ghazzali around the turn of the 12th century. Therefore, Islam is not the cause of scientific progress during the Golden Age. Many people would say that the Golden Age scientific progress was made in spite of Islam, not because of it. A prime example is the great philosopher-physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) whose work is constantly referenced by Ajram. It is true that Ibn Sina was one of the most influential medieval philosophers, but he was also one of the most frequently attacked. The Sunni Theologians opposed his ideas on the soul and creation. However, it was the aforementioned Algazali (Abu Hamid ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali, 1058 - 1111 AD) who was his chief opponent. In "The Incoherence of Philosophers", al-Ghazzali attacked Ibn Sina's Neoplatonic tendency to reject Allah's power over the events of the world, his disbelief in bodily resurrection, and his belief that Allah only knew the world of universals, (i.e. dog, tree, rational animality) not the individual self. He even used pig products in his scientific endeavours, something that is certainly not in-line with pious Muslim behavior. Today, unless propagating Islam as an incubator of science, some Muslims consider Avicenna to have been an atheist. No doubt many of the other great Islamic scientists would also be classed as heretical apostates for their beliefs. - Refutations - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Refutations - Golden Age - A hub page that leads to other articles related to the "Golden Age" - K. Ajram - The Miracle of Islamic Science - p. 200. ISBN 0911119434 - Origin of kite - Weifang Kite, accessed April 18, 2011 - Mirrors in Egypt (Old Kingdom - Roman Period) - Digital Egypt for Universities, accessed April 18, 2011 - The Prehistoric Era: 469 BC - 1300 AD - The History of Computing Project, accessed April 18, 2011 - Time Bandit…a brief history of time - Labyrinth, accessed April 18, 2011 - Clock - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05. - Pendulum Scrying - Paralumun, New Age Village, accessed April 18, 2011 - Pope Silvester II - Saint Joseph Software, accessed April 18, 2011 - Memory of the World - Baegun hwasang chorok buljo jikji simche yojeol (vol.II) - UNESCO, ID No. 22954 - Jikji - Wikipedia, accessed April 18, 2011 - Optics Highlights I. Ancient History - University of Maryland, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, accessed April 18, 2011 - Arab Scientist Alhazen 'Discovers' the Rainbow - UGCS, California Institute of Technology, accessed April 18, 2011 - John J O'Connor and Edmund F Robertson - Abu Arrayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni - University of St Andrews, Scotland, accessed April 18, 2011 - Themes > Science > Mathematics > Trigonometry > History - Cartage, accessed January 9, 2013 - Joseph Hunt - The Beginnings of Trigonometry: History of Mathematics - Rutgers, Spring 2000 - Earliest Uses of Symbols for Fractions - History of Mathematics, March 4, 2004 - Sadegh Hedayat, the greatest Persian novelist and short-story writer of the twentieth century was at pains to point out that Khayyám from "his youth to his death remained a materialist, pessimist, agnostic". "Khayyam looked at all religions questions with a skeptical eye", continues Hedayat, "and hated the fanaticism, narrow-mindedness, and the spirit of vengeance of the mullas, the so-called religious scholars". - "....A hostile orthodox account of him, written in the thirteenth century, represents him as "versed in all the wisdom of the Greeks," and as wont to insist on the necessity of studying science on Greek lines. Of his prose works, two, which were stand authority, dealt respectively with precious stones and climatology. Beyond question the poet-astronomer was undevout; and his astronomy doubtless helped to make him so. One contemporary writes: "I did not observe that he had any great belief in astrological predictions; nor have I seen or heard of any of the great (scientists) who had such belief." In point of fact he was not, any more than Abu';-Ala, a convinced atheist, but he had no sympathy with popular religion. "He gave his adherence to no religious sect. Agnosticism, not faith, is the keynote of his works." Among the sects he saw everywhere strife and hatred in which he could have no part...." - Robertson (1914). "Freethought under Islam". A Short History of Freethough, Ancient and Modern Volume I (Elibron Classics). Watts & Co., London. pp. 263. ISBN 0543851907. - Famous Indian Mathematicians Biography - iCBSE, September 2008 - Al-Sabi Thabit ibn Qurra al-Harrani - The MacTutor History of Mathematics archive (University of St Andrews), November 1999 - Yuval Ne'eman - Astronomy in Israel: From Og's Circle to the Wise Observatory - Tel-Aviv University, accessed January 10, 2013 - Andreu Llobera Adan - Integrated Optics Technology on Silicon: Optical Transducers. PDF - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Departament de Física), October 24, 2002, ISBN 8468810037 - Adding Firepower with the Invention of Gunpowder - Dummies.com - Mary Bellis - The Compass and other Magnetic Innovations - About.com (Inventors), accessed January 10, 2013 - History of Magnetics - University of Washington (School of Oceanography), archived December 4, 2010 - Four Great Inventions of Ancient China - the Compass - Windham Central Supervisory Union, archived March 11, 2005 - "Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "Listen and obey (your chief) even if an Ethiopian whose head is like a raisin were made your chief." - Sahih Bukhari 9:89:256 - See, "Technical Arts Related To Alchemy in Old Egypt" edited by Prof. Hamed Abdel-reheem Ead. - Gaston Wiet (Author), S. Feiler (Translator) - Baghdad: Metropolis of the Abbasid Caliphate (Centers of Civilization) - University of Oklahoma Press; 1st edition (Chapter 5), 1971, ISBN 9780806109220 - Donald W. Davis, Randall A. Detro - Fire and Brimstone The History of Melting Louisiana’s Sulphur - Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1992 - Who Invented It? When? Chinese Inventions: An Introductory Activity - Ask Asia, archived December 16, 2004 - Ancient Physicians - Innvista Library, accessed January 10, 2013 - Ancient Egyptian Medicine - Pharaonic Egypt, archived March 11, 2009 - India - the cradle of civilization - John D. Keyser - Ancient Bible Health Secrets Revealed Today - Hope of Israel Ministries, accessed January 10, 2013 - History of Medicine - School Science, archived October 11, 2004 - Seyyed Hossein Nasr - Islamic Science, an illustrated study - Kazi Publications, 2007, p.154, ISBN 9781567443127 - Byzantine medicine/ Hospitals - Wikipedia, accessed April 18, 2011 - Ilene Springer - The Invention of the Hospital A Credit to Islamic Medieval Medicine - Tour Egypt, accessed April 18, 2011 - Professor Yunan Labib Rizk (Head of Al-Ahram History Studies Centre) - Hospitals of yore - Al-Ahram Weekly Online, 18-24 April 2002, Issue No.582 - Professor David J. Leaper - Wound Closure Basic Techniques, Scientific paper presented at EWMA Stockholm 2000 - The European Wound Management Association - Claims about Ibn Sina being an atheist or Kafir - Islam Web, Fatwa No. 87783, May 20, 2004 - For proof of this, refer to the mainstream Muslim views and treatment of the Ahmadis and Baha'is.

The Greek capital of Egypt founded 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great. It soon became an important center of commerce and learning; its library was the largest in the world. Jews settled here in large numbers, and it was for their use that the Greek translation of the Old Testament was made. (See Septuagint.) Alexandria was the meetingplace of Jewish religious belief and Greek philosophy. We see some of the results of this meeting in the book of the Wisdom of Solomon (see Apocrypha), possibly written in Greek by a Jew in Alexandria about the beginning of the Christian era. Philo, an eminent Jewish philosopher, lived at Alexandria, 20 B.C.–A.D. 50.

26 October 2017 Rabbi Danny Rich, the senior rabbi of Liberal Judaism, gave the opening prayer at this year’s PinkNews Awards. The event, which took place in Westminster, celebrates the contributions of politicians, entertainers, businesses, campaigners and community groups to improving LGBTQI+ life in the UK and beyond. It was also addressed by all Britain’s major party leaders – Prime Minister Theresa May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable and the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford. Doctor Who’s Pearl Mackie, the cast of Coronation Street and Lorraine Kelly were among the winners on the night. Danny was joined by other religious leaders on stage as he gave his address at the start of the evening. You can read his words in full below: An incident occurred in which Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, came from Migdal Gedor, from his rabbi’s house, and he was riding on a donkey and strolling on the bank of a river. And he was very happy, and his head was swollen with pride because he had studied much Torah. He happened upon an exceedingly ugly person, who said to him, ‘Greetings to you my rabbi’, but Rabbi Elazar did not return his greeting. Instead, Rabbi Elazar said to him, ‘Worthless person, how ugly is that man. Are all the people of your city as ugly as you?’ The man said to him, ‘I do not know but you should go and say to The Craftsman Who Made Me: How ugly is the vessel you made’. When Rabbi Elazar realised he had sinned and insulted this man merely on account of his appearance, he descended from his donkey and prostrated himself before him and said to the man, ‘I have sinned against you forgive me’. The man said to him, ‘I will not forgive you until you go to The Craftsman Who Made Me and say How ugly is the vessel you made’. He walked behind the man, trying to appease him, until they reached rabbi Elazar’s city. The people of his city came out to greet him, saying to him ‘Greetings to you, my rabbi, my rabbi, my teacher, my teacher.’ The man said to them, ‘Who are you calling my rabbi, my rabbi?’ They said to him, ‘To this man, who is walking behind you.’ He said to them, ‘If this man is a rabbi, may there not be many like him among the Jewish people.’ They asked him, ‘For what reason do you say this?’ He said to them, ‘He did such and such to me’. They said to him, ‘Even so, forgive him, as he is a great Torah scholar’. He said to them, ‘For your sakes, I forgive him, provided that he accepts upon himself not to become accustomed to behave like this’. Immediately Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, entered the study hall and taught, ‘A person should always be soft like a read and he should not be stiff as a cedar, as one who is proud like a cedar is likely to sin.’ (Babylonian Talmud: Ta’anit 20b) Baruch Atah Adonai Elohaynu melcy ha’Olam asher bra col minay b’nai adam ha’niflaim. Praised be God, Sovereign of the Universe who created all types of wondrous people. Share this Post

December 7, 2017 by IJV As Jews living in the United Kingdom and committed to a genuinely just peace in Palestine / Israel, we unreservedly condemn President Donald Trump’s damaging, demoralising and dangerous statement that the United States will recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This change of US policy will add to the sense of isolation and hopelessness among Palestinians, and will further set back the possibility of positive change toward meaningful justice and political rights for them. Trump’s decision will not only further destabilise the Middle East – it will deepen tensions and divisions in communities around the world, jeopardising peace for all of us. We strongly condemn and unambiguously disassociate ourselves from those leaders of the British Jewish community who have welcomed Trump’s announcement, and urge Jews across the community to join the international chorus of protest against it. The Independent Jewish Voices Steering Group encourages our signatories and all those who are able to take part in the Emergency Protest – Hands off Jerusalem, on Friday 8 December at 5.30 p.m. outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square.

Atlanta, GA, July 18, 2017 –(PR.com)– Atlanta City Councilmember Alex Wan, who is seeking the second-highest elected position in Atlanta government – Atlanta City Council President, has named veteran political operative Doug Teper as his Campaign Manager. “Doug’s deep knowledge of the political landscape and his many alliances across the City are great assets to our campaign team,” Wan says. “In moving from two successful terms on Atlanta City Council to a bid for citywide office, it was important to bring in a leader like Doug.” Teper served in the State Legislature from 1988 until 2004 (District 61), representing many DeKalb and intown Atlanta neighborhoods. Since leaving the legislature, Teper has served as a consultant to non-governmental organizations and the U.S. State Department. Among his work was helping on elections in Iraq. He is an adjunct professor at Georgia State University (Political Science) and continues to operate Atlanta International Consulting, now in its 27th year. “While I live and breathe politics and governance, I had not been involved directly in an Atlanta campaign in a while,” Teper says, “but the vision Alex has for the City’s future is one I wholeheartedly support and wanted to be involved in.” Teper is active in the community, having served on the Atlanta Jewish Federation Community Relations Commissions, the Atlanta Chapter of the Board of Trustees of the American Jewish Committee, the board of the Young Democrats of Georgia, and the Citizens Advisory Board of DeKalb Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs. He was a founding board member of the Campaign for a Prosperous Georgia and is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb. While in the Georgia Legislature, Teper chaired the DeKalb County House Delegation and was recognized for his leadership on environmental, mass transit, and public safety causes, among others. “I’ve been especially taken with Alex’s continued commitment to collaboration between Atlanta’s many different stakeholders, his emphasis on data-driven solutions and his pledge to furthering transparency in City government,” Teper says. “He’s a great steward of resources – financial, environmental and otherwise, and I wanted to be part of his transition to an even greater role in Atlanta’s future.” In his bid for Council President, Wan says he will continue to leverage deep roots in the community, long-time civic leadership, business acumen and his record during seven years at city hall, including many roles in council leadership. Official qualifying for the election is in August, with voters citywide choosing the City Council President on Nov. 7. Atlanta City Council President presides at all Council meetings and votes in the event of a tie. The President of the Council also appoints chairs and members of the various committees. Council President serves as vice mayor, acting for the mayor in certain instances. The Atlanta City Council President is elected for a four-year term; the current City Council President is running for mayor. About the Wan Campaign Wan was first elected to the City Council District 6 post in 2009 and easily earned a second term in 2013 with 76 percent of the vote, both times garnering a broad base of support. He is the first Asian American and first openly gay man to serve on Atlanta City Council. He is (currently) Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Emory University. Raised in Atlanta and a Morningside homeowner for over 20 years, Wan was perhaps best known before his Council win for long-time community involvement, including service on the Invest Atlanta (formerly Atlanta Development Authority) Board and founding For the Kid in All of Us, an all-volunteer non-profit serving children in need. He currently serves on Boards of Directors for the Piedmont Park Conservancy, the Little Five Points Community Improvement District (CID), and the Olmsted Linear Park Association. He holds a Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, a Finance MBA from Wharton Business School, and has completed educational programs at Dartmouth and Harvard. For more information about Wan and his campaign: www.AlexWanForAtlanta.com. Alex Wan for Atlanta Contact via Email Read the full story here: http://www.pr.com/press-release/723521 Press Release Distributed by PR.com

Ce trailer est appétissant car même pour un fan de James (comme moi!) ça semble assez bien fait. Evidemment on concentre en général sur ce genre d'exercice des moments parmi les meilleurs du film et il reste à savoir si son histoire n'a pas été trop enjolivée ou encore si l'on respecte les gens qui ont cotoyé James. Cela nous ne pourrons le découvrir que dans les salles obscures... Loyal to none Intéressant et ça donne une meilleure idée de ce qu'est le film fini... http://www.essence.com/2014/07/30/jill- ... 3deecdfbc9 Loyal to none Eddie dansait moins bien mais la voix est plus proche http://www.cultjer.com/video/eddie-murp ... ames-brown Apparemment les avis sont partagés, et je pense que le sujet est trop immense pour un seul film. Chacun se plaint de ne pas trouver telle ou telle personne, ou tel évènement... Son ancien batteur Clyde Stubblefield, lui, est parti avant la fin : https://host.madison.com/news/local/cly ... 2e3bc.html TOP TEN SINS OF OMISSION FROM THE “GET ON UP” MOVIE: The August 1, 2014 release of the James Brown biopic Get On Up has been a long anticipated event for many music fans and people that grew up with Soul Brother Number One as an integral part of their lives. The film has been praised by mainstream critics and ripped by many who believe it did a disservice to one of the greatest African Americans that ever lived. I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Many of Brown’s closest supporters such as Bootsy Collins and Charles Bobbitt have stated that while flawed, they enjoyed the film also. If nothing else, the release of the film has given many ofus “insiders” into the discourse of soul music a reason to publicly reassess the narrative of one of the most important black musicians - and black people - of our generation. While Chadwick Boseman’s role as James Brown has been universally praised, and the producers have delivered an entertaining treatment of Brown’s rags to riches story, there are some omissions and issues of emphasis that stand out more and more as sins of omission, particularly when the subject matter is one of the Greatest African Americans that ever lived. There has been strong criticism that of all the writers, producers and directors associated with the film, none of them are African Americans. This is not a reason to avoid the film, but it is one reason why I was trepidatious when I went to see it. One should approach the film more accurately as "Mick Jagger presents Get On Up" and the perspective will become clear. Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones, is a very sympathetic and strong supporter of soul music and the legacy of black entertainers in his work and of Western popular music in general. He and the other producers are nevertheless coming from an outsider's perspective and it is revealed in the film in many places. Here is a - pared down – list of sinful omissions from the film: 1-Emcee Danny Ray does not exist in the film, yet Danny Ray was with James Brown longer than Bobby Byrd was, and was the reliable voice introducing “Mr Dynamite, Mr. Please Please Please himself…” at countless concerts and events for over 40 years. Danny Ray also donned the cape on Mr Brown during the shows and was integral to the stage act for decades. During music performances, the film shows numerous times when the cape is placed on Mr. Brown but the cape holder is conspicuously anonymous. This is inexplicable to any JB fan. Why his character was omitted is unconscionable. Similarly,longtime (black) business manager and confidante Charles Bobbitt was eliminated from the film altogether. There were many backstage scenes in which Bobbit’s sage council and trustworthiness could have been shown, however briefly. Bobbitt’s loyalty was and is legendary, and for it to be rewarded by his omission is also unconscionable. 2-Fred Wesley does not exist in the film. As Mr. Brown’s bandleader off and on from 1969 to 1975, Wesley was responsible for such classics as “Get On the Good Foot” “The Payback,” “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” and “Mother Popcorn” all of which were heard or referenced in the film, yet Wesley is nonexistent. Further, Maceo Parker’s character was playedby a heavy set, comic actor Craig Robinson that resembled Fred Wesley both visually and in terms of temperament. Robinson did not in any way resemble or reflect the smooth, slender dark chocolate hued Maceo. Essentially Fred and Maceo were fused into one person. This was unforgiveable. (It is plausible however in light of the fact that Fred Wesley was among the first of the sidemen to pen his own autobiography which delineated the trials and tribulations of working for the Godfather of Soul. It is possible that the family members that “approved” the script were petty enough to request that Fred Wesley be removed from the story line) Many of us music collectors figured that once the JB reissues came out in the 1980s, with liner notes from Cliff White and later Harry Weinger, that the days of ignoring the genius of the James Brown band were over… but with the omission of Fred Wesley from this film, they are back again. Further, during Brown’s 1971 Paris concert, his last great one in the timeline of the film, there are cutaways to the white bandleader (David Matthews most likely) that night. This was a subtle nod to the worldliness of James Brown, and a subtle erasure of Fred Wesley once again. This was troubling to me because it reflects once again an outsider’s view of Brown’s music which ignores the genius of Fred Wesley in the creation and maintenance of the JB’s funk sound of the early 70s. 3-The women are all cardboard cut-out characters with lines that a film school intern could have written, and probably did. They were dimensionless tragic victims of Brown’s ambition, without any complications, back stories or personality. Viola Davis’ role as Brown’s mother was particularly troubling, not because she can’t act, but because we’ve seen that act so many times before. Almost no references to who these people were and how they dealt with life as black women during Jim Crow, was consistently troubling. Furthermore, there were many other important women in Brown’s life and career, such as Anna King, Martha High, Lyn Collins, Marva Whitney and Tammi Montgomery a.k.a. TammiTerrell, which the movie chose to wipeaway from the narrative. Brown’s third wife Adrienne was left out of the film, as was Brown’s companion Tammy Ray at the time of Brown’s death. These were white women that Brown was passionate about and should have been seen. While the chronology of the film did not make a necessity of their roles, their absence denies a particular element of Brown’s racial ideology that is more complex - and reflective of the complexity of blacklife in America - and deserved to be seen as such. This leaves little doubt that the film was from a white Brit’s viewpoint of blackness. In the absence of these women, Brown is seen as a racial simpleton, a victim of the binary logic of Jim Crow and little more. He was far more than that. 4-The film re-creates absurd encounters with white pop culture such as the “Ski Party” sequence in great detail. However Brown’s encounters with radical black leaders, while well documented in the literature on Brown, were only mentioned in passing. Brown writes in his autobiography of a face-to-face meeting with black radical H. Rap Brown on the Harlem streets. This would have been a priceless encounter and priceless opportunity to educate the audience, black white and other, of Brown’s steadfast positions on black pride and black power. This was clearly a dimension that the (entirely white) team of writers and producers were not equipped to develop with any authority. Further, the only references to Brown’s relationship to black power were portrayed in the context of his revealing to his confidante, his white manager Ben Bart. It is an incongruity that would only be generated by a writer/producer with more affinity with the white manager than to the brother from the block. This is where the ‘center’ of the story gets lost. James Brown is a product of America to be sure, but he is first and foremost a product of Black America, and the film lost touch with this point just as the racial consciousness of the nation was on the rise, compelling Brown to remain in touch with his people in ways he saw fit. 5-The film could have dealt with Brown’s visits to Africa – his trip to Nigeria in 1970 when he and his band witnessed the genius of “The African James Brown,” Fela Kuti, and most importantly, his 1974 performance in Zaire ahead of the Muhammad Ali – George Foreman fight, the “Rumble in theJungle.” This was a true cultural moment appropriately named in the 1996 film When We Were Kings. The filmmakers chose not to emphasize Brown’s worldwide impact as a musician and cultural icon of African / Black identity. 6-The encounter with Brown’s recording of “Say it Loud I’m Black and I’m Proud” while exciting, was unsubtle and cartoonish. Out of the blue – and inconsistent with the plot up to that point - the characters were dressed in African garb and natural hair. Then just as quickly, that moment ends and the story moves on. As if Black Power – and Brown’s popularization of Black Power came and went in a whiff, yet it is perhaps Brown’s most lasting contribution to the world. There are any number of live performances on tape that could have been re-created to show Brown’s towering stance in the community at that moment. Cutaways to the 1968 Olympic games,with the triumphant black power fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos could have been shown, as “Say it Loud” was the #1 R&B song on the radio at that very moment. Visual images of the Black Panthers, of Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, Kathleen and Eldridge Cleaver, Ron Karenga and others that represented what “black and proud” meant to the black community and the world community could have been shown. This is the singular moment where James Brown did not simply cross over to the mainstream as a black artist, he made the mainstream cross over to black. This is perhaps his greatest accomplishment, and the greatest omission from the film. The cutaway from the gleeful chorus of “I’m Black and I’m Proud” in the film to Brown’s character shoveling dirt on a casket with a Jewish symbol is the most jarring and incomprehensible edit in the film. This is a moment when a sensitive director (of color?) would have embellished the “Say It Loud” moments with cutaways to Brown’s influence on black popular culture, fashion, language, style and identity. A few seconds would not have been difficult to produce, but instead a moment was cut off, crushed in order to emphasize Brown’s sentiment toward his white manager - deliberately identified as Jewish – just as the film was embellishing Brown’s blackness. It was an inexplicable jump cut from a filmmaking perspective, and a racially insensitive one. It is hard to imagine an African American director making that kind of edit on this film, in that moment. (Furthermore, the son of manager Ben Bart contends that Mr. Brown did not even attend Ben Bart’s funeral….) 7- The film could have easily referenced a young (black)Michael Jackson doing the “James Brown moves” as part of the Jackson 5 audition for Motown. Mick Jagger was not the only superstar transformed – note for note and move for move by James Brown. During a lifetime achievement award for Brown on BET in 2003, Michael Jackson emerges (at the peak of his popularity) to introduce his mentor James Brown and to educate the mass of MJ supporters where he got his funk from. This is on tape and could be reconstructed like the other Jim Crow era events on tape. The King of Pop’s profound debt to James Brown could have been mentioned in less than one sentence but was omitted. 8- The final performance sequence in which Brown walks to a stage and sings “Try Me” with Bobby Byrd and Vicki Anderson in the audience was given a deliberately intimate feel. But anyone that saw James Brown in the years after his prison release in the early 1990s saw a spectacle of a stage show, with tall glamorous dancing girls and a sprawling stage set reflecting the scope of Brown’s triumphant return. This final scene implied that Brown was a shell of his earlier star power, which was not the case. Further, the decision to render the climactic scene of Brown’s triumphant life to a forlorn Jim Crow era ballad speaks volumes about the orientation of the all white, predominantly British filmmakers. This did not reflect the triumphant nature of the man’s life. The previous scene, in which Brown is seen as a young boy, still wearing the painted number one on his chest (from one of the few illuminating scenes about the racism of Jim Crow) speaks to the camera and says “I paid the cost to be the boss.” That would have been the proper moment to end the film. On the undisputed triumph of Brown’s life. Period. 9. The film harps on Brown’s isolation and loneliness in the years from the death of his son Teddy in 1973 until his arrest in 1988, as if those intervening years were not relevant to his life. Only to outsiders to the black experience would this be plausible. The narrative should have continued until The Payback in 1974, and should have featured Browns’ dominant presence on Soul Train, and his strong relationship with Soul Train host Don Cornelius. A behind the scenes dialogue between Brown and Cornelius about the state of black people and black music would have been priceless. But apparently this was “not important enough” in this film about yet another self-made Jim Crow survivor. In addition there exists footage of a young Al Sharpton on Soul Train during an interview giving Brown a “Black Record” (a prize for having the best black song of 1974, “ThePayback”). Sharpton would go on to become a “surrogate son,” stand-in for Teddy, and an important part of Brown’s self-recovery. But the producers chose to simplify Brown’s loneliness, as if he was in a death spiral for 15 years and not a single event was worthy of inclusion until 1988. And yet to these filmmakers the entire comic-tragic highway chase was worthy of detailed reconstruction on film. 10. James Brown ,through his raw Soul Power in the late 1960s and early 70s, taught us how to frame our blackness. Perhaps more than Malcolm, more than Huey & Bobby, it was Soul Brother Number One that gave us the fuel for our emerging black identity. During the first half of the 70s with songs like “Get on the Good Foot,” “Make it Funky,” “Hot Pants,” “Doing it to Death,” “Funky President,” “My Thang,” “Papa Don’t Take No Mess,” “Take Some, Leave Some,” “Mind Power,” Lyn Colllins’ “Think,” Fred Wesley’s “Damn Right I Am Somebody” and “The Payback” all helped us define our “blackness” in a certain way. This film completely missed a means of truly bringing that to light. A quick passage to a deejay in the mix, or a montage of rappers sampling JB, might have illuminated this essential aspect of the great man’s life. The entire creation of hip hop should be seen as an outgrowth of this fact, yet the fact that hip hop has taken over the world, and is STILL and FOREVER based on the work of James Brown was barely even mentioned. Having said all of this, I truly enjoyed the film and would recommend that people go and see it while it is in the theaters. People should realize that it has been many years since we have all been able to see a truly impactful performance of The Godfather of Soul. He was performing up to his death in 2006, but those later shows were relatively mild showcases of a pop superstar rather than a burning beacon of black self-awareness. This film brings back Soul Brother Number One in many entertaining ways despite all of its flaws. There have been complaints of "why can't black filmmakers do projects like these" and that white film producers have such privilege they can just peruse wikipedia and stumble on a black cultural icon and get a film green-lighted about them. It is not that simple. The Ray movie took years to get approved, and it was produced by Taylor Hackford, a white man. I also noticed with chagrin that at the peak of the popularity of black film makers in the 1990s with Spike Lee, the Hudlin Brothers, John Singleton, Mario Van Peeples, Oprah Winfrey and others, I don't remember any of them seriously taking on a biographical project involving a black musical icon. So stop hating on this very thoughtful and professional production and Get Up Offa That Thang and do something to change this situation! Get On Up should open the door for other films to focus on more events in Brown’s life with greater detail, emphasis and affection. It is a good first step, on the good foot… Loyal to none Le Biobic sur Hendrix par contre a l'air assez bien ficelé. De toute manière les rockers sont toujours mieux traités que les Funkateers Oui pour les puristes il y aura des contre vérités et des omissions mais pourquoi snober un long métrage sur un des artistes qu'on admire le plus pour autant... Je pense acheter sa version DVD à sa sortie. C'est un peu hors sujet mais pour les puristes il y a dans les kiosques un excellent hors série des Inrocks avec des photos jamais vues et des articles souvent bien vus. - Sujets similaires - Dernier message - 10 Réponses - 3055 Vues Dernier message par Wonder B 16 avr. 2015 14:34 - 4 Réponses - 729 Vues Dernier message par Wonder B 18 sept. 2014 21:29 - 3 Réponses - 1878 Vues Dernier message par Wonder B 01 juin 2014 10:41 - 1 Réponses - 1553 Vues Dernier message par funkiness 17 nov. 2014 10:31 - 12 Réponses - 3732 Vues Dernier message par in the jungle groove 22 mai 2013 21:59 Utilisateurs parcourant ce forum : Aucun Funk-o-logue et 106 extraterrestres

Westfield High School is the next stop for Pop Star, a nationally televised talent search that will make some lucky high school student the next American Idol. When the show's sleazy host and his put-upon assistant roll in with the cameras, the strain of competition pits friend against friend. Who will be chosen: Densie, the spoiled rich girl? Jessica, the Jewish rapper who is ashamed of her heritage? Chanel, an African-American whose white boyfriend is afraid to let people know they are in love? Before petty jealousies and racial tensions tear the school apart, the students realize that sticking together is more important than winning. Fast-paced and fun. Pop Star is propelled by an infectious pop rock score that includes 11 original songs. Ready to perform? Pop Star is available to license!Learn More - Time Period: Present Day - Cast Attributes: Reduced casting (Doubling Possible) - Target Audience: Adult, Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Faith Aloud is here to listen. Here is a memory: I was maybe 12 years old (that’s not the distinct part), and over dinner one night, my mother asked me if I thought abortion should be legal. I remember looking away, then at my plate, and then replying that yes, definitely. What I knew about abortion at the time was that it was a way to get un-pregnant, and it seemed to me that a thing that could undo a state you didn’t want to be in was a very good idea. I grew up as pretty low key Jew. We celebrated Hanukkah, sometimes lit Shabbat candles, I went to Hebrew school until I was eleven, when I quit because the other kids, who lived in the nearby wealthy suburb, were perversely mean. We didn’t go to synagogue, mainly because it was expensive to join, and my mother was a single parent, and although my mother was openly spiritual, we didn’t live a life based on Jewish law. I didn’t really become observant in anyway until after my mother died, when I was in college, but even then, there were some things I never felt religiously, or otherwise, conflicted about, and that included abortion. I knew people who questioned the morality of abortion – in high school, a close friend and I had long arguments about it on a yellow legal pad, which we passed back and forth during class. To me, it always seemed to be a matter of autonomy. God had nothing to do with it. For her, God didn’t want people to murder babies. Later, I realized that while she talked about God, she was also deeply attached to the belief that all people with vaginas want babies and should have them (my childfree life continues to horrify her). These days, I identify pretty intensely as a secular Jew. When I was observing (keeping kosher, going to synagogue, learning Torah, etc), I did experience a certain amount of gratitude knowing that abortion was permissible according to Jewish law (with some exceptions). But the thing is, if I’d gotten pregnant then, I would have had an abortion even if it wasn’t. That’s how entrenched the notions of choice and bodily autonomy have always been in me. She might not have realized it, but my mother raised a kid whose religion was reproductive rights. In spite of having a pretty solid record of voting pro-choice, Judaism isn’t one hundred percent excellent at being supportive of folks who have abortions. There’s a distinct lack of dialogue about the abortion stories of actual people in Jewish spaces. We train rabbis to emphasize the importance of genetic testing, but not offer counseling or advice about abortion if genetic testing renders catastrophic results. Given that these are the realities in most Jewish communities, where would a Jewish person, or any person of faith, go if they needed to talk about abortion – their own, their partner’s, or someone else’s? Faith Aloud, a free clergy counseling hotline, is a project of All-Options, a full-spectrum resource for folks looking for support around pregnancy, parenting, abortion, and more. When you call Faith Aloud (1-888-717-5010), you’ll be connected with someone who you can talk to about pregnancy options, including abortion, from a faith perspective. According to Latishia James, a Faith Aloud counselor, people who call the hotline fall into one of two groups – those who are seeking an abortion or who have had one, or the partner or other family member of someone who has had an abortion. Folks in both groups are usually struggling with their own faith and looking for information on how to reconcile their experience with their religious doctrine. “People want to speak to a faith leader,” says James. “They’re in a vulnerable space.” Surprisingly, those who call aren’t usually looking for a specific faith leader, i.e., Christians might not specify whether they want to talk to a pastor, a priest, or a minister. James: “They’re just looking for a person of faith.” James herself grew up in a religious family, and she’s well acquainted with how faith communities can perpetuate dangerous stigma around abortion, sexual assault, and other issues faced by women. When she talks to those who call the Faith Aloud line, she strives to remain “open-hearted, open-minded, and open-ended.” James lets the caller lead, while she listens. “I do sometimes ask how God shows up for them,” she says. ” A lot of callers haven’t spoken to anyone in their personal faith communities about their situation, because they’re afraid of rejection. If that’s the case, we talk about resources.” Maybe you’ve been told, as many have, that you’re supposed to feel guilty and be forever damaged by having an abortion, and that hasn’t been your experience. That’s something Faith Aloud can help you process, too. “At the end of the day, it’s between you and God, whatever that means to you,” says James. “If you don’t feel at peace with your decision, let’s talk about that. I want people to understand that God made you for a reason and a purpose, you have the bodily autonomy that God gave you to make decisions about your body.”

All my life I’ve been told I have Cherokee ancestry through my Knighten forebears. There are even a few interesting legends about how John L. Knighten escaped the Removal (a decade before he was born) and of family members visiting from the Cherokee “reservation”. I’ve even comments on them some (here). I’ve even commented on a possible connection to President Obama, who is purported to have descended from the first African slave in America though his mother’s line (here). I’m a natural skeptic, and though I wanted to believe my family stories, I wanted to substantiate the claims. Enter Ancesty.com’s AncestryDNA test. I spit in the cup, mailed it in, and impatiently awaited the results. And today, I received them. Sadly, based on this DNA test, I can’t substantiate a claim to be anything other than a plain old white guy. I always thought I was a distantly-multiracial mutt, but I’m just a vanilla cracker. Here is what I learned from my results, based on Ancestry.com’s categorizations: - Europe West – 53% - Scandinavia – 13% - Ireland – 12% - Great Brittain – 11% - Iberian Peninsula – 7% - European Jewish – <1% - Finland/ Northwest Russia – <1% - Caucasus – 2% So based on my rank amateur genealogical research, I would have expected the Irish and British results, and I’ve even seen some information that is consistent with the Scandinavian blood. Having a couple of Scottish lines in my family could explain that, and possibly the Iberian markers, given the ancient migration of the Scots (and Irish) from the Iberian Peninsula. But over half of the genetic markers coming from continental Europe? That surprised me more than having trace European Jewish and Rus markers! So my whole family legendarium is crushed. Not even trace amounts of Native American nor African genetics. I don’t even know how to broach the topic with my family now. I’ll stand as a heretic in their eyes. That Cherokee legend is so ingrained. I’ve had my suspicions over the past couple years, but like Santa Claus, I wanted the stories to be true. Maybe I’ll buy DNA tests for some of my aunts and uncles to see if they get different results. Is this the trap that Ancestry.com hoped to ensnare me in?

Memorial Day Blowout! Entire Store On Sale! 10% Off Orders Up To $100 | 15% Off Orders Over $100 Good through 5/27/13, excludes Books, Wine, Nambe, Michael Aram, Sales Items, Sukkahs & Schach, Ketubot, Tefillin and Shipping Costs. Yisrael David Finkel is a sixth-grader whose friends call him Gemarakup(Talmudic mind) -- the police call him Sherlock Holmes -- because of his knack at solving mysteries using stories from our sges. Join him, and try to solve a few yourself! Judaism.com is the longest established Jewish book, Judaica and Jewish gift store on the Internet. Our catalog is the single most comprehensive catalog of Judaica, Jewish books, CDs, video, software, religious articles and Jewish gifts available.

It started as an innocent question one year ago to a long-time friend. Andrew Rehfeld knew the Jewish Federation of St. Louis had been looking for a replacement for the retiring president and CEO, Barry Rosenberg, and he was curious about the progress of the search. As his friend detailed the profile of the Federation’s ideal candidate, the associate professor of political science at Washington University was intrigued. “It sounded exactly like the sort of thing I was really interested in doing," he says. "The building of community—trying to inspire and move a community to a healthy and robust place where they are helping themselves and one another—was inspirational for me.” Over the course of the next few months, Rehfeld met with members of the Federation, always going into the meetings with the idea that it was a “crazy proposition,” but leaving with a firmer grasp on the potential of the undertaking; and at the end of June, Rehfeld was named the Federation's next president and CEO. Although Rehfeld did not assume his new position with a traditional profile, the 47-year-old brings extensive experience and knowledge of Judaism and the Jewish community. Born in Baltimore, he moved to Atlantic City as a young child with his mom after his parents divorced. In his grandparents’ household, the emphasis was on a conservative practice with a traditional framing; and after relocating to Philadelphia, Rehfeld was introduced to Jewish education, history and rituals. In high school, he returned to Baltimore, where his father’s household taught him the social justice side of the religion—giving back to make the world a better place. Before entering college, Rehfeld spent a year in Israel, exploring two other forms of Judaism: one very secular and nationalistic; and the other, very religious and orthodox. “It gave me an appreciation of the multiple ways Judaism provides a way to live a life well-lived,” he explains. “It’s an engagement with eternal questions about giving back to the world, being a part of the community and something bigger than yourself, with a 3,000-year history that has immense value." After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester, Rehfeld considered the possibility of becoming a rabbi. Because he didn’t feel like he had the theological commitment required to be a member of the clergy, he instead chose to focus on the academic and scholarly investigation of philosophy and community, earning a masters degree in public policy and doctorate in political science from the University of Chicago. He accepted a position at Washington University in 2001; and after moving to St. Louis, he became involved as a member of Kol Rinah synagogue and as board and executive committee member of the Jewish Community Relations Council and the university’s Hillel. Now, as head of the Federation, Rehfeld has turned that community focus to St. Louis’ Jewish population. “My vision for this organization is for it to become a collaborative partner, emphasizing that we all have an obligation to each other and a place at the table to help determine what the community is going to look like.” Since taking up his position on Sept. 1, Rehfeld has begun to examine the needs of the Jewish community. “We have to figure out ways to partner with the St. Louis region to help make this community an attractive one for the Jewish population.” There also is the importance engaging the current population to stop the loss of commitment to Jewish institutions, values, tradition and culture. “We need to encourage young families, the next generation, to get involved in our agencies, synagogues and programs that help show how Judaism can be a vibrant force in people’s lives,” Rehfeld notes. With a full plate of responsibilities, Rehfeld has taken a two-year leave of absence from Washington University. The work of the Federation leaves him little free time, but when he is not at his office, he’s with his wife, Dr. Miggie Greenberg, and their children Emma and Hoben. A passion for music has developed into a fledgling band with his son and daughter. Just a few months into his new role, Rehfeld has a keen understanding of what it takes to lead the Federation, focusing on the principles of knowledge, respect and tolerance to address challenges and help the Jewish population thrive. “I understand the contours of this community and its existing strength, and I’m excited to see the potential for growth and the chance to build on a strong foundation.”

BERLIN (Oct. 1) The authorities today notified the Berlin bureau of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that it has been expelled from membership in the Association of News Agencies in Germany. Executive heads of the bureau, Dr. Arno Herzberg and Otto Schick, were ordered to communicate at once with Hans Hinkel, Nazi Commissar for “non-Aryan” Culture, concerning its future activities. At the same time, all German-Jewish newspapers in Berlin were informed that they had been expelled, as of today, from the Reich Press Chamber. The papers were placed under supervision of Mr. Hinkel. This new move on the part of the authorities extends to the press the “ghetto” regulations hitherto limited to Jewish theatres. The Berlin bureau of the J.T.A. supplies news to Jewish newspapers throughout Germany.

When Netanyahu Invalidated Camp David and Wadi Araba By Ahmad Barqawi 19 June, 2009 – Palestine Think Tank “The simple truth is that the root of the conflict has been and remains – the refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish People to its own state on its historical homeland”. Never have I heard the entire Arab-Israeli conflict summed up so concisely yet so deceptively. Of course those were the words of Benjamin Netanyahu during his latest speech which was delivered –ever so eloquently- last Sunday; the 30-minute Israeli foreign policy speech that laid more damage to an already frail and worn out peace process, was a clear demonstration of Tel Aviv’s right winged government’s profound sense of political tyranny and down right immaturity; and what astounds me the most is this seemingly inexhaustible ability of Israel’s successive governments to sensationalize the opinions of a bunch of right winged religious fanatics and Zionist nationalists and easily get away with it appearing rather praiseworthy in the eyes of western leaders. In its essence, the speech was no different than the sheer bigoted and “uncompromising” rhetoric that seems to characterize the common Jewish settler, it showed a complete distrust of Arabs and disdain for their efforts to reach a just peace settlement (or any peace settlement for that matter); it was no different than countless of speeches that Netanyahu and his cohorts of neo-fascists and extremists made while campaigning for the latest parliamentary elections, which garnered them the support of the majority of Israelis and ultimately led to the rise of his own party; the Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, Shas and the rest of their allies to power. True that he tried to sugarcoat it with a couple of carefully chosen phrases scattered here and there, but that actually resulted in the whole thing being mired in contradictions and falsehoods, in one instance he appealed to the Palestinian people to start peace negotiations “immediately without prior conditions” and in the other; he expressed that The “fundamental condition” for ending the conflict is the public, binding and sincere Palestinian recognition of Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish People. If the recognition of Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people was and still is such an unavoidable and essential prerequisite for reaching a peace settlement and that the Arabs’ refusal to meet that condition “has been and remains the root” of this 60-year long and historic conflict; shouldn’t the peace treaties that Israel signed with both Egypt and Jordan be immediately and completely negated given that neither the Camp David accords nor the Wadi Araba Treaty recognized that very same “fundamental condition”? But Netanyahu’s audacious and confrontational “twisted” logic was indeed something to be seen when he said: “I call upon the talented entrepreneurs of the Arab world, to come and invest here, to assist the Palestinians and us, to give the economy a jump-start. Together we can develop industrial zones, we can create thousands of jobs, and foster tourism that will draw millions…” ….so in short; Arab leaders could go on all day about the niceties of the Arab peace initiative until they go blue in the face; but for Netanyahu it is total and complete normalization of relations first, then –in the far distant and uncertain future- the possibility of demilitarized Palestinian cantons on whatever land that Jewish settlers will approve of granting to the Palestinians could be negotiated. In his first official reaction to Netanyahu’s speech, U.S. president Barack Obama said the there was a positive movement in the Prime Minister’s speech and that he (Netanyahu) acknowledged the need for two states. That was the final nail in the coffin of what little hope the Arab world might have had for a “real change” in the United States’ approach with regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be brought about by the new “brave” American administration and it shouldn’t come as a surprise either, Obama’s vision of a Palestinian state is akin to that of Netanyahu’s and he can definitely relate to it; after all, it was the United States that first practiced that very same logic and contained native Americans into segregated reservations (read demilitarized and heavily populated cantons) with no territorial integrity or control over their own natural resources. And even if that was not the case; the truth of the matter is that the current status quo is what preserves this comfortable equilibrium that world leaders and regional regimes have grown so habituated to; because evidently it is far “safer” for them than the alternative in many cases, and from the looks of it; this status quo is –and will be- dearly nurtured in safe hands, at least for the next four years, and no “pacifying” speech (whether from Cairo or elsewhere) will distract the common Palestinian in besieged Gaza from realizing that.

Crown Gift Expands Israel Studies Will expand teaching of Israel studies, name of Jewish studies center at NorthwesternNovember 26, 2012 | by Pat Vaughan Tremmel The courses and related activities will be housed in the newly named Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies in the University's Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences as well as in other Weinberg departments and programs. (With the expansion of Israel studies, the Crown Family Center for Jewish Studies has added “Israel Studies” to its name.) “The Crowns’ involvement in the intellectual life and leadership of Northwestern has been integral to the University’s achievements and planning for the future,” said Northwestern President Morton Schapiro. That involvement stretches back to the 1940s, when Lester Crown earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. He has since become a well-known industrialist, philanthropist and longtime member of Northwestern's Board of Trustees. "Lester’s generosity is guided by his long-held belief that students need to learn the history and reasons for the complex relationships in the Middle East, based on established expertise and rigors of the academy,” Schapiro said. “And an understanding of Israel certainly is key to that history.” The multi-discipline center will expand Israel studies -- covering the period starting in 1948, when the country was established as an independent state, to the present, with an examination of the background leading up to Israel’s establishment. The courses on Israel studies will be offered within history, political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, comparative literary studies, business institutions and various language and literature departments. Renée and Lester Crown’s past support of Northwestern includes significant gifts to support engineering and the physical sciences, to build the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and the Crown Family Center for Jewish Studies, and to help the University expand Middle East studies. “The Crowns’ generosity has enabled Weinberg to enhance resources and scholarship from various disciplines to give students a nuanced understanding of the issues and complex relationships that play out in the Middle East everyday,” Schapiro said. This expansion of undergraduate teaching and activities related to modern Israel affirms a key goal of Northwestern's strategic plan -- engaging with the world. Northwestern is committed to broadening students' perspectives in a global era. "I have spent a great deal of time in discourse about the Middle East and about Israel, in particular," said Lester Crown, who, for many years, has met with leaders in the region and been active with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "Renée and I are very pleased to help give future leaders at Northwestern a deeper understanding of the complex issues related to Israel and its crucial role in the world." The gift was announced to the University community on Nov. 19 at Northwestern’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall during the launch of the new Renée and Lester Crown Speaker Series. Nathan Englander, selected by The New Yorker as “one of 20 writers for the 2lst century,” delivered the inaugural lecture.

marketing g jobs Refine your searchClear Filters Digital Marketing Consultant, Phoenix, AZ G/O Digital - Phoenix, AZ Experience/interest in cold calling local businesses for marketing solutions. The ideal G/O Digital Digital Marketing Consultant is passionate, outgoing, and an... Retail Sales Rep. Shentel - Whitehall, WV D. Responsible for outbound marketing (telephone and outdoor). Responsible for inside sales to new and existing customers.... Product Marketing Manager, LED Lamps Philips Lighting - Somerset, NJ BS in Marketing,. Marketing driven organization required. Category, Channel Marketing, Operations and Manufacturing to ensure seamless.... Account Manager / Marketing Excel Blades - Paterson, NJ This is an entry level position. Excel is looking for a motivated and outgoing individual who is willing to work with our customers to support all of Business Pricing Analyst NXP Semiconductors - Austin, TX G) Facilitating data mapping and execution for tool integration. The Pricing Team Business Analyst will support the Global Pricing Manager, who reports directly... iHeartMedia, Inc. - San Antonio, TX Ensures customer satisfaction by facilitating all aspects of the customer's account in cooperation with creative, operations, marketing and finance staff.... Account Manager Wanted G. E Marketing - Colorado Springs, CO _Solid understanding of core marketing principles_. Marketing is a marketing/consultation firm that specializes in customer service, sales, marketing, and... Sales Marketing Representative Servpro of Pompano Beach - Pompano Beach, FL Sales and Marketing Activity a. Conduct objective-to-objective daily marketing contacts. Use the quarterly Marketing Media Kit to market *SERVPRO®*.... Market Research Analyst The Teaching Company/The Great Courses - Chantilly, VA Bachelor’s Degree (Economics, Business, Marketing, Political Science, Statistics or another technical discipline).... JEWISH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF GREATER PHOENIX - Scottsdale, AZ Plan, develop andimplement marketing and membership strategies; The Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center is looking for a motivated full-time Director of...

Again and again and again. One such bizarre claim, that I missed on its first go-round but which is recently repeating its circuit of ultra-religious right wingers (I've seen it posted on Facebook twice in the last week), is a story that contends that Jesus actually revealed the name of the Antichrist in the bible. Never mind that wackos who are way too fond of the Book of Revelation have tried before to pin that title on various world leaders; Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope Benedict XVI, the Emperor Nero, and Ronald Reagan, for example, all had their supporters as being Satan's Right-hand Man. (As for Reagan, his candidacy came about when someone noticed that his first, middle, and last names all had six letters -- 666, get it? But my vote goes for Pope Benedict, who looks just like Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars. I mean, can't you just picture him throwing lightning from his fingertips, and vaporizing protesters who support marriage equality, all the while cackling maniacally?) But they're not the ones that the End Times crowd are after these days. The whole thing apparently started with a 2009 YouTube video that claimed that the biblical passage "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from the heavens" (Luke 10:18) was actually encoding the real name of the Antichrist. Here's the excerpt that's been making the rounds recently: When I started doing a little research, I found the Greek word for 'lightning' is 'astrape,' and the Hebrew equivalent is 'baraq.' I thought that was fascinating... And I wondered what the word 'heights’ is, and I looked it up in the dictionary, and it’s 'bamah...' If spoken by a Jewish rabbi today, influenced by the poetry of Isaiah, he would say these words in Hebrew … 'I saw Satan as Baraq Ubamah.'Righty-o. Obama is the Antichrist. Not that we have any kind of political agenda here, of course. The only problem is, don't use a linguistic argument when there are lots of linguists around who are smarter than you are. An expert in Hebrew and Aramaic, Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, weighed in on the contention in an article in Salon, and he said that there are several problems with it. First, Ehrenkrantz says, the Hebrew root "bamah" doesn't mean "heights" as in "heavens," it means "heights" as in "hills." Sticking a "u-" prefix on the word is consistent with Hebrew morphology, but doing that alters stops to continuants -- in this case, changing the /b/ to a /v/. So, it would be "uvamah," not "ubamah." And even so, the "u-" doesn't mean "from," it means "and." So "baraq uvamah" means "lightning and hills." The actual phrase "from the heavens," Ehrenkrantz says, should be "min ha-shamayim." So the passage "lightning from the heavens" would be "baraq min ha-shamayim." Which doesn't sound like much of anything except Hebrew. Couple that with the fact that Obama's first name, Barack, does come from an Aramaic root, but it isn't "baraq," it's "barak," which means "blessing." It's a cognate to the more common name Baruch. So, if you're really trying to pull some apocalyptic linguistic analysis on the president's name, you would probably be more justified in concluding that Obama was sent to Earth by god as a blessing, and is undoubtedly going to kick some satanic ass while he's here. Because the problem with twiddling around with language is that two can always play that game. Linguistic coincidences and peculiarities in word root structure abound. So let's have some fun, okay? Let's start with the Hebrew word "rosh," which means "head, chief, or leader." ("Rosh Hashanah" means "head of the year.") And we all know the Latin word "limbo," the ablative form of "limbus," meaning "the edge, or outer circle, of hell." So: "the chieftain of the outer reaches of hell" would be "Rosh Limbo." Hey, maybe this stuff works, after all.

Especially, Google Photos supports free, unlimited storage for high-quality (great visual quality at a reduced file size) and free 15GB to account storage for original (full resolution that counts against your quota) based on upload size for photos and videos. We recommend to backup and sync your photo, video contents regularly by using this Google Photos. Norton AntiVirus for Windows XP/Vista/7/8 32-bit Platforms. As new threats emerge, Symantec immediately builds new protection updates and makes them available for download on a subscription basis. Ich hänge mich mal an diesen Thread heran: Ich versuche über Cydia OpenSSH auf mein iPhone zuzugreifen. Als Anleitung benutze ich diese hier.Leider schafft Cyberduck keine Verbindung, obwohl ich genau nach der Anleitung vorgehe. See what Colleen Hannush (hannush) has discovered on Pinterest, the world's biggest collection of ideas. Universell utforming er en generell kvalitetsheving av transportsystemet som gjør at flere mennesker vil og kan velge å gå, sykle og velge å ta kollektivtransport, altså miljøvennlig transport. Do not back up files to the same hard disk that Windows is installed on. For example, do not back up files to a recovery partition. Always store media used for backups (external hard disks, DVDs, or CDs) in a secure place to prevent unauthorized people from having access to your files; a fireproof location separate from your computer is recommended. Beispielsätze für "Sketch" auf Englisch. Diese Sätze sind von externen Quellen und können mitunter Fehler enthalten. bab.la ist für diese Inhalte nicht verantwortlich. This site in other countries/regions. Algérie - Français. Argentina - Español All models were 18 years of age or older at the time of depiction. Mylovedtube.com has a zero-tolerance policy against illegal pornography. This site is rated with RTA label. Monitor four key areas that impact your device's performance on Device performance & health. Dr. Sholom Gootzeit, DO is a physical medicine & rehabilitation specialist in Surprise, AZ and has been practicing for 27 years. He graduated from Ny Coll Of Osteo Med Ny Inst Of Tech Old Westbury in 1992 and specializes in physical medicine & rehabilitation. Tritt Facebook bei oder melde dich an E-Mail-Adresse oder Handynummer. Passwort Get Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android. Skip to main content. Microsoft Translation for 'Zicke' in the free German-English dictionary and many other English translations. bab.la arrow_drop_down bab.la - Online dictionaries, vocabulary, conjugation, grammar Toggle navigation Khushi bedeutet Glück! online anschauen: Stream, kaufen, oder leihen Wir versuchen fortwährend neue Anbieter hinzuzufügen, aber leider haben wir keine Angebote gefunden. The word "hanukkah" means "dedication." The name reminds us that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E.The Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple.The Hanukkah Story Lyrics to 'Hanukkah, Hanukkah (Soundtrack)' by Jack Hartmann. iTunes is the easiest way to enjoy everything you need to be entertained - music, movies, and TV shows - and keep it all easily organized. Rent or buy movies, download your favorite TV shows, and more. iTunes is also home to Apple Music, where you can listen to millions of songs and your entire music library - ad-free with zero commercials ... Sikkerhet 360, Islamabad, Pakistan. 239 likes. We deal in all kinds of security, safety and fire control products and services in Pakistan. and oil. Jam-filled doughnuts are another popular Hanukkah treat. Dairy food such as cheese and cheesecake are also traditionally eaten at this festival. Presents and cards It’s traditional to give presents or money to family and friends at Hanukkah. Hanukkah Gelt refers to money given as a gift at the festival. ‘Gelt’ is the Yiddish word ... Contribute to ks-no/svarut-dokumentasjon development by creating an account on GitHub. Dismiss Document your code. Every project on GitHub comes with a version-controlled wiki to give your documentation the high level of care it deserves. 32.9k Followers, 516 Following, 535 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sparsh Shah (PURHYTHM) (@shahsparsh) Dr. Hannush seemed very thorough and assured me he could help me with problems I was having as a result of LASIK surgery. He stated he would call me in one week. Tech support scams are an industry-wide issue where scammers trick you into paying for unnecessary technical support services. You can help protect yourself from scammers by verifying that the contact is a Microsoft Agent or Microsoft Employee and that the phone number is an official Microsoft global customer service number. 11.6k Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from ‘tetove’ hashtag Buy more iCloud storage You automatically get 5GB of free iCloud storage for your photos, videos, files, and more. If you need more iCloud storage, you can upgrade from any of your devices. Alphabetischer Index. Im Türkisch-Deutsch Übersetzer kannst Du alphabetisch nach verfügbaren Übersetzung suchen. Klicke dazu im Wörterbuch auf den Anfangsbuchstaben des gesuchten Wortes. Das power&health Studio – Sabine Dunkler und ihr TrainerInnen-Team - heisst Sie herzlich Willkommen. Genießen Sie bei uns ein individuelles, auf Ihre Bedürfnisse abgestimmtes Personaltraining. The latest Tweets from Islam Ahmadiyya (@AhmadiyyaSWE). Islams Ahmadiyya församling introducerades i Sverige år 1957. Sveriges första moské byggdes av samfundet år 1975. Kontakt: [email protected] Göteborg, Sverige Book digitized by Google from the library of Harvard University and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb. Kontakta oss om du har några frågor, önskar mer information eller för att boka en demo. Vårt kunniga säljteam hjälper dig att hitta den bästa lösningen! Windows 10 automatic backup error 0x80070015 Hi, After reading the suggested posts on similar issues, and because none them correspond to my case in all aspects, I am resorting to my own post. Translation for 'sikkerhet' in the free Norwegian-English dictionary and many other English translations. bab.la arrow_drop_down bab.la - Online dictionaries, vocabulary, conjugation, grammar Toggle navigation 301 Moved Permanently. nginx/1.12.1 Finde alle News für Samy Challah, Biographie, Filmografie und Aktuelle Nachrichten. Entdecke alle Videos und Bilder mit Samy Challah. Sarvesh Jilka is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Sarvesh Jilka and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. This is "Sikkerhet Service" by MADE BY MEDIA on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Your $5 gift becomes $15! Dear Internet Archive Community, I’ll get right to it: please support the Internet Archive today. Right now, we have a 2-to-1 Matching Gift Campaign, so you can triple your impact, but time is running out! The average donation is $45. If everyone reading this chips in just $5, we can keep this website going for free ... Dr. Sadeer Hannush is a Ophthalmologist in Langhorne, PA. Find Dr. Hannush's phone number, address, insurance information, hospital affiliations and more. Check out Skocne by Schnaftl Ufftschik on Amazon Music. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet! IMDb Mobile site The latest Tweets from Sarvesh (@sarveshshashi). Yogi with messy hair and sweatpants, conservatively modern, dance addict, buoyant performer, quick- witted speaker, self-made catalyst of joy. #ModernYogi. Chennai, India Write down your password and store it somewhere safe, because there's no way to recover your iTunes backups without this password. When the process ends, you can see if the backup finished successfully. It looks like we don't have any release dates for this title yet. Be the first to contribute! Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the release dates submission guide. Cover your body with amazing Free Speech t-shirts from Zazzle. Search for your new favorite shirt from thousands of great designs! All models were 18 years of age or older at the time of depiction. Iwank.tv has a zero-tolerance policy against illegal pornography. This site is rated with RTA label. Skal du snart ut å fly? Her har du noen tips for hvordan du kommer enda raskere gjennom sikkerhetskontrollen. You’re set on the history, now you need to think about gifts for your loved ones! Import names from your contacts, customize your gift list and budget, and keep track of what you’ve bought for ... Stream Avsnitt 21 – Fastighetsspecial by Börspodden from desktop or your mobile device

Mic for the Bride & Groom? Tampa Photographers Advice for Weddings, Mic for Bride & Groom As a photographer in Tampa, I see many times the intimacy of the wedding vows is completely interrupted by the focus on the microphone. Many wedding magazines will advise the bride about having a mic for the bride and groom so that your guests can hear your vows. Well in principle that sounds like a good idea, however, it can take away from your video and pictures. In the short video below we shot 4 examples. In the first video our Clearwater Photographers shot at the Duval Ballroom, the groom is leaning over to talk into the mic as if he is giving a deposition. His fiance’ is looking at him with loving eyes, it would have been great for video and photography if he was locked in her gaze. In the second example on this video our St Petersburg Photographers show the groom looking at the Rabbai on this Jewish wedding, again completely ignoring the eyes of his lover. The groom says his vows to the Rabbai. On the third example the officiant, in a humorous way, tells the groom “this is awkward” look at her, referring to the bride. This is exactly what a officiant should do to avoid the groom marrying the officiant instead the bride. In the last example the bride shows her annoyance with the mic (rightly so, I might add). The solution is simple. Look at each other during the vows & rings. Some brides and grooms tend to look at the officiant while they are repeating the words for the vows, but you are not marrying the officiant, you are marrying each other. Be in the moment, yes its been a long road getting to the vows, the engagement, planning the wedding, all the preparations, but this is the moment all that was for; so relax, forget about all other concerns, and focus on your fiance, now becoming your spouse. If you are using our Tampa Videographers; we mic the groom with a lavelier Mic (a mic that clip on the coat), however this mic is for the video camera which the guests will not hear. This will ensure that on your wedding video you will hear your vows very clear. If you want to ensure that your guests can hear your vows, it is best to have a cordless handheld mic provided by your DJ or whoever is doing the ceremony music. The lavelier mics, that we use for the video are not good when using with a big sound system because it will pic up wind noise. A cordless handheld mics will limit the wind noise much better. Also during the ceremony it is best to have hand-held mic because if you have a reader or a singer, it can be easily transferred from person to person, unlike a mic that clips on. The ideal situation is for the officiant to hold the mic without a stand. This way the ugly mic stand is out of the picture and, he can hold it close to you so that you are not leaning during your vows (as this groom on the left is doing) to talk in it. The officiants from Sensational Ceremonies, a company our Tampa Photographers work with a lot, will usually do this. Therefore, your guests will hear your vows and you can still be in the moment gazing into your lover’s eyes. When our Tampa DJs set up the mic stand and if we have an officiant that cannot hold it, we try to use a boom mic stand, so that the stand can be hidden somewhat behind the bride and groom (when looking from guests point of view) and then the boom arm places the mic in the center for the officiant to talk into. If the mic stand is in the center, just make sure it is NOT between you and your fiance or in front of you (that is between your guests and you), as you see in the picture to the right. Whether the mic is on a stand or the officiant is holding it for you, do not lean over to talk into it. Allow the officiant to hold it to your mouth, and if he doesn’t do that, do not allow that to take your focus away from your fiance. We would rather get a picture of you two starring into each other’s eyes, rather than focused on talking into a mic. We understand not every situation is going to be perfect, but we wanted you to be aware of a Photographers point of view during the ceremony. It is up to you the bride, if your guests hearing your vows is your main priority, we understand. It is this Tampa Photographers advice for weddings that if being “in the moment”, and having pictures and video that show the passion and emotion of your ceremony is more of a priority, than we say “do not worry about the mic”, if for some reason the guests cannot hear the vows, so be it. If our Tampa Videographers are filming your wedding, you will be able to hear your vows very clear on the video, and then you can post it to your facebook page and everyone will be able to hear your vows extremely clear. Active Search Results

Sunday, May 22, 2022 A Mitzvah, literally, is a commandment in Jewish law. However, it is often used to mean a good deed or an act of kindness and that is the basis for Mitzvah Day. ... FOCUSED: Education for Parents of Children with ADHD A free, virtual support group that meets monthly for five months. FOCUSED is for parents of children who have been diagnosed wi... Anxiety and depression are major factors contributing to diminished quality of life for older adults. These are of course treatable conditions, and our Masters prepared licensed social worker can provide highly professional and compassionate therapy. We also can provide help for caregivers in the form of therapy, group support, or supportive counseling. Contact Janet Kanode, MSW, LCSW, 336-852-4829 ext. 226. JFS has the services of a Congregational Nurse, a masters prepared licensed RN, who participates in the Cone Health System’s Congregational Nurse program. The mission of this program is to enhance the lives of older adults by focusing on health and education and wellness counseling. Congregational Nursing brings a holistic approach to well-being, looking at the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of health. Call Marlene Baruch, MSN, RN, (336) 852-4829 ext. 224. Chai Notes works with older adults, their families, and individuals across the generations to foster connections and increase socialization for older adults primarily in senior facilities. The program emphasizes the use of the arts, particularly Jewish music, as a way to do this. Programs for dementia patients are included as are intergenerational programs. This program is sponsored in part by the Carolina Foundation for Jewish Seniors. Contact Cantor Katy Claussen, (336) 852-4829 ext. 228. Door to door service for older adults and disabled riders is provided by the JFS Van and is available for doctor’s appointments, shopping, social events and religious services. The van is $2 each way and free on Shabbat through the generosity of donors. Our J-Drive program is available when the van is booked. Call (336) 852-4829 ext. 222 three days ahead to schedule a ride.

The Robin Hood actor took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the process, which he feels is attempting to "correct nature". "Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature? Is it real that God requires a donation of foreskin? Babies are perfect," he posted. "I love my Jewish friends, I love the apples and the honey and the funny little hats, but stop cutting your babies. "I will always stand for the perfection of babies. I will always believe in God, not man's interpretation of what God requires. Last of it, if you feel it is your right to cut things off your babies please unfollow and f**k off; I'll take attentive parenting over barbarism." However, Crowe deleted the offensive posts on Friday morning after drawing considerable criticism, later writing: "I have a deep and abiding love for all people of all nationalities. I'm very sorry that I have said things on here that have caused distress. "My personal beliefs aside I realise that some will interpret this debate as me mocking the rituals and traditions of others. I am very sorry." Crowe recently fulfilled his promise to teach a special acting workshop to students at Durham University.

UNCLAS SOFIA 000444 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KCOR, KNAR, KIRF, BU SUBJECT: BULGARIA: FINAL COURT DECISION REJECTS JEWISH REF: (A) SOFIA 68; (B) 05 SOFIA 1318 1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a decision released March 20, Bulgaria's highest court ended the Jewish community's 15- year legal struggle for restitution of the Rila Hotel. The ruling of the Supreme Court of Cassation denied the Jewish community's request for an extraordinary appeal of the 2005 court decision that rejected the community's claim. The court held that a 1991 ruling, which granted a 48.87% share of the hotel to the Jewish organization Shalom, is not binding either on the state or the current hotel owners, and further ruled that the Jewish community was not entitled to ownership because the 1962 expropriation procedure was properly executed. The decision is final and precludes any further legal action in Bulgaria. We have again been assured by President Purvanov's office that the presidency will work with the government to fulfill Purvanov's commitment in Washington to attempt to compensate Shalom if the judicial process was unsuccessful. END SUMMARY. 2. (SBU) On January 17 a five-judge panel of the Supreme Court of Cassation heard Shalom's request to reverse the 2005 decision of a three-judge panel of the same court (Ref. A). Shalom claimed that this ruling contradicted a 1991 ruling of the State Arbitration Board, which granted Shalom 48.87% ownership of the Rila Hotel, built on a valuable piece of land in downtown Sofia that was nationalized in 1962 (Ref. B). NOTE: In 2000, the State Privatization Agency sold the state's remaining 51% share in the hotel. This majority stake is currently controlled by Vasil Bozhkov, a notorious organized crime figure also known as 3. (U) In its March 8 ruling on the case, the Supreme Cassation Court dismissed Shalom's claim and held that the 1991 ruling was not binding either on the state or on its successor Hotel Rila JSC. Besides ruling that the 2005 decision did not contradict the 1991 arbitration decision, the court found the 2005 decision accurate on its merits. The court confirmed that Shalom was the legitimate successor of the Jewish community, which acquired the property in 1906- 1911; however, it maintained that the expropriation procedure conducted by authorities in the 1960s was properly executed. The panel referred to a legal provision (since repealed) that permitted expropriation without prior compensation due to a compelling need for construction. Furthermore, according to the court, after the construction of the hotel, the real estate no longer existed in the form in which it was nationalized and therefore was not subject to restitution to the successor of its previous owner. 4. (SBU) COMMENT: With the March Supreme Court decision all avenues for reclaiming ownership under Bulgarian law have been exhausted. Shalom is currently unwilling to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights, fearing that Bulgarian society's generally positive attitude toward the country's small Jewish community could be endangered if they were to sue the government in a foreign court. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which has been representing Shalom, had suggested this as a possibility. Instead, Shalom hopes to achieve a political solution to the problem through quiet diplomacy. In recent months, Shalom president Emil Kalo has initiated informal discussions with government officials on possible alternatives to compensation through the courts. Presidential foreign- policy advisor Zlatin Trapkov told us today that Prime Minister Stanishev will sign an order creating a commission to review all remaining restitution disputes, which will consider the Rila claim. The commission may be able to offer alternate property or other restitution to claimants. Bulgarian media have not picked up the story and the case outcome has received no publicity to date. END COMMENT.

Searching for a motive in the worst attack on French Jews in decades. France is reeling from a national tragedy on Monday following a horrific attack on an orthodox Jewish school in the southwestern city of Toulouse that left four people dead, among them a young rabbi and three children, and authorities in search of a motive and a killer. French police are already linking the shooting to a series of attacks last week on French paratroopers of North African origin, whose unit had served in Afghanistan. Ballistic tests show that the same gun used in the school attack had earlier been used to shoot uniformed French soldiers in two separate incidents in the Toulouse area. Last Thursday, a gunman shot and killed two soldiers about 30 miles from Toulouse. In a nearly identical incident just four days earlier, a gunman had killed a paratrooper in Toulouse. In all the shootings, the killer had used the same stolen black motorbike to flee the scene. Despite the connective evidence, questions persist over the motive. Thus the fact that several of the murdered soldiers were Arab and Muslim has fueled speculation that the motive in the school shooting cannot be reduced solely to hatred of Jews. Press accounts have accordingly described the murderer as a "serial killer," a "madman" and a "terrorist," emphasizing that his motivation is unclear. Yet even the limited evidence available suggests that such descriptions may well be superfluous. From the systematic way that the murderer pursued the children through the school, shooting “everything that moved” as authorities have described it, suggests that the overriding goal was to kill as many Jewish children as possible. At one point, the killer reportedly cornered an eight-year-old girl, then shot her in the head. The school shooting marks the deadliest attack on Jews in France since the 1982 bombing of the Parisian Jewish restaurant and deli Chez Jo Goldenberg, in which six were killed and 22 wounded. Moreover, while the school attack came as a national shock in France, it is in keeping with a pattern of virulent anti-Semitism, emanating primarily from the country’s restive Muslim population. On a less deadly scale, France has seen scores of similar attacks over the past decade, many directed at day schools and synagogues. In September 2009, aerosol cans soaked in gasoline were hurled at a Jewish school in Marseille, causing damage. Earlier, in January of that year, a car was set ablaze and crashed into the gates of a Toulouse synagogue. Another car, containing three unused gasoline bombs, was found nearby. In May 2005, three bottles of hydrochloric acid were thrown at the Sinai Jewish school in Paris. The children attending the school were playing in the yard at the time, though none were hurt. In November 2003, an arson attack destroyed a large section of a Jewish school in Gagny in attack. Nicholas Sarkozy, then the interior minister, said the attack had “an anti-Semitic and obviously racist connotation.” In 2006, the school was again targeted by arsonists. While these attacks have been linked to surges in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the Palestinian intifada, the consistency of the attacks over the years suggests that they are rooted in anti-Jewish enmity, not politics. No case more strongly illustrated the intensity of the hatred for Jews in the French Muslim community than the 2006 murder of 23-year-old Parisian Jew Ilan Halimi. Lured by a girl into the Paris suburb Sceaux, he was set upon by a gang of Muslim youths. After being brutally tortured, stabbed and burned with acid, his body was dumped on the railway tracks, where he was left to die from his wounds. Halimi's torturers made no attempt to hide their hatred. One gang member later said that he had put out a cigarette on Halimi's face because he "didn't like Jews." Monstrous as the murder was, equally shocking were revelations that many in the Muslim community knew of Halimi’s treatment and whereabouts, yet refused to report it to the police. Based on the ruthlessness of the killer and his choice of victims, it’s hard to avoid at least the suspicion that the school shooting was the latest act of extremist Islamic violence against France’s Jews. The fact that the killer’s victims included Muslims does not necessarily confound the picture. In the past French Muslims have been as outraged about Israel and Jews as they have been by France’s support for U.S.-led efforts in Afghanistan. Some French Muslim soldiers have even refused to serve in Afghanistan on the grounds that they refuse to kill fellow Muslims. Osama bin Laden, in one of his final declarations, had warned in 2011 that France would pay a “high price” for putting troops on Muslim soil. In that context, it’s not difficult to imagine that the attacks on the French Muslim soldiers may have been intended as retaliation for French foreign policy. As they track down the killer, French authorities are right to focus on the evidence rather than the motive linking the crimes. The gunman may yet turn out to be a lone terrorist with no cohesive purpose. But the history of murderous anti-Semitism in France’s Muslim community counsels that there is nothing inherently inconsistent about the motives of a killer whose ideology drives him to kill both Muslim soldiers and Jewish children. Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.

Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the famous Evangelist, Billy Graham has been touring across America with his Decision America 2016 tour, which has been touring the nation in order to lead Christian Americans in prayer for the government and the upcoming elections. Springfield, Illinois was the 27th stop for the 50 State Decision America tour. According to Rev. Graham, the number of people that came out for this particular tour stop was 5,800 Christians, who despite the sweltering 96 degree heat came out “because they mean business,” at least when it comes to praying for America and the multitudinous problems that our country is facing at this present moment. Some of the problems that America has been facing even just this week alone; the terrorist shooting in Orlando, Florida and tonight on the WICS Channel 20 news, it was reported that an active shooter was shot dead in a Walmart in Texas. According to Rev. Graham, these problems didn’t just crop up overnight, but have been long in the making; one such contributing factor that he cited, was the removal of God’s Ten Commandments from the schools. These commandments were a moral guideline for the generations that came before and it is hard to not compare this lack in our schools to the problems we are now hearing about on the nightly news; these types of problems were just never heard of in prior generations. People feared the Lord God Almighty and they reigned in their behaviors because of this godly fear that had been instilled in their lives by their parents and their grandparents, as well as teachers from Kindergarten through the upper grades in high school. Rev. Graham led the 5,800 Christians present through several times of prayer: first, he led the group assembled to pray for those in Orlando, Florida; next, he led those present to offer up repentance for the actions of our government as well as requesting repentance for those who work in politics; then to offer up repentance for our own personal transgressions; and then to request repentance for the transgressions of our forbears. Franklin Graham made it clear that neither political party was going to be able to save America, but that the only One capable of saving America from our moral downhill slide, is none other than the Lord God Almighty. While he did not endorse any particular candidate, he did stress that every Christian should get out and vote. He quoted his Father, Billy Graham, from as far back as 1952, in which Billy Graham had been telling people to get out and vote and to get involved in the political process. He made telling comparisons of how if Christians would just run for school boards, mayoral positions and other political posts, that this could drastically reverse this downhill slide for the next 20 or so years. First to take back the local political scene and God willing, to then take back Washington, D.C. The event lasted about forty-five minutes and the crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion. Many people came in church buses, but there were some people who had to walk ten or more blocks to get back to their parked cars. I find it rather interesting, but not surprising, that there weren’t any active Christian shooters at the event. Praise the name of the Lord God Almighty. It has been 151 years since President Abraham Lincoln was laid to rest in Springfield, Illinois on May 4, 1865 at 7:56 p.m. in a temporary vault built into the hillside of Oak Ridge Cemetery. President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 but he was not laid to rest until three weeks later after traveling over 1500 miles from Washington DC to Springfield, Illinois, the place he called home. On May 4, 2016 a reenactment of his funeral cortege pulled by four black stallions covered in black robes, proceeded from the Old State Capitol to his home on Eighth street, and then on to Oak Ridge Cemetery. The hearse was festooned with black ostrich feathers and gold metal works. The cortege was led by volunteers dressed as Union Army soldiers as they marched about 100 feet before the processional. Six of the soldiers were chosen to act as the President’s pallbearers as they removed the casket from the hearse, carrying it to the temporary vault. The gates were unlocked and the casket was set on the bier exactly at 7:56 p.m. the very same time that President Lincoln was actually placed in the vault. The bell tower began to peal its solemn tones and one couldn’t help but count them as they sounded; six times did the bell ring out, interestingly, it rang the number of man. Speaking of the Bible, the number six is counted as the number of man, so it was obvious why the ringing of the funeral bell was chosen to ring six times. Speeches that were spoken at the actual funeral ceremony were read again and honor was given to President Lincoln for having written the Emancipation Proclamation as well as having already reunited the country once again and ending the Civil War. The final tomb was partially constructed when they placed the bodies of Abraham Lincoln and his two sons, Edward and William, who had died prior to him, were laid to their final resting place together forever in the final tomb. It also marks the graves of Mary Todd Lincoln and one other son, Thomas who died in 1871. President Ulysses S. Grant dedicated the monument on October 15, 1874 and it was in the hands of the private monument association until 1895 when it was deeded over to the State of Illinois. Their son, Robert Todd Lincoln died in 1926 at the age of 82. The monument had already undergone major reconstruction and a new foundation had been erected from 1899-1901. In 1901 President Lincoln’s remains were placed beneath the floor of the burial chamber in a new vault. Volunteers who came to act in the roles of Union Army soldiers, traveled from as far away as Kansas in order to participate in this event. Tourists had come as far as from California and New York to be present for this reenactment. However, the main, full reenactment was done last year in 2015 at the 150th anniversary, but the Historical Society has already planned on making this an annual event. So make your plans to come on or around May 4th of any year and you may witness this historic reenactment of the entombment of President Abraham Lincoln. Surfing the web, this writer came across an article written by Matt Walsh that was posted in The Blaze at http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/no-serious-christians-arent-worried-about-the-stupid-starbucks-cups/ about the supposed Starbucks Christmas cup controversy. Seriously? It is hard to believe that any Christian(s) would be upset about such a thing. Then there is the backlash happening on the web as well as the major news outlets picking up the story, and so this guy, Joshua Feuerstein, has been making the rounds on Facebook trying to stir up a controversy. If Christians should get upset about anything that Starbucks puts on their cups, it would be their iconic twin-tailed mermaid siren or Norse goddess. According to Starbucks: Suddenly, there she was: a 16th century Norse woodcut of a twin-tailed mermaid, or Siren. There was something about her – a seductive mystery mixed with a nautical theme that was exactly what the founders were looking for…http://www.starbucks.com/blog/so-who-is-the-siren Then this writer found this blurb: One of Astarte’s symbols was actually a star within a circle, which was used to symbolize the planet Venus. Interestingly, two stars are found within the green circle surrounding the logo character of the former Starbucks logo, which was used to separate ‘Starbucks’ and ‘Coffee.’ Artistic depictions of the goddess often show her naked, so why was such a figure with a steamy background chosen to represent the popular coffee chain? Astarte was a goddess that was worshiped in the Eastern Mediterranean countries dating back to the bronze age and into classical times, according to http://www.unexplainable.net As some commentators have responded: Go feed the hungry, etc. etc. which is a reference to: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. So what should shock Christians the more? No snowflakes on the red cups or the fact that Starbucks has chosen a snake-like goddess that has been represented as a twin-tailed Norse goddess, and which has also represented Astarte, a pagan goddess? For Christians, the first of the Ten Commandments states very clearly: And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Coming soon to a prayer closet near you, this November 1st will be the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted Church. There are many countries around the world today that are outright hostile towards Christianity, most of them with a Muslim majority in the country. Other countries that target Christians in certain areas, is the predominant group of Hinduism. One group that this writer is in contact with is “Voice of the Martyrs” which publishes their magazines that highlight certain groups of people that are currently suffering persecution for their Christian faith. America is still a blessed country and we have not experienced the type of persecution that many of our Christian brothers and sisters face on a daily basis. They are hunted down like outlaws and treated accordingly; because they have a simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His salvation that they accepted. Even as the Scriptures have commanded us to follow Matthew 5:44 – “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Voice of the Martyrs is a worthy organization to include in your giving heart and hands funds. If you would like to order special magazines that you can pass out to your church, you can go to http://www.vombooks.com/September2015. Additional resources can also be purchased by going to www.persecution.com/IDOP. If your church would like to add them to their list of mission oriented projects, then please inform your church about this group. They provide medical help, clothing, shelter and many more services to those Christians that have been caught in the line of fire, and have been targeted for violent actions against them, simply because they have chosen to worship the One True God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. September 27-28 will put on display for anyone watching the fourth and final blood moon tetrad that has coincided with the Jewish feasts of Passover and Tabernacles for the last two years. Many have thought these occurrences to be spiritually significant, and truly only history will tell us of any significance in these matters. Plus, tonight there will also be a super moon occurring as well, which will cause the moon to look excessively larger than normal. This is also called the Harvest Moon. If you live in the Northern hemisphere, the blood moon eclipse will begin at 1:07 UT, which translates to our time in the Central daylight time zone as: Central Daylight Time (September 27, 2015) Partial umbral eclipse begins: 8:07 p.m. CDT on September 27 Total eclipse begins: 9:11 p.m. CDT Greatest eclipse: 9:47 p.m. CDT Total eclipse ends: 10:23 p.m. CDT Partial eclipse ends: 11:27 p.m. CDT Super blood moon central daylight times However, if you live in central Illinois as of this writing, clouds have moved in with light rain and so unfortunately, unless it clears or there is a patch of open sky, the blood moon tetrad will not be as visible as hoped for tonight. It might be worth driving to find an open portion of the sky. Former dates of blood moon occurrences are according to Dates of blood moons While it is fairly rare, a tetrad of lunar eclipses has occurred before and will occur again in the future. History and science tell us that tetrads or blood moons also came to pass in the following years: That means that it’s been 46 years since this has happened, making it something that definitely gets the attention of the masses when it does occur. So if you have the opportunity for a clear sky tonight, it is definitely worth going outside from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. CDT, which will conclude the super blood moon tonight. This letter is to you, Bruce. I watched your latest interview with Diane Sawyer on Friday, April 24, 2015, in the which you continually spoke of how you had spent almost your entire life living with confusion as to who you are, and what you want to become for the remainder of your life. I marvelled when you spoke of the Lord God and how you yourself acknowledged that God had placed the “soul of a woman” inside of you, with God saying, “now let’s see what you do with that.” You are right! God did place those emotions within you, however, it is not truly the “soul of a woman” inside of you. God did give you tender emotions…maybe more so than He has given to other men…however, they are the roots of a larger-than-life emotion called compassion. However, Bruce, God would absolutely never break His own laws and put a “woman’s soul” inside of you, a man. But you are not the only man who has ever had more tender emotions; I think of the Jewish king, King David….just read the Book of Psalms…jam-packed with David’s emotions written down for everyone to read for the last four thousand years approximately. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. David was not ashamed of his tenderness and his compassionate heart for God and for others as well. David could have killed Saul several times, however, because of his love for God and the fact that Saul had been anointed king by God Himself, he refused to lay his hands upon him to take his life. Yet, David was a man’s man even though he had a tender heart. I think next of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. He wept over Jerusalem and stated: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! In this passage, the Lord Jesus Christ does take on the attributes of a feminine quality by aligning Himself with a mother hen who gathers her chickens under her wings in order to protect them. Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ was most definitely a man’s man. It took enormous strength to withstand those cruel beatings and the torture that He endured for our sakes. It took a great compassionate heart and a merciful soul to lay His life down and hang on that cross so that we could receive forgiveness for our sins, transgressions and iniquities. Bruce, we have an enemy who wants nothing more than to “steal, kill, and destroy” us….US…God’s creation. When the enemy saw God placing within you the tenderness and the compassion, he began a campaign of lies against you, to distort, pervert and warp the truth of what God had given to you; by telling lies into your ears that you really had a “woman’s soul” trapped within you so that you would be uncomfortable in your own skin. His design has been to lead you down roads of confusion to the end that you now find yourself facing…an end of your own choosing, of ending or changing the athletic body….the body of a man’s man….that God Himself gave to you. For what? So that you can form on the outside what you have always thought you were feeling on the inside? Even back when I was ten years old, my uncle who was an alcoholic, jumped out of his chair as if he was going to hit my mother; I also jumped up and stood between him and my mother and told him that he would have to go through me first. I was also a single mother and on two distinct occasions, I had to act very aggressively in order to protect my daughter. First, I had to stand toe-to-toe against a drunken and enraged man and the next one, a few years later, I had to jump into the fray against a girl gang who was beating up my daughter. You can better believe that I got very aggressive….just like a man. Yet, I could have believed the lies the enemy might have told me…that really, I had the “soul of a man” inside….after all, look how aggressive I became. Wow, just like a man…. Thankfully, I am very much a woman of God. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Bruce, as you yourself have said during your interview last Friday, you mentioned your confusion and that is simply because you have always felt internal strife….this has produced the confusion…and now finally you will begin to experience every evil work. The evil work is the fruit of the seeds of the many lies that the enemy began telling you when you were a young boy. I’m pretty sure that you have always wondered why God seems to have put all of these gentle emotions within you, yet formed a man’s body to house them. As I see it, God did this perhaps to make you to be as a sign and a symbol to other men that it’s perfectly okay to feel tenderness and/or compassion. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. After all, here is Bruce Jenner, winner of the decathlon….no mean feat to win such a title…and then to be called the “greatest athlete ever”…and this is what you want to change? Our culture tries to dictate what makes a man a man, and a woman a woman. Sometimes, however, God sees things totally different and He calls those things that be not as though they are. Bruce, you need to seek the face of the Lord God and His Son, the Lord Jesus…you know the man’s man…the one who had such tender compassion for you that He died for you. The Lord Jesus knows what it is like to have these emotions and He alone can cause you to finally feel comfortable in your skin, which is that of a man’s skin. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Bruce, please re-think what you are about to do. A new Christian movie is set for release in a limited amount of cities, coming this April 3, 2015. The movie was rejected by Hollywood with the hard-to-believe excuse that it is too biblical. Huh? After all, it is a CHRISTIAN movie, so exactly what does Hollywood expect? Well apparently, the director, Tim Chey has put too much Christianity into his movie and this movie is expected to be far more biblical than either “Exodus” or “Noah.” Both of these movies were approved and released by Hollywood and both of these movies were outlandishly far removed from their original Scripture-based accounts as recorded in the Holy Bible. According to Carol Edwards, writing for Breaking Christian News, in an interview with Tim Chey: Chey refers to the backlash of the film ‘Noah’ which many Christian pastors and leaders shunned. The film still was a box office hit at $120 million, but Christians stayed away in droves. “There are no rock monsters helping David unfortunately,” Chey jokes to the laughter of the reporters. “But kidding aside, I wanted to make a film that will reinvigorate the kind of faith the future King of Israel had, namely fighting a giant with a zero percent chance of defeating him outside of God.” The story of David and Goliath is an oft-told Bible story that is told to youngsters in Sunday school as young as 3 or 4 years of age and is also loved by all other ages in the Church. So this movie will be refreshing since Tim Chey states that his ministry is one of an evangelist and therefore his movie will be Biblically accurate. The following Scripture is the key statement made by David, the soon-to-be King of Israel, spoken to Goliath when the Philistine giant mocks him. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Because this movie is being released independently, Tim Chey has been raising funds through Indiegogo.com, with the first campaign Chey has raised $19,673. In order for this movie to be able to play in any city, the production company must pay $1000.00 to the theatre. The first campaign has closed, but they have opened up another campaign and if you would like to donate to this Christian cause, you can donate here. So far, this second campaign has already raised $1,672.00, plus if you donate at least $15.00 you will receive a DVD copy of Tim Chey’s last movie, “Final.” If you donate $25.00 you will receive the DVD’s of Final and David and Goliath when it is released to DVD this July, 2015. Plus there are other incentives depending on how much you donate. The following is a current list of the cities that this movie will be playing in so far: - Atlanta, Anchorage, Austin, Albuquerque, Cleveland, Dallas, El Paso, - Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Houston, Honolulu, Knoxville, Orlando, Miami, - Phoenix, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, Tukwila, Vancouver. If people want to see this movie come to their area, help these independent Christian producers get this film out to the public. Tim Chey has stated that his movie is biblically accurate and so there shouldn’t be any backlash from this film. So help support this Biblically accurate and family friendly film so that more movies of this caliber will hopefully be made in the future.

VOL. 123 | NO. 232 | Wednesday, November 26, 2008 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will host a symposium Dec. 3 at St. Jude, 262 Danny Thomas Place. The symposium will cover advances in genetics research. Registration is due today. For more information, visit www.stjude.org/seminars or call Linda P. Taylor at 595-2235. Playhouse on the Square will present a special Thanksgiving performance of “A Tuna Christmas” Thursday at 8 p.m. All seats are free to patrons who bring four canned goods with them to the show. All food will benefit the Memphis Food Bank. For reservations, call 726-4656. “A Tuna Christmas” will run from Friday through Jan. 11. The Eclectic Eye will serve as a drop-off location for toys benefiting Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association from Friday through Dec. 17 at the Midtown location, 242 S. Cooper St. The Eclectic Eye also will serve as a drop-off location for Ryan’s Hope Inc., a nonprofit provider of assistance and recreation to special needs families, Friday through Dec. 17 at the Collierville store, 3670 S. Houston Levee Road, Suite 102. For every frame purchase made during that period, The Eclectic Eye will donate $5 toward the purchase of a new toy, which will be donated to the two organizations. For more information, call 276-3937 or visit www.eclectic-eye.com. The Memphis Holiday Parade will be held Friday at 5 p.m. in the South Main Arts District. The South Main shops and galleries will host magic shows, face painting, balloon artists and stilt walkers. After the parade, the South Main Jolly Trolley Tour with parties and art openings will be held. The Memphis Jewish Community Center and The National Council for Jewish Women will host a presentation by Abbe Smith of “The Case of a Lifetime” Monday at 7 p.m. in the Belz Social Hall of the Memphis Jewish Community Center, 6560 Poplar Ave. Smith is a noted criminal attorney and she will discuss the ethical dilemmas of representing the guilty, the burden of fighting for the innocent and her own career. The event is free and open to the public. The National Association of Credit Management Mid-South Unit will hold an educational seminar and luncheon Dec. 4 at 11:30 a.m. in Conference Room One of the Holiday Inn Select, 2240 Democrat Road. The seminar will discuss white-collar crime and how it affects the credit industry. Bill Bright and Jennifer Williams, both of the Shelby County District Attorney General’s office, will speak. Cost of the lunch is $12.66. Reservations are due by Monday. For reservations, contact Frances Millaway at firstname.lastname@example.org or 881-1771. The Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence will hold a workshop titled “The Elements of Writing for Foundation and Corporate Grants” Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Alliance office, 5100 Poplar Ave., Suite 502. The facilitator will be Deborah Hernandez. Cost is $55 for Program for Nonprofit Excellence participants, $65 for members and $125 for nonmembers. For reservations, e-mail email@example.com, call 684-6605 or visit www.npexcellence.org.

Last night we went to see 'Kingdom of Heaven', an Orlando Bloom film. Orlando wasn't the 'fresh faced lad' in this film, he was an unshaven blacksmith who went off to fight in the Crusades. The film's essential thrust was about the conflict which religion has given rise to over time. It is a little heavy handed in this at places. For example, the final sentence is a little over the top - about problems in Jerusalem continuing to today (we know). There is also Orlando's speech about Christian monuments built on Jewish monuments, with Moslem monuments built upon that, and how they all have a claim to Jerusalem. The film had big action sequences of the type that has become commonplace since Lord of the Rings, that said, the action sequences were very well done indeed. Probably one of the best efforts since Helm's Deep, the CGI used was more convincing that anything I've yet seen - I did not see any CGI in the cinema, even LOTR occasionally jolted me from the illusion. The Knights Templar were not portrayed in a good light, creating dissent amongst the crusaders as the Jerusalem King tried to keep the peace with Saladin. The film, though following the Europeans primarily, ended being more balanced than I would have guessed going in. I can see why it didn't do too well in the USA. Saladin himself, initially portrayed as a distant menace was presented in such a way that one could empathise for his viewpoint, though he didn't get a lot of screentime. This, in and of itself, is likely to get some folks in the US a little riled up. Yes, it did present some of the crusaders in a bad light, but only some of them, it did show internal dissent within Jerusalem (as well as hinting at similar dissent under Saladin). There is a line in the film about how fanaticism has been exhibited by all faiths. Whilst I can't vouch for the detailed historical accuracy as it's a period which which I'm unfamiliar - however, like Troy (a worse film) it has made me curious to learn more.

From The Huffington Post: Spencer Lawton, the district attorney who secured Davis’ conviction in 1991, said he was embarrassed for the judicial system – not because of the execution, but because it took so long to carry out. “Imagine what it would be like if you didn’t know that the evening news was funded primarily by Big Pharma. You would actually believe the stuff that they’re saying. You might even think those are the stories that matter. ” – Douglas Rushkoff (Source) Once upon a time, political observers fretted that the free press, the government and the democratic process itself were under threat of being overwhelmedRead More Glenn Beck is one cynical and desperate dude. The upcoming “Restoring Honor” rally at Lincoln Memorial is meant to re-brand the sullied and racist image of the Tea Party into the rainbow coalition just in time for the fall election. But, Beck’s decision to blatantly ride on the coat tails of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement is nothing except a badly orchestrated and cynical effort to co-opt the gravitas of MLK and the rights movement in order to replace the glaring lack of it in the Tea Party movement. They are that desperate. It gets even better though. From the Atlanta Constitution-Journal: On the air, Beck has asked attendees not to bring signs or come in anger, but to come in a peaceful spirit akin to the one espoused by King. “Don’t bring your signs,” he said on TV. “Bring your hearts … bring your open minds.” Not bring signs? It’s a rally! Of course you bring signs! But, Beck is obviously concerned. It’s an admission that something went astray last time. He’s worried the same thing may occur this time. The Tea Party 9/12 rally last year was a smörgåsbord of racism and allusions to racist themes. Some examples for historical context: The Tea Bag Party faithful brushed the documented claims of racism off as untrue, even in the face of the photographic and video evidence. Perhaps they simply can not see the racism. Perhaps they don’t want to see it. But, America knows what it saw. To be clear, I’m not saying all Tea Baggers are racist. Yet, it can’t be denied that there is a strong racist element within the Tea Party ranks, and that a great deal of the motivation behind the entire platform (such as is is) is of a nativist, racist, hateful and eliminationist nature. Historically, fear, hate and racism have been great allies. And, they continue to be such. The Tea Party is the current day Nativist party, a modern version of the Know-Nothings. The platforms and ideas espoused are practically identical. No one disuptes that the Know-Nothings were a racist and eliminationist movement. The question remains who will claim the mantle of leadership of the Tea Party. Who will speak out against the racism? The signs above tell the story. Will it happen again? Time will tell.Read More Jim Hoft, the last great American Patriot in America gets all litigious on Al Gore: A seven-month old baby girl survived a shot to the chest after her parents shot themselves and their two-year-old in a global warming murder-suicide pact. […] Someone should sue Al Gore. He played on their fears and now a whole family is dead. We’ll let it slide that if the seven-month old baby survived it would technically mean that the “whole family” was not actually dead, since it’s obvious that Jim is blinded by his grief. So, just as I was considering the warped logic of suing Al Gore for the motive and actions of two obviously mentally deranged persons, when the following came over the AP: The leader of a household described as a religious cult was convicted of second-degree murder Tuesday along with two of her followers for starving a 1-year-old boy to death because he did not say “Amen” during a mealtime prayer. The logic of Hoft’s thinking is laid out in all it’s bare nekkid silliness. Given that Jim believes Al Gore should be sued because he “played on their fears and now a whole family is dead” because of global warming, doesn’t it make sense that someone should be sued for the death of the little boy because he wouldn’t say “Amen”? Who inspired this cult to murder? Let’s start with Jesus Christ and end with every Christian church on the planet. You can see where this is going. It’s ridiculous of course, but Hoft has never been known for his intellect or integrity nor his consistency. He’s a propagandist, and a good one. So, anything to taint Al Gore in the eyes of the true believers, even the patently ridiculous, is fair game. Monday link dump… - Cheney: Waterboarding should have been an option for underbomber – “I was a big supporter of waterboarding. I was a big supporter of the enhanced interrogation techniques,” he said. Of course, for years the CIA has maintained that torture does not produce actionable intel. And, of course, the public practice of torture (they went public with this remember) is more PR than anything. I am of the opinion that Cheney understands that torture does not create actionable intel. But, the propaganda value is simply too great in his view. This is the discussion we should be having… - Cheney Struggles To Explain Terror Contradictions – Dick Cheney has never been one for consistency of message, nor of adhering to the established facts. It’s unfortunate that he now feels comfortable undermining a sitting president (no matter his political affiliation) in order to secure his own personal legacy and save his ass. - Biden: Cheney ‘not entitled to re-write history’ – See above. - A Terrorist Tried In Federal Court: The Case Of Aafia Siddiqui – When we examine the facts, it becomes clear that the GOP is using terrorism as political fodder. So, facts such as this get brushed under the carpet. It’s bad for the coutnry and it’s bad politics. But, they are a party in decline after all…I am for trying terrorists in civilian courts. So is the Pentagon. - Critical Mass: Dem Agenda Opens Right-Wing Doors – Mandatory reading… …the purpose of the [Olympics] attack on July 27 was to confound, anger and embarrass the Washington government. President George W. Bush in January 2008 on bringing the 2016 Olympics to Chicago: They say that the Olympics will come to Chicago if we’re fortunate enough to be selected, but really it’s coming to America, and I can’t think of a better city to represent the United States than Chicago… This country supports your bid, strongly. Conservative blogger Erik Erickson on the failed bid to bring the Olympics to Chicago which President Obama (like Bush) supported and lobbied heavily for: (via Washington Monthly) Hahahahaha. I thought the world would love us more now that Bush was gone. I thought if we whored ourselves out to our enemies, great things would happen. Apparently not. So Obama’s pimped us to every two bit thug and dictator in the world, made promises to half the Olympic committee, and they did not even kiss him. So much for improving America’s standing in the world, Barry O. Karl Rove today via Twitter: Instead of serving as pitchman for Chicago, Obama should focus on crafting a winning strategy in Afghanistan. (One can safely assume that Rove is referring to creating a winning strategy in Afghanistan to replace the losing one he and the Bush Admin created.) And, last but not least… upon news that the 2016 Olympics was not coming to Chicago, they cheered in the offices of the Weekly Standard and then felt the need to delete that fact from the official record. Conservative Charles Johnson – who has of late seen that extremist lunatics run the conservative movement – has this to say: This is where the rhetoric of “FAIL” leads — they’re openly celebrating when America loses, just because Barack Obama is President. And even though this Olympic bid was also promoted by George W. Bush. This completely puts the lie to the excuse that those who say they want Obama to fail really mean they want his policies to fail. No, they want Obama himself to fail, and if that means America fails too, they’re just fine with that. In other words, conservatives, like Eric Rudolph, want to “confound, anger and embarrass the Washington government.” YouTube vid of Bob Dylan’s banned satirical song about paranoid right wing racists written in 1963 as a response to the popularity of the John Birch Society. It was dropped from The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan due to political concerns and remained unreleased until the Bootleg disc in the mid 90’s. Could have been written today. Scary. Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues Well, I was feelin’ sad and feelin’ blue, I didn’t know what in the world I was gonna do, Them Communists they wus comin’ around, They wus in the air, They wus on the ground. They wouldn’t gimme no peace. . . So I run down most hurriedly And joined up with the John Birch Society, I got me a secret membership card And started off a-walkin’ down the road. Yee-hoo, I’m a real John Bircher now! Look out you Commies! Now we all agree with Hitlers’ views, Although he killed six million Jews. It don’t matter too much that he was a Fascist, At least you can’t say he was a Communist! That’s to say like if you got a cold you take a shot of malaria. Well, I wus lookin’ everywhere for them gol-darned Reds. I got up in the mornin’ ‘n’ looked under my bed, Looked in the sink, behind the door, Looked in the glove compartment of my car. Couldn’t find ’em . . . I wus lookin’ high an’ low for them Reds everywhere, I wus lookin’ in the sink an’ underneath the chair. I looked way up my chimney hole, I even looked deep inside my toilet bowl. They got away . . . Well, I wus sittin’ home alone an’ started to sweat, Figured they wus in my T.V. set. Peeked behind the picture frame, Got a shock from my feet, hittin’ right up in the brain. Them Reds caused it! I know they did . . . them hard-core ones. Well, I quit my job so I could work alone, Then I changed my name to Sherlock Holmes. Followed some clues from my detective bag And discovered they wus red stripes on the American flag! That ol’ Betty Ross . . . Well, I investigated all the books in the library, Ninety percent of ’em gotta be burned away. I investigated all the people that I knowed, Ninety-eight percent of them gotta go. The other two percent are fellow Birchers . . . just like me. Now Eisenhower, he’s a Russian spy, Lincoln, Jefferson and that Roosevelt guy. To my knowledge there’s just one man That’s really a true American: George Lincoln Rockwell. I know for a fact he hates Commies cus he picketed the movie Exodus. Well, I fin’ly started thinkin’ straight When I run outa things to investigate. Couldn’t imagine doin’ anything else, So now I’m sittin’ home investigatin’ myself! Hope I don’t find out anything . . . hmm, great God! The “birther” movement is an extreme right wing disinformation campaign that proffers the idea that President Obama is not a US citizen, and was born abroad in Kenya. Here’s the rub: there are no actual facts to support this claim, rather the disinfo subsists on a form of cognitive dissonance – denial – and is propped up by a series of logical fallacies, from burden of proof to sweeping generalizations to just plain old bullshit. It’s eliminationism in its purest form: marginalize your opponent to the point that they are a non-citizen, illegitimate, then cut off the discussion by dismissing any introduced facts as untrue. (Or made up, imagined, crazy, over sensitive, etc.) For example, when the State of Hawaii confirmed that Obana’s birth certificate was indeed real and official, the birther movement simply denied it to be true and then went one better and denied that the birth certificate has yet to be provided as proof! Brilliant in a way. But, also, the very definition of a lie. Here’s the simple true logic: denying a fact (or its existence) does not create a new fact. (IE: Denying Obama’s birth papers are real does not mean he is not a real citizen.) That’s just crazy. As an emerging issue it’s a double edge sword and difficult to discuss since it’s clearly a disinformation campaign with one aim: to stoke the racial hatred and undermine Obama’s legitimacy as President. And, its proponents love nothing more than to keep the hate fires burning. Yet, in reality, Obama’s citizenship is a non-issue, it’s been proven beyond a doubt according to standards that have been suitable for every US President who has been elected prior. (But of course, to the racist, those standards are not good enough for a black person, let alone a black person named Barack Hussein Obama.) FactCheck does a superb analysis of the “scandal” and analysis of the original certificate. The allegations are so completely incorrect and fabricated that it deserves nothing more than ridicule. The problem is that it’s wrapped in hate and irrationality, thus, there’s simply no middle ground from which to establish a coherent debate. Any introduction of fact is dismissed outright. That’s why hate based tactics are so difficult to fight against. Those who wage this type of tactic, (and those who believe it) simply deny the facts, deny the existence of the hate and the racism. It’s a figment of the imagination. Those looney Liberals! There will always be those who want to believe what they believe, damn the facts. And, that is how “conspiracies” live and breath. That is how hatred and racism gain a foothold. If they don’t really exist, then why are they a problem? Neat, right? In the past few days the birther movement has slithered into new territory. It is now being disseminated by traditional outlets on TV and radio – Lou Dobbs of CNN and Rush Limbaugh have both lent their “support” – and that means it should be dealt with properly. No longer simply a fringe issue spun in dark dank dive bars, afluent suburb BBQ’s and hidden corners of the internet by nut job conspiracy theorists, it’s now being lent “credibility”. While it’s true that neither Dobbs nor Limbuagh are known for their objectivity or adherence to the facts, and they both clearly suffer from a deeply rooted hate based approach in their worldview and broadcasts, the fact remains that their broadcasts are swallowed whole as the gospel truth by millions. Sad, but true. Interestingly, the birther movement can be traced back to the Obama campaign itself during the 2008 election. It’s a public relations effort gone bad. Apparently, a decision was made, in the spirit of transparency to release Obama’s birth certificate. Historically, presidential candidates have not released such information. Rather, it was presented during qualification of the candidate, but not made public. So, by releasing the birth certificate the Obama campaign opened a Pandora’s Box. Once it was made public, it meant it was open to intense scrutiny – most of it incorrect – that would be passed around the internet as fact and eventually make it’s way to less discerning minds, like Dobbs and Limbuagh, and those who listen to them. At it’s root the birther movement is racism. It’s meant to create the impression that Obama is illegitimate, lower than a US citizen, not one of us. It’s meant to stoke the fires of suspicion and hatred towards immigrants and people of color. It’s not unlike the “Obama is a Muslim” meme. Same thing. So, next time someone says to you that Obama’s opponents are not racist, cite the birther movement. Cite the Obama is a Muslim meme. And, if that doesn’t get their attention, show them this picture. (scroll down) If they still don’t get it, call it as you see it. The only way we will defeat racism is to make it unacceptable. And, those who make excuses for it are just as unacceptable as those who are openly racist.Read More What is it about evil people not having an orginal creative bone in their bodies? And, couldn’t they have ripped off a better song? Via the good folks at Sadly, No! comes this oily gem from the racist homophobic evil trolls at Fred Phelps church. Please note the Richard Ramirez effect around the eyes, the deep black circles and blood red soaked look that people who live and breath hate get, as we see in this picture. Roll the video: Now go take a nice long hot cleansing shower.Read More Over the past several months, I’ve helped shoot a short film that does an excellent job of introducing the important ideas in Douglas Rushkoff’s new book Life Inc.: How the World Became a Corporation and How to Take it Back. The first chapter of the book is over at Boing Boing, where Doug is guest blogging. Watch the movie!Read More The Conservative media icon is leading his brethren to their demise. Last week on Campbell Brown’s show on CNN, Republican Strategist Ed Rollins was asked about Rush Limbaugh and the perception by the public that the GOP is a “bunch of white guys”, and that Obama won, according to Limbaugh, because he was black, and Rollins replied: “The reality is Rush is an entertainer. “ It’s a point that is overlooked and needs to be brought to the fore, most especially since Limbaugh (by the weight of his ego and because a huge power vacuum exists in the Conservative movement at the moment), is the de facto leader of the GOP. But, he’s only a media visage. Not a policy maker. Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer, a clown, an angry white guy with an axe to grind. There is no delicate way to put it. And, like Sarah Palin, he is only a partisan media image, an anti-intellectual icon created in order to stir anger and hatred amongst the GOP base. Limbaugh is not interested in actually solving problems or offering any workable solutions. He is a propagandist, and a symbol of a power structure and media tactic that is on the decline and inherently detrimental to the work of restoring public confidence. Take for example Limbaugh’s recent Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal. His importance to the current debate on the economic crisis is non-existent and ill-informed. Limbaugh’s “economic proposal” is nothing of the sort, it is only more of the same policies that have already failed. As neo-con pundit David Frum presciently noted last fall when assessing the reaction that most Conservatives would embark upon after an Obama election victory: One thing that will certainly happen is a fundamentalist response…”‘If only we had been more consistently conservative, none of this would have happened; there’s still a conservative voting majority out there, and Bush alienated them with his too-centrist policies and various deviations from conservative orthodoxy; McCain was obviously unacceptable and if the voters turned down ham and eggs, it’s because they wanted double ham and double eggs.” (emphasis added) Rush Limbaugh has shown Frum’s prediction to be true. And, one has to ask: given Limbaugh’s obvious hatred for all things Liberal, and his public statement that since Obama’s policies are “socialist” he wants Obama to fail, if Limbaugh’s Op-Ed is even on the up and up. Is Limbuagh to be believed? Who is to say his ultimate goal isn’t to sacrifice economic recovery for an Obama slide in popularity and the return of GOP dominance once again? His partisan goals have to be considered. He is obviously more interested in his ideological pals getting back into power than seeing the country regain it’s economic footing. The question for Limbaugh is: If economic recovery meant implementing policies you did not agree with, could you see beyond your ideological blinders? Because as it stands, not even Nobel Laureate’s in Economics have any clear answers as to how to solve the economic crisis. And, it’s hard to believe that Rush Limbaugh is the one who figured it all out. Beyond this, there’s the sheer ridiculousness of an entertainer like Limbaugh hoisting himself into the economic debate and the political process. Via Skippy, John Cole over at Balloon Juice puts it quite succinctly: to put this into perspective, imagine the reaction if rhandi rhodes was penning editorials in the ny times dictating the course of policy for the democrats, and the democrats were embracing her pearls of wisdom. i can’t believe the republicans are going to gamble their future like this, but then again, nothing they do surprises me. and, in fairness, considering i voted for bush twice, i am not really in any position to say the country won’t be stupid enough to fall for this. i am living breathing proof that yes, we are that dumb. And, I have to think it’s more than that. Is political sabotage in the works? Digby writes it seems more than plausible, and I have to agree. A quote from Limbaugh that shows his inner thoughts on Democrats: I mean, if there is a party that’s soulless, it’s the Democratic Party. If there are people by definition who are soulless, it is liberals — by definition. You know, souls come from God. You know? No. No. You can’t go there. That sure sounds like your garden variety unhinged terrorist to me.Sirota reminds us why it’s not a good idea to negotiate with terrorists, especially one with little power. It tends to do the opposite of what you want it to do. And, the zeal to see Obama fail apparently extends to GOP House members. From the David Sirota post that Digby refers to: How do you know House Republicans aren’t negotiating in good faith and are acting as legislative terrorists? Because their rantings are verifiably crazy (h/t Steve Benen): Representative Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, said that former President George Bush’s signature tax cuts in 2001 had created years of growth but that the nation’s problems started when Democrats regained majorities in Congress in the 2006 elections. Again, only legislative terrorists desperate to sabotage the economy would make such deliberately insane statements. Only legislative terrorists would insist that the economy was Teh Awesome under George W. Bush. Only legislative terrorists would ignore the basic facts that most Americans innately know, and that were perfectly summarized by Washington Post. As I’ve said previously: extremists (or legislative terrorists) need to be marginalized and kicked to the curb with cogent policy and intellectual integrity. Non-partisan exchanging of ideas is democracy. Holding the process of government hostage and working for failure of policy that could work when you have no alternatives goes by another name. Go sign the petition and let Rush Limbaugh know that his voice is heard but if he chooses to place ideology before the real debate and the process of implementation of policy that could work (while offering no viable alternatives) then he will be met with ridicule and contempt. Entertainers and charlatans have a role, but when they become obstructionalists purely to ensure that their ideological power structure (that has been proven to be devoid of any further role) remains in power, then they’ve crossed a line. How we deal with it properly within the rule of law and our democracy will be the test of our mettle.Read More One hundred years from now the great lesson of the past 60 years of violence between Palestinian’s and Israeli’s will be brutally simple: violence begets violence. For when that simple truth is forgotten (or ignored), violence becomes the only language that is understood. Violence becomes the dialogue and thus the reason for fighting at all. The original reason for the conflict fades away, seemingly unimportant. History is fraught with similar examples. Chris Hedges refers to it as “the language of death“. It has reached the point where the hypocrisy of both sides claiming the moral high ground while also killing each other at the drop of a hat has become both glaringly obvious and appalling. It’s also obvious after 60 years that war is not going to bring about peace in the region. Sadly, it’s very hard to not look at Israel as the more powerful aggressor and the Palestinian’s and Hamas as the underdog and oppressed, simply by virtue of the circumstances. Israel holds most of the face cards. (Please bare in mind that I”m in no way stating that the actions of Hamas are justified, but rather, that the line between the two sides has become blurred and, history will show, moot at this juncture.) As Glenn Greenwald points out responding to Israel’s comments that the military campaign in Gaza may be escalated and the dropping of leaflets “warning” the Gazan population of impending military actions: It’s hard to imagine, short of full-on indiscriminate civilian bombing, how this attack can be “escalated.” Is there any limit at all to the number of civilian deaths that Israel is willing to cause? And, given that Palestinians are not allowed to leave Gaza and have no safe haven within the Gaza Strip, what is the point of dropping leaflets warning the civilian population of “escalation” other than, as Moyers put it, to sow further terror? They can’t leave, even if they wanted to leave. And, there is a higher and much more historically unkind reality at work here: children are dying. Trapped like fish in a barrel. There’s no other atrocity that is higher on the historical scale than the murder of innocent children. Alas, it’s an atrocity that due to it’s horrific nature, for some reason often goes undiscussed and unnoticed until years later. It’s as if the horror is too difficult to deal with at the moment of it’s occurrence. Often our moral clarity on these matters is shrouded in apathy and economic and political hubris. As Mark at motormanmark.com notes: On the eve of World War II, perhaps what we consider to be our most virtuous endeavor, when Nazi values first reached our shores, they were celebrated by many of our citizens. It wasn’t the moral crisis of German anti-Semitism that brought us into the war, but the threat that our power would be eclipsed. As we participated in more wars, the killing of civilians became more and more acceptable, taking a larger and larger share of the civilian-to-soldier-deaths ratio. Revisit the calm resolve with which we carpet-bombed Vietnamese civilians.Four million civilians died during that 12-year war, our attempt to pre-empt the feared (but still as yet unfound) domino affect of communism. After the Mai-Lai massacres, President Nixon can be heard on his Oval Office tapes discussing the matter with Kissinger. The deed they are referring to is Mai-Lai. The person they are referring to is Maj. Wm. Calley, murderer of 109 civilians: Kissinger: That’s right. What they (the anti-war protesters) wanted (as a reaction from the public to the Mai-Lai revelations) was a feeling of revulsion against the deed. In fact, the deed itself didn’t bother anybody. President Nixon: No, they, matter of fact, the people said, “Sure, he was guilty, but by God, why not?” (Both laugh.) We don’t know what Bush said in private about the US slaughter of civilians at Haditha, but we do know he and his military did not find the lives of the children killed by their invasion of Iraq worthy of even being counted. When Israel bombed Lebanon pre-emptively during the summer of 2006 (purposely targeting civilian areas) with US-made cluster bombs–sort of a mini-Iraq invasion—which they excused as a response to the Hezbollah kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers–UNICEF counted the children who died in the murderous hail. The number was 357. How obvious has it become that real atrocities are underway in Gaza? The conservative Wall Street Journal feels strongly enough about it to publish an Op-Ed with the very unambiguous title: Israel Is Committing War Crimes … Hamas’s violations are no justification for Israel’s actions. Not very subtle. News of the deaths of children in Gaza is slow to emerge, so public outrage and awareness is at a low level. Full censorship is being enforced in Gaza by the IDF, as is intimidation of the few journalists who are there. And, the United Nations is looking into alleged war crimes in regard to pecific incidents in Gaza. The moral ground is very shaky here for Israel, if it exists at all any more. They have become that which they fought against. Has Israel come full circle in it’s zeal and passion to defend itself from all those who would do them harm? How far can a society go in fighting terror until it becomes a terrorist itself? Over at Truth Dig, in an article titled “Why Do So Few Speak Up for Gaza?”, Robert Sheer writes: The high moral claim of the Israeli occupation rests not on the objective reality of a Palestinian threat to Israel’s survival, but rather on the non sequitur cry that “never again” should harm come to Jews as it did in Central Europe seven decades ago. The basic argument is that Palestinian terrorists represented by Hamas are given to an irrational hatred of Jews so profound that it invalidates their movement, even when they win elections. That was not the view of the Israeli security service when it earlier supported Hamas as the alternative to the then dreaded PLO. Also, history is replete with examples of terrorists becoming statesmen, even within the early ranks of Jews fighting to establish the state of Israel. One of those was Menachem Begin, who went on to be an elected leader of the new state. But before Begin attained that respectability, back in 1948 when he visited the United States, a group of prominent Jewish intellectuals including Albert Einstein, Sidney Hook and Hannah Arendt wrote a letter to The New York Times warning that Begin was a former leader of the “Irgun Zvai Leumi, a terrorist, right-wing, chauvinist organization in Palestine.” The letter urged Jews to shun Begin, arguing, “It is inconceivable that those who oppose fascism throughout the world, if correctly informed as to Mr. Begin’s political record and perspectives, could add their names and support to the movement he represents.” Begin’s new party was then participating in the Israeli election, and Einstein and his colleagues, many of whom like the physicist had been victims of German fascism, stated, “Today they speak of freedom, democracy and anti-imperialism, whereas until recently they openly preached the doctrine of the Fascist state. It is in its actions that the terrorist party betrays its real character.” Those actions were then detailed in the letter. They included the systematic terrorizing of innocent Palestinian men, women and children in an effort to force them to flee the territory that Begin’s party claimed for the new state of Israel. Clearly Begin and his political heirs, who include Benjamin Netanyahu, the most likely victor in the next Israeli election, evolved in their behavior. But I bring it up now to highlight the one-sided reporting of the current phase of this interminable conflict and to wonder: Where are the voices that reflect the uncompromising morality of Einstein’s generation of Jewish intellectuals willing to acknowledge fault and humanity on both sides of the political equation? Unfortunately, those voices and the discussion have been threatened into silence by the great fallacious tactic: If you criticize Israel for it’s policy, you are antisemitic. It’s rubbish of course, but it works quite well to deflect any and all criticism of Israeli policy. It also chokes off all too needed discussion and basic diplomatic process. And, the unlimited power of hatred should never be underestimated. It allows for an entire spectrum of rationalization of inhumane ideas and practices that one would not wish upon themselves. In many ways, it was inevitable. When Israel headed down the path of military dominance, the only end result of such a paradigm is alienation, condemnation and eventually destruction. In the history of the entire world there has never been a military power that has not collapsed, either from within by its own weight, or from outside by defeat. This isn’t to say that Israel should not defend itself. But the manner in which they do so needs to change. Hard and strident diplomacy and economic reform needs to be put into place. The military solution simply isn’t going to produce a peaceful result. That money would be better spent on social needs in Gaza. Why is Hamas left to be the only one building schools and roads and water supply in Gaza and elsewhere? (This applies to Hezbollah in Lebanon as well.) As steadfastly committed as the Israeli’s are to their safety, liberty and right to exist, (rightfully so) the Palestinian’s are equally steadfast in their desire for the same, as well as to obtain what the Israeli’s fought for and already have: a free state. A homeland. The Palestinian’s are not going to give up, ever, just as the Israeli’s are not going to give up. And, the idea of one side destroying the other is ridiculous and obscene, of course. The era of arrogant posturing and bully pulpit politics has been proven to be a rousing failure. It only enables others in the Middle East to step in and take control. And, one has to ask: Is it in any one of the major players financial interests to end such a lucrative military standoff? Unlikely. “This war needs to move immediately to the diplomatic track and agreements that will end the fantasies and delusions of both sides.” Let’s hope sanity prevails.Read More

The Festa da Istoria is celebrated the last week of August in the locality of Ribadavia (Ourense), taking us back in time to the medieval Jewry. The origin of this festival, which meets every year around 75,000 people, dates back almost thirty years, although it is already mentioned in documents dating from the 18th century, it is from 1989 when it recovers. It recalls the history of the town and its surroundings, bringing to the present the traditions and experiences of past times in a medieval recreation where different cultures, religions, trades and social classes of the time are represented. The aim is to recall the presence of the Jewish community in the town, until they were expelled in 1494 and subsequently persecuted by the Inquisition Tribunal. The celebration takes place in an incomparable environment and is designed for all ages, which makes it considered by the public as one of the best parties in Galicia and Spain. In fact, in 1997 it is declared Fiesta of National Tourist Interest. In addition, in its edition last year, the Festa da Istoria was twinned with the Templar Night of Ponferrada. In the Festa da Istoria all the residents of Ribadavia participate and it has an extensive program that includes medieval dinners, dances, parades, falconry, theater, archery, living chess, fighting between knights and even a Jewish wedding by the Sephardic rite, In which the bride and groom sign the betrothal contract coinciding with the entry in the last month of the Hebrew moon’s calendar. Such is the detail of this party that have come to coin their own currency, the maravedis, for the various commercial transactions. The exchange of euros for this other currency can be done in the Alhóndiga bank and its branches installed throughout the town. In addition, it is imperative to make any purchase in street stalls, as is also to wear medieval clothes when accessing some of the scheduled events held indoors. If you have not brought yours, do not worry, many street shops rent and sell robes and other clothes for the occasion. This year, the festival will take place on 25th and 26th August, being the 26th that concentrates most of the important events. It is that Saturday when the Gran Desfile Istoria takes place (from San Francisco to the Castle of the Sarmiento), the annual medal delivery to the Nobles da Istoria and the Jewish wedding. Later a medieval meal will be made in the Iglesia de la Magdalena with a 38 maravedis (38 euros) menu. It consists of empanada, octopus, roast lamb and a great variety of desserts and drinks. This edition of the party also has a novelty, and is that for the occasion has formed a band of bagpipes, the “Banda de Gaitas da Istoria”, which will accompany the entourage during their parade through the town and will give, along with other bands, the musical point to a day full of surprises. In addition, from the organization itself make available to anyone who wants to approach buses from Vigo, Redondela and Ourense, so you have no excuse … Ribadavia is waiting for you!

Cemetery records of McMahan Family Graveyard, Jackson County, Alabama.. Family Graveyard: Located in McMahan's Cove, near Stevenson in Jackson Co., AL.. Jackson County, Alabama Cemetery Records.. Abbott Chapel Cemetery, Jackson County, Alabama · Allen Cemetery, Jackson County, Alabama · Allison Cemetery,. Alabama > All counties > Jackson County. QUICK LINKS. Local & state resources; Vital records; Adoptions; Cemeteries; Census; Communities; Courts. Cemeteries in Jackson County include Abbott Cemetery, Abbott Chapel Cemetery,. Alabama cemetery message boards · National database of cemetery records. Land Records. Family Maps of Jackson County, Alabama Homesteads Edition (Source:. Vital Records. Alabama Marriages, 1807-1902 Includes Jackson County. Jackson County Alabama Genealogy - Resources for researching Jackson County Alabama ancestry. Links to vital records, census, cemeteries, libraries,. Search Selected Records in the USGenWeb Archives Project - Alabama. [ Know the town, but not the county?. The ALGenWeb Project - Jackson County Homepage. Do You Have Any Records to Submit to these Databases?? U.S. Veterans Gravesites, circa 1775-2006. Laniers in Talladega County, Alabama Cemeteries. Cemeteries & Burial Records. Cemeteries of Jackson County AL Interment.net; Alabama Cemeteries - ebook Amazon.com. Obituaries & Newspapers. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:. Jackson County, Alabama Cemetery Books at Amazon.com. Cemeteries of Jackson County Alabama - Cemetery records of Jackson County Alabama. CousinConnect.com - Jackson County Genealogy Queries - A free public.. Description: Search RootsWeb's database of Limestone County, Alabama cemetery records by name to view information including name, birth & death dates,. History of Jackson County, Alabama Named after Andrew Jackson,. Washington County AL History, statistics, vital records info, cemeteries, queries,. TVA records of grave and cemetery removals; includes plats. TN-0140, $12.00. 1880 Jackson County, AL Census Index by Clifford D. Black. Location: Stevenson, Jackson County; Cedar Hill Cemetery. Cemetery Records Online -Alabama; African American Cemeteries Online - Alabama. Blount, Kimberly Crawford, I am willing to visit cemeteries as well as the courthouse in Blount County, Alabama to take photos or do searches.. genealogy links for Jackson County, Alabama including census records,military. US GenWeb Archives for Jackson County cemeteries, newspapers, wills,. Alabama Vital Records; Alabama Historical Societies; Alabama Cemeteries; Alabama Census. H, 19th Alabama Regiment + Jackson County, Alabama Marriages. The USGenWeb Archives Project - Alabama. JACKSON COUNTY CEMETERY RECORDS. Because we are fortunate enough to have over 200 cemeteries for Jackson County. Jackson County, Alabama Free Public Records Directory - Property records, marriage and divorce, background checks, inmates, court records, sex offender,. Autauga County page at Interment.Net (Cemetery Records Online). Neighboring areas:. Jackson Cemetery Independence, Autauga County, Alabama. 5128 Coffee County, Alabama Cemetery Records, This book gives tombstone. 27W319 Cemetery Records of Greene County, Alabama and Related Areas,. 3 Jul 2006. Melissa McCoy-Bell - Tippah County, Mississippi cemetery records. Joyce Reese McCollum - Lamar County, Alabama cemeteries. Other Sites for Cemetery Records. Alabama Cemeteries at Interment.net. the site where you can select a county and browse all available genealogy records.. "Coffee County Alabama Cemetery Record," Compiled by E. Howard Hayes, there is NO publisher. "Marriages of Jackson County, AL 1851-1856 and 1859-1871.. Alabama County Vital Records Offices. Information for Alabama:. Jackson County Probate Jackson County Courthouse Scottsboro, AL 35768. Madison County Records Center. Madison County, Alabama. Note the short-lived Decatur county (1822-1825) located between Madison and Jackson counties.. Have record of burials at one of the Jewish cemeteries in Birmingham Al. If interested,. Claiborne Jewish Cemetery: Monroe County, Alabama. Federal death records of Alabama, 1860 :. Alabama Cemetery Inscriptions Search Engine. Jackson County Page Marriages and Cemetery Inscriptions. The last KY record I found for him was his removal from the 1808 Knox Co.. Other Jackson County Genealogy Resources. Early Alabama Settlers, 1700s-1800s. Dallas County: Watts Cemetery. 28 Apr 2007 Dallas / Marengo County: Slaves Named in Alabama Episcopal Church Registers. 4 Dec 2006. (AL) Jackson County. (AL) 6/08 - Jackson: Records request - Fraud reports, incidents.. (AL) 3/05 - Jackson: Bridgeport election hearing continued. Do not delay in contacting the Jackson County Alabama DUI Attorneys at Kreps. Jackson County Alabama Drunk Driving Attorneys at Kreps Law Firm provide a. Jackson County Alabama Criminal Records For Your Personal Safety. A background check in Jackson County may reveal information that may help you make quick. 6100667 (2 fiche) Cemetery: TITLE: DeKalb County, Alabama Cemetery Records 6051108 (31 fiche) TITLE: Pike County Cemetery Records / alphabetic 6049446 (9. 85209452 Alabama Confederates who died as Union prisoners of war and were buried in the. 89132870 Confederate records, Jackson County, Mississippi / Jean. County records on microfilm held by the Alabama Department of Archives & History.. USGenWeb Archives - Autauga County Cemetery Records. Census Online: Links to Online Census Records Jackson Co., Alabama. Links to Census Records on the Web · Helpful Tools For Census Research · Purchase Census. Panoramic view of the Old Moulton Cemetery, Lawrence County, AL.. racist words contained on this site are quoted verbatim from the historical record,. Hubbertville Church of Christ or McCollum Cemetery.. Fayette County, Alabama Southern Claims Commission Records. Place of Birth: Jackson Co., GA. For genealogy queries about families from jackson County, Alabama. and died (1909)on Porters Bluff, in Jackson County. I have found no record of death.. Search for Vital Records in Alabama. Resources available by Phone, Mail, Online and CD-Rom for. Records by Mail Autauga County Clerk * Rules for ordering.

The Leading eBooks Store Online for Kindle Fire, Apple, Android, Nook, Kobo, PC, Mac, BlackBerry... New to eBooks.com?Learn more - Bestsellers - This Week - Foreign Language Study - Bestsellers - Last 6 months - Graphic Books - Health & Fitness - Political Science - Biography & Autobiography - Psychology & Psychiatry - Body Mind & Spirit - House & Home - Business & Economics - Children's & Young Adult Fiction - Juvenile Nonfiction - Language Arts & Disciplines - Crafts & Hobbies - Science Fiction - Current Events - Literary Collections - Literary Criticism - Literary Fiction - Social Science - The Environment - Sports & Recreation - Family & Relationships - Study Aids - Folklore & Mythology - Food and Wine - Performing Arts - True Crime - Foreign Language Books Most popular at the top - Palgrave Macmillan 2008; US$ 105.00 Following extensive research in the UK, Bruce Cohen allows mental health users to tell their own stories (or 'narratives') of illness and recovery. Institutional and home treatment care is covered alongside controversial self-coping techniques such as drug-taking, spiritualism, alternative healing, sleep and watching television. more... - Brookings Institution Press 2009; US$ 26.95 What Works in Development? brings together leading experts to address one of the most basic yet vexing issues in development: what do we really know about what worksand what doesntin fighting global poverty? The contributors, including many of the worlds most respected economic development analysts, focus on the ongoing debate... more... - Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group 2010; US$ 15.95 From one of Israel?s most acclaimed writers comes a novel of extraordinary power about family life?the greatest human drama?and the cost of war. Ora, a middle-aged Israeli mother, is on the verge of celebrating her son Ofer?s release from army service when he returns to the front for a major offensive. In a fit of preemptive grief and magical thinking,... more... - McClelland & Stewart 2010; US$ 22.00 A major, internationally bestselling novel of extraordinary power about the costs of war from one of Israel's greatest writers. Set in Israel in recent times, this epic yet intimate novel places side by side the trials of war and the challenges of everyday life. Through a series of powerful, overlapping circles backward in time, it tells the story... more... - Henry Holt and Co. 2013; US$ 8.99 Set in Tel Aviv and Paris, a powerful story of love, friendship, regret, and war, as current as today's headlines Ronit Matalon's fiction has been praised as "haunting," "inventive," "refreshingly daring." Now in a graceful, illuminating second novel, she tells a provocative story of two loves, two partings, two worlds, two women: Ofra and Sarah.... more... - McClelland & Stewart 2014; US$ 21.00 Following Grossman's widely acclaimed novel To the End of the Land , a national bestseller and Globe and Mail Best Book, this is a fable of parental grief -- a powerfully distilled exploration of understanding and acceptance. David Grossman, a writer whose exceptional humanity, grace, and sheer brilliance as a storyteller have earned him... more... - Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2008; US$ 17.99 Recent essays on Israel, literature, and language from one of the country's most respected and best-loved voices Throughout his career, David Grossman has been a voice for peace and reconciliation between Israel and its Arab citizens and neighbors. In six new essays on politics and culture in Israel today, he addresses the conscience of a... more... - Henry Holt and Co. 2010; US$ 22.99 Yael Hedaya is the head writer for In Treatment , the acclaimed Israeli TV series adapted for HBO. The author of Eden , Housebroken and Accidents , which was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in 2006, Hedaya teaches creative writing at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. more... - Bloomsbury Publishing 2014; US$ 10.99 These two novellas concern love. In ‘ Frenzy', Shaul is convinced that his wife is having an affair. He feverishly imagines her, in every painful detail, with her lover. Esther has never seen the human side of her aloof brother-in-law, but during a night-time journey Shaul unburdens himself, recreating an affair he has never witnessed. Is he mad?... more... - University of California Press 2004; US$ 65.00 Emma Goldman: A Documentary History of the American Years redefines the historical memory of Emma Goldman and illuminates a forgotten yet influential facet in the history of American and European radicalism. This definitive multivolume work, which differs significantly from Goldman's autobiography, presents original texts?a significant group of which... more...

Council forms disclose more than finances S.D. members’ habits, investments revealed To look at each official’s filing, go to uniontrib.com/docs SAN DIEGO Marti Emerald is a gunslinger. Todd Gloria isn’t one to pass up a free meal. And Sherri Lightner is about as active with her stock portfolio as that E-Trade baby. Those are just a few of the fun facts about San Diego City Council members culled from the financial disclosure reports that the city’s elected officials are required to file annually by April 1. The document — called a statement of economic interest — shows each official’s outside income, property holdings, investment portfolio and gifts received in calendar year 2009. The information is shared so the public is aware of any possible conflicts of interest an official might have while performing his or her civic duty. It also sheds a different light on some the city’s most public figures. For example, Emerald sold more than $10,000 worth of her family’s gun collection to a gun shop, according to her filing. That may not come as a surprise if you had read Emerald’s passionate defense of the Second Amendment in an October 2008 interview with San Diego Jewish World, in which she noted that her husband is a member of the National Rifle Association. Here’s a rundown of other items of interest in the filings. • Emerald, a former television reporter, has a side job as a media consultant. She created her own sole proprietorship, Emerald Group, before she was elected in November 2008. Since taking office, she has continued doing consulting work, though apparently not much because she reported earning less than $500 from the part-time gig in 2009. • Gloria accepted more gifts — with a combined value of $2,778 — than any other city of San Diego elected official. More than $2,200 of what he accepted was for various lunches and dinners that he attended throughout the year. The food was comped by several nonprofits, businesses and a union. • Lightner revealed in last year’s disclosure that she held stock in World Wrestling Entertainment, the outfit that produced the likes of actor The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson. This year’s filing shows that Lightner no longer holds that investment, but it does show that Lightner is the most active investor among her colleagues. She made dozens of transactions and finished the year with a portfolio that had a combined value of between $204,000 and $1.4 million. Each official’s ability to check a wide financial range — $2,000 to $10,000, $10,001 to $100,000 or $100,001 to $1 million — on the form makes it difficult to make a more accurate appraisal. • Second to Lightner in investing was Councilman Carl DeMaio. He held between $90,000 and $900,000 in stock for several major companies, including DuPont, Intel, Microsoft and Time Warner. • Lightner, Councilman Kevin Faulconer and Mayor Jerry Sanders each collected between $1,677 and $1,756 in gifts. Most of Sanders’ total was for plane tickets from the Department of Homeland Security so he could be a panelist on a border task force. • DeMaio, along with Councilwoman Donna Frye and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, didn’t accept any gifts. Craig Gustafson: (619) 293-1399; firstname.lastname@example.org

Palestinian recognition of the State of Israel's right to exist is not enough. Jerusalem wants to make sure its peace partners are clear that Israel is and will remain Jewish. Prior to the expected US-hosted peace summit later this month, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will insist that the Palestinian Authority recognize Israel as a "Jewish state" as a precondition for further progress toward the two-state solution, reported Ynet. Palestinian officials say they will reject this demand and not allow official recognition of Israel as a Jewish state to be included in the closing statement following the upcoming gathering in Annapolis, Maryland. The Palestinian Authority realizes that by demanding this, Olmert is trying to close the door on the so-called "Palestinian right of return," a concept the Arabs have been pushing for years whereby Israel would be flooded with millions of foreign born Arabs claiming to be the descendants of Palestinian refugees. Along with control of Jerusalem, the issue of a Palestinian right of return is one that observers expect to scuttle the Annapolis conference.

“In all corners of the earth the words Liberty, Equality, Fraternity brought to our ranks, thanks to our blind agents, whole legions who bore our banners with enthusiasm. And all the time these words were canker-worms at work boring into the well-being of the goyim, putting an end everywhere to peace, quiet, solidarity and destroying all the foundations of the goy States. As you will see later this helped us to our triumph; it gave us the possibility, among other things, of getting into our hands the master card – the destruction of the privileges, or in other words of the very existence of the Aristocracy of the goyim, that class which was the only defense peoples and countries had against us. On the ruins of the natural and genealogical Aristocracy of the goyim we have set up the Aristocracy of our educated class headed by the Aristocracy of money.” Protocols of Zion on Liberty “Freedom” and “Liberty”, both terms originally devised by the Illuminati, are sham slogans, that have been used time and again to rally the masses of the Western world against some contrived foe. “Freedom” is a relative term. By itself it does not have any meaning. Human relationships, whether they be between one individual and another, or between the state and the individual, are defined by limitations. Man may be entitled to certain freedoms, but these must have defined limits, so that he can be prevented from encroaching on others, and others against he. Therefore, man cannot be “free”. Ultimately, the principles of “freedom” and “liberty” are rooted in the occult. “Liberty”, along with “equality”, and “fraternity”, were concepts originally promulgated by the Freemasons. In turn, the dogma of the Freemasons is derived from the Gnostic tradition. Gnosticism is a heresy of Christianity that belonged to the first centuries AD. It derived its influence from the Jewish Kabbalah, and reversed the interpretation of the Bible. Therefore, God became the evil one, while the devil was he who sought to “liberate” man by teaching him the forbidden knowledge, or magic. According to Gnostics then, all the laws proclaimed by the creator God of the Bible were to suppress man. Instead, he believed, man would only become free by indulging in as many vices as he could. Therefore, proponents of “liberty” offer an alternative principle to counter what they regard as the repression meted out by religion. They claim that we ought to be allowed to do as we please, as long as we do not harm anybody else. This is the same principle as that touted by modern-day witches, or Wiccans, as stated by the godfather of modern Satanism, Aleister Crowley: “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law”. Therefore, the delusion Satanists are offering is that the laws of the monotheistic faiths are somehow repressive. And so, Satanism reverses that which is taught by them, and suggests that we ought to be allowed to indulge in what we please, as long as we do not harm anybody else. What they fail to recognize, however, is that the commandments of the monotheistic faiths are not to restrict indulgence, but also to prevent the harming of others, and therefore, forbid adultery, murder, theft, deception, exploitation and so on. And yet, indecency and vulgarity is praised as courage against prudishness. The female body is exploited everywhere to market products. Though, religion did not teach us to be “ashamed” of our bodies, but to “have shame” . Nevertheless, through the influence of Satanism, Hollywood is promoting exhibitionism as “body consciousness”. To the Freemasons of the Enlightenment, who had been indoctrinated by the Illuminati, the use of “reason” supposedly helped man recognize that ultimately there is no God, that the Bible was a book of superstitions, and therefore, that he ought to seek “liberty” from the Catholic Church, which he came to regard to as “despotism”. Using the “philosophes” of the period as their mouthpiece, the Illuminati deceived the masses into believing that man no longer needed religion, but could discover laws by himself, through the use of “reason”. In this way, the first attempts to devise such laws were known as “inalienable rights”, first conceived and discussed in the meetings of the Illuminati, and which were designed to supplant the commandments of the Bible. And so, the great political successes of the secret societies, the American and French Revolutions, toppled Christianity, and in its place erected secular systems, under the pretense of eliminating state persecution of religion. Among the fifty-six American rebels who signed the Declaration of Independence, only six were not members of the Masonic Order. It was they who enshrined the Lucifarian principle of “liberty”, and ultimately replaced revelation with rights they regarded to be “self-evident”. What they had done, however, was subject themselves to the arbitrary regulations that their new bourgeois occult overlords formulated, which we now call “rights”, but in reality is a political and economic system set to advantage their class over the rest. Religion does not forbid pleasure. Rather, it merely requires that it be tempered by a sense of greater responsibility towards one’s fellow human beings. The broader reality, however, is that Western citizens are accomplices in the exploitation of the rest of humanity. They have been duped by the propaganda that, because nature is evolving, the rest of the world is merely behind a stage of evolution. This, of course, is to disguise the fact that the World Bank and the IMF, following the dictates of the financial and banking elite, are deliberately impoverishing the rest of the world, to secure both cheap labor and natural resources. As a result, two-thirds of the world now live at subsistence. In order to suppress the inevitable dissent that will arise from subject populations to their economic enslavement, the Western powers, through the Black Ops of the CIA, have installed brutal dictatorships. These are then compared to our relative prosperity, as proof of our institutions’ and leaders’ ability to provide us our cherished “freedoms.” David Livingstone is author of the Dying God: The Hidden History of Western Civilization. Who Does George W. Bush Really Serve?

On Friday, Earth will engulf the moon in its shadow and create the longest total lunar eclipse in this century: a full 103 minutes. The next one that comes close won’t happen until 2029. And this eclipse’s running time won’t be matched until 2123. In a nice little cosmic reminder that nobody is the center of the universe, this eclipse will be visible from every continent on earth except North America. If you want the best view and can’t catch a flight to Eastern Africa, India, or Southeast Asia—ideal viewing locations, according to NASA—you’ll have to live-stream the eclipse instead. The Slooh community observatory, a telescope service for the public, will start airing the eclipse around 1:00 pm EDT. The eclipse begins at 1:14 pm EDT and ends at 7:28 pm EDT. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the entire moon passes through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, or umbra. Much more common are partial lunar eclipses, when part of the moon (but not all of it) passes through the umbra. Slooh estimates that this time around, tens of thousands of people—many of whom probably watched the 76-minute total lunar eclipse back in January—will tune in online. No one wants to miss the astronomical event’s best side effect: the moon transforming from its year-long milky hue to a stunning red-orange-y blush, a phenomenon often referred to as a blood moon. Turns out, though, the striking color actually comes from Earth. “When the moon’s within the Earth’s shadow, the only light it receives is the scattered light from the Earth’s atmosphere, which is a reddish color,” says Noah Petro, a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Earth's atmosphere is more likely to scatter blue light particles, which is why we get such jaw-dropping sunsets. For the same reason, red and orange particles are more likely to make it to the face of the moon during an eclipse. “Blood moon” is more of a nickname than an established astronomical term, says Paige Godfrey, a physicist at Slooh (the same goes for “blue moon” and “supermoon”). In recent years, certain Christian ministers of the more doomsday-prophesying variety have taken up the phrase “blood moon” to warn people about the impending apocalypse. John Hagee, a televangelist and pastor of a prominent Texas megachurch, proposed in his 2013 book Four Blood Moons that the coinciding of two Jewish holidays, Passover and Sukkot, and total lunar eclipses in April and October in both 2014 and 2015 amounted to a message from God. While Hagee hasn’t trotted out his theories recently, Friday’s impending blood moon has reignited similarly creative online sermons and internet conspiracies. Astronomers are excited about this eclipse’s extended duration. It’s all about how closely the moon aligns with Earth and the sun. The more perfectly the three celestial bodies line up, the longer the moon will be in Earth’s shadow, Petro says. One of the longest eclipses lasted an estimated 107 minutes, but that was back when the most exciting news of the day was Constantine the Great renaming an ancient Roman town after his mother (in 318). The last extra-long eclipse was on July 16, 2000, and lasted 106 minutes. Friday’s eclipse will still leave our millennium (which started in 2001) in third place at best. In preparation for Friday afternoon, NASA will be temporarily shutting down most of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the solar-powered satellite that’s been studying the moon for almost a decade. It will be longest it’s ever gone without sunlight, so NASA will be carefully regulating the spacecraft to make sure it doesn’t run out of battery. The space organization took similar precautions during January’s comparatively measly 76-minute light show. Total lunar eclipses still happen about twice a year (and sometimes more often), but they won’t be around forever. The moon is gradually—very gradually—moving farther and farther away from Earth. “Theoretically, at some point, there will be a last eclipse, where the moon just precisely fits within the Earth’s shadow, lasts a short period of time, and that would be it,” Petro says. If you don’t have the patience for this Friday’s sky show, catch the next one in January IRL, which will be visible throughout the US. Don’t worry, it will only be 62 minutes. More Great WIRED Stories - The political education of Silicon Valley - The challenge of teaching helicopters to fly themselves - This fake conspiracy site is fully post-parody - Inside the moonshot factory building the next Google - How to free up space on your iPhone - Hungry for even more deep-dives on your next favorite topic? Sign up for the Backchannel newsletter

Back when I was lost in churchianity and judeo-christianism, I was intrigued by the popular subject of Bible Prophecy. We’ve all heard of “The Great Seven Year Tribulation” and the “Rapture,” complete with beasts and dragons and other cool stuff, just made for an action movie. And what great work of fiction would be complete without an evil villain to loathe and fear. Enter the Anti-Christ! According to the church (but not the Bible), this Anti-Christ is one man – a world dictator who will rule with an iron fist and even lead an army to fight Almighty God Himself. Of course, this happens after the christians are raptured or “beamed-up” just like the crew on Star Trek. However, as is the case with much taught by the church, this is totally and completely false. This tale is the concoction of men with wild imaginations and little ability to accurately interpret the Scriptures. Before we look deeper at antichrist and the last days, allow me to address this pre-tribulation rapture “crap”. Just like “trinity”, “rapture” is another word that you will not find in your Bible. There is some dispute over the origins of this false doctrine; but it seems that a once-famous religionist named John Nelson Darby came up with the idea based on his interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Three years later, in 1830, a lady by the name of Margaret McDonald was alleged to have received a vision from which she “confirmed” the prior statements of Darby. Eventually, after word got out of this miraculous new idea, Schofield adopted it and included it in his footnotes to his version of the Bible. With the growing popularity of the Schofield Bible, the rapture idea became more accepted until it became a tenant of much of protestant christianity today. Another example of a lie replacing YHVH God’s truth and becoming a tradition of men. In order to understand the Scripture, you have to be free from the deliberate deception that the Jews are “God’s Chosen People.” This teaching is a historical lie; and although christian preachers and jewish rabbis have taught this for years, it is still a satanic falsehood. It’s also imperative here, that I point out something about Christ coming again. It is NOT a one-time event. Christ did, in fact, return on the Day of Pentecost and filled his disciples with the holy spirit. Christ also came in judgment, in 70 AD and destroyed Jerusalem, the temple, and the Levitical priesthood, thus establishing YHVH’s New Covenant with His people, Israel – The Adamic, Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Germanic, Nordic, Aryan peoples. Yes, the Causasian White People. Whether they be European, Canadian, American, Australian, or Russian. The people of Iceland and New Zealand. Basically, any white people who are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, describing THIS return of Christ (Yahshua Messiah), 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 tells us: “LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” So, we know three things must happen before “that day” comes: 1.) Men will try to deceive you. I’ve pointed this out in every writing on this site. 2.) There will come a “falling away” first. Given the current prohibition against the Ten Commandments, the acceptance of the homosexual and trans-gender “lifestyle”, the denial of Yahshua’s existence, the erosion of morals, the decadence of entertainment, the lust for money, etc., is there any doubt that the whole world, churchianity included, has fallen away from the Faith? 3.) “The man of sin,” “the son of perdition” will be revealed. “Revealing” this antichrist is what this website is all about. I’m just one of several people doing this. So, who is this antichrist? 1 John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father AND the Son.” 1 John 4:3 says, “And every SPIRIT that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that SPIRIT of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and EVEN NOW ALREADY IS it in the world.” 1 John 2:18 says, “…and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even NOW are there MANY antichrists….” So, we see here that he who denies Jesus Christ is a liar (Satan is father of lies). Anyone who denies BOTH the Father and the Son is antichrist (jews deny Christ). Those who do not confess Messiah has come in the flesh (jews). There is a spirit (demonic) of antichrist who denies Christ. There were many antichrists (not one), even 2,000 years ago. Is it not obvious who these people are? Is it not obvious what religion it is that has denied BOTH the Father and the Son?For over two thousand years the Jews have denied that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They still deny it today. They hate Jesus Christ and they hate the New Testament, which is the doctrine of Jesus Christ. 2 John 1:9-11 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath BOTH the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” I know that you have been taught that Jesus was a Jew? This is just another demonic lie that the rabbis and pastors tell in order to deceive you. The Scriptures tell us that the Man of Sin will deceive all except the elect. In essence, this means the whole world except for a very few who were not fooled. Which one will you be? If Jesus Christ was a Jew, then why does Scripture tell us the following: “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, for the Jews sought to kill him.” — John 7:1 To the Pharisees, the priests who invented the religion called Judaism, Jesus said: “Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.” John 8:23. “Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father will ye do.” John 8:44. Unfortunately for all of those christians who believe that the Jews are “God’s Chosen race,” they have been fooled because the Jews are neither Semites nor are they Hebrews, and yet, all fundamentalists, all christian zionists, and all judeo-christians have been deceived. And non-christians have also believed this lie, because it has been repeated so often that their minds can’t see it any other way (cognitive dissonance). The Serpent Seed biological children of Satan-the jews have been pretending to be Israelites since the Jewish Dispersion of 70 A.D. Here we see the beginning of the great deception that the religion of Judaism has performed for the last two thousand years of history. Judaism was not practiced by the Israelites. It was only practiced by the followers of the scribes and Pharisees. The Priesthood had been taken over by Kenites (Sons of Cain), who slithered their way in as servants to the original priests generations earlier. In fact, the religion called Judaism has never been practiced by the House of Israel (white people) because the House of Israel was already scattered, from the Assyrian captivity starting in 745 B.C., into the “wilderness” of Europe and Asia Minor. Contrary to the prevailing view that Yahshua/Jesus was a Jew, virtually every page of the New Testament contains denunciations of their religion, which Jesus calls the “tradition of the elders.” These traditions were eventually written down and are today known as the Babylonian Talmud, which has always been the main doctrine of the jews, never the Torah of the Old Testament. I Thessalonians 2 says “…for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and the prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men.” Both John the Baptist and Yahshua/Jesus called the jews a “..generation (race) of vipers”. The word generation is misleading. It meant race, as in the literal, biological, seed/race of vipers/snakes/serpents. Remember, the Serpent (Satan), the jews father through Cain and Esau’s progeny, was and is the most subtil (sneaky-crafty-deceptive) of all the BEASTS OF THE FIELD that God had made. Here’s what the Serpent Seed has to say themselves: The Jewish author, Bernard J. Bamberger, in his book, The Story of Judaism, says, “…with the fall of the Temple, the power of the priests, and hence the Sadducean party, practically disappeared. Pharisaism was no longer a sect but the Judaism of the overwhelming majority.” “Judaism is not the religion of the Bible.” — Rabbi Ben Zion Bokser, Judaism and the Christian Predicament, p. 59. “You will notice that a great difference exists between the Jewish and Christian religions…there is no such thing as a Judeo-Christian religion.” — Rabbi Maggal, National Jewish Information Service, August 21, 1961 “Judaism is, specifically, the religion of a Jewish community living among Gentile peoples and is to be distinguished from the religion of ancient Israel.” — Standard Encyclopedia, Vol. 14. Herod was an Edomite, not a Judahite. He was an Idumean, not an Israelite.”Edom is in Jewry.” – Jewish Encyclopedia, 1925, Volume 5, p. 41. “Strictly speaking, it is incorrect to call an ancient Israelite a ‘jew”or to call a contemporary Israelite a ‘Jew’ or a ‘Hebrew'” – Jewish Almanac 1980, p. 3. From the above we can say categorically that the popularly promoted viper/jew myth that christianity emerged from judaism is a lie, and the rabbis know it is a lie. The reality is that christianity WAS the logical continuation of the Old Testament religion until the pagans took over. Judaism is the denial of the Old Testament and the religion of the Talmud. The essence of Judaism is the denial of Christ and God. Religious jews practice Babylonian witchcraft and worship demons. Secular jews are atheists but worship money. Some jews worship the jewish race itself or communism, which is a jewish invention. Unfortunately, (((they))) have hijacked christianity and turned it into spiritual babylon. The church is apostate (fallen away). As I’ve said before, you cannot reform the church because it is built on paganism. YHVH’s people as individuals must seek Him alone and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. There are very few churches that are teaching the truth. But, where two or more are gathered in His name, He is in the midst. If you are fortunate like me, you can meet with 1,2,3,4,5, or more white folks regularly and study YHVH’s truth independently from man-made organizations and demon-denominations. If not, God will reveal His truth to you by yourself IF: you make a genuine effort, you are sincere, and if you do not reject or resist Him or His Word. So, what is the eventual fate of the jews in the last days before God’s Kingdom is manifested physically, here in this realm? Obadiah 1:18 says, “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.” (Esau-Edom-Idumean-Canaanite are all names for jewry) Here’s what Yahshua said about it in Matthew 13, “24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” “36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Can you see that it was God, through His Son, that put us, His children here in the world? Can you see that the Devil put the wicked children here among us? Notice that Jesus sends His angels to gather (rapture?) the wicked children FIRST and cast them in the fire to be consumed? Then, He says, the righteous shall shine forth. Who gets taken away? It’s the Devil’s kids, the jews, the antichrist that gets gathered by angels and cast into destruction. What does the church teach? The exact opposite – that is, that the christians are taken up first. You can believe the Scriptures or you can believe the apostate church. Personally, I wouldn’t want to be in that group that gets “caught away” or “raptured” because that is the antichrist. This is just more proof that there exists God’s racial people and Satan’s racial people but to disguise this truth, the wicked must create false interpretations, false translations, and send false prophets to invent false doctrines. Everything about this website is designed to expose the false and teach the truth. In every article I warn you about the lies and liars. If you won’t listen to me, maybe you’ll take it from Scripture: Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them…. Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Ephesians 6:12 For our fight isn’t against just flesh and blood, but against the governments, the authorities, the mighty ones of worldly darkness, and against the unseen wicked powers in the heavens. 1 Peter 5:8 Also, be serious and stay alert, because your accuser (the Devil) is roaming about like a roaring lion that is looking for someone to swallow down. Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: Even after seeing the Scriptures many christians just can’t believe that “people” can be that evil. Our white people are the most compassionate, yet naive and gullible. These are some of our weaknesses that our enemies use against us. This anonymous quote about judaism/communism/satanism appeared in a 1950’s magazine: “Yet the individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists. The mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst. It rejects even the assumption that human creatures could espouse a philosophy which must ultimately destroy all that is good and decent.” Recently, I read a news report that told of a man in Texas who saw a rattlesnake in the road that had been injured by a car. He stopped and proceeded to help the snake. The snake bit him a number of times and the man died. Surely the man was smart enough to realize that a poisonous rattlesnake is dangerous and deadly, or was he? Any way you look at it, his compassion for the serpent cost him his life. Hopefully, you see the lesson here. This is a perfect analogy, only the “serpents” I’m referring to, are much worse. Now maybe you can understand why YHVH espoused ethnic cleansing. The amalekites were a canaanite group who lived among the kenites (sons of Cain) and were a kind of mixed breed jew. They had previously attacked YHVH/God’s people, like (((they))) love to do. In 1 Samuel 15:3, YHVH tells His people this: “Now go and smite Amalek, and UTTERLY DESTROY all that they have, and SPARE THEM NOT; but SLAY both MAN and WOMAN, INFANT and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” Why? Because they were serpents. They were the racial and biological descendants of Satan. They were containers for demonic spirits. They were dangerous and deadly. Being like their father, their only purpose was to harm YHVH’s people. I grew up in the woods of the American Deep South. I’ve encountered many poisonous snakes and I’ve killed most of them. If I saw baby snakes or eggs, I would crush them, too. Not because I am cruel and heartless, but because I didn’t want myself or anyone else to end up like the man in Texas. Jews don’t look like snakes, but they are snakes. Unfortunately, you can’t kill them nowadays without paying a hefty price. In fact, in many countries you cannot even criticize them or expose them like this without being arrested. We still have freedom of speech in America, but I promise you, the serpent seed jews are trying as hard as they can everyday in every way to change that. But, the day they take away my freedom to speak the truth will be the day I’ll have to declare hunting season open for snakes. As God’s people, we should love God above all else. Part of that is hating His enemies. King David, who killed a lot of jews, said, “Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. (Psalm 139:19–22) But didn’t Jesus say to love your enemies? Absolutely, but that implies your white brother or sister who has become your enemy. This doesn’t apply to other “races” and serpents/devils. How can you love the Devil? How can you love Christ AND antichrist? 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, in the Anointed Standard New Testament, “Do not through birthing become unequally yoked with those of a different race, or with those without persuasion. For what communion does the law-abiding have with lawless ones? And what sexual intercourse does light have with darkness? And what agreement does the Anointed have with Belial (Satan)?” Jews have said and done some terrible things concerning our Saviour. Of course, they insulted Him, blasphemed Him, and eventually killed Him. But their hatred for Yahshua has continued for 2,000 years. They say, in the Talmud that Mary was a whore and that she was menstruating when she had sex with a demon, and that Christ was conceived from this. They say that Yahshua was a fool, insane, a conjurer, magician, idolater, and seducer. They say he is in hell boiling in semen and feces. They say “may His name be blotted out”. Jewish pornographers have admitted that they hate Christ and use the business to ruin the morals of christians. They recently mocked Christ openly on Israeli TV by crucifying a toy monkey. Many jews refuse to say His name. Many jews are taught to spit when they see a cross. A jew comedian recently said that she was glad they crucified Jesus and she would do it again. Several less demented jews have come forward and told how jews pretend to be friendly to christians, but secretly hate Christ and all christians. And there is so much more sickening things I could report to you, but I’ll stop here. The good news is that one day, Satan and his baby snakes will be destroyed after they are made to worship at our feet. I can only pray that it comes sooner rather than later. YHVH will have enough and put an end to them forever, until then we need to expose these antichrists for the devils that they are.

Greenburgh lady names Here are Greenburgh lady names five most popular names for girls for Continue reading for the top girl names along with their meaning, origin, and popularity over the years. You've done everything from stocking her closet to Heaven swinging Hollywood the crib for your new little girl, but you haven't chosen a name. Choosing a name for Greenburgh lady names baby can seem like one of the most daunting tasks during pregnancy. Relation Type: Ebony Goddess Needs Getaway Seeking: Searching Nsa Sex Relationship Status: Married Luna See Grunberg. Greenburgh, new york In other Greenburgh lady names Greenburgh lady names Commons. Emilia But, said Walker, the body does not have a "stop switch" for this Japanese escort Union City independent. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Top escorts Muncie search. Pop singer Sia paid The Woodlands locanto womens seeking mens strangers' groceries Greenburgh lady names Walmart on Girls escort Clarksville. German surnames are very common among American Jews, and many people seem to have inferred the converse: if most Jews have German surnames, Greenburgh lady names most people with German surnames must be Jews. Close Remove Item. View all Greenberg immigration records. The Greenburgh lady names occurs mostly in The Americas, where 77 percent of Greenberg live; 77 percent live in North Inglewood holiday sex and 76 City beach Brownsville online live in Anglo-North America. Surnames Greenburgh lady names taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic Descriptions may contain details on the Greenburgh lady names etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. She overcomes every obstacle that is Greenburgh lady names her way. Russian prostitutes Folsom article " The Origins of Jewish Surnames " may be helpful for your research. Maybe the Phone friends in Knoxville question should be an entry of its own, but as it says Greenburgh lady names this German site, as a Free Lawrence Greenburgh lady names rule the names would end with -man in Poland, in Israel and English speaking countries, and with -mann in Greenburgh lady names speaking countries. Then, doctors diagnosed a brain tumor, and the Greenbergs bought a casket for Brooke. It's Meet new friends online Columbia QP about so Greenburgh lady names other names that have less obvious hill references so as ours are either berg or stein which could mean the same Dating services San Diego ok they are easier to spot. James Van Der Zee was born in Lenox, Greenburgh lady names and demonstrated an early gift for music, initially aspiring to a career as a professional violinist. Names Of Deer Handbags Greenburgh lady names Seattle Last updated Aug 21 Greenburgh lady names The United Greenburgh lady names those bearing the Greenberg last name are Brooke still had baby teeth at age 16, and her bone age was estimated to be more like Explore Your Tree. Find used Greenberg books on ABEbooks. Web: Meeting gay Gilbert photos that match Greenberg. Amelia 9. Browse our selection of clutches, totes, satchels more, plus check out customer reviews Valentina Emily Eliana Alice Caroline I'd also be surprised if many people were named after small Largo massage arrest where only a Greenburgh lady names lived. Search for Another Surname. Madelyn The Austro-Hungarian Empire, which controlled a substantial part of Greenburgh lady names, was the first Greenburgh lady Lesbian social group Elkhart in Europe that required Jews to register a permanent family surname. Border Protection officer allegedly killed wife on Thanksgiving: Police. What European nation was Greenburgh lady names first to require its Jewish citizens to have surnames? Comedian releases novel inspired by his Irish roots. Adeline Web: FamilyOldPhotos.

The essential question about our spiritual journey is "Who do we Trust?" We can say we are trusting God, but our actions may show something else. The easiest trap is to believe that because we are "doing something for" God or our church, our community or even "the good of the world" we are helping our salvation. God wants us to trust in Him. Our "good works" (the Jewish term is Mitzvahs) are something that should flow from our trust in God instead of being a way to "earn" his love. There are many ways we can get distracted from focusing on God. Many of them occur in the context of a church or other place of worship. Sometimes we let our task become the most important thing and argue with other church members about how things should be done. Yet, the workings of a house of worship are where we learn to practice love. The problem with every church or church hierarchy is the same: It is filled with human beings who have faults and issues. If we are truly following God’s direction, our time with our fellow sinners will give us more trust in God and a better understanding of His love for them. There are many temptations outside of church which try to present themselves as an object of trust. Money, cars, homes, IRA’s and jobs can all be false sources of security. In tumultuous economic times it is easier to see how this security is false. Yet we want to cling to that hope. There is another group which more actively competes to be our focus of trust. This is governments and politicians. Jesus’ famous direction to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s" becomes at some level a threat to Caeser. It is becoming more obvious by the day that some political groups, from the local level to the international level are becoming more opposed to churches and traditional morality than they have ever been. Robert Nisbet, in an out of print book called The Quest for Community, talks about the role of "intermediate associations" and how they cause problems for any political entity which seeks to totally control its citizens. These groups come between the individual and the state. They offer a different focus of loyalty. The two major "associations" are the family and the church, or other religious group. In Liberal Fascism, Jonah Goldberg talks about Otto von Bismarck and the German Catholic Church. Bismarck was a Prussian, from the Northern, largely Lutheran section of Germany. He was concerned that Catholics in Southern Germany, particularly Bavaria, would focus on the religious differences and delay the coming together of the German state. The German word Kulturkampf or what we call "Culture Wars" is part of this effort. It is an attempt to push the churches aside to prevent their interference with either the goals of the politicians or the loyalty of the people to the governing class. Let me de direct. No political party or political leader can save us. The bible is clear: (Psalm 146) "Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation." It is our duty as citizens to look into the various candidates, parties and programs and vote our best judgment about the better path. But no party or politician can save us. Heaven on Earth will not happen because someone is elected to or voted out of office. Even if we are highly committed to a service group, a charity or any group trying to help the world, that group can’t save us. We eventually realize that no person, group, policy or action will save us or protect us. It the end, when we tire of searching anywhere us, we can turn to the only One who can be trusted, God.

Mission: To help businesses expand or relocate to more optimum, business-pleasant, lower-cost places. I felt the identical method in regards to the training I just skilled this week. I went to Ann Arbor for a coaching on Visioning led by the co-founder of Zingerman’s Deli, Ari Weiszberg, and master trainer Elnian Gilbert. There have been 30 of us in the room, from a mix of small and mid-sized businesses around the US. There were trailer salesmen and insurers and cheesemakers. The people were fascinating-many came from contexts completely foreign to me-but the worth was in the training itself. Again, the content material was wealthy, deep, and focused (I’ll write more about it subsequent week). We did exhausting work all through the 2 days, drafting long-term visions for our respective organizations. I discovered a lot, and I do know I’ll maintain constructing on what I learned. Ari shared his imaginative and prescient that we’d grow to be converts to the Zingerman’s visioning methodology. It is simple to think about this would possibly occur to me. These redirects have privateness implications for nameless users: those that share a hyperlink to a Blogger website obtained from their internet browser’s address bar may inadvertently reveal which nation they’re currently in – unless they fool (e.g. using a VPN service positioned in a foreign country) or override the country detection, or manually edit the hyperlink to check with before sharing it. When Orain hosted Rightpedia they obtained a number of authorized complaints. Not only is Rightpedia’s content anti-Semitic and intensely racist (e.g. calling Jews parasites, blacks ugly, denying the Holocaust etc.), but in addition posts libel and slander against anti-racism activists. Rightpedia was also linked to perverts and different obscene people (e.g. members there posted about raping Jewish girls). Within the meantime Bettencourt’s life over the past decade has been one other soap opera all by itself. Sometime in 2007, on the ripe age of 84, she took a fancy to her photographer and began to bestow gifts to him value over €1 billion. Her daughter filed a grievance with the police that her photographer was taking advantage of her weakened psychological stake to amass a private fortune. She and her daughter had an extremely public spat with every accusing the other of getting gone mad. The courts lastly made Bettencourt’s grandson as her overseer and the fortune was vested together with her daughter and her two grandsons. However every part was in a state of limbo so long as she was alive. To accumulate one million shoppers or prosumers who pay you roughly $100 per year, you’ll want to get no less than 10-20 million folks to try your utility. That is – once more – a gross simplification, but I imagine it’s order-of-magnitude correct. To get to 10-20 million users you virtually certainly need some level of virality, too – possibly not Snapchat-like virality, however some social sharing or “powered by”-virality. Great examples of this category include Evernote and MailChimp. Should you’re an eCommerce business you would possibly be able to purchase a million customers using paid advertising, however it requires huge quantities of funding. – ability to arrange a menu structure with related content? I’m considering of utilizing a WordPress site as a combination blog + “normal” web site and am wondering if I’m going to feel too restricted by that approach. I think that for these causes, having a hosted weblog on or starting one on blogger is each a better choice than establishing your personal wordpress website (so long as you’re not trying to aggressively market the location (which is easier with your own top stage url) or monetize it). Including hyperlinks to your posts: You must use outbound links to other websites when wanted to back up your claims. For instance, in case you’re writing an article about meditation, you can link to a study that confirmed that meditation helped folks really feel calmer. So as to add links to your posts, spotlight the specified textual content, then scroll as much as the weblog menu.

Abe Givon, Newburgh Palestinians must change to win peace In 2006, Israel turned the Gaza Strip over to the Palestinian authorities. In 2007 Hamas took over Gaza in a bloody coup and turned every part of the old Israeli settlement into a war zone. They fired more than 11,000 rockets and mortar shells into Israeli kibbutzim and towns. Hamas declared over and over that no peace would arrive until Israel had been destroyed. Just a few days before Israel recently destroyed most of the rockets and leveled most of the Hamas government buildings, Israel had again been attacked by more than 500 rockets. Keep in mind that if Israel had been using the Hamas tactic of shooting blindly into cities in Israel, the casualties would have been in the tens of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip. Israel has always been very careful to minimize civilian casualties, but the Palestinians are infamous for hiding behind women and children and shooting missiles from school yards and hospital grounds. A former Israeli premier said many years ago, and it is still true today, "Peace will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us." Comparisons of the size of Gaza to the size of Israel are irrelevant. Look at the map of the Middle East. Israel is so small that on the map, the name "Israel" is written in the Mediterranean Sea. More than 60 years ago, Israel absorbed the Jewish people from the Arab countries. The surrounding Arab countries could do as much for the Palestinians. Hamas needs to stop the terrorism and recognize the state of Israel, and I am sure we would be able to achieve a lasting peace.

Friendship Circle Membership "Friendship Circle is the focus of my Jewish life and my social life. Many thanks! Everyone is so warm and friendly." This enthusiasm is typical of the comments we get from our Friendship Circle members and illustrates the tremendous impact Friendship Circle has on the lives of Jewish seniors in Sonoma County. Our ‘Lunch and Learn’ programs are entertaining and educational, with delicious vegetarian buffets. As a Friendship Circle ‘Member’ you’ll be given first priority for ‘excursion’ reservations, enjoy reduced fees for all Friendship Circle activities and you’ll be our special guest at the annual Membership Tea. This greatly anticipated yearly event is lots of fun with delicious homemade goodies, door prizes, and great entertainment. By becoming a member you’ll be helping Friendship Circle continue to serve older adults in our Jewish community. We especially want to thank the Friendship Circle Advisory Committee (2012) for their guidance and loyal support, and the many volunteer hours they donate to make our programs so successful. Friendship Circle Advisory Members: Harriet Baer, Evelyn Breger, Mike Desky, Natalie Friedman, Lois Glenn, Elizabeth Hagen, Sara Jacobson, Carol Jarvis, Victoria Kalish, Ray Kaplan, Myrna Rivkin, Joy Lovinger, Edythe Smith, Edee Sternfield-Squires, Lee Strauss, Pat Thomas, Ruth Turner, Judy Vance, and Jeanne Zweig.

Michigan State Representative Lisa Brown has become a new heroine of the pro-choice movement, and she achieved this status both by invoking her Judaism and by using the word “vagina” on the State House Floor, during a heated debate of an omnibus anti-abortion bill. “Mr. Speaker, I’m flattered that you’re all so interested my vagina, but no means no,” were her words, now echoing around the blogosphere. Brown was then prohibited from speaking further during the debate, although the exact reason for her ban has yet to be revealed. Later, Brown told the Daily Beast’s Allison Yarrow: “If you’re regulating vaginas, I don’t know how we’re supposed to not talk about them.” As Leah Berkenwald at Jewesses With Attitude notes, the beginning of Brown’s speech was about her Judaism, and how her religion mandated therapeutic abortions if the health of the mother was in danger. Brown has joined the cadre of brave elected representatives who have spoken up against the legislative assault on reproductive rights over the past few years. Barbara Boxer, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Bernie Sanders, Jerrold Nadler, Jackie Speier and plenty of others’ speeches on the floor of governing bodies have served as rallying cries for pro-choicers across the land. So is there a reason there are so many prominent Jewish pro-choicers in the political sphere? Perhaps it’s Jewish law, as Brown said in her speech, referencing her own beliefs: Wherever there is a question of the life of the mother or that of the unborn child, Jewish law rules in favor of preserving the life of the mother. The status of the fetus as human life does not equal that of the mother. I have not asked you to adopt and adhere to my religious beliefs. Why are you asking me to adopt yours? But it may not simply be the intricacies of Jewish law that motivates these political advocates. Maybe the reason there are so many Jewish pro-choice leaders arises from the cultural and social principles that relate to Brown’s interpretation of the law. This might have something to do with Jewish pragmatism, our disinterest in splitting the body from the soul. We bury our dead quickly, we don’t force the infirm to take part in our rituals. And we are focused above all on the life that’s extant in the present, not in the past or the future. This makes sense to me, but to leave it there would not explain, for example, all the equally stalwart Catholic women, like Connecticut’s Rosa DeLauro, who have also been tough-as-nails spokespeople for abortion rights. I think it maybe simply be that Jewish female lawmakers along with their colleagues who are African-American, Latina, Irish Catholic and beyond understand as well as anyone that people cannot live up to their full human potential without control over their own reproduction, their own bodies and their own fertility. This is a fact of life that crosses all racial, religious and cultural boundaries.

Israeli military now confirming it was Israeli tank shells that hit the UN school in Gaza today. Updates here: http://t.co/lRqLYHQWSI — Sheera Frenkel (@sheeraf) July 24, 2014 In one of the most heinous civilian atrocities of the Gaza War, at least four Israeli tank shells struck a UN school in Beit Hanoun in which Palestinian civilians had vainly sought shelter from combat raging around them. As food and water had become scarce there, the UN had asked the refugees to gather in the courtyard for evacuation by bus to a relatively safer alternate location. Fifteen minutes before the scheduled arrival of the buses, the shells made direct hits on the compound. Both civilian refugees and UN personnel were among the dead. The IDF’s lame excuse offered before it finally admitted it was at fault was that it had told the UN to evacuate the school days earlier since it was too close to a combat zone. Of course, the UN already has 100,000 refugees crowding its facilities throughout the Strip. So moving them elsewhere wasn’t a matter of finding a safer facility with space available. It was a matter of crowding them into a place that was already overflowing with the needy and desperate. During the 2006 Lebanon War, there was an Israeli airstrike on a UN facility called Qana that killed 44 civilians. This will likely shape up as this war’s Qana. Till now, the Obama administration has merely begged the sides for a ceasefire, while doing almost nothing to address Hamas’ legitimate demands that the illegal Israeli and Egyptian siege be ended. Now, it can continue with this charade or it can pull out all the stops and get the killing to stop, while rectifying the worst injustices of Gaza’s plight. In a development that could change the calculus of the current war, thousands of West Bank Palestinians rallied in towns throughout Palestine to protest the massacre. The IDF killed at least three demonstrators and wounded 60 through the use of live ammunition in street combat that begins to echo the pogroms initiated by the army a few weeks ago. Then the army, under instructions from the political echelon, engaged in collective punishment after the kidnapping and murder of three Jewish youth. 7 Palestinians were killed during those protests. People like to throw around threats of a third Intifada. I’ve heard them too many times to credit this one as the one that will turn into a full-fledged people’s revolt. But it certainly has the basic elements necessary to provoke a mass uprising. Remember Tunisia? There it only took a street vendor lighting himself on fire to start the Arab Spring. What will happen next in this case? If the Obama administration had any guts or vision, it would take advantage of this Israeli atrocity to exert maximum pressure for negotiating a larger resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It could get concessions from the Palestinians while demanding concessions from the Israelis along with a threat of sanctions if Israel doesn’t comply. That could redeem Kerry’s failed peace talks. But I fear that while there may be vision there are no guts for such a diplomatic Hail Mary. As I wrote yesterday, while there will be enormous pressure for a ceasefire now, the effort will be totally wasted unless it addresses Gaza’s needs in a real, verifiable way. End the siege. Open the borders. Allow Palestinians to have a unity government. Talk to Hamas. Short of this, everything else is a charade. Here’s a perfect example of the charade in action (from Haaretz): A senior Israeli official said that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has drafted a new cease-fire proposal and presented it to both sides. Both sides? What does that mean? It sure doesn’t mean the proposal was presented to Hamas because the U.S. won’t talk to Hamas. The U.S. will talk to Egypt’s junta and Mahmoud Abbas. But neither has the trust of Hamas. So which side exactly is Kerry talking to? It somehow satisfies the U.S. and Israel that they’re talking to someone who is proximate to the other side in this argument. It doesn’t seem to matter whether they’re reaching the party they need to be speaking to. And that’s the problem in a nutshell, isn’t it? We define who will speak to. We define the problem on our terms. Everything else is peripheral. It’s all us (whether “us” is Israel or the U.S.): our interests. The other side, if they have interests, doesn’t concern us. COMMENT RULE NOTICE: I have instituted a temporary comment rule change due to my diminishing patience with hasbara efforts in the comment thread. If you are a new commenter or an existing one who posts propagandistic comments, arguments, etc. that have been published earlier by others; or which blame Gazans or Hamas for what’s happened, you will be immediately moderated. I will also moderate commenters whose statements demean Israel with claims of Nazism, etc. I will approve comments that respect the comment rules. But if your comments appear to be part of the hasbara apparatus, they may not be. I can only repeat arguments and produce evidence so many times before I lose all patience.Buffer

Rentalcargroup, an independent online car hire broker, offers you discounted rates in almost all major cities in Israel. You can find from small economy hire cars to luxury cars. Business or leisure, we have the car hire you are looking for in Israel. Our car hire booking process is easy, fast and secure. Start by filling in your travel details in the quote to the left and receive a comparison for car hire in Israel. Hire a car and enjoy - travel - discover Israel. Israel Car Hire Comparison | Easy online car hire price comparison of all major suppliers in Israel. Let us do all the work for you and compare all car hire companies and rates. Qatar Go Rent A Car I rent a car from your website and company every month and as always every time things run smooth. A trip to Israel should be one to remember and with so many important historical attractions it can be easy to plan! The Old City of Akko is filled with churches and mosques and has amazing city walls. Napoleon, the Ottomans, the Crusaders and many other historical figures and groups form part of the city’s history. Now it is a mainly Arab city that has a busy market where you can pick up a few souvenirs and get to know some of the locals. Christian pilgrimage sites are also popular in Israel and many can be found around Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is just one of these but you can also pay a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane, the Tomb of the Virgin Mary and the Dome of the Ascension. The Old City of Jerusalem is filled with religious buildings that include the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Jewish Western Wall. Alternatively, why not hire a car and take a trip to Nazareth? This is the childhood home of Jesus and thousands of pilgrims visit each year. There are tiny cobbled streets and a souk where you can shop for souvenirs. Despite the name, the Sea of Galilee is actually a lake located in the Jezreel Valley. There are churches surrounding the lake along with the Jewish city of Tiberias. There are beaches here considered to be perfect for a picnic but you could also make the most of your car rental and head to the beaches along the Mediterranean cost or those on the Red Sea. For a completely different experience head to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is actually 400 metres below sea level and links Israel and Jordan. There is more salt and minerals in this stretch of water so you can literally just float in the water. There are several resorts here that make the most of the natural healing properties of the water and the mud. There are also strong Biblical connections here, with the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran and the Masada palace of King Herod. The Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum is a memorial to the six million people who died during the Holocaust. A trip here can help you to understand Jewish heritage and the history of Israel. This is a very large museum so make sure that you allow plenty of time for your visit here.

Saw an article in the Jerusalem Post about how the Australian Jewish Community was offended by what some Catholic guy said about the Holocaust or something while he was bickering with Richard Dawkins about whether God exists or not. I don’t want to address the Holocaust sensitivity issue, though I believe that Jews should stop being sensitive about what people say about the Holocaust, or anything else, because every time they do they sound like little children and make things worse for us. I’d like to address the very notion of an atheist and a Catholic religious leader arguing about God. The very notion is itself silly, and illustrates the world we live in that lacks Jewish leadership. In an ideal world, the Jew would be the defender of God, as we are the keepers of His law and we are His people. Catholics know very little about God, and most of what they think they know is silly. Dawkins goes on about evolution, the Catholic guy goes on about Genesis, and the two go in circles as the audience gets dumber by the second. It’s like to kids fighting over a cookie. Invite a Jew who knows who he is on that stage and he’ll change they way these arguments flow. You, Catholic, on the one hand, believe God actually died and that I killed Him. Then you thank me for killing Him because He died for your sins, but you blame me for killing Him and hate me for it. Then, depending on your mood and the century, you either thank me or kill me over it. And you expect Dawkins to flock to this “ideology”? The Catholic guy is saying he has to believe in God. Dawkins is saying it doesn’t make sense to. The Jew would say I don’t care what you believe in, but can either of you explain my existence as a Jew? Judaism’s for me. You can both sit back and watch. Put a Jewish leader on stage and neither of them would be able to explain why the Jew exists, why he’s back in Israel, and why none of the promises in the Bible have been broken. Once the Jew claims his mantel as spiritual leader of the globe, Dawkins and Catholic will fall in line behind us as disciples. And the Catholic guy will suddenly realize God never died in the first place.

What day of the Jewish calendar does Passover begin? When does it end (with the day of atonement)? When was Jesus crucified (1st day or last day)? Exodus 12:1-6 records God’s command to establish the first passover. The first Passover occurred on Abib 14, the first month of the Jewish year. The month of Abib is now the month Nisan in the current Jewish calendar. That means Passover occurs on Nisan 14. The universally accepted calendar in use today is called the Gregorian calendar. In this reference frame, Nisan 14 occurs sometime in the month of March or April during a full moon. Passover begins at sundown or nightfall. Therefore, Passover starts with a feast or the Seder at 6:00 pm on Nisan 14 and then continues for seven days until 6:00 pm on Nisan 21. The first full day of Passover occurs during the full moon on Nisan 14. Jesus’ Birth and Death Jesus died on Nisan 14, A.D. 33. For a full discussion of the day on which Jesus died, please visit “Prophecy of Daniels’ 70 Weeks.” The same study also discusses the date of Jesus’ birth. The following chart provides an overview of the last week of Jesus’ life. It is important to notice that the Jewish day begins at sundown and continues through the day and into the late afternoon of our following day. Jesus died on the first day of the Passover season. Yom Kippur Celebration The Day of Atonement occurs during Yom Kippur. The word “Yom” refers to “day” and “Kippur: means “to cover.” Therefore the day of atonement is simply “the day of covering.” It is the day that Jesus covered our sins. God commanded the establishment of Yom Kippur in Leviticus 17:11. Yom Kippur occurs in either September or October, or about six months after Passover. These two feasts are wonderful reminders of what Jesus did for us. Praise the Lord. Suggested Links:Prophecy of Daniels' 70 Weeks In which month is the Passover? Is it in Shebat or Abib? Was Jesus resurrected on the same day Noah's ark rested on Mt. Ararat? Peace With God

|Fran Drescher Quick Info| |Height||5 ft 4½ in| |Date of Birth||September 30, 1957| |Eye Color||Dark Brown| Fran Drescher is an American actress and activist who is prominently known for her role as Fran Fine in The Nanny (1993-1999). The show was created and produced by Fran and her then-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson. Apart from her acting roles, she has emerged as a dedicated activist for many important social causes like LGBT rights and HIV /AIDS awareness. Having been diagnosed with Stage 1 uterine cancer and getting successfully treated afterward, she has turned into an advocate for the early detection of cancer. Her foundation Cancer Schmancer is dedicated to promoting women’s health care issues through political activism and education. Francine Joy Drescher Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, New York, United States Los Angeles, California, United States Fran studied at the Hillcrest High School in Jamaica, Queens from where she graduated in 1975. Among her classmates was comedian Ray Romano. She further went on to attend Queens College, City University of New York but dropped out in her first year and got enrolled in cosmetology classes. Actress, Activist, Writer - Father – Morty Drescher (Naval Systems Analyst) - Mother – Sylvia Drescher (Bridal Consultant) - Siblings – Nadine Drescher (Older Sister) - Others – Israel Drescher (Paternal Grandfather), Nettie Cooper (Paternal Grandmother), Adeline Drescher (Older Cousin Sister) (Actress) Fran is represented by the California-based William Morris Endeavor. 5 ft 4½ in or 164 cm 62 kg or 136.5 lbs Boyfriend / Spouse Fran has dated – - Peter Marc Jacobson (1975-1999) – Fran first met actor Peter Marc Jacobson while they were studying in high school and soon after, they began dating. They attended university together and got married in 1978 when Fran was 21 years old. Together, they created the hit series, The Nanny, with Peter directing, writing, and producing several episodes of the show. He had been a huge support in launching her show-business career and stood by her side as she achieved fame and recognition. Although they did not have any children, they were married for almost 20 years until 1999, when Peter came out as gay which resulted in their divorce. However, Fran and Peter have maintained a strong friendship ever since and have collaborated on other show projects. According to Fran, they both are each other’s biggest supporters and share a unique and unconditional love for each other. - Shiva Ayyadurai (2013-2016) – Fran and India-born scientist /politician Shiva Ayyadurai met in October 2013. They got engaged just after 3 months of dating and were officially married on September 7, 2014. But, in September 2016, Fran made the announcement via Instagram that she had split up with her husband of 2 years. Race / Ethnicity She has Ashkenazi Jewish roots. - Nasal voice - Widow’s peak hairline - Thick New York accent - Distinctive laugh Fran has done endorsement work for the following brands – - Old Navy - Hanes Pantyhose (1994) - Pizza Hut - 3 Musketeers Candy Bar - Finishing Touch (2015) Best Known For - Essaying the role of Fran Fine in the hit TV series, The Nanny, from 1993 to 1999 - Being a cancer survivor and turning into an outspoken advocate for raising awareness about women’s health issues Fran made her theatrical film debut in 1977 in the musical drama film, Saturday Night Fever, as Connie. First TV Show She made her first TV show appearance on Saturday Night Live as a concert goer in the Steve Martin /Van Morrison episode in 1978. However, her role was uncredited. Her first credited TV show performance came in 1981 when she appeared on an episode of the talk-show, Hour Magazine. Fran always keeps herself on the move with her work projects and social commitments. When it comes to physical activities, she loves the outdoors and indulges in hiking and walking on the beach as often as possible. She also practices Pilates to get her muscles toned and to burn fat. Meditation is a big part of her life and she incorporates it into her busy schedule to balance her hectic lifestyle. Being a cancer survivor, she has changed her eating habits to include more vegan and organic products in her diet and lives a non-toxic lifestyle. She begins her day with warm water and fresh organic lemon juice. For breakfast, she likes to consume organic oatmeal, organic Ezekiel bread, and organic almond butter. Often, she prefers pasture-raised eggs and her drink of choice is organic green tea. Fran Drescher Favorite Things - Cartoon Character – Jessica Rabbit - Karaoke Song – I Got You Babe (Sonny & Cher) Source – Marie Claire Fran Drescher Facts - She counts Rosie O’Donnell, Twiggy (British model), and Yvonne Sciò among her closest friends. - In January 1985, Drescher and her husband Jacobson were attacked by two armed robbers at their home in Los Angeles. As one of them ransacked the house, Fran and a female friend were r*ped at gunpoint and Jacobson was physically assaulted, tied up, and forced to witness the whole ordeal. It took Fran many years to recover and come out with her story. - Fran Drescher was included in People magazine’s list of 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1996. - Fran was diagnosed with Stage 1 uterine cancer on June 21, 2000. She was immediately admitted at Los Angeles’s Cedars Sinai Hospital and underwent a radical hysterectomy to treat the disease. As it was detected at an early stage, she did not have to undergo radiation or chemotherapy and was given a clean bill of health without any post-operative treatment. - Fran founded the Cancer Schmancer Movement on the 7th anniversary of her operation on June 21, 2007. The non-profit organization is committed to ensuring that women’s cancers be diagnosed at Stage 1 which is the most curable stage. - She is the author of 3 books – Enter Whining (1996), Cancer Schmancer (2002), and Being Wendy (2011). Her 2nd book, Cancer Schmancer, chronicles her experiences with the disease and also intends to raise awareness and empower people to recognize the early warning signs of cancer. - She has a pet named Esther Drescher which is of the chocolate Pomeranian breed. The dog has made appearances on the show, Living With Fran (2005), as Esther the dog. - In 1973, she became the 1st runner-up at the Miss New York Teenager beauty contest. However, in order to land an agent, she lied about being the winner of the pageant. - While on a trip to Paris, Fran came across the then-president of CBS, Jeff Sagansky, and convinced him to hear her and Jacobson’s idea for a television show. Jeff was impressed with her conviction, charm, and persistence and the pilot for The Nanny (1993) was shot a year later. - She was believed to be working to develop a new sitcom, The New Thirty, along with Rosie O’Donnell in 2008. The plot revolved around 2 high school friends dealing with midlife crises but the project failed to materialize. - She has been vocally supportive of the LGBT rights after her 1st husband, Peter, came out as gay. - Fran Drescher officiated the weddings of 3 gay couples in New York City after obtaining a minister’s license from the Universal Life Church to promote her show, Happily Divorced. The 3 couples were hand-picked by Drescher who invited gay couples to share their love stories and the reason why they wanted to be married by Fran on the Fran Drescher’s ‘Love Is Love’ Gay Marriage Contest on Facebook. - A devoted health care advocate, Fran was appointed the Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women’s Health Issues by the U.S. State Department in September 2008. - She has played a big part in getting the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness and Education Act passed into law in the U.S. history. - Follow Fran Drescher on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Featured Image by Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

In the second blog by Francisco Balbi di Correggio , Balbi describes how the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent prepared his army for the Siege on Malta. The Sultan addresses the Generals After having taken advice of his council, the Sultan sent for Piali Pasha, his grand admiral, and ordered him without delay to prepare all ships, both new and old, to build such ships as he considered necessary, to collect all the experienced oarsmen, to see to the victualling of the ships and to all that was required for the fleet… Mustapha Pasha, an old general of great experience, who had commanded during the war against Hungary, was specially selected as the Captain-General of the land force. The Sultan addressed them as follows:” Do not think O my valorous Captains, that I am now about to say to your is due to lack of confidence in two such brave men as you are; it is because my honour and renown are at stake…It is my great desire to capture Malta, not for its own sake, but because of other and greater enterprises which will follow this expedition, it is successful. As a proof of how strong is my desire I have recalled Mustapha from Venice, where he was of great utility, that he might go on this enterprise… “I will also tell you why I have chosen two of you for the command of a single expedition, one in command of the fleet and the other of the land forces, a thing I have never done before… “I am sending on this expedition half of my children, the Janizaries, and I am sure that they will contribute greatly towards the success which I so ardently desire…” While the fleet was being made ready, the Sultan sent orders to Dragut in Tripoli to get ready to join in this expedition. He sent the same order to Hassan, King of Algiers, with instruction to warn all the corsairs of the West. When all was ready they launched all the galleys old and new; one of thirty two benches were was destined for the grand admiral Piali, and another twenty-eight was to convey Mustapha. The preparations were carried out so expeditiously that the fleet was ready by the end of February 1565… The number of ships which sailed from Constantinople for the attack on Malta was as follows: One hundred and thirty royal galleys, thirty galeots, nine barges, ten large ships and some two hundred smaller ships of which the greater number were transport vessels. The names of the Principal Commanders of the expedition are as follows: Mustapha Pasha, Commander in Chief of the army; Piali Pasha admiral of the fleet; Dragut, king of Tripoli; Hassan, king of Algiers; the Aga of the Janizaries, and Curtogli… At Navarino the Pashas mustered their forces. Here all the men who were to embark on the expedition (against Malta) had been assembled having gone there by the land from Greece, Anatolia, Caramania, the Morea and the other parts. There were many more than was required and only the best were selected… A rumour had been spread in the army and fleet that this was to prove a difficult enterprise, full of hardship and that the mortality would be great. For these reasons, those who were going against their will were only too ready to pay whatever they were asked in order to gain their freedom. Here the Pasha feasted the Janizaries and Spahis and gave them much money and jewels. This pleased them so greatly that they already looked not only Malta but the whole of Italy as their own. The number of troops who sailed for Malta is: 6000 Spahis, all archers, commanded by a Sanjaz-Bey and his two lieutenants who are called Alaybeys. Many more had reported for service but only the best were retained. 500 Spahis from Caramania under a Sanjaz-Bey. 6000 Janizaries of the Sultan’s bodyguard under Janizer Aga, a lieutenant of the General of the Janizarie who never leaves the Sultan. They all carried firearms (arquebuses). 400 adventurers from Mytheline under a Sanjaz-Bey. 2500 Saphis from Roumania. 3500 adventurers from Romania under a Sanjaz-Bey and Alaybey. 4000 adventurers, all religious fanatics, most of whom had private means and could lead an idle in and about their Mosques. The greatest number were dressed in white, and some wore the green turbans. These men had implored the Sultan to allow them to go and fight for their faith, believing that they would gain salvation if they die fighting. 6000 volunteers, seamen and corsairs, all differently armed, Many Jewish merchants joined the expedition with their goods and with money with which to buy Christian slaves. The Military forces which sailed form the East to attack Malta consisted of 28,500 fighting men. The Admiral too mustered his ships and men. It is considered a safe estimate that, including the oarsmen, the volunteers and also the Moors of Dragut, Pasha of Tripoli, and Hassan of Algiers, the total number of fighting men who went against Malta was 48,000 not counting the sailors and camp followers. The fleet sailed from Navarino on the 12 May at the second night watch, and the weather was so favourable, that it arrived before Malta on the 18th. It was discovered at the dawn, thirty miles to the south-east with all the main sails lowered… In the third and last article in this blog series, Balbi describes how the Grand Master De Vallette prepared for the siege.

August 8th, 2014 Guest: Jonathan Lethem DAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: This is FRESH AIR. I'm David Bianculli, editor of the website TV Worth Watching, sitting in for Terry Gross. People who don't believe in God but have an almost religious belief in causes are at the center of the novel "Dissident Gardens" by Jonathan Lethem. The story begins in 1955, in Queens, New York, when Rose Zimmer, a secular Jew and a Communist, is expelled from the party, ostensibly because the local committee disapproves of her affair with a black police officer. Rose is a single mother who raises her daughter Miriam to believe it's only a matter of time until the Nazis or the FBI come knocking. Miriam flees Queens and her perpetually dissatisfied mother to live a bohemian life in Greenwich Village. The characters of Rose and Miriam were inspired by Lethem's own grandmother and mother. "Dissident Gardens" is now out in paperback. Lethem's 1999 novel, "Motherless Brooklyn," won a National Book Critics Circle Award, and his 2003 novel, "The Fortress Of Solitude," was a bestseller. Terry Gross spoke with Jonathan Lethem in 2013. TERRY GROSS, HOST: Jonathan Lethem, welcome back to FRESH AIR, and congratulations on the new book. Why did you want to write about three generations of a family where radical political convictions and utopian ideology create more conflict within their own circles than these convictions accomplish in terms of social change? JONATHAN LETHEM: Wow. I think that I didn't - I couldn't possibly have started by wanting to do that. LETHEM: What I wanted to do was write about my grandmother's sex life. GROSS: So I hit the nail on the head, didn't I? LETHEM: But I did - I think I did end up doing what you just said. I mean, I hope so. It sounds really great. LETHEM: And the thing is, you know, you don't end up where you began with a giant book, and especially one that's just so loaded up with all kinds of really different things that interest and perplex me. I knew that I had a kind of a legacy. I grew up in a family of protestors, and that I'd never really gone there, and I wanted to touch it. I wanted to think about it. I also wanted to think about just, I don't know, somehow I was ready to think about my grandmother's weird, lonely, imperial existence in Sunnyside, Queens. And so those urges and those interests led me into the thicket that you just described. GROSS: Well, we must get right to your grandmother's sex life, which is really how the book starts. So why don't you read the very opening of the book? LETHEM: Sure. (Reading) Quit consorting with black cops or get booted from the Communist Party. There stood the ultimatum, the absurd sum total of the message conveyed to Rose Zimmer by the cabal gathered in her Sunnyside Gardens kitchen that evening, late fall, 1955. Saul Egland(ph), important communist, had rung her telephone. A committee wished to see her. No, no, they'd be happy, delighted to come to her home this evening after their own conference just across the Gardens. Was 10 too late? This a command, not a question. Yes, Saul knew how hard Rose labored, what her sleep was worth. He promised they wouldn't stay long. How did it happen? Easy - routine, in fact. These things happened every day. You could get exiled from the cause for blowing your nose or blinking at suspicious intervals. Now after so long, Rose's turn. GROSS: Was Rose getting exiled from the party because she was having an affair with a black cop? LETHEM: Well, you know, nothing is ever what it claims to be, and especially in the paranoid world of a communist cell. I mean, I think they don't really like that she's consorting with the police, and the particular policeman she's in this relationship with is a staunch, totally typical, anti-communist American, good American of the time. So he's got no sympathies to the cause. But - and of course there's probably a layer of denied racism or discomfort in this group of people, right? But they would never say that it was precisely that. And so - and Rose has aggravated them, you know, for decades by now. So they've been looking for the chance to ask her to have nothing more to do with the official operation. GROSS: So this touches on Rose, your character's, sex life. Let's get really to your grandmother's sex life. GROSS: Why were you interested in exploring her sex life? That's not something people usually say about their grandmothers, that that's what they're interested in. LETHEM: You know, I mean, I felt that she was in love with Abraham Lincoln and in love with... GROSS: She didn't have sex with him. I'm sure of that. LETHEM: Fiorello LaGuardia... GROSS: Nor him. LETHEM: And she couldn't get into bed with either of these guys. But I also felt she was in love with a local beat cop, that he was more than a figure of, you know, kind of public order and decency, but there was something too sexy about her admiration. And this made sense to me. She was a woman who was mostly single, even if she did have affairs, and I think she did have affairs. I don't know who they were with. And I should be really specific, I don't know who they were with. But I felt all of the things that she avowed most as kind of noble and heroic were - first of all, had a sexy quality to them, to her, that she would never have acknowledged. And the other thing was they were kind of authority figures. So this person who was a socialist was also really into presidents, cops and mayors and judges and even priests - because she would sometimes talk about the, you know, if there was, like, a local Irish Catholic priest in Queens who was doing a lot of good for the local boys, she would be over-involved in her admiration. And I thought, this is where this person is really complicated, that she loves a man in uniform. GROSS: Do you know how your grandmother became a communist and what that meant to her during the period that she defined herself that way? LETHEM: Well, here's the thing, I really don't know how she would have described her own affiliations or sympathies. In fact, I asked my father, who was the nearest resource I had, do you think that she was ever actually in a cell or, you know, a card-carrying communist is the term. And he said, with no motive to conceal anything, he said, I really don't know. And I really wouldn't know because I'm not a great researcher, and you know, anyway, there was something liberating about not knowing. I really don't know how to find out or if there's a way to find out. I do know that there was something that my Uncle Fred thought she'd gotten wrong circa, like, 1956. He'd been taunting her. All through my childhood there was this something that Uncle Fred thought was pathetic or ridiculous in my grandmother's political life and that she was mum on this topic. So whether she'd, you know, tried to be pro-Soviet much longer than a lot of other people tried and was humiliated, was hung out to dry by the Khrushchev revelations that, you know, kind of hit the world in 1956 and stripped the last layer of denial from even the most blinkered and idealistic pro-Soviet Americans. GROSS: The grandmother in your novel, Rose, is a communist who's kind of kicked out of the party. But what defines her more than her politics is really her paranoia and all of her fears. And part of those fears are because of the Holocaust and, you know, all the persecution that Jews faced in addition to the Holocaust. And you write that for Rose, God existed just on the puny extent he could disappoint her by his non-existence. Her anger at him was immense, almost God-like. So... GROSS: I'm just wondering how you think the Holocaust affected your grandmother and her relationship with God or her perception of a lack of God's presence. LETHEM: Yeah, I mean, what a tormenting situation, to be an intellectual woman of her generation and grow up with this enormous identity, but it was an identity founded on belief that she couldn't sustain. She was violently secular. She loved culture, and she loved books and all sorts of things that Jews care for, but she couldn't believe in the Jewish god or any god. And, you know, she felt terrible about it. And she felt enraged that other people didn't see the obviousness of it all at once. But she'd substituted, I think, at some point, other kinds of beliefs - belief in a kind of - I guess the best word is humanism. And I think, if she was at any point seriously a Communist, and I think probably she was somewhere in there, maybe not till 1956, that was a belief. And as anybody who's studied the history of communist movements knows, it has a religious - you know, it's analogous. It draws passion out of people and sometimes irrational passion. So all of these things are muddled up for her. And then maybe some of those later beliefs become disappointed, violently disappointed, as well. Other gods die. The god of literature fails her. The god of socialism fails her. And yeah, she was paranoid, and she was - she took the Holocaust very personally. And yet, it didn't belong to her the way it belonged to some other people because she was also conflicted, at best, about her Jewish identity. GROSS: Rose is a very - gives off a very negative energy, the grandmother in the book. And as one character says of her, she was all about power, the power of resentment, of guilt, of unwritten injunctions against everything, against life itself. Rose was into death. And I'm wondering if you felt that from your grandmother and how it affected you to be around such negative energy. LETHEM: Well, I think she was different ways at different times. And, you know, in my life, which isn't what I've written about directly here, there's a before and after in my experience of my grandmother. And it's a tragic one. She lost her daughter, my mother. You know, my mother died when she was 36; I was 14. I don't work out, exactly, my grandmother's exact age, but she lost her only child. So there's my grandmother while my mother was still alive and healthy, and there's my grandmother after she begins to see that my mother's cancer is going to - going to kill her. And she was a very dark person. She was betrayed. The world had betrayed her utterly. But I also think that - I was very interested in the book, in writing about the perplexities of seeing someone who was so into so many kinds of theoretical freedoms. She embraced such - diversity is a very bland word, but she really - you know, diversity was like heroic to her. And that was a passion that mattered to me. But at the same time, there was a kind of a control freak. There was a kind of intolerance of - I mean, my grandmother, for instance, was always taking me on her rare - the rare chances she could get and pry me away completely. She would rush me to a barber for a haircut. Somehow, it seemed like that was - you know, whatever kind of freedom she was into, she was not into the 8-year-old boy having long hair that made him look like a girl. And so these - you know, the different ways you can be free in your mind and free in your heart, I guess for me Rose is an emblem of the contradictions. BIANCULLI: Author Jonathan Lethem, speaking to Terry Gross in 2013 - more after a break. This is FRESH AIR. BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to Terry's 2013 interview with author Jonathan Lethem. The characters in his novel, "Dissident Gardens" are inspired by his own family. The grandmother in the novel is a Communist. Her daughter is a peace activist and hippie who moved away to Greenwich Village to escape the suffocating presence of her opinionated mother. GROSS: You were talking about how Rose, the grandmother, has all of these convictions about freedom and diversity, but she doesn't want her daughter to kind of have the freedom that the daughter wants. The daughter wants to leave college and go to Greenwich Village and live a very bohemian and then hippie life, which the daughter actually succeeds in doing, much to her mother's dismay. So that was like your mother. Your mother, I think she dropped out of college? LETHEM: Yeah, she never finished college. Later in her life, she had this - I remember she would look at these matchbook covers for Empire State College, where you were supposed to be able to certify various kinds of life experience and get course credit for it. And she always joked that she would graduate from Empire State College from a matchbook cover. But she left Queens College, I guess, maybe as a freshman; certainly by the time of her sophomore year I think she'd kissed it off. GROSS: And she headed to Greenwich Village. And your mother actually knew people like Tuli Kupferberg of The Fugs and the protest singer Phil Ochs and folk singer Dave Van Ronk. These were really key people. How did she get to know them? LETHEM: Well, I think she just did what you could do in that generation. And, you know, that scene was small, and she was vivacious and not a shy - I guess it was almost as a teenager that she'd made her first contact with that world. And she was just in the right place. GROSS: What did your grandmother think of your mother's bohemian life? LETHEM: Well, again, I'm, you know, I'm guessing. What I got was the residue of battles long since fought - you know, lost, won, abandoned, who knows. And, you know, by the time I came along and could even glean that this had been controversial, it was in things that had been distilled into nice little anecdotes. But the one that I think might stand for the rest is that my parents were going to be married by the Reverend Gary Davis. He was a great blues guitarist, a blind blues guitarist who lived in Queens and was a kind of finger-picking guru to the most serious of the folk guitarists, like Dave Van Ronk. And my mother was sort of in with him, and his wife had kind of taken her in. And he was going to marry my parents, which was really, you know... GROSS: That's amazing, yeah. LETHEM: Great thing to claim, right? Well, I think at the last second, my grandmother, in a beautifully paradoxical gesture, insisted that they have a rabbi instead, which is just... LETHEM: It's like - you know, so I went back and I made that right in the book. I got the Reverend Gary Davis into the picture instead. But, you know... GROSS: But that's a perfect example - what happened in real life is a perfect example of some of the hypocrisy that happens in the book, where somebody has this, like, deeply held conviction, but their actions are just the opposite of that. Like... LETHEM: Yeah, everyone's... GROSS: Your grandmother was so, like, secular to the core and so embracing of diversity. And you have this, like, fabulous, renowned, you know, like rediscovered, you know, African-American blues man and, like, no, he can't marry your mother and her fiance. It has to be a rabbi. LETHEM: Yeah. I'll tell you a story about my grandmother that has nothing to do with the book because it's far outside the scope of - you know, once I'd invented these characters, they could only do certain things. They could contain some of these energies, but I had to - you know, I had to make the book work. But when I was in college, one of the - really one of the last times I saw my grandmother, you know, well, up and living in her own apartment, I brought a girlfriend home from college. And for some reason, I made the misstep of bragging to my grandmother that I was bringing a Jewish girl to meet her and thinking that she would just be interested in this because I'd had - in high school, just before that, I had girlfriends who weren't Jewish. And my girlfriend, of course, completely secular girlfriend and I both showed up at my grandmother's apartment. And my grandmother put on this fascinating charade of being a religious Jewish woman. LETHEM: I'd never seen her do anything like this before. But she suddenly was full of these weird beliefs and behaviors. And the way she served the food was - and I didn't know what to think what's going on, but she had somehow - her guilt or her confusion had suddenly dialed up this weird wrong number. And, you know, she thought I was insisting that she be more Jewish than she'd ever been for me before. She'd served me TV dinners throughout my entire childhood. GROSS: So we've been talking about the grandmother, Rose. Her daughter, Miriam, who is the bohemian, ends up living in something of a commune. And I'd like you to read a short passage from the book. And this is actually a letter that she's written to her father who lives in East Germany, who is separated from her mother, a long story. I don't think we'll get into that part of the story. But here she is, trying to explain her living situation to her father, who she really doesn't know well because he left when she was three. And during this reading, you're going to mention the name of Tommy. Tommy is Miriam's husband, and he's a folk singer. LETHEM: (Reading) We live in a commune, something I suspect you wouldn't really be familiar with. Honestly, Tommy and I are like the parents, and they're like the children. So it isn't really a legitimate commune, not like the Maoist one around the corner on Avenue C, which has meetings nearly every night; and they go on for hours, and they never figure anything out. Ours is somewhere between a commune and a hostel. We started by letting Stella move in upstairs. Then we had to fill more rooms to afford to keep this place because Tommy hasn't made any money from his records in a long time, and the money from the ACLU settlement for my wrongful arrest on public property is a distant memory. Did I ever mention I was one of the Capitol Steps 13? We sued their asses. Then I spent the money mostly at Pathmark, on bread and veggies and ground beef. By this time in the morning, the phone has started ringing, and usually someone has rolled a joint. And things are getting a little harder to put down in order - I mean, after the kid is off to school. I spend a lot of time listening, actually. You might not think so from this letter, which is all about me, but I do. The phone rings, or someone comes downstairs, and the kitchen is pretty much full of people for the rest of the day. GROSS: That's Jonathan Lethem reading from his new novel, "Dissident Gardens." How close is that to the home that you grew up in? LETHEM: Well, at times, very close. I mean, my parents did, essentially, turn our home into a commune. In retrospect, it seems clear to me. Although, ironically, in the way kids make distinctions, I was always very particular about it. I knew what the communes were. They were the collective households that were all over our neighborhood - 'cause there were a whole bunch of them- where there was no family at the center of it. You know, they had kind of a flat, egalitarian rule. Everyone was an equal, and everyone was chipping in for the rent. And my parents, you know, they really were running the show. In the end, they were collecting rent from people who in another context might have been called, you know, boarders. But we shared dish nights, and we shared cooking nights. And we had these consternating house meetings where grown, human adults would air out their grievances to 8-year-old children as if we were all equally entitled to suffer one another's complaints. And, you know, I kind of loved it. I write about it in the book fairly affectionately. But it was, you know, certainly confusing for me in certain ways. BIANCULLI: Author Jonathan Lethem, speaking to Terry Gross in 2013. His novel, "Dissident Gardens," is now out in paperback. We'll continue their conversation in the second half of the show. I'm David Bianculli, and this is FRESH AIR. BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. I'm David Bianculli, in for Terry Gross, back with more of Terry's 2013 interview with author Jonathan Lethem. His novel, "Dissident Gardens," about three generations of one family, is now out in paperback. In the story, the grandmother is a secular Jew and a Communist. Her daughter moves to Greenwich Village and marries a folk singer. They live in a commune where they raise their son. The grandmother and mother are inspired by Lethem's own grandmother and mother. When we left off, the author and Terry were talking about the similarities between Lethem's life and the son who was raised on the commune. GROSS: From one of your personal essays, I got the impression you were exposed to naked bodies around the home because it was a period when people were trying to be very comfortable about their bodies. LETHEM: All the time. Yeah. GROSS: And - yeah. So I always wonder, what was it like for the kids who grew up that way? And how did it affect your sense of - your comfort with your own body? LETHEM: Well, just as I said that, you know, I kind of believe that, strictly speaking, we were in a commune. And I think we pretty much were a commune. You shouldn't overlook the human ability to partition things and make special categories and, you know, create exemptions. You know, this is, I guess, what we also call hypocrisy - right? - which is, as you pointed out, all over this book. But for me, there were the typical teenage fascinations with the mysteries of the bodies of the girls I was going to school with, you know, where to glimpse a bra strap might've blown my mind. And at the same time, I'd go home, and I'd go up to my dad's studio. And we might - I might sit there with him and draw from a naked model for a few hours. But that was, you know, that was art. That was another thing. Or it might take a shower with my cousin at her commune because they had a group shower and, you know, that was interesting to me too and probably titillating. But I kept these things very, very tightly organized in order to function. So I, you know, each thing was its own separate reality. GROSS: Something else that you were exposed to in ways that you probably didn't necessarily know at the time - you write, again in a personal essay, that your parents had an open marriage and that you later learned that some of their friends were actually their lovers. And one of the characters in your book says, is anything more unforgivable than what a child learns about his parents from their lovers? GROSS: Were you ever in that position? LETHEM: Well, yeah. I mean, and this isn't directly part of this book or my other, you know, kind of autobiographical, emotional slagheap "The Fortress of Solitude." But I learned the fact that my mother was dying - not that she was sick, not that she was very sick, but that she was absolutely going to die - not from either one of my parents but from my father's girlfriend at the time. And now, this is a mistake, right? I mean, everyone involved is making some mistake; they've overlooked something. Probably my father thought I knew and understood already. But I, as I've just said, children are literal. I kept it in a box. If she was sick, she was sick. That's different from dying or dead. But the first time it was told to me clearly so that I couldn't evade it or mistake it for some other information, it was my father's girlfriend. And I hated her... GROSS: Did she know that you didn't know? LETHEM: I don't think she went into that situation thinking she was making a big move. I think she just said it. And maybe by the end of the encounter she grasped that she ended up telling me - not a good moment for anyone involved. And, yeah, I mean there - you know, if I want to feel angry - and, you know, I still know that person and am affectionate. I feel affectionately toward them. But if I wanted to feel angry, I could remember that moment, and I'd probably be able to get angry for the rest of my life. GROSS: As you mentioned, your mother died of a brain tumor. And in one of your personal essays, you wrote that, you know, in part because of the Holocaust you were taught to be prepared to lose the things you love and that when your mother died you'd experienced it as kind of confirmation that you should be prepared for that 'cause... GROSS: Your mother was taken from you. LETHEM: Yeah. I think my parents' attitude towards the visionary world that they wanted to live in - it was an embattled one. And my grandmother's attitude towards, I think, her visionary beliefs, her idealism, was that of someone who'd been betrayed and that the Holocaust meant that, as Jews, even if we didn't care for that identity. You know, and my father was from the Midwest. I was raised with a whole lot of options as to, you know, what I should identify as or with. But at the same time, there was this message, this contradictory message that - my grandmother would almost whisper this. It was really one of the most doomy things to say to a kid. She would say, it doesn't matter what you think you are. When the Nazis come, you're a Jew. You know, like they're going to pin that yellow star on you, so it doesn't matter that you're going to Quaker Sunday school, or that you don't believe in God, or that I don't believe in God. We're stuck with this. And I also think that this was the city I was living in. New York City, in the '70s, was a collapsing zone. It was a dystopian city. The greatness, you know, that my parents both celebrated - they'd come to New York for its bohemian culture. My father was a painter. What do you do? You run away from the provinces to New York. My grandmother revered New York. But at the same time, this place was unmistakably in crisis. It might not be as great as it once was, and the neighborhood we were in exemplified this crisis. So I saw the idea that great things about your family, or your world, or your city, or your community, or your beliefs could be - before you even knew it, they could be slipping away. They could be taken away. It seemed to me to be the message that the world had all over the place. And I, you know, I celebrated temporary utopia. My family was great while it was great, and it fell apart. GROSS: Your mother knew she was dying. Did she give any instructions about what she wanted done with her remains and if she wanted any kind of funeral or memorial? LETHEM: Well, I'm sure that my parents discussed this. I've never even thought to force my father to rehearse the details for me. But she ended up having two services, one very embracing and large at the Brooklyn Quaker Meetinghouse. And it was where all her friends, in the manner of a Quaker service, stood and testified about her importance to their lives. And it was the one that reflected her, the life she'd chosen even though she hadn't chosen Quakerism. She wasn't terrifically interested in Quakerism. She didn't go with us. My father took the kids to Quaker Sunday school, and my mother was too secular even for the Quakers. But, still, this was the place where she could have, you know, what I guess you'd call a hippie funeral, in a sense. It was a love-in, as funerals go. And then she also - and this will remind you of my grandmother's insistence that my parents be married by a rabbi rather than the Reverend Gary Davis. She also had a very dark, very cloistered, very small, Upper West Side Jewish service in a funeral home. And my grandmother, my great-grandmother, my great uncle, who I think I'd not met until that day and never met again, on my mother's father's side, were in attendance. And it was - the children were put in yarmulkes. And we went through the paces of giving her the proper Jewish memorial that she couldn't have possibly demanded but somebody did - probably my grandmother. GROSS: So you were 14. What did you walk away - I mean, with having seen these two completely different ways of marking your mother's life and mourning her death? LETHEM: Well, you know, I wasn't conjugating these things at the time. I was looking for an exit from the scene. My primary response to losing her was to decide to kind of graduate myself to adulthood, to move sideways out of my family into the world of my friendships and my interests and a handful of very warm and wonderful adult - young adult friends. GROSS: Having grown up with two generations of people who believed in causes and were committed to causes - communism in your grandmother's life and, you know, like, the anti-war movement - did you have any, like, commitment to political causes? Or did you separate from the world of causes and head more in another direction? LETHEM: I - I don't know, I'm pretty incoherent. And I think about... LETHEM: I identify with a political life without, I think, successfully living one. GROSS: Which is in opposition to the certitude that your family had. LETHEM: Yeah. I mean - but the belief that you're making a kind of systematic and coherent political life is much easier to sustain, even for my parents and their generation. And I don't mean that critically. And as well for my grandmother, who was, you know, on close inspection, incoherent as well, even if she had a lot more of a sensation of righteousness than I can get away with day-to-day. GROSS: You gave a commencement address at Bennington College. And I forget what year this was, how recently it was, but you mention the first advice that was given to you that really mattered to you. And it was a phrase from what you describe as, like, hippie-era Buddhism. And the phrase was, all paths lead nowhere. Choose one with heart. That's actually pretty good. And... LETHEM: Yeah, I still like it. GROSS: Yeah. Can you talk a little bit about why that works for you? LETHEM: Well, I mean, first of all, you know, I was giving a commencement address to a college where I'd dropped out. And, you know, I hadn't... LETHEM: I hadn't dropped out of Princeton or MIT. I dropped out of the most kind of forgiving, hippie, experimental college - right? - one of the places that defines that kind of school experience. And even there, I couldn't make it work. I was too at odds with institutions and too angry about various things to function as a college student. So here I was, circling back. And I was - it was a moment of healing for me, but a very confusing one. You know, you go through life having these crossroads, these reactions, where you basically - you know, in retrospect, what I said was, you can't fire me; I quit. I was afraid of what I was faced with at Bennington College. And here I was. I'd kind of made it all good. You know, it's a victory lap. Give the commencement address. And I wanted to make it better for myself in front of them that I was giving them such a strange - that in my own life was such a strange allegory of disappointment and satisfaction, of, you know, exile and return, that here I was, consecrating their capacity to do four years of college that I couldn't handle myself. But I did feel that, in one sense or another, I'd come back there and discovered that I'd honored the spirit of the place anyway. And I was in pretty good faith giving them advice if the advice was, all paths lead nowhere; choose one with heart - because what I'd done when I left Bennington was, you know, my courage didn't fail me then. I sought out other kinds of mentorship and experience. And I was an autodidact, and I was fearless about writing, even though I had very few people encouraging me to write for a while. And so, in a way, I'd had my cake and eaten it, too. GROSS: Jonathan Lethem, it's been great to talk with you again. Thank you so much. LETHEM: Such a good time for me. Thank you, Terry. BIANCULLI: Author Jonathan Lethem, speaking to Terry Gross in 2013. His novel, "Dissident Gardens," is now out in paperback. DAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG) JAKI BYARD: Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the "Late Late Show." I'm going into my act. This is my last set. So we don't know is going to happen. BIANCULLI: In the 1960s, jazz pianist Jaki Byard played in the bands of Charles Mingus, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Booker Ervin. Then he began making solo and small band records under his own name. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says, Byard had a rare ability to sound both archaic and ahead of his time. (SOUNDBITE OF PIANO) KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Jaki Byard, turning Dave Brubeck's sprightly tune "In Your Own Sweet Way" into something heavy as a Russian novel. It's from Byard's album "The Late Show," a set of previously unheard solo music from San Francisco's Keystone Korner in 1979. Byard was always a kidder at the keyboard. He'd take a familiar tune, turn it inside out, or goose it 'til it jumped. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG, "SWEET GEORGIA BROWN") WHITEHEAD: Jaki Byard, having his way with "Sweet Georgia Brown." Byard was more than a musical comedian; he was a throwback to early jazz piano professors like James P. Johnson and Willie The Lion Smith, who took pride in their erudition and formidable technique, who could make any material their own and have fun doing it. Those old-timers were masters of stride piano; the post-ragtime style where a player's left hand ping-pongs up and down the keyboard. Byard was the rare post-bebop pianist, well-versed in stride style. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG) WHITEHEAD: You can hear little of crazy cat Earl Hines in Jaki Byard's timing and suspenseful dropouts. Playing stride piano was no gimmick for Byard. He was part of the arsenal of techniques and styles on call, whenever he sat at the keys. A modernist who valued the innovations of any age, Byard could play new and old ideas at the same time. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG) WHITEHEAD: Jaki Byard had developed his pan-historical approach by 1960. No one called it postmodern jazz then, but his deadpan juxtaposition and diverse styles and song fragments helped point the way. There's some old-school showbiz shtick in there too, with roots in the musical travelogues that 19th century theater bands were playing. Byard's "European Episode" moves like a brisk bus tour, shunting you from an English country garden to old Vienna. Sometimes it sounds like he can barely keep up with the pace. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG, "EUROPEAN EPISODE") WHITEHEAD: I'm not partial to live albums that leave in the stage announcements, but Jaki Byard's are funnier than most; part of his whole nutty professor act. We get a few little tastes. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD ALBUM) BYARD: As I said, I don't have to do this for a living because I have two chinchillas in heat. And that affords me a nice little living. WHITEHEAD: These days, many jazz pianists demonstrate familiarity with multiple styles - stride piano included - partly that's because some of them studied with Jaki Byard. Maybe because he was 30 years ahead of his time, Byard hasn't quite gotten his due. But he left a batch of fine albums behind for smart fans to rediscover, starting with his fab trio debut, "Here's Jaki," from 1961. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG, "CARAVAN") WHITEHEAD: No current pianist I've heard makes "Virtuosity" sound quite so gleefully lighthearted. (SOUNDBITE OF JAKI BYARD SONG, "CARAVAN") DAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: Kevin Whitehead writes for Point of Departure and Wondering Sound and is the author of "Why Jazz?" He reviewed Jackie Byard, "The Late Show Live at the Keystone Korner Volume Three" on the High Note label. Coming up film critic David Edelstein reviews "Cavalry" starring Brendan Gleeson. This is FRESH AIR. This is FRESH AIR. In the new movie "Calvary" Brendan Gleeson plays an Irish village priest who must eventually face off against a killer. Film critic David Edelstein has this review. DAVID EDELSTEIN, BYLINE: "Cavalry" is a weirdly jokey Irish movie about a priest, Father James Lavelle played by Brendan Gleeson, who spends what might be the last week of his life with his faith under bitter constant assault. How is that faith tested? Let me enumerate the ways in which religious order is flouted. The movie begins with Lavelle hearing a confession from an unseen man who says that as a 5-year-old he was raped by a priest, now dead. And that he'll take revenge by killing a, quote, "good priest," meaning Lavelle, in a weeks time. After that we meet Kelly Reilly as Lavelle's daughter. You see, Lavelle entered the church when his wife died, who's recently cut her wrists, followed by an insultingly atheist doctor, an unapologetic, promiscuous married congregant, the foulmouthed African mechanic who's sleeping with her and later a French woman whose husband has just been killed by a drunk driver and a rapist murderer who taunts Lavelle with the idea that while killing he'd felt like God. Add the dull-witted assistant priest, the derisive rich man, the preening shirtless gay hustler, the nerd who's feeling rage against women for not paying attention to him, the elderly American writer who'd like a gun to hasten his own death and it's a wonder father Lavelle doesn't rip off his collar and flee. And then someone sets fire to the church. Crisis of faith movies are often painfully solemn, even Ingmar Bergmaneske, but a writer-director John Michael McDonagh evidently came of age watching too many episodes of "Twin Peaks." "Calvary" is crammed with strange, over-the-top performances - unmodulated, in different keys - the characters framed with the bluntness of a carnival barker showing off his freaks. Those shots are in contrast to the Irish coastal vistas - craggy, primordial, mythic. It's meant to be a haunting combination. And I have colleagues who found it just that. They were devastated by a film that acknowledges the Catholic Church's crimes and what's portrayed as it's increasing irrelevance in modern society. Yet affirms in the end the overriding importance of faith. I found "Calvary" on the other hand excruciatingly obvious and inept. McDonagh is a novice filmmaker and he's fond of arch dialogue that calls attention to the character's sense of being characters. In one scene, the atheistic doctor actually refers to himself as, quote, "the atheistic doctor, a cliche part to play," unquote. So why then does he play it? Good actors like Chris O'Dowd, Dylan Moran and Domhnall Gleeson, Brendan Gleeson's son, look like actors, not human beings. But the elder Gleeson is alive - broodingly, messily alive. Carrying "Calvary" from first frame to it's almost last. He's grizzled and ginger-haired, his face prodigiously lined with heavy, sagging features and pieties don't fall easily from his mouth. On a visit to the rich man played by Dylan Moran who's bent on showing off his expensive paintings, Gleeson's Lavelle doesn't pander or conceal his contempt. (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "CALVARY") DYLAN MORAN: (As Michael Fitzgerald) I love this one. Really expensive. Not quite sure what it's supposed to mean though. BRENDAN GLEESON: (As Father James) Why does it have to mean anything? MORAN: (As Michael Fitzgerald) Everything has to mean something. Otherwise, what's the point? Of course I don't have to know what it means. I own it that's enough. GLEESON: (As Father James) That's all that matters? Ownership? Possession? MORAN: (As Michael Fitzgerald) How much land does the church own? How much gold? GLEESON: (As Father James) That's the church. That's not me. MORAN: (As Michael Fitzgerald) You are a representative of the church, are you not? GLEESON: (As Father James) If you say so. MORAN: (As Michael Fitzgerald) I do say so, yeah. I think you're very judgmental man, Father. GLEESON: (As Father James) Yes, I am. But I try not to be. MORAN: (As Michael Fitzgerald) You think I don't have any feelings? You think I don't care about anything? GLEESON: (As Father James) I think you don't want to do penance at all. I think you asked me here to make fun of me. But when you do want to do penance sincerely you can give me a call at any time and I'll try my best to help you. EDELSTEIN: Lavelle runs away in horror when the man pulls down this masterpiece and urinates on it. This priest radiates helplessness. He comes up with no answer for his daughter's misery - except to affirm his love. And these scenes are "Calvary's" plainest and most effecting. Lavelle also has no answer for his would-be killer whose identity he tells a bishop he knows. So why he doesn't seek the guy out for a conversation before their momentous date on the beach a week after the threat is a mystery. It's one of those absurd plot turns a writer asks for license to execute. And sometimes gets away with. Sometimes, not this time. I do admire McDonagh's determination to get something of the Irish-antic spirit into material so often handled airlessly. But apart from Gleeson, and that's a big apart from because he's very impressive, "Calvary" has the authenticity of a fringe-theater script, laboring to be offbeat. BIANCULLI: David Edelstein is film critic for New York Magazine. Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

What is an abortion? In simple terms, an abortion is an induced miscarriage of an embryo and/or fetus. abortions are performed in the United States annually? The CDC reports over 800,000 abortions occurring annually. What is a when a pregnancy is terminated by nature/"act of God". So, it is certainly not a valid argument to say that God wants all children to be born. Obviously, there are instances in which children are never born or are born only to die shortly thereafter. Some religious individuals may claim that children must be born even if it is just to die so they have a "chance" to be "saved". This underestimates God and is really an unfair characterization of God. Do these individuals believe that the children God calls home by terminating a pregnancy in the womb by natural miscarriage are damned? And, what loving God would damn the unborn? The justifications just don't add up. natural/"act of God" miscarriages, still-births, and infant deaths occur annually on Earth? Rates in 2011: The above link shows per 1000, how many infants died after live birth in 2011. Some countries have an infant mortality rate of 17.5%. That is approximately 17 out of every hundred births, or nearly 2 in 10 die in infancy. Approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies end in a miscarriage in the United States. That is 25% natural/"act of God" termination of pregnancies. Approximately 26,000 pregnancies end in still-births each year in the United States. And, that means 26,000 women went through an entire pregnancy and risked their lives to deliver a dead baby. How many children are abandoned worldwide and what becomes of them? - Every 2 seconds, a child becomes an orphan. - Every 14 seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS. - 1,000,000,000 of the world's families live on less than a dollar a day. - Authorities estimate that child pornography is a $20 billion a year industry; too many abandoned children end up as victims of this deviant activity. - UNICEF estimates that nearly 1,000,000 children enter the sex trade every year. - Experts also estimate that nearly 10,000,000 children are working as prostitutes, with nearly 90% of them girls. - According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is the single biggest contributor to child mortality rates - Many street children use a number of inhalants (glue, gasoline, lighter fluid) and illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine and heroin). - Street children are routinely detained illegally, beaten and tortured and sometimes killed by police in some Children in the United States are funneled into and often deadly behavior modification programs through the foster care system, social services, school districts, and through their own parents who often want a way to abandon their child without "looking bad". How many children are waiting to be adopted in the United States? Over 100,000 children are in the foster care system ready to be adopted. The need for caring foster families is also great. Would we really want to overload the Social Services system with 800,000 more children each year? If so, who is going to pay for it? How many children are in foster care in the United States? approximately 423,773 (2009-2010 data) children currently in foster care in the United States. How many families live at or below the poverty-line in the United States? 43.6 Million Americans live at or below the poverty-line and that number is growing. employment, wages, and cost of living look like for individuals and families in the United States? official reports, there are approximately 311,555,665 people in the United States. 127,097,160 people employed in the United States. This statistic does not include individuals who are self-employed. Of those 127 million employed by someone other than themselves, the average wage is $16.27 per hour. But, this is averaging the pay of CEOs with Burger King servers at minimum wage. So, the most common wage does not equal what is reported as the average wage in the report. The Federal minimum wage per hour is $7.25. all employed people in the United States work for minimum wage or less. Now, a minimum wage, full-time (meaning 40 hours, not the new "30" or "32" hour "full-time") job will pay (gross) $290 per week and approximately $1160 per month (before taxes). Here is what a typical paycheck for someone earning minimum wage, full-time, looks like: Your Pay Check Results Calculation Based On # of Federal This makes the net/liquid income of someone working minimum wage full-time in the United States approximately $947.08. If the individual has only him/herself to care for on this wage, here is what expenses look like without safety-net, health insurance/coverage, savings or emergency funds: National Average Cost of Rent for Studio Apartment--$740 Cost for Two-Bedroom Apartment--$1070 (if living with roommate, rent would be $535 for one individual. At full-time (40 hour) minimum wage, the cost of sharing an apartment with a roommate leaves this individual with $412.92. Average Cost for a Bus Pass--$25 per month if one can buy a $75 unlimited 3-month bus pass. This rate is for New Mexico. Rates for a one-month unlimited pass in New York is $104 per month. If we average New Mexico's rates with New York's, we get $64.50. HEAL will use the $64.50 as an estimated national average. This leaves the individual in our example with $348.42. We are giving the most economically efficient accounting for someone with a minimum wage income. Of course, individuals with vehicles will have even more expenses related to travel. Average Cost of Landline Phone and Utilities: The costs of utilities vary greatly depending on use. The average residential bill provided by Puget Sound Energy in Seattle shows a total of $97.97 per month. It is unclear if this is for a multi-person household. Assuming that it would be accurate for a two-person apartment, we will cut the amount in half and apply it to the decreasing spending power of the example individual. Half of $97.97 is $48.98. This leaves the individual with $299.44 after the electric bill alone. For basic landline telephone service with unlimited local calling only, the price starts at month. With Verizon, we chose a "free" phone and least expensive plan at $39.99 per month with a $35 activation fee and 450 "anytime minutes" with free weekend/evenings, voice-mail, no texting/data in the plan. The $12 per month above does not include caller id or voice-mail. With the least expensive of Verizon's plans, it would leave the individual with $259.45 each month. If he/she chooses the most basic phone model without voice-mail and no cellular phone, the total he/she has left is $287.44. Because most people are expected to have a cellular phone in the US today for business and personal use, we will be basing additional calculations on the $259.45 amount left with that minimum cost for water service appears to be between $15 and $40 per month depending on location. Based on this, we will assume a 2-person household would pay an average of $50 per month with the split between two roommates being $25 per month. This will reduce the total money available to $234.45 per month for the individual. Average Cost of Food and Groceries (toiletries, etc.) for One Person: The low range on groceries for one individual per month is $200 and the high range is $400 per month. If we calculate using the low estimate of $200 per month for groceries, this leaves the individual with $34.45. Basic Cable: The least expensive plan offered by Comcast.com is $29.99 for one year (and that price will go up). If two roommates split the cost for basic cable at this rate, they will each pay approximately $14.99 per month for basic cable. This is if they share a television. The cost would increase if each had cable access to their individual televisions in individual rooms. Based on the premise that they would share the television, we will deduct $14.99 from the running total. This leaves the individual If the individual requires any medical treatment or prescription medication, the $19.46 won't even cover those expenses. And, if the individual has any debts or expenses such as clothing/shoes/etc. each month, it will leave them with less than nothing. The minimum wage is not a living wage and certainly could not support an individual with a growing child. And, this is the condition under which the majority of Americans currently live At this point, we will share the story of one of our supporters who had an abortion in February of 1996. We are keeping her identity private so as not to subject her to judgment, ridicule, threats, and abuse by those who claim to be the epitome of the expression of God's love and compassion while they blame the victims of economic and social oppression for the choices no one would make if given legitimate support in a truly Christian/Compassion-Driven society. The heart of the problems involved with this controversial issue are addressed above and if you are intelligent and read through all the data and statistics, you should understand that the problem isn't with the women who seek abortions nor the physicians who provide abortion services. It is with the economic system that leaves the majority of the population living at or below the poverty line with little to no access to legitimate support and Here is her "As a teenager, I was a staunch pro-life advocate. I was a regular church-goer. And, I participated in school debates taking the position of supporting the pro-life/anti-abortion movement. I swore that I would never have an abortion and I believed women who had abortions were hateful. I was raised in a single-parent household. My custodial parent often worked more than 40 hours per week. I was often left with strangers and caregivers due to the demands of my custodial parent's schedule. I was sexually abused by two of these caregivers on separate occasions. My first experience of consensual sex was when I was 19-years old. It was unprotected sex. It did not result in a pregnancy. When I was 22-years old, I had a steady boyfriend. We were planning to live together and we eventually did live together for a few years. I had a full-time job. It paid $1250/month (gross/salary). I often prayed as a form of birth control. I prayed to not get pregnant and told God that I was not ready for that. My boyfriend and I did not use protection. And, my prayers were not effective birth control. I oppose hormonal birth control options to this day though and would recommend using condoms or looking into surgical birth control options. Regardless, my prayers were not effective as birth control and my period was late in late December, 1995. I bought a pregnancy test from the grocery store and it turned up positive. I was actually excited at the idea of being a mother until I talked with my boyfriend. He wasn't the When I saw that I was pregnant, I immediately stopped drinking caffeinated beverages. I was and still am a big drinker of caffeinated cola. But, I immediately stopped drinking pop. I was vegetarian and craved iron so badly that I ate a cheeseburger. And, I decided I would eat what my body told me to eat. Some of my favorite foods made me nauseous. And, I had to make some serious changes. I also started taking pre-natal vitamins immediately. I purchased them at the time I purchased the pregnancy test just to make sure I started off on the right foot. At this point, I started planning how I would tell my boyfriend, friends, and family. I was also shopping for baby clothes and items. I purchased parenting and health magazines and books related to pregnancy. And, it offends me to this day that anyone would think I didn't want my baby. I did want my baby. I loved my baby. At the time of my pregnancy, I had a full-time job. I told one of my office "girlfriends" that I was pregnant in confidence. She told my boss, the Vice President of the company. I was fired two days later. It was at-will employment. My office confidant was the assistant to the VP. And, she told me privately she was sorry she told him. The reason given for why I was fired was not the pregnancy. But, the women in the office told me that it was because of the pregnancy. I was given no advice on who I should talk to about being let go. And, the internet was not what it is now in 1995. If I had known they couldn't fire me for that and that I could get a lawyer to fight for my job and call those women to testify, I would have at least tried. But, knowing how expensive attorneys are and my inability to hire one as well as how wealthy the employer was and how they had a made-up reason for letting me go from an "at will" employment job, I would still think even trying would be futile today. So, hit one was the job loss. I didn't file for unemployment or any other social services benefit. My family was always opposed to welfare and believed in a strong work ethic. I was raised to be self-supporting and not to depend on welfare. My custodial parent never applied for nor accepted any welfare, including food stamps. I had no idea how to apply for these helps and I felt shame at the thought of applying. This shame came from people who abuse and condemn those who accept government assistance. And, I didn't want to expose myself or my child to such judgment and ridicule. I told my boyfriend I was pregnant. He told me that I was trying to trap him and that he "knew" he should have used protection. But, he didn't use protection. He said he wanted nothing to do with me or the baby. I was shocked. He moved out of our apartment. At this point, I was without a job and now alone in my apartment. I asked my parent for help. My parent helped cover some expenses, but, could not afford to take on the cost of two households. My parent did not offer for me to come home. But, I did not ask either. I felt it was my mess to deal with and that my family felt the same way. I didn't ask to come home. But, I know now if I had asked I would have been welcome. I didn't want to burden my family with my mistakes. And, it broke my heart to think of my pregnancy as a mistake. At this point, I was considering abortion and adoption. I really wanted to carry my child to term and to raise him/her with all the love I felt. During this time, Dateline NBC (I think) aired a show about a family who had adopted many children. They were on paper the perfect family. They regularly attended church. They were respected in their community. And, they had the resources to provide for the children they adopted. But, the adoptive father was keeping some of the children in the basement and using them for sex. Some of the children he had raised from birth he was raping on a regular basis and one had been forced to bear his children. I was horrified. I couldn't imagine taking a chance of putting my baby that I loved into the arms of strangers that might subject my baby to such atrocities. Adoption was out. This wasn't the only issue that caused me to discount adoption. I also looked into the statistics regarding the amount of children waiting to be adopted and didn't want to add to it. I also knew many people who had been adopted, including my boyfriend at the time. His adoptive parents treated him like their personal servant. He was nothing more than that to them. And, it made him a very irresponsible, confused, and angry young man. A friend in high school was also adopted. He was adopted by a good family who treated him well. But, not knowing his biological parents messed with his head. And, this seems to be common with people who are adopted. I didn't want to subject a child to a lifetime of misery and confusion. So, adoption wasn't the answer for me. applying for new jobs immediately. But, many required urine tests for drugs and I was afraid that they would see I was pregnant and not hire me. I was struggling financially and I didn't know what to do. No one told me who to call for help. No one encouraged me to talk to social services and apply for aid. Being raised in a single parent household while my other parent neglected to call, write, or visit on a regular basis (years without contact), I didn't want my baby to feel that deep rejection I felt from my non-custodial parent. I didn't want my baby to suffer the way I suffered. I didn't want my baby to suffer at all. And, knowing the dangers and misery involved in entering the world without prepared, financially stable, and loving parents would set up my child for a lifetime of pain and failure. I also didn't want to subject my child to any resentment I might feel in not being able to become financially stable and successful if tied down and sucked into the welfare system. My boyfriend was willing to stay with me and move back into the apartment to cover costs if I had an abortion. My custodial parent said the decision was mine and that they would support any decision I made. My employer and my boyfriend (baby's father) encouraged me to terminate my pregnancy overtly and indirectly. And, I didn't know what to do. I prayed. I prayed so much and cried so much over this decision. I asked God to help me. I asked God to show me where to apply for work or to help my boyfriend be more amenable to having the baby. I was doing everything I could to find work and to keep going. But, no work. One month later, no job offers. The clock was ticking and my boyfriend was pressuring me. Everything was pressuring me to terminate the pregnancy. I didn't understand why God wouldn't help. I knew I would never terminate a pregnancy after the first trimester. I was always opposed to abortion. And, the decision had been laid in my lap. It may have been Karma for all the judging I did when I looked at women who had abortions. I don't know. But, I became a much humbler person after this and that may have been God's plan. I had very little time to schedule the abortion. My boyfriend paid for it and drove me to and from the clinic. I had the abortion in February, 1996. My predicted due date was the 2nd week in September of 1996. It was before the end of the first trimester. It didn't matter. itself was physically and emotionally excruciating for me. I was given a large dose of Ibuprophen for the pain. But, there was no anesthetic used by the clinic. I felt like my insides were being ripped out. I stared at the ceiling in the clinic and I prayed. I prayed that my baby would go with the angels and that he/she knew I loved him/her and that I didn't want him/her to suffer. I don't know if it was a hallucination or not, but, I swear I saw my spirit handing the spirit of my baby to angels in that clinic. I felt God was with me telling me it was going to be okay. And, I When I see the hate and judgment I used to participate in prior to this, it disgusts me. It is hate, judgment, and oppression that put me in the position to make the choice I made. And, I honestly believe we will never stop abortions until we create a world where all children are wanted, welcomed, and provided opportunity for education and upward mobility. We cannot blame the victims of circumstance, we must change the The woman in the above statement has bravely shared her story with HEAL and we appreciate her comments. It is more than obvious that we need to work to create a world where there is no poverty, starvation, or other preventable/addressable problems. This will not be done through social controls on behavior. It will only be achieved through honest, respectful, and loving relationships between all human beings. And, this will only be achieved through a serious revision of our regulatory policies related to workers, the economy, and equality. We must strengthen the voice of workers and respect that all human beings are created equal. This means having social and governmental policies that support the people and individual Abortion is an economic issue. If you really want to stop abortion, begin by working to revise and enforce labor laws. If you really want to stop abortion, provide a legitimate safety-net that does not impose bureaucratic "hoops" for getting basic assistance. If you really want to stop abortion, don't judge the poor and demand control over them before offering a "helping hand". If you really want to stop abortion, put a little love in your heart and let it grow and spread in the most compassionate, humble, non-judgmental manner you can achieve as an imperfect be stopped through murder and mania. It will only stop when there is no need for it. The need is created by the economic circumstances of the individuals seeking the service. The economic circumstances are dictated by those with wealth and power. And, that is where we begin in the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality for all. Please be sure to truly identify a problem before claiming to know what the solution is in any given situation. And, if you don't want to do the research and work necessary to have an informed opinion, then don't participate in public discussion. rights/animal welfare campaign is on hold due to the overwhelming need for more human rights efforts and actions. This segment will attempt to reasonably discuss animal rights/animal welfare issues. Our goal is to put a damper on the fire of discord between people who support animal rights and those who do not. multiple animal rights issues and campaigns. For simplicity, we will be discussing major animal rights campaigns using facts. The animal rights campaigns we will be covering in this editorial are: Dietary Decisions; Animal Experimentation/Vivisection; Hunting; Entertainment; and Decisions--Omnivores and Herbivores omnivore is an animal that eats animals, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other non-animal-based foods. Herbivores only eat plants. No human being is a carnivore in the literal sense (with the exception of the the Inuit Tribe in Canada). Therefore, human beings fall into two categories: omnivores and herbivores. How many species on this planet are carnivores? HEAL was unable to locate information to answer this question. However, we found dolphins, lions, alligators, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, snakes and tigers are all considered carnivorous (primary diet is meat). There are also carnivorous plants. In fact, 670 species of carnivorous plants. Some species of plant eat fish. How many species on this planet are omnivores? HEAL was unable to locate information to answer this question. However, we found baboons, and pigs are part of the omnivore family. And, there are many other species as well rodents, birds, mammals, fish, and more that are considered Some species of non-human primate eat other primates. there are human cultures that appear to still eat humans from time to time. How many species on this planet are herbivores? HEAL found a wiki page listing herbivorous animals. We were unable to find any statistical data. This doesn't mean it doesn't Herbivorous animals include cows, elephants, pandas, kangaroos, deer, giraffes, gorillas, horses, and many more. There appears to be a conflict/hypocrisy in the standard animal rights argument against eating animals. Non-human animals eat animals and even plants eat animals. Forcing animals to adapt to a diet that they have yet to evolve to questions the wisdom of nature. The notion of thinning the herd is not outlandish as an argument. Death is a part of life and life cannot continue without death. That is the balance. If every species on earth, including humans, adopted an herbivorous diet, there would be extreme over-population, illness, and the world would run out of plants. As the world ran out of plants due to a population boom cross-specially, the baser survival instincts would overtake the living and animals and plants would adapt by again consuming animals. Therefore, a planet of only herbivores would eventually result in herbivorous humans understand that the end result of the extreme position to kill or perpetuate the extinction of all meat-eating animals (omnivores and carnivores) will eventually lead to a forced adaptation to some animal consumption, then hopefully they can admit that the extreme pressure on others to convert to veganism/vegetarianism is not a valid solution and will not result in a more humane world. Therefore, a tolerant respect for diversity and the need for baser instincts when faced with life/death/survival circumstances is required by all. The most engaging argument posed by animal rights activists is that reducing human consumption of animals will reduce the demand for animal-based products and lead to more humane farming conditions. The problem with this argument is that it does not take into account the dietary needs of the individuals. For instance, a vegan HEAL member was told by a vegan physician that he/she should eat meat. The doctor informed our volunteer that while he generally recommends people adopt a vegan diet, that due to our volunteer's health condition meat was necessary for good health. Forcing individuals to choose illness over health for the sake of other species may be considered too much to ask of anyone. public consumption of animal-based products likely to result in more humane treatment of those animals? According to the USDA, in 1970 there was 177,469 pounds of meat consumed and 39,526 pounds of eggs consumed in the United States. And, in 2008 (most recent available data) there was 196,874 pounds of meat consumed and 31,869 pounds of eggs 1970, there were approximately 203,302,031 people living in the United States. According to official reports, there are approximately 311,555,665 people in the United States in 2011. If you divide the pounds of meat consumed in 1970 by the population at the time, it results in less than one pound of meat per person in the United States that year. If you divide the pounds of meat consumed in 2008 by our current population, it results in .000631906_ pounds consumed per person each year. Of course, not everyone eats meat in the United States and the distribution is not even across the population. But, it would be difficult to suggest that ceasing to consume less than one pound of meat each year would result in more humane treatment of animals. Most foods, including Chef Boyardee Ravioli, use textured soy protein as filler in their meat products. Of course, you may have also heard about the 35% beef (rest is filler) burritos at Taco Bell. So, many "meat" products are already using vegetable-based fillers. But, the reduction in the demand for animal products has not resulted in more humane conditions for animals. Therefore, the argument is flawed and thereby easily dismissed by a skeptical It would seem everyone could agree that reducing animal suffering and illness would result in better quality animal-products for human consumption. And, it would seem that human beings would want better quality and healthier food if given the choice. Foodborne illness is a serious problem that 3,000 Americans every year. It causes illness in 1 in 6 Americans each year. And, 128,000 people are hospitalized each year as a result of contaminated food. Certainly, an issue that effects 17% of Americans each year and kills 3,000 Americans each year would inspire all of us to guard against it through effective regulation. In 2007 (110th Congress Session of Congress), Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) introduced legislation referenced as The Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act to close regulatory loopholes that allow for diseased animals to enter the nation's food supply. Those bills did not become law and have yet to be reintroduced. But, it is this type of legislation that is needed to improve agricultural industry standards and ensure public health. Would more humane farming/processing conditions lead to fewer foodborne illnesses? In humans, abuse/inhumane treatment has been found to have an adverse effect on physical health. This would initially suggest that other animals will also have adverse health effects if treated inhumanely. has been suggested by industry experts, that as many as 90% of downed animal cases could be prevented through better care, more humane handling and transportation methods." "Downed animals, also referred to as "downers," present both food-safety and humane treatment issues. They are commonly left where they lie without food, water, or medical care, 1 or are dragged by chains to the slaughterhouse 2 to be processed for human consumption." We deserve better and so do the animals. Does human health matter enough to human society to take steps to ensure there are strong laws and regulations governing food production and empowered enforcement officials to ensure compliance? Or, when it comes to food/survival, do we consider everything a gamble in which everyone takes their chances? Do we work to improve the quality of life and preserve life? Do we see public health as an effort not worthy of proper funding and enforcement? It would seem no human being who requires food to live would want to live in a society where there isn't effective regulation of food products to ensure food safety and quality. effective regulation and/or stands to benefit from lack of regulation? It certainly is not the public that benefits from a lack of regulation of agricultural businesses. It isn't the consumers who benefit from the lack of regulation. it certainly is not the workers who benefit from lack of 30% of farm workers in the United States are minors (under 18 30% of farm workers in the United States make less than minimum 43% of farm workers in the United States make minimum wage. than 10% of farm workers in the United States make $13.25 or more per hour. "Farmworkers are frequently vulnerable to abuse, especially when they have exclusive contracts with their employers or can be coerced to work through threats of deportation.3 It is nearly impossible to calculate the incidence of farmworkers forced into labor within the U.S., not only because it is a ‘hidden crime’ but also because victims frequently are reluctant or unable to seek help through official mechanisms. Forced labor (or "labor trafficking") is prosecuted almost exclusively as a federal crime, but recently federal and state law enforcement agencies have coordinated to investigate abuses. The largest case of forced labor in the U.S. was uncovered in 2010, involving more than 400 Thai farmers who were brought into the country to work on farms and orchards.4 " It is definitely not the farmworkers who benefit from lack of ConAgra made $215.1 million in 2011. In 2009, the state Department of Labor found 26 serious health and safety violations at ConAgra's Slim Jim plant in Garner and ConAgra was The health and safety violations resulted in the death of four workers and dozens more were seriously injured. Do you think a fine of $134,773 to a multi-million dollar corporation is a significant deterrent to cutting costs that result in hundreds of millions of dollars in profit? Do you think the loss of four lives and the injuries of dozens is worth more Beyond this, ConAgra falsified records to avoid paying additional fees to the USDA. After being taken to court and losing, ConAgra had to pay the plaintiff a total of $37,156.66 which included "compensation for attorney's fees". The award for actual damages to the plaintiff was a measly $107.50. No, not ten thousand; one hundred and seven dollars and fifty cents. (United States ex rel Bahrani v. ConAgra, Inc., 10th Circuit Court, October 26th, 2010, Circuit Judges Briscoe, Baldock, and Tymkovich) This is some limited data suggesting that ConAgra benefits from the lack of regulation and would face a decrease in profits if it improved working conditions and the conditions under which animals live. And, it would appear that the only people benefiting from this are ConAgra shareholders with no concern for public health or animal To ensure public health, labor rights, and animal welfare, we should demand effective regulation of agricultural businesses. And, any efforts aimed at changing individual/consumer "behavior" that does not include effective regulation of businesses who operate in illegal and/or unconscionable ways is placing the responsibility on the shoulders of those least able to make an impact. Consumers have limited time, limited energy, and limited funds. And, consumers are bombarded with commercials that promise convenience and low prices. The restrictions must be placed on the companies and not the consuming public if real change is to be made. We have decided to reproduce our article on animal experimentation and vivisection here. It suits the purposes of this reasonable discussion. You can print a copy of this article by www.heal-online.org/antiviv.pdf. Here it is: inhumane and unethical, vivisection is bad science. Most, if not all, of the discoveries that have been made regarding the improvement of human life and health have been without vivisection or in spite of it. Vivisection may be the greatest self-imposed stumbling block in the history of scientific research and discovery. If we were to believe in vivisection as a valid and valuable method for learning about human physiochemistry, health, and healing, we wouldn’t have healing and/or medicinal drugs available to us such as penicillin, digitalis, and morphine. We would also have been spared the horrors of tuberkulin. At the time penicillin was created guinea pigs were widely used as test subjects. Since penicillin kills guinea pigs, mice were used instead. “But the same guinea pigs can harmlessly and painlessly eat strychnine, one of the deadliest and most toxic poisons for humans-but not for monkeys... The use of digitalis-the chief “cure” for cardiac patients and the deliverer of countless human lives all over the world-was set back far too long a time since it was first tested on dogs in who it treacherously builds blood pressure. And chloroform is so toxic or poisonous to dogs that for too many wasted years this precious anesthetic was never used on patients. Morphine, which tranquilizes and anesthetizes humans, provokes a crazed exhiliration in cats and mice, but dogs can tolerate doses up to 20 times higher than humans. Robert Koch’s tuberkulin, once extolled as a vaccine against tuberculosis since it “cured TB” in guinea pigs, was found out after to cause “TB” in humans... And while the countless vivisections on live animals had gained nothing but to collect a body of sterile data and misinformation, of worthless facts and figures, healing art and surgical technique had taken huge strides using or abusing NO animals –by means of the pure exercise of human intelligence and observation. Aspirin, belladonna, chloroform, digitalis, ether, iodine, laughing gas, quinine, and strophantin had all been hit on without falling back on animals. Auscultation, fever thermometer, percussion, pulse count, and stethoscope had been contrived without animal tests. Pasteur had proclaimed the so-called “germ theory” founded on several studies on the fermentation of beer and wine. There had been the finding of X-rays by Roentgen, which-like that of radium a few years later-was no more due to animal vivisection than the relearning of the importance of asepsis (freedom from disease-causing germs) in general surgery. If we took all these discoveries (side note from webmaster: meaning the discoveries made without using and abusing animals, without vivisection) away, modern-day medicine would have almost nothing left. And, they uplifted surgery out of the medieval tedium, thanks to the truly great British inventors who all had categorically proclaimed that vivisection could just lead medical art amiss.” (excerpts from “Lab Animal Abuse: Vivisection Exposed!" By Joseph Covino Jr.) Since animal bodies respond so differently to the varieties of drugs and foods from one another it is seemingly obvious that using one species to validate cures or effects of treatments to discover how said cures or effects of treatments will effect another species is ludicrous. Dogs can’t tolerate digitalis or chocolate. But, the human heart needs both in many cases. Cats and mice can’t tolerate morphine. But, it aids us in pain relief and anesthetization. Monkeys and guinea pigs can safely eat strychnine, but, strychnine is death for humans. Tuberkulin cured tuberculosis in guinea pigs and caused it in humans. The only reason this madness continues is because of pride and greed. The vivisectors do not want to admit to their wasted time, money, effort, and the wasted lives of billions of nonhuman animals. Their egos will not allow them to admit to their own foolishness, wastefulness, and stupidity. And, more so, their million-dollar homes looking out on acres of land or oceanic waters, their millionaire status, and pseudoscientific power only gives them reason to carry on in this insanity. It is up to the true scientists who revere philosophy and logic, and to the public majority, to shut down these barbaric vivisectors once and for all. There are many sub-categories of hunting. However, for the purposes of this discussion, we will limit the sub-categories to "trophy hunting" and "hunting for food". hunting is done with the purpose of collecting dead animal parts to decorate one's home or office with the evidence of the kill. Trophy hunters may use some of the meat, but, it is not their primary purpose in the hunt. trophy hunting often includes the hunting of Killing for the sake of personal "glory"/gratification as opposed to survival and sustenance is arguably immoral and unnatural. International laws do not protect human rights and animals will not be safe from abuses until human society gets things right. Creating and enforcing human rights laws is a step in the right direction. The better humans treat each other, the better humans will treat all species. It is foolish to attempt to stop humans from harming animals when they exploit other people on a daily basis. And, ignoring the fundamental problems at the heart of the issues we face today will not make them go away. Therefore, a focused energy to stop trophy hunting may be a poor use of resources at this time. Trophy hunters find animal rights' activists amusing and laughable. As with dietary decisions, we cannot stop trophy hunters from hunting. But, we can support stronger laws protecting animals from extinction or predatory hunting practices. This can only be done through citizen initiative and public participation/support. The government is a tool of the people that we fund and use to ensure public safety and effective and humane public policy. And, we must fund the services necessary for the protection and enforcement of all regulations and laws that protect the The second category is that of hunting for food. Hunting for food is a respectable practice. One HEAL Coordinator's cousin raises chickens and rabbits for food. And, this cousin also hunts for food. The chickens and rabbits are treated humanely. And, the kills are quick and done with care. There is a "salt of the earth" quality to people who grow, raise, and kill/prepare their own food. It is in better harmony with nature than the processed soy-foods one finds at the supermarket. And, overall is more in balance with the The same discussions apply to trophy fishing and fishing for food. And, it is important that people who live in glass towers take a walk on the real wild side once in a while to understand and respect those who grow, raise, and prepare their own food. A wild animal is a free animal. And, freedom comes with risk. HEAL would support a world that allows for more freedom and more balance with nature. Bottom line, HEAL finds trophy hunting/fishing morally reprehensible and hunting/fishing for food natural and respectable. Animals are used for human amusement in a number of ways. This includes horseracing, circuses, and film. Some zoos and "preserves" are also abusive and ineffectively regulated. We will break this discussion up into the following sections: gambling/racing, circuses, film/performing arts, and zoos/preserves/sanctuaries. What types of animal activity do individuals gamble on? Dog racing, Horseracing, Dog-fighting, and Cock-fighting are only a few. How many dogs are injured or killed in dog races each year? In 2000, 19,000 greyhounds were killed. In 2011, over sled dogs were killed in Canada as well. Injured dogs who can no longer perform their racing function are usually How many horses are injured or killed in horse races each year? In California, the average from 2008-2010 was 322.5 deaths per From 2003 through 2008, there were 5,000 reported horse deaths at thoroughbred racetracks. That would make the national average approximately 1,000 horses per year. even the racetracks admit to lax record-keeping standards and that the number is far greater than reported. Due to the poor records keeping and lack of available information, this is the best answer we can provide. As with dog racing, horses who are injured in races are also often euthanized. In what states is dog-fighting legal? There is only one state where participating in dog-fighting is legal and that state is Montana. Dog-fighting and participating in dog-fights as an owner or spectator is illegal in every state except Montana. Owning dogs for the purpose of fighting or sponsoring a dog-fighting event is illegal in Montana. However, being a spectator at the event is not illegal. Since dog-fighting is already prohibited nationwide, the problem is lax law enforcement or failure to report/investigate In what states is Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states. Louisiana was the last state to ban cockfighting in 2007. As with dog-fighting, what is needed is task forces in law enforcement agencies that understand the laws pertaining to animal-human relations and can investigate and enforce those laws. This requires funding and funding to stop cruelty to animals is on the bottom of the list of priorities at this time for most Overall, many animals are injured and killed related to gambling and illegal gambling activities. The blood-thirst of the trophy hunter is reflected in the attitude of those who attend dog and cock fights. It is morally reprehensible and HEAL does not HEAL would argue that dogs and horses deserve to live a life free from bondage and exploitation. And, since human beings are capable of racing on foot, by bicycle, boat, car, or plane, there is really no need to involve other species in our races. There is plenty to bet on without exploiting other animals in this manner and we would support an end to using animals in gambling events. Circuses with performing animals are an antiquated form of entertainment that is as perverse as any freak show. The animals are mistreated and forced under threat of violence to perform unnatural tricks for spectators. The inhumanity of the manner these animals are kept and cared for is appalling. If the ethical concerns raised by the mistreatment of the animals isn't sufficient to avoid supporting such events, please consider the following questions and point: How many humans are injured attending animal circuses each year? There doesn't appear to be a statistic available to answer this question. there have been numerous incidents of deaths and injuries to humans working for and/or attending animal circuses. a bear bit off part of the finger of a 2-year old attending a Shrine Circus in Missouri. Also, in 1997, a tiger killed his trainer at the Franzen Brothers Circus in Pennsylvania. In 1998, a Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey circus employee was attacked by a tiger. The tiger bit a baseball-size chunk out of the employee's head. In 1999, a Shrine Circus employee in Duluth was crushed and seriously injured when an elephant sat on him. In 2002, two Shrine Circus elephants escaped in Wisconsin and a child was injured, there was also property damage involved. In tigers attacked their trainers/handlers in the Siegried & Roy Vegas show and a circus in Wisconsin. The tiger attacks resulted in serious injuries to their handlers. In an elephant trampled a circus employee to death in Fort Wayne, At a circus training facility McHenry County a supervisor was seriously injured when mauled by a tiger in 2008. In more than a dozen children were injured when a circus elephant was startled in Indiana. The children had been waiting to ride the elephant and the elephant's response to being startled caused the collapse of scaffolding People are often naive in assuming that if someone is doing something it is likely to be a relatively safe activity. People often ignore "assumption of risk" warnings and caveats when purchasing tickets to the circus or similar events (i.e. rodeos). And, people assume that there are safeguards in place and that injuries are unlikely to occur or to be minimal. It clearly poses a serious risk to allow mistreated and naturally violent/predatory animals (i.e. tigers) to be used in open forums for entertainment purposes and to rely on people who are the primary cause of the animal's suffering and mental state to protect the public from the animal if it decides to no longer comply with There are plenty of serious incidents on record worldwide that show that animal circuses are a danger to public health and to property. And, there is no legitimate purpose served by continuing the tradition. There can be fairs, festivals, games, and rides without using animals. And, there can be real fun without exploiting and harming other animals. So, there is really no clear reason to allow animal circuses to continue. The risk to human health and property far exceeds any supposed benefit offered by the excitement of the danger of seeing "wild beasts" and their "tamers" perform. And, families and individuals would have a much more valuable "wild time" on a camping trip than in a city tent filled with half-crazed animals who live in their own Overall, HEAL would recommend camping for a "wild time" and that all other forms of live entertainment be done by willing human beings. HEAL was unable to locate any statistics regarding actors/crew being harmed by animals on the set. The majority of information available is from the American Humane Association. And, their focus is to ensure that animals are not mistreated while on set. the AHA does not regulate or examine how the animals are treated by their trainers when off the set and this raises serious concerns regarding the training methods and welfare of the animals. The AHA has stated that it is part of their agenda to pressure officials for stronger animal protection laws and enforcement. As stated above, animal welfare is not a priority for our officials at this time. So, it will require public action and pressure to change the laws and ensure animals are treated humanely. There are many new technologies available, that include CGI and animatronics, that allow for films and performing arts to use the concept of an animal without using the actual animal. Some of these techniques are so refined that one cannot tell they are special film "Gladiator" (2000), the tigers looked real. But, they were not. It would do people good to use a little imagination once in a while as well. Given that there are alternatives that can be used in storytelling and plenty of nature shows on the air, there is no real reason to continue to use live animals as "actors" for human entertainment. HEAL would support the abolition of the use of animals in The ethical considerations are many. Do humans have the right to cage other species for our own amusement? Is this humane? Regardless of these considerations, other issues arise. How delicate are eco-systems and how does relocating animals effect the environment and human health? These are the more relevant questions if we are to continue discussing this in a practical and reasonable manner. Devastating Effects of Introducing Foreign Species to an Eco-System "The great increase in the introduction of alien species that people are importing for economic, aesthetic, accidental, or even the complex reasons is leading to more species invading native ecosystems, which bring about results: they become invasive alien species (IAS) that have significant harmful effects on both ecosystems and So, we know that introducing alien/foreign species to an eco-system is often harmful both to the eco-system and to the humans that are part of it. This would suggest keeping zoos and sanctuaries that include non-native species is unwise and detrimental to the environment and human health and prosperity. This is a serious So, HEAL would recommend against any zoos, preserves, or sanctuaries that intentionally introduce alien species to the native eco-systems. How many people are injured by animals at zoos each year? There do not appear to be any statistics available to answer this question. Often people are injured due to their own negligence. But, zoos should keep security and supervisory watch for any activities that put animals or people in harm's way. Zoos often make a spectacle out of other animals and many animals are anxious and traumatized due to their living conditions at zoos. Zoos are nearly as inhumane and dangerous as animal circuses and should be effectively regulated or done away with if unable to meet the actual needs of the animals in their care. What is a wildlife preserve and how is it different than a zoo? Well, in Maryland there is a "wildlife preserve and zoo" called Catoctin. But, HEAL would not consider anything operating as a zoo to be a "wildlife preserve" in the proper use of the term. Northwest Trek in Washington is a legitimate nature/wildlife preserve and the animals roam free while humans look on from enclosures for safety. Nature reserves and preserves are lands devoted to protecting the local eco-system and native plants and animals in a protected area. And, they are generally not profit-driven nor exploitative towards the animals. HEAL supports Northwest Trek and would advocate for similar wildlife preserves and nature reserves. HEAL does not support the exploitation and conditions at most, if not all, zoos. What is an animal sanctuary and how is it different than a wildlife preserve? Just like with all things, people will call a zoo a sanctuary, but, it is really a zoo. These people know that sanctuary and preserve give a better public image for what they do, but, the public should be aware that there is a lot of false-advertising out there. Be sure that any sanctuary, preserve, or safari you visit is legitimate and that the animals receive proper care. If not, visiting such establishments will put you and your family at serious risk of injury. All such businesses have "assumption of risk" warnings throughout and you likely do not wish to be or have a loved one harmed by an out-of-control animal who has suffered years of neglect and abuse. Some respectable and legitimate animal sanctuaries Peace Sanctuary and Pasado's Safe Haven. Please research any animal enterprise you consider giving money to prior to giving the money to ensure you are not participating in animal cruelty or being scammed. Overall, HEAL supports legitimate conservation efforts and sanctuaries like Pigs Peace and Pasado's. However, HEAL opposes zoos and the exploitation and abuse of animals for human amusement. Fur coats are not a necessity. Some may argue that fur is a necessity among certain cultures in certain climates due to a lack of resources to keep warm given the environment. does not respond well to warm climates or warm temperatures. And, fur can be destroyed if soaked as can suede. The time, care, and other issues necessary to keep furs in good condition suggest that furs are not for those with limited resources or no access to climate control devices (i.e. air conditioner). Therefore, as furs are used and capable of being used, they are not a necessity. Since fur coats are not necessary for survival and animals are abused/mistreated that are raised for fur, it is clear that fur can and should be abolished from the fashion industry. The clothing, shoes, and apparel industries are known for widespread human rights abuses and it is clear that much regulation needs to be done in regards to these industries for both human and animal Often cat and dog fur are used for trim on coats sold throughout the United States. And, most people in the US would find this fact disturbing. Regardless, it is apparent that fur represents the suffering and death of animals and is not necessary for human survival. The ethical position in regards to fur in a culture that does not require fur for warmth (i.e. those living in the USA) is not to use or purchase fur. There are plenty of ways to keep warm without fur and there is really no purpose for fur. So, it just seems rather stupid to participate in or promote fur as a fashion statement. Those who would use fur as a status symbol of their wealth are morally bankrupt and likely abuse humans, especially those they "employ", to exert their status and so-called "authority" as well. If an Eskimo or Siberian-native was wearing fur or animal pelts for warmth, HEAL would respect that as a necessity. Overall, HEAL opposes the use of fur for fashion, but, respects the use of animal pelts by those who actually need it for survival. The latter circumstance is very rare and may be moot at this point in the development of human civilization. Leather is a tougher issue. It is durable and long-lasting. It is difficult to say whether buying one good pair of leather shoes or boots that last a lifetime when cared for properly is better or worse (in a moral sense) than buying multiple shoes and boots that wear out and must be replaced often. The treatment of workers who manufacture leather and pleather shoes is often abysmal and atrocious. And, in reviewing the clothing and shoe industries, we find a lot of areas that need serious regulation Do they use the same cows for leather that they do for meat? even though some animal rights activists have told HEAL otherwise. This is part of the problem. Activists need to provide facts and real information to the public. And, it becomes a serious barrier to effective change when the information given or provided is not accurate. Leather is also made from pigs, horses, and other animals. But, overall the arguments are not persuasive either way for or against leather to HEAL's satisfaction at this point. And, HEAL would like to see greater regulation of the clothing/shoe industries to ensure workers' rights and human rights. Improving the conditions of the humans who work with and/or care for animals will result in better care of those animals. Stronger regulations and enforcement are needed to protect both humans and animals from abuse and exploitation. And, we hope you Is Real and It's Really Not Therapy I was a 16 year old pot head. I needed help and my parents decided I should be put in a program. When I mentioned this to a friend he said, “Don't go Marcus, they'll brainwash you in there!” I knew better though, there was no such thing as brainwashing. It only happened in cartoons, the cat would brainwash the mice, their eyes became turning spiral pinwheels and they held their little arms out in front of them like zombies. This was brainwashing, it was cartoon fiction and I wasn't scared. I knew what would happen in there, I'd get help. I was going for therapy. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), all ethical therapy consists of proven, safe and effective practices that a client or client guardian has consented to. This is one reason that the practice of coercive persuasion and thought reform is officially non-therapeutic. The methods used have not been proven to be safe or effective, so why are they legal? isolation and forced exercise; food, water and sleep deprivations; communication and toilet restrictions; humiliation rituals, emotional abuse and manipulation are all practices currently employed on a daily basis, as “therapy” for troubled teens. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has acknowledged thousands of reported claims of abuse in today's behavior modification programs, but no one has yet addressed the technology at work in these facilities. This technology is based on several forms of manipulation. These efforts to manipulate behavior through intentionally inducing stress, are inherently abusive, often violent and many teens have died while subjected to this type of “therapy.” The APA does not officially acknowledge the existence of brainwashing. There are legal questions and implications that would be very difficult to address. There are also many crimes that could potentially be defended with a plea of “I'm innocent, I was brainwashed!” It's a can of legal worms. But while focusing on brainwashing's potential effects on the judicial system, the damaging effects of the process itself have been ignored. There is an overwhelming amount of personal testimony about the negative long-term side-effects that brainwashing can inflict. I personally believe there are also long-lasting physiological changes in the brain that occur when adolescents are subjected to thought reform and behavior modification in an institutional setting. I believe that the underlying reason for the perpetual abuses in the troubled-teen industry is that the “theory of brainwashing” has not yet been officially “proven.” The technology cannot be banned until it is proven to exist. There is a system at work within the systematic abuses. Until the system itself is identified and dismantled, the tell-tale “symptoms” will persist. psychological abuse is built into many of these programs by design. According to several different experts on the subject, the exhaustion and pressure that is induced by sleep deprivation, hunger, fatigue and emotional manipulation, “unfreezes” the psychological framework. Through this orchestrated crisis, a new identity is instilled by manipulating the environment and the emotions of the subject to an extreme degree until the “changed” mind of the subject has undergone “re-freezing.” This process requires varied amounts of time according to the individual character of each client, which is why there is no fixed length of time to “complete” this type of treatment. Much of the power of this process relies on the secretiveness surrounding it. The methods work best if the intention behind them is not revealed to the subject. Understanding the principles and dynamics involved in this behavioral technology, reduces their effectiveness. Could you give an informed consent to treatment if it were described like this?... “The process then is the abrupt dissolution of the structure of intentionality by an electrochemical discharge in the brain, leaving the brain in a state of malleability for the construction of a new belief structure by which to guide behavior.” (Walter J. Freeman, Chaotic State Transitions in Brains As a Basis For the Formation of Social Groups, 1995) While these underlying principles and dynamics are not revealed to the client or the legal guardian, a consent to treatment is impossible. effectiveness of coercive thought reform upon teens has not been proven and the ethical questions have been quietly ignored. The debate within the APA has centered around various legal implications but questions about the potential for harm have been avoided. By ignoring the unproven “theory of brainwashing,” the APA has been ignoring the damage done by the practice of brainwashing. have never been proven safe and as an unproven treatment, are technically experimental. Also, according to several prominent experts that I've spoken with, there has not been any research on the long-term side-effects of this type of treatment upon adolescents. Perhaps the most relevant research is a European study that was recently conducted, which showed that 80% of adult survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland, still suffer from psychological have been subjected to “brainwashing” were often witness to a heartbreaking cruelty. These stories combined tell the larger story of an invisible monster, sold to parents and the public as therapeutic growth. “Brainwashing” is not therapy, it's refined torture. Merely addressing the symptoms of the process has enabled the abuses to continue. (please write and call the APA if you have any questions or if you would like to share your brainwashing experiences with them.) APA Main Telephone GAO Report on Deaths and Abuses in Troubled Youth Programs General information on “brainwashing” Walter J Freeman, Chaotic State Transitions of the Brain, 1995 http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/pdfs/data/1996/150-18/15018-13.pdf Walter J Freeman, the physiology of http://www.meadowhaven.org/liftoncriteria.pdf Lifton's conditions for thought reform http://www.csj.org/studyindex/studymindctr/study_mindctr_singer.htm Margaret Singer's Conditions for information about coercive persuasion Joost Meerloo, Rape of the Mind http://icsahome.com/infoserv_respond/info_researchers.asp?Subject=Academic+Disputes+and+Dialogue+Collection%3A+Preface Michael Langone, Preface to Academic Disputes and Dialogues Collection http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/UN-declaration/ 1959 UN Declaration of Rights of the Request From UN to the US and Somalia to Ratify the Rights of the Child http://www.rickross.com/reference/brainwashing/brainwashing3.html APA Memorandum on Brainwashing 1983 http://www.rickross.com/reference/apologist/apologist23.html APA Task Force Report APA Memorandum on http://www.apa.org/news/press/statements/juvenile-justice.aspx APA Statement on reforming the Juvenile Justice System 2010 http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Brainwashing more info on “brainwashing” 2010 Report on Irish adult survivors of institutional child abuse Congressman George Miller's proposed legislation to establish federal regulations Can Civilization Be Healed? "There is the fact that those in power have surrounded themselves with institutions such as the military and judicial systems (in fact the entire governmental structure) in order to protect and maintain their power ... the social system rewards the insatiable accumulation of wealth and power ... we are all immersed in a mythology that, far from causing us to see this accumulation as a great source of violence, causes us to see it as not only acceptable, reasonable, and desirable, but the only way to be." Derrick Jensen: Endgame, Vol. 1: The Problem Of Civilization (Kindle Edition: Location 923) Derrick Jensen steps into new territory with his groundbreaking work Endgame and asks if Civilization itself is compatible with our objectives of liberated humans, non-humans and the World. Firstly we’ll explore his conclusion that it simply isn’t compatible with those objectives and that armed struggle is the only solution to free the World from destruction. Secondly we’ll look at some good news stories which contrast with Jensen’s tough line. Forgetting the of this cold European winter we’ll cast our eyes to the Sun of New Zealand and a that shows a better, more sustainable future is possible. The Economics Of Deforestation And Destruction The sad side effect of our economic system is that it rewards destruction of land and extraction of resources with no thought for what would happen to that land in the future. Even less thought is given by multi-national firms to the impact on indigenous peoples in countries far from the media coverage activity in their home countries might garner. Jensen (Location 4984) explains in simple economic terms how purchasing land to conserve it has no benefits in today’s economic system. In fact it’s much more likely to attract significant costs to the organisation or individual looking to protect it. Alternatively he suggests we consider someone who simply wants to cut the trees down and sell them. Instead of incurring endless costs this individual makes a huge profit which allows the purchase and subsequent destruction of further Not only does our economic system provide further wealth (and opportunity to destroy) to those who would ‘use up’ land rather than conserve it but it encourages outright waste when no economic benefit can be gained. This has been known for hundreds of years as Adam Smith illustrates beautifully with his example from Scotland where at the time timber could not easily be transported in the Highlands of Scotland. “In some parts of the highlands of Scotland, the bark is the only part of the wood which, for want of roads and water-carriage, can be sent to market; the timber is left to rot upon the ground.” Adam Smith: An Enquiry Into The Nature And Causes Of The Wealth Of Nations (Kindle Edition: Location 2513) A Culture Of Destruction So we can see from a number of examples that our economic system doesn’t punish destruction in most cases but rewards the extraction and destruction of natural resources in many cases. It’s not just a numbers game, and there are huge elements of our culture which are destructive in nature. The exploitation of humans is shown time and time again from the Native Americans who were swept from their lands so that American settlers could achieve their Manifest Destiny to the Aborigines in Australia who now represent a tiny fraction of the population. The Civilized have, throughout history, seen ‘savages’ everywhere they looked and any action taken against them has been considered relatively acceptable by the home nations perpetrating these crimes against humanity. Some Rays Of Light - The Beauty Can Be Conserved Jensen might reach the most drastic conclusion that Civilization itself must be destroyed to save nature and humanity but even he agrees several times throughout his book that some people are doing some good work. On top of that all that good work does help and amongst all that good work we can find some great work that shows the way forward for Civilization. A good example in sustainability is shown near Rotorua, in New Zealand where a operates and is free to visit. Instead of allowing the lakes to simply be fished to excess as happens across much of Europe a huge operation takes place here to ensure the surrounding lakes are well stocked. Jensen’s arguments that humanity breaches the typical relationship between hunter and prey by not supporting the survival of the prey are clearly contradicted by these Of course it is economically essential for New Zealand to protect it’s natural assets as those are crucial to this tourist paradise. However it does reveal that given the right circumstances and motivation our system can deliver the right results. What we need to consider before we blow up any dams or bring down the government is whether there are ways we can slowly move more and more or our Civilization’s practices in line with a sustainable model and how much we agree that this is Argument for Civil Disobedience? HEAL thinks the following makes the top ten, at least. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, 16 April 1963 My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms. I think I should indicate why I am here in Birmingham, since you have been influenced by the view which argues against "outsiders coming in." I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Frequently we share staff, educational and financial resources with our affiliates. Several months ago the affiliate here in Birmingham asked us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct action program if such were deemed necessary. We readily consented, and when the hour came we lived up to our promise. So I, along with several members of my staff, am here because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here. But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid. Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action. We have gone through all these steps in Birmingham. There can be no gainsaying the fact that racial injustice engulfs this community. Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. These are the hard, brutal facts of the case. On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good faith negotiation. Then, last September, came the opportunity to talk with leaders of Birmingham's economic community. In the course of the negotiations, certain promises were made by the merchants--for example, to remove the stores' humiliating racial signs. On the basis of these promises, the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights agreed to a moratorium on all demonstrations. As the weeks and months went by, we realized that we were the victims of a broken promise. A few signs, briefly removed, returned; the others remained. As in so many past experiences, our hopes had been blasted, and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us. We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties involved, we decided to undertake a process of self purification. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves: "Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?" "Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?" We decided to schedule our direct action program for the Easter season, realizing that except for Christmas, this is the main shopping period of the year. Knowing that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the by product of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the Then it occurred to us that Birmingham's mayoral election was coming up in March, and we speedily decided to postpone action until after election day. When we discovered that the Commissioner of Public Safety, Eugene "Bull" Connor, had piled up enough votes to be in the run off, we decided again to postpone action until the day after the run off so that the demonstrations could not be used to cloud the issues. Like many others, we waited to see Mr. Connor defeated, and to this end we endured postponement after postponement. Having aided in this community need, we felt that our direct action program could be delayed no longer. You may well ask: "Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?" You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood. The purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. I therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation. Too long has our beloved Southland been bogged down in a tragic effort to live in monologue rather than dialogue. One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Birmingham is untimely. Some have asked: "Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act?" The only answer that I can give to this query is that the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act. We are sadly mistaken if we feel that the election of Albert Boutwell as mayor will bring the millennium to Birmingham. While Mr. Boutwell is a much more gentle person than Mr. Connor, they are both segregationists, dedicated to maintenance of the status quo. I have hope that Mr. Boutwell will be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation. But he will not see this without pressure from devotees of civil rights. My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure. Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals. We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied." We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, "Wait." But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?"; when you take a cross county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading "white" and "colored"; when your first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are) and your last name becomes "John," and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness"--then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience. You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, at first glance it may seem rather paradoxical for us consciously to break laws. One may well ask: "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?" The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all." Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. Segregation, to use the terminology of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, substitutes an "I it" relationship for an "I thou" relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of things. Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful. Paul Tillich has said that sin is separation. Is not segregation an existential expression of man's tragic separation, his awful estrangement, his terrible sinfulness? Thus it is that I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court, for it is morally right; and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong. Let us consider a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal. Let me give another explanation. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Who can say that the legislature of Alabama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically elected? Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest. I hope you are able to see the distinction I am trying to point out. In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law, as would the rabid segregationist. That would lead to anarchy. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law. Of course, there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience. It was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians, who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks rather than submit to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire. To a degree, academic freedom is a reality today because Socrates practiced civil disobedience. In our own nation, the Boston Tea Party represented a massive act of civil We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal." It was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers. If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country's I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured. In your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion? Isn't this like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery? Isn't this like condemning Socrates because his unswerving commitment to truth and his philosophical inquiries precipitated the act by the misguided populace in which they made him drink hemlock? Isn't this like condemning Jesus because his unique God consciousness and never ceasing devotion to God's will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion? We must come to see that, as the federal courts have consistently affirmed, it is wrong to urge an individual to cease his efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights because the quest may precipitate violence. Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber. I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the myth concerning time in relation to the struggle for freedom. I have just received a letter from a white brother in Texas. He writes: "All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry. It has taken Christianity almost two thousand years to accomplish what it has. The teachings of Christ take time to come to earth." Such an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills. Actually, time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity. You speak of our activity in Birmingham as extreme. At first I was rather disappointed that fellow clergymen would see my nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist. I began thinking about the fact that I stand in the middle of two opposing forces in the Negro community. One is a force of complacency, made up in part of Negroes who, as a result of long years of oppression, are so drained of self respect and a sense of "somebodiness" that they have adjusted to segregation; and in part of a few middle-class Negroes who, because of a degree of academic and economic security and because in some ways they profit by segregation, have become insensitive to the problems of the masses. The other force is one of bitterness and hatred, and it comes perilously close to advocating violence. It is expressed in the various black nationalist groups that are springing up across the nation, the largest and best known being Elijah Muhammad's Muslim movement. Nourished by the Negro's frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination, this movement is made up of people who have lost faith in America, who have absolutely repudiated Christianity, and who have concluded that the white man is an incorrigible "devil." I have tried to stand between these two forces, saying that we need emulate neither the "do nothingism" of the complacent nor the hatred and despair of the black nationalist. For there is the more excellent way of love and nonviolent protest. I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle. If this philosophy had not emerged, by now many streets of the South would, I am convinced, be flowing with blood. And I am further convinced that if our white brothers dismiss as "rabble rousers" and "outside agitators" those of us who employ nonviolent direct action, and if they refuse to support our nonviolent efforts, millions of Negroes will, out of frustration and despair, seek solace and security in black nationalist ideologies--a development that would inevitably lead to a frightening racial nightmare. Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. Consciously or unconsciously, he has been caught up by the Zeitgeist, and with his black brothers of Africa and his brown and yellow brothers of Asia, South America and the Caribbean, the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice. If one recognizes this vital urge that has engulfed the Negro community, one should readily understand why public demonstrations are taking place. The Negro has many pent up resentments and latent frustrations, and he must release them. So let him march; let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; let him go on freedom rides -and try to understand why he must do so. If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence; this is not a threat but a fact of history. So I have not said to my people: "Get rid of your discontent." Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. And now this approach is being termed extremist. But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . ." So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of I had hoped that the white moderate would see this need. Perhaps I was too optimistic; perhaps I expected too much. I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action. I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the South have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it. They are still all too few in quantity, but they are big in quality. Some -such as Ralph McGill, Lillian Smith, Harry Golden, James McBride Dabbs, Ann Braden and Sarah Patton Boyle--have written about our struggle in eloquent and prophetic terms. Others have marched with us down nameless streets of the South. They have languished in filthy, roach infested jails, suffering the abuse and brutality of policemen who view them as "dirty nigger-lovers." Unlike so many of their moderate brothers and sisters, they have recognized the urgency of the moment and sensed the need for powerful "action" antidotes to combat the disease of segregation. Let me take note of my other major disappointment. I have been so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership. Of course, there are some notable exceptions. I am not unmindful of the fact that each of you has taken some significant stands on this issue. I commend you, Reverend Stallings, for your Christian stand on this past Sunday, in welcoming Negroes to your worship service on a nonsegregated basis. I commend the Catholic leaders of this state for integrating Spring Hill College several years ago. But despite these notable exceptions, I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say this as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago, I felt we would be supported by the white church. I felt that the white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be among our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained glass windows. In spite of my shattered dreams, I came to Birmingham with the hope that the white religious leadership of this community would see the justice of our cause and, with deep moral concern, would serve as the channel through which our just grievances could reach the power structure. I had hoped that each of you would understand. But again I have been disappointed. I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white ministers declare: "Follow this decree because integration is morally right and because the Negro is your brother." In the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. In the midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and economic injustice, I have heard many ministers say: "Those are social issues, with which the gospel has no real concern." And I have watched many churches commit themselves to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange, un-Biblical distinction between body and soul, between the sacred and the secular. I have traveled the length and breadth of Alabama, Mississippi and all the other southern states. On sweltering summer days and crisp autumn mornings I have looked at the South's beautiful churches with their lofty spires pointing heavenward. I have beheld the impressive outlines of her massive religious education buildings. Over and over I have found myself asking: "What kind of people worship here? Who is their God? Where were their voices when the lips of Governor Barnett dripped with words of interposition and nullification? Where were they when Governor Wallace gave a clarion call for defiance and hatred? Where were their voices of support when bruised and weary Negro men and women decided to rise from the dark dungeons of complacency to the bright hills of creative protest?" Yes, these questions are still in my mind. In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church. How could I do otherwise? I am in the rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the great grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists. There was a time when the church was very powerful--in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators."' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent--and often even vocal--sanction of things as they are. But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust. Perhaps I have once again been too optimistic. Is organized religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world. But again I am thankful to God that some noble souls from the ranks of organized religion have broken loose from the paralyzing chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the struggle for freedom. They have left their secure congregations and walked the streets of Albany, Georgia, with us. They have gone down the highways of the South on tortuous rides for freedom. Yes, they have gone to jail with us. Some have been dismissed from their churches, have lost the support of their bishops and fellow ministers. But they have acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. Their witness has been the spiritual salt that has preserved the true meaning of the gospel in these troubled times. They have carved a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment. I hope the church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. But even if the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of our struggle in Birmingham, even if our motives are at present misunderstood. We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with America's destiny. Before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence across the pages of history, we were here. For more than two centuries our forebears labored in this country without wages; they made cotton king; they built the homes of their masters while suffering gross injustice and shameful humiliation -and yet out of a bottomless vitality they continued to thrive and develop. If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands. Before closing I feel impelled to mention one other point in your statement that has troubled me profoundly. You warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping "order" and "preventing violence." I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. I doubt that you would so quickly commend the policemen if you were to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you were to see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys; if you were to observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. I cannot join you in your praise of the Birmingham police department. It is true that the police have exercised a degree of discipline in handling the demonstrators. In this sense they have conducted themselves rather "nonviolently" in public. But for what purpose? To preserve the evil system of segregation. Over the past few years I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek. I have tried to make clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or perhaps even more so, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends. Perhaps Mr. Connor and his policemen have been rather nonviolent in public, as was Chief Pritchett in Albany, Georgia, but they have used the moral means of nonviolence to maintain the immoral end of racial injustice. As T. S. Eliot has said: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason." I wish you had commended the Negro sit inners and demonstrators of Birmingham for their sublime courage, their willingness to suffer and their amazing discipline in the midst of great provocation. One day the South will recognize its real heroes. They will be the James Merediths, with the noble sense of purpose that enables them to face jeering and hostile mobs, and with the agonizing loneliness that characterizes the life of the pioneer. They will be old, oppressed, battered Negro women, symbolized in a seventy two year old woman in Montgomery, Alabama, who rose up with a sense of dignity and with her people decided not to ride segregated buses, and who responded with ungrammatical profundity to one who inquired about her weariness: "My feets is tired, but my soul is at rest." They will be the young high school and college students, the young ministers of the gospel and a host of their elders, courageously and nonviolently sitting in at lunch counters and willingly going to jail for conscience' sake. One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters, they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judaeo Christian heritage, thereby bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in their formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Never before have I written so long a letter. I'm afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers? If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me. I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother. Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty. Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood, Martin Luther King, Martin Luther Jr. Behavior Modification and Social Justice excerpt is from "Imprisoned Intellectuals" edited by Joy James (p. 190). In studying civil rights and social justice movements throughout history, we believe the following excerpt reasonably and truthfully describes the purpose and intentions behind behavior modification programs throughout the United States. Please also see our open letter for more information on this issue. (For our Fair Use Disclaimer, The current corporate power structure has been using POW-style behavior modification to torture and enslave America's children for at least 4 decades. This is what HEAL is fighting against. And, we will not stop. When we say "Teen Liberty" we mean "Teen Liberty"! This is also why HEAL focuses on other social issues including civil rights, workers' rights, and prisoner rights/prison reform. It is all part of the same battle for liberty and justice for all Americans, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, age, or income! FROM: RICHARD HELLER Mr Mitt Romney PO Box 149756 July 12, 2012 Dear Mr Romney, I wrote to you last month urging you to abandon the Mormon faith. You might have considered this letter facetious or vexatious and a desperate attempt to promote my new pamphlet “Hi! My Name’s Richard And I’m NOT A Mormon.” You may well be right on all three counts. I hope that you will not take the same view of this letter, which invites you to take a stand on America’s “troubled teen” industry. You may it strange to hear this from a British writer, but many Britons have followed the growth of this industry closely, are alarmed at many of its practices and are determined to resist its spread to our country. I understand that you have personal links with it and I hope that it would not enjoy any special favour from your administration should you be elected President. urge you to appoint someone to inquire on your behalf into the treatment of children at the West Ridge Academy, formerly the Utah Boys Ranch. This is essentially a Mormon facility (since your church exalts family life it seems surprising that there is a demand for its services). It has faced persistent accusations of brutality and abuse towards children, and their use as free labor. Only recently it settled out of court a lawsuit by former residents. The person you choose for such an inquiry needs to earn the trust of former residents, and parents and carers: he or she should not be a Mormon. By taking this course, you would give a simple demonstration of your commitment to children and your willingness to place their interests ahead of the reputation of your church. As to the industry as a whole, I believe that there are serious inherent risks in any system which uses intensive residential treatments for troubled children as a source of private profit. In particular, “troubled teen” businesses are always likely to use coercive measures on children because they are cheaper than proper therapies, and in order to drum up customers they are always likely to resort to deceptive marketing techniques for parents. I therefore urge you to study the following proposals. They are not exhaustive and could well be supplemented by the results of any inquiry into West Ridge. 1) Any institution offering long-term residential treatments for children under 18 should be subject to the same rules and standards as a juvenile prison or reformatory in the state concerned; 2) Any such institution should have an independent board of visitors, to include at least one paediatrician. The visitors should have unrestricted access to inmates and records and should make 3) Parents or carers and public authorities in charge of children should be informed in advance of any placement about the scale of physical activity required of the child; the nature of any therapeutic program he or she will be expected to undergo and the qualifications of its administrators; the punishments or sanctions to be applied to the child and the reasons for them. Without such prior information, all contracts between parents and carers and the institution should be void and the institution should make a full refund of any payments; 4) Parents, carers and public authorities to be informed in advance of any religious links or affiliations of an institution, and of any religious study or contact which the child will be expected to 5) All punishments to be recorded in a form which can be inspected by parents and carers and the board of visitors. Any punishment not so recorded to become a criminal offence; 6) All agreements in which parents surrender majority control of their parental rights to be unlawful and void; 7) The board of visitors to inquire into all cases of death, serious injury or accident, attempted suicide or escape of a child inmate; 8) No institution of any kind to be allowed to offer any program or therapy intended to change a child’s sexuality, since all such attempts are futile and abusive. I hope that you will demonstrate your commitment to America’s children above the interests of businesses making money from them. Richard Heller is a British author and journalist. His novel The Network is published on Amazon Kindle, as is his recent pamphlet Hi! My Name’s Richard And I’m NOT A Mormon (sent to Mitt Romney). About HEAL, CAFETY, & ASTART by The HEAL Team HEAL was founded in 2002. HEAL was first contacted by Kathryn Whitehead, founder of CAFETY, in June of 2005. Kathryn Whitehead claimed to be filing a lawsuit against Mission Mountain School and asked HEAL if we would assist her in finding additional victims of Mission Mountain School to join her in that lawsuit. When other victims came forward, Kathryn Whitehead told them there was no such lawsuit and that HEAL was mistaken. This was our first experience of Kathryn Whitehead giving misinformation to us. In July of 2005, Kathryn Whitehead asked HEAL to promote her petition in support of HR 1738, the first bill introduced by Rep. George Miller to attempt to regulate the behavior modification industry. HEAL supported HR 1738 and all efforts to promote the legislation including the petition Kathryn Whitehead submitted. CAFETY was founded in 2006 and subsequent to years of action by Rep. George Miller in regards to stopping institutionalized abuse. CAFETY immediately began partnering with ASTART. When HEAL has inquired why some survivors support CAFETY, the answer most common is that CAFETY is responsible for introducing legislation to regulate the industry. This is absolutely false. CAFETY is not made up of State nor Federal Legislators and therefore cannot introduce legislation. In addition, CAFETY was founded subsequent to the introduction of the initial legislation on this issue. CAFETY is in no way responsible for any legislation. In March of 2006, HEAL received a request from two teachers at a private day school asking for information about a former CEDU staffer that had been hired to work at their school. The teachers were very concerned about the former CEDU staffer's behavior and attitude towards students and wanted help in researching this former CEDU staffer in hopes they could persuade the school board to terminate the staffer's employment at their school. HEAL sent a confidential request for help to gather more information on this staffer to other organizations, including CAFETY. This message was explicitly confidential and no information about the teachers nor the request was to be made public. Kathryn Whitehead immediately posted the teachers' names, e-mail addresses, and specific information about their request on CAFETY's homepage. The teachers were threatened with immediate dismissal and were told to discontinue any research into the former CEDU staffer. This was the first instance in which CAFETY breached the confidence of HEAL and undermined the efforts to stop the potential abuse of children. In September of 2006, two HEAL coordinators alerted Kevin August, the owner of antiwwasp.com, to concerns raised about his website being used as a referral service to abusive facilities. Kevin August replied and cc'd his good friend and co-moderator of the website, Bill Boyles, on the exchange. Bill Boyles was and remains an active member of CAFETY. Bill said, "if you knew anything about antiwwasp, you would know i am very active and involved with that site. i am also very active with help-for-teen.com i am not saying you shouldn't express your concerns about the ads; rather, i am saying that you insulted me by accusing kevin (and by association, me) of "contributing to and abuse of children and teens" and also not "car[ing] about kids."" (dated September 24th, 2006) HEAL expressed grave concern regarding not only the google ads running on the antiwwasp.com site that promoted abusive facilities, but, also the Parent Resources page on the antiwwasp.com site that linked to referral services. Antiwwasp.com actively and decidedly linked to theantidrug.com which refers to a number of abusive facilities and referral sites. This was an additional concern and as problematic, if not more so, than the google ads for abusive programs run on the antiwwasp.com site. HEAL was told in the end that antiwwasp.com would remove the offending content and links. But, this did not last. On January 12th, 2007 HEAL discovered that Kevin August (owner of antiwwasp.com) had started his own referral business and website teenshelp.us. We immediately contacted Kevin to voice our concerns. He was recommending Magnolia Christian Center (aka Magnolia Christian Academy) in MS which reportedly was connected to Bethel Boys Academy (IFB/Roloff program) through shared staff. On January 18th, 2007, HEAL found links under Parent Resources on the antiwwasp.com site to strugglingteens.com, mytroubledteen.com, meadowlarkacademy.com, and bootcampsforteens.com. HEAL immediately alerted Kevin August and Bill Boyles regarding our concerns. Instead of fully defending Kevin August as Bill Boyles had done previously, he stated that he did not agree with Kevin's choices, but, still supported antiwwasp.com as a place for WWASPS' survivors to socialize. HEAL will not work with anyone who is complacent and/or associates with abusive programs and their On January 26th, 2007, Brian Lombrowski stated the following in regards to CAFETY's website and others, "As a sidenote, most of our organizations are linked through the Technical Assistance Partnership website, which is updated by Lorrin (at least I think it is). This is a website funded through SAMHSA (to my knowledge), and the official resource of youth in the systems of refers to Aspen Education Group's Youth Care in Draper, UT, Heritage Schools in Provo, UT, and formerly to Provo Canyon School in Provo, UT. (Source: (click on UT on the Map)) This coupled with other similar associations between ASTART, CAFETY, and referral services are one of the primary reasons HEAL chooses not to work with ASTART On January 31st, 2007, Brian Lombrowski stated, "It's a little unnerving sitting in the same office with people who essentially rubber stamp residential treatment. However, the alternative for these kids is the juvenile justice system, not home based placement, and we've already had kids die, and brutally restrained in our juvenile justice system in the last year (It's a toss-up whether I would want to sent a kid to Ivy Ridge or Tryon which is the most notorious facility)." In the Juvenile Justice System, at least there would be some accountability and oversight. This is not the case with WWASPS' programs like Academy at Ivy Ridge. And, one of the most harmful aspects of WWASPS and other behavior modification programs is the denial of contact between family members and the use of cruel thought reform techniques typically not employed by publicly run In addition, ASTART and CAFETY share board members. And, when this was brought up in a fairly large e-mail discussion between many advocacy organizations and networks, Brian Lombrowski said, " First of all, we are not the public arm of ASTART, if anything it would seem to be the other way around. In full disclosure, we have borrowed a few ASTART members to form our board (Charles Huffine, Lorrin Gehring, and Kat Whitehead, and myself although unofficially at the present time). We are separate, albeit closely related and aligned organizations." (dated January 30th, 2007) has some serious problems with A-START. We've had quite a few questions and concerns e-mailed to us regarding Allison Pinto and A-START. After a little digging and asking around we were told Dr. Allison Pinto is on the board of several groups involved with the Tavistock Method of large group awareness One of our members asked Allison if she is the same Allison Pinto involved with the Tavistock Method and she admitted to it. Our concern is that the Tavistock Clinic is really the birthplace of coercive and aversive "therapies" and large group awareness training is simply a euphemism for "seminars" or cult-like brainwashing sessions. HEAL has a few other problems with A START. One, is that they do not have their facts correct even on their homepage at: http://astart.fmhi.usf.edu/. They claim the problem has been occurring since the early 1990's. Well, anyone who really knew what was going on and had really done at least some research, would know that the problem has been occurring with residential treatment since at least the late 1960's/early 1970's. (dated January 30th, 2007) Here we will return to CAFETY and the House Education and Labor (Workforce) Committee Hearings in 2007 and 2008. HEAL was first alerted to the possibility of hearings at the beginning of Summer, 2007. At that time, HEAL shared the information and contacts we had with other organizations, including CAFETY. HEAL was explicitly told by Rep. George Miller's office that no information regarding the hearings were to be made public and we communicated this to all other organizations we informed about the proposed hearings. Kathryn Whitehead immediately posted information about the hearings on the homepage of the CAFETY site, once again breaching our confidence and undermining the efforts of Rep. George Miller in regards to the hearings. Kathryn Whitehead reportedly told Rep. Miller's congressional aide that HEAL specifically told her to publicize the information. HEAL received a call from George Miller's office reprimanding us for the subsequent publication by CAFETY of the information on the proposed hearings. And, this allowed for the industry to infiltrate the hearings and eliminated HEAL and three other legitimate, long-running advocacy organizations from the hearings. Following all of the concerns and problems mentioned above, HEAL decided, in mid-2007, we would no longer work with CAFETY nor ASTART and would not share any sensitive information with those organizations. HEAL remained neutral in regards to both CAFETY and ASTART and simply chose to go our own way and leave those two organizations to their own devices. The neutrality of our position wore thin as more serious concerns came to our attention. HEAL was initially contacted in April, 2010 by a parent seeking to rescue their child from New Leaf Academy in NC. HEAL worked diligently on this and our collective efforts with the parent involved resulted in the opening of an investigation by NC Officials into New Leaf Academy. This parent reported to us, after the fact, that they had spoken with two individuals involved with ASTART, namely Robert M. Friedman and Lenore Behar. The parent also reported to us that New Leaf Academy in NC was given a "heads up" regarding the investigation and reported that ASTART was responsible for warning New Leaf Academy of the pending investigation. New Leaf Academy closed its doors, shipped currently enrolled children to other Aspen programs, and re-opened under a new name (Talisman) swiftly avoiding any investigation by NC authorities. HEAL continued to maintain our publicly neutral position in regards to ASTART and CAFETY. But, our concerns were In late 2010/early 2011, then CAFETY Board Member, Eric Norwood, stated that he would ask CAFETY to help fund HEAL's legal defense in the Provo Canyon School lawsuit. Eric repeatedly asked for the court documents even after he was informed that this was impossible due to the suit being filed under seal. When Eric was refused, he began trashing HEAL on Facebook and on Craig Roger's (Abundant Life Academy) blog. In March of 2011, HEAL was contacted by a parent seeking to remove their child from a wilderness program and to stop the enrollment of their child in a residential treatment center. With the parent's permission, we sent their contact information to individuals/survivors with experience at the wilderness program and the residential treatment programs being considered for "aftercare" to assist the parent in gathering information to help with the rescue and prevention of further institutionalization. A CAFETY member, who identified herself as such, sent a message to this parent promoting the wilderness program and stating that the child should not be removed from the program once enrolled. She stated that she had simply copy/pasted a message she had wrote for CAFETY as her response to this parent. In addition, she raved about the residential treatment program (a CEDU-model program) she was in and provided absolutely no useful information that would assist the parent in removing their child from the wilderness program nor prevent the further institutionalization of the child involved. HEAL removed that CAFETY member from our contact list and we were very upset that someone who reported to us that they were a survivor and wanted to stop abuse would actually promote the institutionalization of youth in confirmedly abusive facilities on our watch-list. This would appear to be the final straw, but, HEAL was still hesitant to take public action. It was also in March of 2011 that HEAL became aware that CAFETY was partnering with the AACRC (The CAFETY/AACRC partnership has reportedly been dissolved as of November, 2012). HEAL wrote a letter to CAFETY detailing most of the concerns mentioned in this article. At this point, HEAL posted a recommended boycott of CAFETY, our letter voicing our concerns, and created a webpage with information we compiled on AACRC and their members. One of the member programs of the AACRC is UHS' Willow Springs Residential Treatment Center in NV. UHS also owns Provo Canyon School. And, this placed CAFETY in partnership with a membership organization tied to those who seek to repress the truth and oppress their victims. HEAL found this extremely disturbing given Eric Norwood's adamant demand for our court documents. Given CAFETY's association with the AACRC, this could have jeopardized HEAL's advocacy in more ways than one. In June, 2012, HEAL learned that Charles Huffine (board member of CAFETY and ASTART) disciplined for endangering the life of a child in his care. At this time, we also learned that Kathryn Whitehead had worked as a Care Coordinator (case manager) for the Mental Health Association of NYC. The Mental Health Association of NYC places children in the Hillside Family of Agencies. Whitehead also worked for the Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies. This Coalition includes Phoenix House of NY and other reportedly abusive residential facilities. Whitehead also worked for the BRC Reception Center. BRC is a residential treatment facility for adults. (Source: Whitehead's history of working for referral services and in residential treatment raise additional concerns for us at HEAL. This coupled with Huffine's recent disciplinary record confirm that HEAL should in no way associate with CAFETY nor ASTART. On August 1st, 2012, HEAL received a copy of the letter from Kathryn Whitehead/CAFETY to the AACRC requesting that clarifying language be added in regards to CAFETY's partnership with the AACRC as CAFETY was concerned that their partnership was being misconstrued by some as an endorsement of the member programs of the AACRC. The reality is that the AACRC is simply NATSAP 2.0 and that regardless of how you define a partnership with the organization, there is no getting around the existence of that partnership and the concerns raised by the existence of such a partnership. HEAL was explicitly and repeatedly lied to by CAFETY board members regarding the existence of the partnership and this so-called letter is the first attempt we've seen by CAFETY to clarify the intent of their partnership with the AACRC. It is our opinion that this attempt is too little too late and that the partnership is simply one more example of CAFETY's ineptitude and/or corruption. The CAFETY/AACRC partnership has been in existence for over a year and it is really too late to clarify the situation to our/HEAL's satisfaction at this On July 30th, 2012, HEAL was alerted to a youtube video criticizing CAFETY. HEAL had nothing to do with that video, though, we likely share some of the same views regarding CAFETY. HEAL is not even familiar with the individual who created the video and had no part in its creation or distribution. On August 2nd, 2012, HEAL received a copy of a thread from Facebook discussing the video criticizing CAFETY in which Kathryn Whitehead lies about HEAL and attempts to get a following to help her with her Today is August 2nd, 2012. HEAL will not be officially responding to any additional attacks, misinformation campaigns, nor any other abusive actions by Kat/CAFETY or her/their supporters. Like the behavior modification programs, Kat/CAFETY enjoys instigating fights, disagreements, and discord privately while publicly "playing the victim" when legitimate concerns are raised about her/their practices and statements. HEAL assists in hundreds of crisis calls and rescues every year. We work on public information campaigns, citizen initiatives, State Action Plans, Action Alerts, and much more. HEAL simply does not have time to engage in message board/Facebook "drama" and we hope you don't either. If you are an activist/survivor seeking assistance with your own actions and projects, please visit for information on how we can help you stop institutionalized Efficiency v. Government Misuse of Funds and Intentional Ineptitude (Willful Blindness) Search the HEAL Website (Search Includes External Links To Sites Not Affiliated with HEAL)

JERUSALEM — Sunday was an eventless day. Yes, Migron, the most famous of illegal Jewish outposts in the West Bank, was evacuated. But nothing happened, really. The move was peaceful, with only minor protests. The settlers’ warnings that they’d resist proved hollow, and the government’s fear that they might, baseless. Having learned that Migron was built on private Palestinian land, and having rejected a government deal allowing the settlers to stay put for another two years, Israel’s High Court last week ordered the outpost’s prompt removal [paid content]. This decision, and the actual evacuation on Sunday, is both good news and bad. It’s good that settlements can be removed because by and large settlers obey court orders. But it’s bad that the Israeli government spends so much time and so many resources trying to placate the settlers, thereby needlessly handing ammunition to its detractors. The fact is Migron shouldn’t have existed at all. Migron is one of about 100 Jewish outposts in the West Bank. These are wholly illegal in theory but a quarter authorized and half tolerated in fact. The Israeli government hasn’t been consistent in preventing settlers from putting their mark on a hill here and a mountaintop there, or in removing them after they do. When, as happened with Migron, the government does put its foot down, all hell threatens to break loose. Only it doesn’t. Last year, following a first court decision ordering Migron’s dismantling, the government started negotiating with the residents. Benny Begin, a minister from Likud known to support both the settler movement and the rule of law, was dispatched to ensure that Migron’s inhabitants would leave peacefully. An agreement was struck, authorizing the settlers to stay put for two years, or until new houses were built for them. Last week, the court demanded a more immediate evacuation. No doubt relocating Migron’s residents involves inconveniences — packing, moving, living in temporary quarters. And leaving a place in which one has invested heart and soul is painful. But Migron was always an unauthorized outpost, as its residents well knew when they moved in. And so Sunday was, as I said, an eventless day. After the last leg of negotiations, a last-minute court petition and some regretful statements, 50 Jewish families were moved from one hill in the West Bank — so that later they can be relocated to another hill in the West Bank. The settlers’ loss was no great loss. And their opponents’ victory was no great victory. The settlers have a bad reputation, but most of them are idealistic, resourceful and law-abiding citizens. However misguided their political philosophy, they do not easily defy court rulings or resist government-mandated evacuations. This was evident seven years ago, when, after much threat of unrest, the settlements of the Gaza Strip were abandoned peacefully. And it was evident again this week. More worrisome is what the episode reveals about the government — which is that when it comes to dealing with illegal settlements, Israel’s leaders seem motivated by political considerations instead of sound policy. Too eager to end the Migron crisis without a clash, they have failed to question the wisdom of moving the Migron settlers just a couple of miles away — that is, of essentially leaving them where they have been. Building houses on private Palestinian land is immoral and wrong. Even Jewish settlers realize that: most of them typically argue that the Palestinians’ ownership claims are invalid, not that building on their land would be just. Thus the necessary evacuation of Migron leaves just one question unanswered: why allow such settlements to be built at all? How does that serve Israel’s long-term interests? Shmuel Rosner, an editor and columnist based in Tel Aviv, is senior political editor for The Jewish Journal.

Ajami, Israel's official entry for the Oscars this past year, is an ambitious and often intriguing melding of Neorealism and the crime genre that impresses only slightly more than it frustrates. Co-directed, edited, and written by Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, the film brings together an ensemble of first-time actors to create a portrait of life in the culturally diverse Ajami neighborhood in the city of Jaffa. Taking a cue from the jumbled population it's meant to reflect, Ajami is constructed as a series of interlocking chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of the same story, shedding lights on different corners of the shared community. The main focus is on the area Muslims, who are subject to both abuse by the Israeli police and the whims of their local bosses. When one godfather's button man gets shot by a restaurant owner with a heavy balance due, the shooter's family becomes responsible for the blood debt now owed. The head of their borough is a Christian man named Abu-Elias (Youssef Sahwani), and he helps 19-year-old Omar (Shahir Kabaha), the family's eldest able male, settle on a dollar amount that will take the price off his family's head, but it's way more than Omar could ever hope to earn honestly. Meanwhile, Malek (Ibrahim Frege) is an illegal immigrant working in Elias' restaurant in hopes he will pay his mother's medical bills. Malek hinks he may have witnessed the drug-related murder of one of their friends (Scandar Copti, earning his fourth credit on the picture), and he and Omar hatch a plan to sell the crystal meth that the dead man had in his possession. Also involved in this is a veteran police officer named Dando (Eran Naim), whose brother has gone missing from the army and is believed to be dead. The Jewish cops are regularly at odds with the citizens of Ajami, and Dando believes his brother might have been killed by Muslin enemies. This adds to the tension of his already dicey patrols. The populace isn't afraid to defend the worst amongst themselves to keep their own out of prison. When an Arab boy stabs a Jewish man, tension in the city heats up. Ajami isn't just about cops and robbers, however, it's also about family and about love. Omar has a little brother and a mother to look out for, and he's having a secret romance with Abu-Elias' daughter Hadir (Ranin Karim). Elias will never allow them to be together, inter-faith marriages are not acceptable. Similarly, the murdered would-be dealer is dating a Jewish woman in Tel Aviv and is disowned by some of his friends as a result. Economic, socio-political, and religious status are all part of the cultural identity, and the pressures on individuals come both from outside their group and from within. Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani have created an interesting cinematic story with Ajami. The film is shot cleanly and cinematographer Boaz Yehonatan Yaacov achieves an aesthetic very near to documentary. In terms of genre, Ajami is somewhere in the same ballpark as City of God and Gomorrah, though it is missing the former's stylistic flourishes and the latter's density. Despite the obvious surface complexity, the story is actually fairly conventional. The untrained actors are all surprisingly good, and they bring a sense of reality and genuine emotion to their performances, but throughout Ajami, I felt that for as much as I was enjoying it, I had seen it all before. Ajami is heartfelt in intention, but perfunctory and hollow in execution. Ironically, the final chapter in the story is both its most intriguing and its most disappointing. Copti and Shani decide to finally show us how all these various plotlines come together, and as the pieces fall into place, the suspense increases. Unfortunately, the gathering of the pieces also reveals that the disjointed narrative structure is a bit of a cheat. There is no real reason for shuffling the events around except to hide crucial bits of information from the viewer. That information amounts to a few last-minute twists that are wholly predictable and a little bit cheap. The change-ups are things we've seen in a million crime movies before, and no amount of storytelling sleight-of-hand is going to make us forget it. It has the opposite effect, actually; it left me thinking that the twisty outline was created to sizzle up what was otherwise rather flat. The filmmakers clearly wanted to create something fresh by portraying an environment that we don't see in cinema very often (if ever), but somewhere along the way, Ajami became just the same old thing. Ajami is brought to Blu-ray as 1080p presentation in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The image quality is quite good, with color and texture brought forward without sacrificing any of the realism of the cinematography. The real light and the real dirt can be seen on the screen, and the use of shadow and darkness for obscuring and effect makes the believability of the movie and the nuance of performance shine even as the script falters. The 5.1 DTS soundtrack is impressive more for how it holds back than how it tries to dazzle with effects. The movie is almost entirely dialogue driven--and when it's not, it's driven by silence, the things unsaid. There is a nice ambient hum to the proceedings that counterbalances the hushed conversations in such a way that it draws you in by asking you to be a careful listener. The optional English subtitles are well done, paced evenly and cleanly written, with cues to indicate shifts between Hebrew and Arab in the dialogue. (You may think for a second you're watching a Closed Captioning track, but don't worry, you're not.) There is nearly an hour of extras on the Blu-ray for Ajami. The lead feature is a program entitled "Ajami: The Story of the Actors." At just under half an hour, it introduces us to the amateur cast and through rehearsal footage and interviews shows us how they went from ground zero to creating a fully fleshed film. This may also lead you to appreciating the 23-minutes of deleted scenes even more, as these are mostly character moments that showcase the performers more than essential story info that was unnecessarily lost. Rounding out the disc is a collection of stills and a theatrical trailer for the film. The disc is in a regular plastic case but also has a side-loading slipcover. While I certainly applaud the effort that went into Ajami, I was less than thrilled by the movie itself. Filmmaking duo Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani have assembled a team of inexperienced actors to recreate the complicated structure of an Israeli neighborhood. To match the fractured social construct and the diversity of the neighborhood's inhabitants, they chop up the narrative into criss-crossing, non-chronological chapters. Or so I initially thought. By the end of the movie, I was more convinced that the complexity of the story structure was there to distract us from the familiarity of the script and an easy way to throw a few "surprises" into the final reel. I want to give Ajami a gold star for effort, but it's really just a nice try and not even close to full-blown success. Rent It. Jamie S. Rich is a novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for his collaborations with Joelle Jones, including the hardboiled crime comic book You Have Killed Me, the challenging romance 12 Reasons Why I Love Her, and the 2007 prose novel Have You Seen the Horizon Lately?, for which Jones did the cover. All three were published by Oni Press. His most recent projects include the futuristic romance A Boy and a Girl with Natalie Nourigat; Archer Coe and the Thousand Natural Shocks, a loopy crime tale drawn by Dan Christensen; and the horror miniseries Madame Frankenstein, a collaboration with Megan Levens. Follow Rich's blog at Confessions123.com.

Otto Rasch at the Einsatzgruppen trial |Born||7 December 1891 Friedrichsruh, German Empire |Died||1 November 1948 Wehrstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany |Allegiance|| German Empire |Service/branch|| Kaiserliche Marine |Other work||Lawyer, Mayor| SS-Brigadeführer Emil Otto Rasch (7 December 1891 — 1 November 1948) was a high-ranking Nazi official in the occupied Eastern territories, commanding Einsatzgruppe C (northern and central Ukraine) until October 1941. After World War II, Rasch was indicted for war crimes, but the case was discontinued for medical reasons in 1948. He died in 1948 while in custody. Rasch was born in Friedrichsruh, Northern Germany. He fought in the First World War as a naval lieutenant. He studied philosophy, law, political science and received doctorates in law and political economy. With two university doctorates, Rasch was known as "Dr. Dr. Rasch", in accordance with German academic tradition. He became a lawyer in 1931 in Dresden and practiced law in the private sector. In 1933 he became mayor of Radeberg and in 1935 lord mayor of Wittenberg. Rasch joined the NSDAP on 1 October 1931 with membership number 620,976. He joined the SA in 1933 and the SS on 10 March 1933; with membership number 107,100. Beginning in 1936 he was employed full-time by the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). On 1 October 1937, as commissioner, Rasch assumed leadership of the State Police (Stapo) in Frankfurt am Main. In March 1938, again as commissioner, Rasch became director of security (based in Linz) for Upper Austria. In June 1938, Rasch was assigned various responsibilities within the RSHA and was appointed chief of the Security Police (SiPo) and SD in Prague. In November 1939, as inspector of the SiPo and SD, Rasch was transferred to Königsberg. Rasch suggested and oversaw the liquidation of Polish political prisoners (intelligentsia) who had been arrested by the Einsatzgruppen. Rasch himself checked which prisoners were to be killed; the killings took place in forests. However, the executions were not inconspicuous. So, with the approval of Reinhard Heydrich, Rasch organised and founded the Soldau concentration camp in the winter of 1939/40 as a Durchgangslager (Dulag), or transit camp, for deportations to the General Government, and where Polish intelligentsia could be secretly executed. In June 1941, shortly before the invasion of the Soviet Union, Rasch took command of Einsatzgruppe C. In this capacity, he perpetrated extermination actions against Jews. Rasch, along with General Kurt Eberhard and Paul Blobel, organised the Babi Yar massacre, which saw the murder of over 33,000 Jews. SS Brigadeführer Dr. Rasch distinguished himself by particular ruthlessness. He ordered the leaders also to participate personally in the shootings. Rasch made sure that all Einsatzgruppen personnel, including the commanding officers, personally shot Jews, so that all members were culpable. In August 1941, Hitler is alleged (in post-war interrogations of German prisoners) to have given a Führerbefehl (Leader's Order) for the extermination of entire populations in the Eastern territories.[page needed] The commando leaders subordinate to Rasch met with him to discuss this order. Paul Blobel later testified that Rasch basically quoted what had been stated by Friedrich Jeckeln, that "the measures against the Jewish population had to be sharper and that he disapproved of the manner in which they had been carried out until now because it was too mild". In other words, the order was to shoot more Jews. Erwin Schulz confirmed this: After about two weeks' stay in Berdichev the commando leaders were ordered to report to Zhitomir, where the staff of Dr. Rasch was quartered. Here Dr. Rasch informed us that Obergruppenführer Jeckeln had been there, and had reported that the Reichsführer-SS had ordered us to take strict measures against the Jews. It had been determined without doubt that the Russian side had ordered to have the SS members and Party members shot. As such measures were being taken on the Russian side, they would also have to be taken on our side. All suspected Jews were, therefore, to be shot. Consideration was to be given only when they were indispensable as workers. Women and children were to be shot also in order not to have any avengers remain. We were horrified, and raised objections, but they were met with a remark that an order which was given had to be obeyed. Rasch was indicted at the Einsatzgruppen trial at the end of September 1947 but the case against Rasch was discontinued on 5 February 1948 because he had Parkinson's disease and associated dementia. Otto Rasch died later that year on 1 November in Wehrstedt, Lower Saxony. - Dr. Rasch appears in Jonathan Littell's novel Les Bienveillantes. He files a record that the military should concentrate on fighting bolshevism which should not be identified with Jews. - Christopher Browning (2004). The Origins of the Final Solution : The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939 – March 1942 (With contributions by Jürgen Matthäus), Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press. - Henry Friedlander (1995). The Origins of Nazi Genocide: From Euthanasia to the Final Solution. The University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4675-9 - Richard Rhodes (2002). Masters of Death: The SS-Einsatzgruppen and the Invention of the Holocaust, New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40900-9 - Zenter, Christian and Bedürftig, Friedemann (1991). Encyclopedia of the Third Reich, New York: Macmillan, p. 754. ISBN 0-02-897502-2

But what we have been doing in worse. We've allowed over 50 million abortions. And many of our citizens look the other way and say "Not really human. Doesn't count. It's OK." History will look at American history and have to decide who were the greater villains -- the slave owners or the abortion supporters. All I know is that the Democrats supported both groups. The inexplicable insanity of jewish people here in the USA being nearly 100% pro abort leaves me breathless.

Attacks in Paris: In face of mass tragedy, French summon spirit of community Coordinated attacks at six sites killed at least 129 people Friday night, putting Paris under siege. Parisians quickly moved to help each other, opening their homes and businesses as shelter. Sara Miller Llana/The Christian Science Monitor An orange Vans sneaker, the kind all the kids wear here, lay by itself on a street corner of Paris – both a testament to the terrorist violence unleashed in this city last night but also a symbol of the strength of solidarity that Paris has vowed moving forward. Overwhelmed by one of the worst terrorist attacks in modern Europe, with at least 129 dead and 352 wounded, no one has yet gotten around to moving the bloodied shoe, left behind by its owner. But it marks the site of one of many acts of kindness that have sustained the populace here: the Café Royal, where the staff quickly cleared all plates and glasses from their tables last night and welcomed all injured in amid unprecedented terror. As the French take stock of a rampage that marked France's most violent night since World War II – with simultaneous suicide bombings and shootings across six sites, including a concert hall, a soccer stadium, a popular restaurant, and a street full of bars and cafes that was packed on a mild November evening – they are vowing to stand together, expressing a communal strength that was on display from the moment the coordinated attacks began. “We tend to live our lives each to our own,” says Elisabeth Grenier, who lives across the street from the Café Royale and watched scores of youths limp to safety through its doors last night. “But in times like this we come together. It’s what gives us strength to move forward.” Ít’s been less than a year since the French capital was convulsed by the brazen attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket that left 17 people dead at the hands of Islamic extremists. A massive rally that drew world leaders spoke of a unity of spirit at the time. That same spirit emerged last night, almost immediately. Parisians turned to social media to help and be helped. #PorteOuverte, or "Door Open," quickly trended on Twitter in messages like this, from Florian Duretz, who tweeted, “Send me a message for a safe place in Canal Saint Martin, Please be safe.” His message was retweeted 406 times. As ongoing cases of shootings and the unknown whereabouts of assailants were flickering across smart phones and television sets, taxi drivers picked up passengers, driving them home to safety for free or half the cost of a normal ride. Friends who were out called the people who lived closest to where they were, many of them spending the entire night in strangers’ homes. Ms. Grenier, whose last name is false because she’s reluctant to share her real name, says that she opened her door when she heard crying and mayhem in her stairwell. Two students who live on the second floor had gone out to their balconies, shouting that anyone was welcome, and opening their apartment doors to the injured or anyone else who wanted shelter. Three quickly scrambled in, bloodied and one without a shoe. At a pizzeria down the street, owner Jean, who also declined to give his last name, opened his doors to those who couldn’t get home and provided free food to everyone too afraid to leave. One young woman knocked on the window and pleaded to come inside. She stayed there until 1:30 a.m. The news headlines today in France underline a sense of shock, but also determination. The right-leaning Le Figaro declared: "War in central Paris.” The "terrorist barbarism" has crossed a "historic line," read an editorial in the left-leaning Liberation. "It is impossible not to link these bloody events with the battles raging in the Middle East. France is playing its part there. It must continue to do so without blinking," wrote Laurent Joffrin in an editorial. On Saturday morning, the self-described Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, which included the Stade de France stadium, targeted during a friendly soccer match between France and Germany that French President François Hollande had attended. The Islamic State warned in a statement that the acts, which included seven suicide bombings, would be just "the first of the storm," and some on social media praised the strikes as retaliation for France’s military offensive against Islamic State in the Middle East. Eight attackers have been killed, seven on the suicide missions, and an eighth by authorities, who have said that other assailants may still be at large. In addition to the 129 victims killed, some 350 are injured. On Saturday, French officials said the attackers appeared to be split into three coordinated teams armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles and high explosives. President Hollande called a state of emergency, and tensions in Paris remain high. The deadliest incident happened at the Bataclan concert hall, where an American rock group was playing to a crowd of more than 1,000 – and uncomfortably close to where the Charlie Hebdo attack took place. Over the past year, visitors have left bouquets of flowers and candles on the Avenue Richard Lenoir, in memory of the victims of Charlie Hebdo. Now, just up the street, stands the now-barricaded Bataclan concert hall. Police officers are not allowing passersby to stop. One woman openly wept as she rode her bike past the scene. Rose Ferreira already felt too close to the violence of Charlie Hebdo. “This time I heard the explosions,” she says. And then she got a call from a friend to stay put. “It’s horrible, horrible,” she says. She made sure her grown children were home. But she’s out today to visit the same friend who contacted her. “We can’t stay inside. That’s not the solution, even if I’m looking right and left around me today,” she says. But last night, terrified passersby were welcomed inside not only by their neighbors, but complete strangers as well. One restaurant huddled all the patrons to the back of the restaurant on the boss’s orders. Many of them reopened today, hoping for some degree of normalcy. The Café Royale, however, has not. Next to the Vans sneaker are gloves and a stained sidewalk. “Exceptional closure today, Saturday Nov. 14” a sign on its door reads.

ARCHIVE OF COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Our subjects cover: religion (Christian, Jewish and others); diet and lifestyle (vegan and vegetarian); and other miscellaneous subjects. Thank you for writing and for your kind comments about our web site. Many compassionate people feel the same way. However, we have learned over the years that our collective efforts really do have a positive effect. As witnesses against the cruelty and corruption in this world, we bring about some positive change, and most importantly, we prevent things from getting worse. In the Love of the Lord, Frank and Mary Go on to: Comments by Danielle - 22 Apr 2008 Return to Abortion and Animals Rights: The Connection Your Comments are Welcome: | Home Page | Archive | Discussion Table of Contents | Watercolor painting by Mary T. Hoffman - God's Creation in Art | Home Page | Animal Issues | Archive | Art and Photos | Articles | Bible | Books | Church and Religion | Discussions | Health | Humor | Letters | Links | Nature Studies | Poetry and Stories | Quotations | Recipes | What's New? | Thank you for visiting all-creatures.org.

An ultra-Orthodox or religious boy discovers that he is attracted to members of his own sex. He knows that Halacha (Jewish law) forbids such relations, but on the other hand feels that he was born this way. In his distress he seeks what he believes is professional help. They, in response, try to "cure" him of his homosexuality. The worldwide consensus is that sexual conversion treatments are objectionable and even dangerous. Mental health experts agree that sexual attraction cannot be changed. Professionals and lawmakers in Israel recognize this as well, but under the surface an entire industry is flourishing —including psychologists, state-sponsored treatment centers and quite a few charlatans. Sexual conversion therapy often leads to depression and even attempted suicide. Sometimes the request for treatment is made by anxious parents behind the backs of their children. In extreme cases, therapists even subscribe them with drugs to suppress their sex drive. In recent weeks, we have approached many such therapists. In some cases, we introduced ourselves as parents or siblings of a boy or girl who is demonstrating homosexual tendencies. In other cases we sought consultation apparently for ourselves. As for the secular therapists, there is nothing to tell. They were all very careful not to offer conversion therapy. Among the 20 religious and ultra-Orthodox therapists we approached, only one categorically refused to perform conversion therapy. On the contrary, many boasted about their "great success rate" with patients who moved on, got married and established a kosher Jewish home in Israel; what ensues afterwards is no longer their concern. But sexual conversion therapy is not an obscure activity taking place on the black market. Last week, a new organization — the Movement for Strengthening Family Values, launched a campaign against the LGBT community. The organization is of course ultra-Orthodox, a sector with particularly high rates of therapists who believe that sexual orientation can be changed through treatment. The Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Centre in Bnei Brak is a part public, part private hospital, catering mainly to the ultra-Orthodox population. Two years ago, a mental health department was opened at the hospital, and on the recommendation of friends I went there and introduced myself as the "sister of a 14-year-old teenager who had 'homosexual tendencies' and wanted to know how to solve them." Avoiding 'unnecessary' questions, the representative informed me that homosexuality was treatable, and that treatment was free. "I have to send you forms for both parents to sign and return to us," she said. "We then invite the parents and the child for a first diagnosis, and the doctor decides what treatment is necessary." Is it possible that in the mental health ward at Mayanei Hayeshua hospital — an officially recognized hospital in Israel —"treats" minors whose "mental illness" is a different sexual orientation? Not according to the head of the hospital. "At the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, there is no conversion therapy or any other treatment of sexual identity problems," said hospital director Prof. Motti Ravid. "The hospital has no experts for such issues, so the claim is delusional and is disconnected from reality." The Torat Hayyim treatment center, under the auspices of Rabbi Shmuel Tal, proudly notes that its dozens of therapists deal with various challenges, including "opposing tendencies." In their view, as presented on their website, homosexuality is a mental disorder just like post-traumatic stress disorder following a sexual assault or addiction issues. This time I introduced myself as a girl from Jerusalem who feels attracted to other girls. The representative at the center had a number of questions, perhaps to understand how this came to happen to a Haredi girl from a good home: "Is there anyone who knows?" "Did you share with anyone?" "Are you exposed to the media?" "Do you have Internet on your phone?" "For how long have you been experiencing these feelings?" I told her that I was once at a bar and met a girl. "Was there an intimate relationship?" She asked, half horrified. Yes, I replied hesitantly, almost. "I can tell you two things: First of all, we live in very special time when the ability to return to the right place is easy," she began. "Unfortunately, conflicting (sexual) tendencies are quite common nowadays, with all the media exposure and publicity. Most people's problem is anxiety... Many men and women reach out to us, thank God. "Those who come seeking a healthy life, managed to extricate themselves completely and establish good homes," she continued. "Most problems arise when people approach us unwillingly, as if they do not fully believe anymore, or there is already a very strong intimate relationship. I can refer you to our therapist, of course everything is discreet, and everything stays in the treatment room, and with the help of God you can undergo a process of healing." This healing suppresses this tendency? "This tendency does not arrive just like that," she responded. "For example, a person is traveling on the main road and there is a right turn. Now he did not look at Waze (a navigation app) and he does not know the way so he turned right because of some event that happened to him in life. Why is it called a deviation or tendency? Because it is not the normal way. So basically in therapy we go back and check what happened that caused your course to turn right." The organization said in response: "The Torat Hayyim treatment center operates according to the law, and assists applicants in order to benefit those who are interested." Another mental health organization that offered "treatment" but without mentioning the word "conversion" is a Bayit Cham (warm home), in Bnei Brak. "There is definitely something with which to help him," the representative replied. "It calls for one-on-one talks… and the therapists usually help. Generally it is not a biological tendency that a person is born with." The director of the organization, Rabbi Arie Munk, said in response: "Based on the recording, in which you portrayed an ultra-Orthodox girl who is very concerned for her brother's welfare, the representative answered you just fine — that he should meet a therapist for talks. No conversion or other treatment was mentioned at any stage. "Bayit Cham, which operates a professional department for the treatment of children and adults who have been victims of sexual trauma, has often encountered teenagers who have a sexual problem of some sorts, and during treatment it is revealed that this boy was sexually abused as a child or adolescent and that is the source of the problem, it is not inherent," he asserted. "Any attempt to link the activities of the organization with conversion treatments is the result of evil imagination, unrelated to the treatments that the organization provides." "The mental state has deteriorated" Twenty years ago, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) warned against sexual conversion therapy, and in 2015 the Mental Health Administration in the United States determined that such treatment could cause anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression, and risky sexual behavior. Britain as well has adopted a similar approach, and in 2015 the British Health Ministry published a statement formulated together with health organizations stating that there was no evidence of the effectiveness of the treatments and that they could cause harm to patients. The position of the Israel Psychological Association, published in 2011, expresses reservations about these treatments and warns against the risks involved, but does not forbid them completely. "The professional basis and empiric evidence for the success of conversion therapy is rather remote," the association's position stated. It was also noted that many of the therapists involved in conversion therapy are not qualified professionals, and caution is necessary with such treatments because of the possibility they will lead to depression and suicide. Despite the unambiguous stance by professionals in Israel, attempts to stop the organizations and therapists have failed miserably. During her time as health minister, MK Yael German (Yesh Atid) tried to deal with the issue and a statement published by the ministry warned the public about these treatments, in part because "there is even evidence of possible harm." Today, with ultra-Orthodox MK Yaakov Litzman as deputy (and acting) health minister, it seems that the ministry has no interest in preventing conversion therapy, and the market is flourishing. "I came from a very conservative religious family, and I felt that my attraction to boys was not right," says 23-year-old Idan, from Jerusalem. "At one point, I was sent sent to a well-known therapist who does conversion therapy. I thought that it might help me, or at least get my family off my back. Not only did it not help, my mental state deteriorated due to the treatment, it made me feel damaged and screwed up. I got depressed and began taking medication. Only when I left the (religious) sector and accepted myself for who I was did my mental state begin to improve." Dror, 29, has also tried conversion therapy out of family pressure. "I guess that it could at least help some people lie to themselves and to others," he says cautiously. "If someone really wants to get married and have children, and goes to a psychologist on his own initiative, it's one thing. But in most cases people like me who go to conversion therapy do so not on their own accord but rather because of pressure from their surroundings and the result is almost exclusively destructive. "Because essentially, what happens is you go to someone who is purportedly a professional, and he tells you that you were born a bad person and you have to change, but you cannot really change because it is a sexual orientation. That is the danger. I stopped after two treatments because I realized it was bullshit and because I live among a relatively liberal national religious population," says Dror. A lesson in masturbation A conversation with Avraham Bitkin, a clinical social worker, reveals information about the methods used in conversion therapy. Bitkin claims to engage in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy and is also a psychodynamic therapeutic guide. Bitkin, who works with children, youth, adolescents and adults, is recommended by the Haredi Association of Therapists. I introduced myself to Bitkin as a 19-year-old ultra-Orthodox woman. Already during our phone conversation Bitkin began talking about things that would certainly have horrified a real Haredi youngster. Unlike other ultra-Orthodox therapists, Bitkin maintains that for some people their sexual orientation is inherent while in others it is acquired. According to him, in order to understand how to treat sexual orientation, we must first check whether it is natural or acquired. I told him that from the age of 14 I had felt different, that a year ago my parents bought a computer that exposed me to the world, and I even went out and met someone. "What about boys?" he asked. "Do you not have any feelings for them at all?" No. I do not feel anything, I told him. "Look," Bitkin began in a monologue. "In general there are two sorts of people who experience same-sex attraction: those who are born that way and those who acquire it at some later point in life. For example, a 14-year-old ultra-Orthodox boy enters yeshiva and his body is growing and he wants to be a pious Jew and he knows that he is forbidden from looking at girls so he avoids doing so. "The body wants to move forward but the head inhibits, leading to a large gap forming between the body and the head; essentially there is a battle taking place and he does not understand why," Bitkin explains. "In absence of girls his body tells him 'It's okay to try with a boy' and this can lead to sexual experimentation. Such things also occur in girls' seminaries… I think you need to understand yourself better and then you can see what's next. I must say that from a Halachic perspective, this subject of pleasure between females is not the same as between males... Now you say, 'OK, I can be discreet regarding my attraction,' but I want to know what will happen next, how I will establish a family and a home in Israel." Correct, I tell him, this is one of my problems. "Look, this issue of living with a man and having a family is something which is technically possible. The question is whether you can grow to love the man and be attracted to him, because if you do not enjoy sex with a man he will know. So if you arrive at a conclusion that your sexual orientation was acquired then we can work on it so that you can develop an attraction to men, which was previously unattainable." At this stage, Bitkin begins to explain what "deep internal clarification" it means to him and it turns out that he means "deep" in the physical sense: Bitkin simply suggested that I masturbate, and when he realized that as an ultra-Orthodox girl I had no idea what that meant, he volunteered to teach me e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g in detail. From time to time he asked, "Is it okay to talk about it?" "Have you ever had sexual experiences with men?" He asks. I reply in the negative. "Were you were sexually abused during your childhood?" Again, I respond in the negative. Bitkin asks me to tell him about the experiences I had with the girl I met. "As long as you have not yet tasted the forbidden fruit, it will drive you crazy," he explains. "Especially since the act between two girls is permitted, unlike between two men... The question is whether, for example, I tell you: 'If you want to change then you need to sleep with boys.' How will that make you feel? At this point, Bitkin asked straightforwardly if I had experienced masturbation and when I said no, he suggested experimenting. "There are actually two erogenous zones which bring a woman sexual gratification. One of which is the breasts, and the most enjoyable part is the clitoris. Do you know what the clitoris is?" The rest of the conversation is simply too explicit to recreate. Bitkin explains in detail about orgasms, the structure of the vagina and masturbation, including using penetrative devices. ("I can only regret that your mother did not teach you such things... There are girls who at the age of six or seven already begin to touch themselves.") In response, Bitkin said, via his attorney: "My client does not believe in conversion therapy, he does not work in this manner and does not know anyone who uses this method. He is not aware of anyone who has succeeded in transforming their innate same-sex attraction. Regarding the phone conversation, my client feared that the caller was in the midst of a serious personal emergency crisis. Fearing for the girl's safety, he refused to dismiss her casually by stating that he does not believe in conversion therapy and thus ending the conversation. "During the conversation and out of concern for the caller, my client attempted to understand whether this young ultra-Orthodox woman understands her sexuality enough for her to declare that she is a homosexual, and that is why he suggested that she read study and learn about her femininity and sexuality, which can help her feel good without being ashamed. My client is sure that he acted professionally and according to the rules of ethics. A good therapist is not deterred by embarrassing issues; he must be able to talk about anything." 'Many such treatments' Rabbi Shlomo Aviner is one of the most prominent rabbis of religious Zionism and serves as the rabbi of the Beit El settlement and the head of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim. When I approached him with a story about my brother who is expressing homosexual tendencies, he told me that, "20 years ago we established a free anonymous telephone hotline called Soul Advice… Where they could talk to me and tell me, or my brother, what to do and whom to turn to." The rabbi gave me the phone number and wished me luck. Another organization, Listening Friends, which provides counseling services to the religious and ultra-Orthodox public, told me that "it is possible to change reality and build a life in the correct manner." After a series of questions they referred me to Soul Advice. I accepted their recommendation and turned to the organization, where they admitted that dealing with "conflicting tendencies" is one of the areas with which the organization deals, and referred me to a hotline called Your Soul in order to "heal" myself or my brother. The organization refused to comment for this article. Listening Friends said: "The claim that any treatment aimed at influencing sexual orientation is harmful and improper from a professional perspective is false and stands in contradiction to the position paper of the Israel Psychological Association. Any attempt to intimidate professional therapists and volunteers of help lines that assist people in distress, just because they do not conform to an extreme liberal agenda, is unacceptable and should be rejected." In the days that followed, I turned to other organizations and therapists. The rabbi and psychologist Shmuel Meiberg, who is recommended by the Haredi Association of Therapists, emphasizes that he deals only with teenage boys. "I've had a lot of such treatments lately, unfortunately, all the time," he said, "but we can get out of this, (they can get) married, and with a good therapist it changes." Ynet did an investigative piece about Dr. Elan Kartan last year. Journalist Adir Yanko met with him, and he promised to deal with the issues. Since then, despite the backlash from the investigation, he has continued his work as usual, albeit cautiously "There are ways to deal with it," he told me about my younger brother, "especially when he's very young. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of success; every case on its merits ... My service costs a lot of money." He declined to comment further for this piece. More and more ultra-Orthodox and religious professionals —psychologists, sociologists and others — have agreed to deal with conversion therapy; some have even offered themselves, promising miracles and wonders. And then there was David Grushko, who defines himself as a homeopathy therapist and simply offered me homeopathic pills, "which will help you develop more feminine traits so that your sexual attraction will be towards boys and not girls." Did it help anyone? "Yes, they have changed," he says. Like Bitkin, he suggests that "if you seek sexual satisfaction, do it yourself and not with anyone else... because once you are used to getting sexual satisfaction from another woman, it will be harder for you to think that you can get it from a man." "I believe in free choice, so everyone will do as he wishes, including in the sexual realm," Grushko says in response. "I also believe that the world has laws that cannot be changed by man, which are expressed in all natural laws — based on male and female. Homeopathy connects a person to their internal strengths and from there the person gathers the strength to choose a new path in life."

Want to start your own indie minyan? Are you too cool for shul and need an alternative? Here’s my list for how to start your own synagogue. You need the skills to lead Shabbat services, holidays, to facilitate Torah study, to give sermons, and all the other things a rabbi can do. With a certificate from Darshan Yeshiva, you’ll have those skills. Darshan Yeshiva allows you to train independently as a Darshan, a lay Jewish leader. You can also train through our guided program, providing you one-on-one training with a rabbi. Start A Facebook Fan Page Get a Fan Page on Facebook and start hunting down like-minded people in your area. A synagogue with only one person is kinda sad. So before you do anything, make sure that there are people interested in what you want. Don’t be surprised if Liberal Christians, Muslims and other random people fan your shul-in-progress. Some people just love friending Jewish profiles. Chalk it up to Philo-Semitism. It also helps if you already have two or three friends who are as hardcore about this as you are. I am a firm believer in keeping things small and streamlined. Plus, these friends are the people who are each going to invite another friend. Random Facebook blasting really only gets you so far. Build Your Core Invite your fan page over for coffee and dessert. Use this time to discuss issues of what they want out of a community (events, prayer times, halachka, minhagim, etc). Very important: you came up with the idea, which means that no matter how much delegation of authority you do, you will ultimately always be the leader. If you don’t want this position, then do not go any further. Find A Cool Space If you have a nice house, then you can always take a spare room, an attic, or some place like that and build one out. I’m a big fan of flex or mixed-zoned locations, so if you have any interest in moving, why not find a place like a loft or condo that is in a heavily commercial area. That way, you can live there, and people will have plenty of room to park. Think Chabad on this one. Craigslist is a great real estate tool, especially if you are like me and rent. Make A Budget The great thing about an indie minyan is that it doesn’t have the financial needs that shuls have. But here are a few things to think about: Tools For Shuls. You’ll need kippot, siddurim, Shabbat stuff, Havdalah stuff, etc. Can you get these from other people? Often people will have kippot left over from weddings and bar mitzvahs, so that is a likely option. Know someone who collects Judaica who could loan a few things? What about a bibliophile who has some awesome Jewish books? Start with what you have, then work on your Amazon wish list. Of course, independent minyanim can always get copies of the OneShul community siddur at cost (around $3/book), including free shipping. Just email email@example.com and we can make that happen. Have a vision. Does your indie minyan need to rent a rabbi twice a year for High Holidays, or are you just getting together for a lay led Shabbat? Are you going to start a Hebrew school? Side note: old folks make great Hebrew teachers. Retired Jews are an amazing educational asset to our community that are under appreciated). Once you have these issues worked out, build a budget. Then take whatever the total is (whether it’s $200 or $200,000) and add 10% to it. Call this line item “innovation”. Every good company or organization pads their budget by 10% for development of cool projects, or bold initiatives that may or may not work out. Start Having Events Havdalah is a great event to have as a fundraiser and community builder. You can fundraise on Havdalah, people can bring food, play instruments, kids can play games and watch TV if they are bored. And in my experience, Havdalah is the most underrated Jewish event, which means that even if you live in a community with a thousand synagogues, you’ll still be the only game in town as far as Saturday night Judaism. Potlucks are a great thing as well. Frankly, I think all good religions appreciate potlucks. They are free, which is awesome as well…and people have fun swapping recipes. Also, have a tzedakah box by the door for collecting donations.Don’t be afraid to ask for money, if you need it. Build Your Shul Asher Meza of BeJewish.org has a great video on how he and a rabbi in Richmond built a shul in the rabbi’s attic. Home Depot, EBay, and Amazon made that place happen! Check out this video below… Get Online — Even More Than Now OK, so maybe I’m a liberal kook, but streaming your events online is about the best thing you can do, ever. Again, OneShul can help you with that. It’s not hard if you stay organized and have internet upload speeds of at least 1.5MBPS. Heck, even FrumSatire is talking about how Orthodox minyanim need to go online! Grow, Grow, Grow! Don’t allow yourself to think that ten people is enough. Maybe your indie shul will only have ten people for the first year, or three years, or five years even. But keep growing! Keep flyers with you in your bag/purse. Put them in JCCs, bookstores, community centers, wherever Jewish folks can be found. I suggest putting them in the token kosher section of your major grocery store chain (the staff will throw them away, but why not??) Help Us, Help You OneShul is an indie minyan. We know what we’re talking about. So send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com and we’ll shoot you in the right direction.

Prayer: Service Of The Heart Abraham's servant teaches us the power of spontaneous prayer, a concept that challenges our contemporary focus on consistency and conformity. Provided by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, which ordains Conservative rabbis at the American Jewish University. One of the universals of human culture is the need to commune with something larger, something that extends beyond ourselves. We all feel the desire to speak, to create, to perform. One aspect of the human urge to communicate is worship--the simple act of noticing the awe of existence, the staggering marvel of the world and its order. Awe moves us to a silent expression of gratitude and wonder. Awe moves us to worship. What is Worship? For many Jews, worship means the formal ritual of reading from a printed Siddur (prayer book), listening to the chanted words of the Torah and the Haftarah (weekly reading from Prophets or Writings), and absorbing the insights of the rabbi's sermon. Worship is public, planned, and cyclical. What we did last week we will do again next week. Today's Torah portion illumines another aspect of Jewish worship, one sadly neglected by too many Jews today. While most of us are familiar with reading the stirring words of prayer composed by other, earlier Jews, few of us are comfortable approaching God with the simple outpouring of our own hearts. The whole notion of just speaking with God sounds strikingly un-Jewish. Yet consider Abraham's nameless servant, given the assignment of traveling to a distant land to find a bride for the Patriarch's son. Overwhelmed by the gravity and seriousness of his mission, the servant creates a new religious form. Without the possibility of sacrificing an animal, unable to summon a special revelation, the servant simply sits and speaks. Without any elaborate introduction, stripped of the appropriate formula or poetry, the servant just shares what is on his mind: O, LORD, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with master Abraham. The servant speaks to God with directness borne of necessity. Filled with a sense of the uncertainty of his task, aware of his own limitations, he turns to the Source of Life and shares his fear. Note also that the servant establishes criteria for judging the successful accomplishment of his mission, and then prays that his standard should be God's as well. Those standards are themselves an insight into the human heart--he asks for a woman who is generous, compassionate, and willing to act on behalf of others. Such a person is indeed a fitting mate.

JERUSALEM, Israel - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, arriving in Jerusalem from newly Islamist-controlled Egypt, told a wary Israel on Monday to treat the Arab Spring as an opportunity as well as a source of uncertainty convulsing the Middle East. It was Clinton's first visit to the Jewish state since U.S.-brokered peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis broke down in 2010 over Israel's refusal to halt building of settlements on land where Palestinians hope to found a state. Since then, popular revolts across the Arab world have swept away the rulers of Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and Israel's biggest neighbor Egypt, and unleashed a violent conflict in Syria. Israel is particularly worried about the rise of Islamists in place of ousted Arab autocrats, especially Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, who had guaranteed his country's 1979 treaty with Israel, the first between Israel and an Arab country. Clinton flew to Jerusalem and met Israel's President Shimon Peres, fresh from a visit to Egypt where she became the most senior U.S. official to meet newly elected President Mohamed Mursi, from the long-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Mursi told her Egypt would abide by its treaties. "It is a time of uncertainty but also of opportunity. It is a chance to advance our shared goal of security, stability, peace and democracy along with prosperity for the millions of people in this region who have yet to see a better future," Clinton said after meeting Peres. "It is in moments like these that friends like us have to think together, act together. We are called to be smart, creative and courageous," she told Peres, adding she would discuss a "broad range of matters, including Egypt and Syria, peace efforts, Iran, other regional and global issues." At Clinton's side, Peres spoke of the importance of maintaining the peace treaty with Egypt. "I think that for the last thirty years the fact there was peace between us and Egypt saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people in Egypt and Israel and this is a worthwhile cause," he said. The long 22-month gap from Clinton's last visit to Israel in part reflects the absence of progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace since talks between the two sides broke down in 2010. U.S. President Barack Obama has had chilly relations with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Obama has yet to visit Israel as president, an issue that could cost him Jewish American votes in his November 6 reelection bid this year. Obama's Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, has scheduled a visit at the end of the month, and regularly criticizes Obama for being insufficiently supportive of Israel. The last two years have seen some tensions between Obama and the Netanyahu over how to respond to Iran, which both countries suspect of seeking nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful. Both countries say they reserve the right to attack Iran to prevent it from obtaining nuclear arms, but Washington has leaned on Israel to be patient while newly-tightened economic sanctions have an impact and negotiations run their course. Obama imposed much tighter sanctions this year on third countries that do business with Iran, and the European Union has imposed an embargo on Iranian oil that took effect on July 1. Israel, widely thought to be the only country in the Middle East with a nuclear weapons capacity, has made clear it could strike Iran on its own if diplomacy fails. "We have to do whatever we can to prevent Iran from endangering the freedom and independence of other people," Peres said. "The coalition you have built - and a coalition should have been built, it's not a matter for one country - and the measures that you have taken, are beginning to have their impact," he told Clinton in his public remarks. Later in the day Clinton was to meet Netanyahu and Defences Minister Ehud Barak. In Jerusalem she will also see Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad but not President Mahmoud Abbas, whom she met on July 6 in Paris. U.S.-sponsored peace talks froze in 2010 after Netanyahu rejected Palestinian demands that he extend a partial freeze on settlement construction that he had introduced at Washington's behest. Few diplomats expect any breakthrough ahead of the U.S. presidential election. (Editing by Peter Graff) (This story was corrected to fix the title of Israeli President Shimon Peres in the fifth paragraph)

If you will it, it is no dream – Theodor Herzl In this two-part sequel to my columns analyzing “What’s wrong with the Right,” I set out the components of a comprehensive approach to what is usually termed the “Palestinian problem.” This will include not only the measures that should be undertaken to dissipate – rather than resolve – the problem per se, but those that must be undertaken to render them feasible. To recap briefly Over the past two weeks, I took the Right to task for its poorly thought through proposals for alternative policy paradigms to the two-state-solution (TSS) proposal, which even if implemented would, in all likelihood, eliminate few of the threats to Israel’s security, and exacerbate many. I criticized what I saw as the intellectual surrender by the Right in failing to acknowledge, or, at least, failing to clearly articulate acknowledgement of the inevitable conclusion that, to sustain itself as the nation-state of the Jewish people, Israel must address two imperatives: a. The geographic imperative, which implies it cannot make any significant territorial concessions in Judea and Samaria; and b. The demographic imperative, which implies it cannot incorporate large segments of the Palestinian Arabs, resident in this area, as enfranchised citizens within its sovereign territory. This leads to the inescapable deduction that if Israel is to be secured as the permanent Jewish nation-state, the only non-coercive option is the relocation of the Palestinian Arabs, induced primarily by generous economic incentives. Effective policy invariably requires one to acknowledge existing realities. But acknowledging reality does not mean accepting it. Indeed, to successfully change reality, one has first to recognize it. In this regard, it must be admitted that – mainly due to decades of dereliction of diplomatic duty – Israel has allowed the international discourse on the Mideast conflict in general, and the Palestinian component of it in particular, to gel very disadvantageously for it. It has permitted the TSS-concept to become deeply engrained in the international psyche as the only option available to Israel that will allow it to exist as a Jewish democracy and prevent it from becoming either an undemocratic Jewish ethnocracy – imposing minority Judeo-centric rule on an Arab majority – or a non-Jewish state-of-allits- citizens. In other words, the currently entrenched (mis)perceptions are that Israel must choose between the risk of becoming geographically unviable, or the certainty of becoming demographically unviable. Intellectual allegiance to this misplaced dichotomy between a TSScompliant Jewish democracy on the one hand, and non-democratic/non-Jewish alternatives on the other, has come to dominate not only the content of the international debate, but the cultural codex of its conduct. To challenge its validity – no matter what the substantive basis for such dissent – is to risk being marginalized professionally and ostracized socially, at least as far as mainstream institutions are concerned. It will not be easy to shatter this political reality, which due to a noxious mix of neglect, naïveté and nefariousness has, over more than two decades, hardened into the “received wisdom” on the Judeo-Arabic conflict in the Middle East. However, within the constraints of the faux framework of artificially imposed dictates that comprises current conventional wisdom, there is no viable policy-paradigm that can sustain Israel, in the long run, as the nation-state of the Jews. Accordingly, despite the daunting difficulties, prising loose the debilitating stranglehold it has in defining the conceptual space of the discourse is an essential precondition for the promotion – and eventual implementation – of any Zionist-compliant TSS-alternative. Unless this is grasped – and perceived as both possible and imperative – pursuit of such alternatives is futile. Radical revision required To accomplish this objective requires a radical revision of how the nation relates to diplomacy – particularly public diplomacy (a.k.a. hasbara) – as a crucial element in the design of the strategic arsenal required to sustain Jewish sovereignty in the modern era. This is a need that apparently has not been evident to the Israeli leadership for decades, including the leadership of the Israeli Right, which for the greater portion of almost four decades since it came to power in 1977, has dominated the ruling coalitions. Diplomacy has been hopelessly starved of resources, with the total budget for Israeli public diplomacy reportedly less than a medium-to-large corporation spends on promoting fast foods and snacks. But it has been rendered ineffectual not only because of the paucity of resources, but because of the perception of the role it should play, and the predilections of the personnel charged with its conduct. Diplomacy as air power Conceptually, the function of diplomacy should be perceived as essentially similar to that of the classic role of the air force. For just as the latter was traditionally tasked with creating freedom of action for ground forces to achieve their objectives, so should diplomacy been seen as charged with facilitating freedom of action for the nation’s strategic decision- makers, to allow them to achieve the objectives of strategies they formulate. However, in Israel over recent decades, this has been completely inverted. Instead of national objectives dictating the conduct of diplomacy, diplomatic pressures have dictated the objectives of national policy! Instead of diplomacy being seen as an instrument of policy, diplomatic difficulties have become a determinant of policy. Instead of being seen as a means for producing political realities, diplomacy has become a product of political realities. The penchant for the passive over the proactive is largely a reflection of personal and professional preferences of many in the country’s diplomatic corps, drawn from social echelons in Israel’s civil society that often seem more sympathetic to the Palestinian narrative than committed to the Zionist one. They thus have little motivation to robustly confront and counter the manifestly mendacious myths that sustain this narrative and provide much of the rationale for the TSS. Misconduct of diplomacy So, underfunded, misdirected and largely unmotivated, it is hardly surprising that those charged with the conduct of Israel’s diplomacy have performed inadequately, and that the country’s diplomatic endeavor is ineffective and frequently counter-productive. Clearly then, the misperceptions of realities that have been precipitated/facilitated by this appalling diplomatic debacle cannot be taken as engraved in stone. Neither can prevailing public opinion, derived from these misperceptions, be taken as inflexible constraints on Israel’s strategic options, or as determining the inevitable point of departure or end point of that strategy. It is crucial to understand that the TSS was until the onset of the 1990s vehemently rejected by the entire Zionist establishment, except for marginal left-wing splinters. It has since has attained its position of dominance largely due to Israeli impotence – even capitulation – on the diplomatic front. Failing to redress this inexplicable but ruinous fiasco has been one of the greatest sins of successive Likud-led governments, with the current one in the ludicrous position of being forced to adopt – even advocate – TSS-compliant positions it once vigorously denounced. Not a cop-out At this juncture, two points must be made: First, identifying the need for radical restructuring/ reinvigoration of Israeli diplomacy as a vital precondition for the implementation of a comprehensive and sustainable TSSalternative is not an evasive cop out. It is a hard-nosed appraisal of the obstacles and of what must, and can, be done to overcome them. After all, one cannot win a diplomatic war without the wherewithal to do so – and the endeavor to formulate, promote and implement a sustainable alternative to the TSS is indeed a diplomatic war. To win it, Israel requires an appropriate diplomatic apparatus. What it has in place today is clearly inadequate for the challenge. Indeed, it would hardly be an exaggeration to assert that it is one of the principal obstacles to attaining this goal. Accordingly, without such an induced metamorphosis, there is little reason to believe that Israeli decision-making will not remain hopelessly mired in the syndrome of crippling, self-destructive defeatism. Second, the impetus for such a metamorphosis will not come from within Israeli officialdom, neither the current bureaucracy nor the elected political incumbents. It will only be sparked by resolute, committed civil society elites who have the resolve and the resources to impose it on the political echelon. This is precisely how the conditions for promoting the TSS were created! Those of us “mature” enough to have been politically aware in the late 1980s will recall that association with any TSS-compliant policy was considered politically toxic. Even Shimon Peres objected strenuously to any mention that Labor might be amenable to the idea in its 1988 party platform, for fear of negative electoral repercussions. Yet despite widespread resistance, in a remarkably short time of no more than a few years, left-wing civil society activists imposed the TSS-centric Oslo agenda on a largely reluctant political system. Given the catastrophic consequences of this, there is little reason to believe that methods that sparked the ascent of the failed TSS-compliant doctrine could not be emulated to induce – in an equally rapid manner – its descent into well-deserved ignominy, paving the way for the acceptance of saner, less calamitous alternatives. Strategic vs tactical A brief methodological digression: While the “tactical” approach focuses on prevailing realities and ways of contending with them, the “strategic” approach involves defining a desired reality and devising methods of attaining it. As noted before, this does not mean that current realities can, or should, be ignored. Quite the opposite. It is essential they be recognized, lest they result in the formulation of defective methods designed to attain the desired reality. What it does mean, however, is that they should be considered obstacles to overcome, rather than constraints to be conformed to. This distinction is not merely theoretical. It is an indispensable operational guide for the design of TSS-alternative paradigms. The point of departure for any strategic prescription for a durable TSS-alternative must be the desired conditions, and not the difficulties in attaining them. Once such conditions are defined, methods for neutralizing/circumventing such difficulties can be devised. The practical importance of this differentiation cannot be overstated. For if the alternative approach is adopted, and current realities are taken as largely immutable, and the most that prescribed alternatives aspire to is to attenuate their pernicious components, eventual failure is almost certainly assured, even if some short-term amelioration might be secured. As I have argued in my two preceding columns, such a desired (indeed necessary) strategic future requires that Israel adequately address its geographic imperative and its demographic imperative by maintaining control over all of Judea and Samaria without permanently incorporating the resident Palestinian Arab population into its society. The strategic challenge is therefore to devise methods – one hopes non-coercive ones – to achieve this. Resources and resourcefulness Although for some this preparatory discussion might appear disappointingly detached from practicalities, it is an essential preamble to the elaboration of operational components of any TSS-alternative paradigm. Unless one approaches this task with a mindset that prevailing diplomatic realities are malleable rather than immutable, and that they can be rendered malleable by assertive, intelligent diplomatic initiatives, there is little hope for success. Similarly, unless one recognizes that the role played by Israel’s diplomacy should be considered similar to that of its air force – in generating freedom of action to achieve strategic objectives – and is allotted the resources commensurate with the importance of that role, it is unlikely that those objectives will be achieved. Finally, unless one realizes that the initiative for the required changes will not come from within Israeli officialdom or incumbent politicians, but from determined and devoted civil society elites, they will never materialize. True, eventually the funding required will be too large to come solely from private benefactors and will have to come from government sources. But it would be futile to look to, or wait for, any government initiative to establish the necessary enterprise. Without recognition of these three points, the quest for a sustainable TSS-alternative will be futile. The only remaining question is whether right-wing elites can muster the required resolve, resources and resourcefulness – just as the Left did – to allow it to initiate a far-reaching paradigmatic shift just as the Left did. ‘Nothing so practical as a good theory’ For those who were expecting a little more “red meat” this week, let me try to mollify you with a quote from the founder of social psychology, Kurt Lewin, who wisely remarked that “there is nothing so practical as a good theory.” Next week I hope to substantiate his insight.

September 1994 came and went. "Apparently it was incorrect," end-times forecaster Harold Camping told CHRISTIANITY TODAY by September 28, referring to his prediction that the world would end on the previous day. "Obviously this has not happened, so that was inaccurate." Camping said he somehow misunderstood the importance of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. He claimed, however, that Christ should still come before the end of 1994, and that the longer period of time could turn out to be a "blessing," because it could help reveal who truly converted to Christ due to his predictions. "He flatly refuses to be corrected," says B. J. Oropeza, research assistant at the Christian Research Institute (CRI). Oropeza this year wrote "99 Reasons Why No One Knows When Christ Is Going to Return" (InterVarsity Press), in which he criticizes Camping. Oropeza challenged Camping on radio's Dick Staub Show September 21 to repent of his errors in teaching. Camping said he would admit it if he made mistakes in his calculations, but added, "I don't know what you mean by the word repent." Two years ago Camping predicted that Christ would return in judgment between September 15 and 27, 1994. The 72-year-old Reformed Bible teacher issued his claims on his nightly Open Forum talk-radio show, which airs on the Family Radio network he founded 35 years ago. The private network owns 39 stations and 14 short-wave international transmitters. Camping also published his claims in a book, "1994?," and its sequel, "Are You Ready?" (CT, June 20, 1994, p. 46). More than 80,000 copies of the two books are in print. Thousands of devoted radio listeners heeded his warnings to some extent. Camping's end-times views have been considered inconsistent by some because his ...

Fracking and the Jews Gregory Zuckerman, Wall Street Journal reporter and author of “The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History,” has just finished a new book. “The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters,” tells the story of the oilmen who led the charge in the recent American revolution in natural gas and oil extraction. Since 2010, partly due to fracking, US oil production has increased, pushing America to surpass Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world’s largest energy producer. This eruption in extraction has U.S. dependence on foreign oil at a 20-year low and declining. Former Forward intern Doni Bloomfield, who served as a research assistant on the book, spoke to Zuckerman about the surprising role Jews played in the surge, and what decreasing American reliance on Middle Eastern fuels may mean for Israel and beyond. Doni Bloomfield: As someone who is not an energy reporter, what pushed you into this story? Gregory Zuckerman: I’m a business writer first and a Wall Street-focused reporter second, but it was obvious to me when I started this that the most important issue in the business world today is taking place in the world’s energy fields. One needs to go away from the coasts, both the East Coast and the West Coast, to really find where the jobs are being created, where geopolitics is being impacted, where Americans are really taking remarkable risks: both business and, potentially, environmental risks. What is fracking and why does it matter? Fracking is just the act of breaking apart or fracturing rock far down below the earth — rock that’s packed with oil and gas. This rock is very tough, it’s very “tight” as they call it. And the way that these fractures are created, so that oil and gas can be set free, is by pumping large amounts of water and chemicals and sand into that rock. What’s unique since around 2000 is we’re fracking and drilling in a kind of rock called shale that has historically been too tight, too compact, to give up much oil and gas. Lately we’ve been able to get a lot of oil and gas from this very challenging rock which even the experts gave up [on] long ago. I know from the book that Americans from every walk of life had a hand in this surge of energy production. What role have you seen people from a Jewish background playing in the early stages of this fracking revolution? I was struck and surprised by the impact of various Jews on energy in general, on the evolution of the industry. George Mitchell, the father or grandfather of modern-day drilling and fracking, got his early boost by courting local Jewish investors in the Houston and Galveston area. I interviewed Mr. Mitchell before his recent death and he regaled me with stories of how — and this is something only a 90-something-year-old entrepreneur from Texas can maybe get away with — stories of how the Jews were both good backers and investors and supporters but also gave him a really hard time when he couldn’t find any oil and gas, but he had fond memories of going back and forth with his various Jewish backers, and frankly they kept him going when things were tough, when he was getting his start and even afterwards. One of the more fascinating people who stood out for me in the book was Sanford Dvorin, who tried to look for gas in the city of Dallas. What was his role in this story? Sanford Dvorin is someone I just stumbled upon. He’s a fascinating guy who left Newark, N.J., the Jewish son of a butcher who decides to head west to make his own fortune. He was one of the guys who was very early in believing that there could be a lot of gas that could be extracted from this shale rock in Texas, and all the experts told him he was nuts. He proceeded to bet his life savings [on drilling] in an urban area which is even more preposterous, according to the experts, both for logistics reasons and because someone else would have found it a long time ago. And he went out there, he served bagels and whitefish salad to his workers, his roughnecks in the field, he was on the cusp of something great. In my eyes he was a pioneer and gets credit in his own right because some of the same acreage, fields and wells that he bet his life savings on were worth hundreds of millions of dollars for others. This isn’t entirely a new thing. Jews have been involved in the energy industry from the beginning. That’s exactly the case. Everything from the Rothschilds’ financing the birth of the entire Russian oil industry, to people like Leon Hess and Armand Hammer who were early in Middle Eastern fields. And even the company Shell was started by children of a [Jewish] trader, [who] made his early fortune buying shells from British sailors. Fast forwarding, one of the most important and vexing questions is how this surge of oil and gas production in the United States is going to affect geopolitics, and in particular Israel and the Middle East. Right, and I think Israel is going to see some of this with their own discovery of natural gas off their coast, so natural gas itself is seeing a boom both in fracking and beyond. Growing up it was drilled into us — no pun intended — how our country is constrained when it comes to energy and we rely on others and these others aren’t people we really want to depend on. Just like America has turned around and shifted on a dime from where we were dependent and worried about the future and is now moving towards exporting gas, shockingly, Israel too is in those same shoes where just a few years ago it wasn’t clear where it was going to satisfy its energy needs and now they too are talking about exporting.

The philosopher of enlightened thinking we have forgotten (Column: Bookends) Among the paradoxes of the human condition is our tendency to follow the loudest talkers — the polarising, patronising ones who can convince us to ignore pain they inflict now for future utopias, while forgetting those who advanced our freedom and rights by mercilessly mocking prejudice, tyranny, intolerance, hypocrisy, excess nationalism, and such abuses. Like this French philosopher, who even chose satirical story-telling to make his views more understandable. And Francois-Marie Arouet “Voltaire”, among the paladins of the Age of Enlightenment and inspiration for two world-changing revolutions (American and French), was also one of those whose basic creed can be summarised in one short and simple sentence. In his case, it was not the common but misattributed: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it;” but rather, “Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege of doing so too.” Born in Paris on November 21, 1694, to a minor treasury official, Voltaire was the youngest among his siblings (three brothers — two who didn’t survive infancy — and a sister). While his father wanted him to follow his footsteps as a lawyer, he wanted to be a writer and, after some travails, prevailed in his desire. But his life as a writer, even as versatile and prolific as he was, with almost 2,000 works across all literary forms (novels, plays, poems, essays, histories, encyclopaedic dictionaries, scientific treatises, pamphlets, et al), was not sedentary but quite eventful. It comprised spells of imprisonment (for insulting noblemen and the French royal family), banishment from cities and exile (including a considerable time in Britain), high favour from monarchs like Frederick the Great and comfortable residence in their courts, but was soon followed by messy falling outs and return to an itinerant life, and not many fixed abodes (one of his estates was on the French-Swiss border so he could bolt in either direction whenever so required). It was only in February 1778 that he could return to the city of his birth — after a quarter century — and died there in May. Works like “Letters Concerning the English Nation” (1733), “Elements of the Philosophy of Newton” (1745), “The Age of Louis XIV” (1751), “Treatise on Tolerance” (1763) and the “Philosophical Dictionary” (1764) are seminal in their own right while still remaining relevant. Voltaire’s fiction is a more optimal place to view his thought. The most famous among this is “Candide” (1759), a merciless lampoon of the theory of German polymath Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, also known as an inventor of calculus and mechanical calculators, that we live in the best of all possible worlds. In this witty parody of a romantic adventure, we follow the eponymous kind-hearted but naive hero, after he is booted out of his sheltered existence (where his tutor, Dr Pangloss — a caricature of Leibniz — has taught him this theory) through a series of vicissitudes across Europe and South America and back. In this course, Candide, who has learnt to ask, “If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?”, meets all his former associates, who have undergone many misfortunes (even Pangloss, who still holds his belief) and all finally find peace in running a small farm in Ottoman territory. More engrossing, but more parable-like is “Zadig, or The Book of Fate” (1747). Here again the eponymous young, good-hearted, philosophically-inclined hero, a native of Babylon in some bygone age, has a spell of ever-changing fortunes which see him rise to great heights and fall to great lows, be it love, life or career. However, most of the issues it raises are contemporary, only thinly-veiled. In any case, two episodes stand out — one is the section where Zadig exhibits his detective skills (used more or less verbatim towards the beginning of Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose” for William of Baskerville to display his forte), but involves some less than salutary consequences for him. The other is his journey with a hermit, who allows him to accompany him on the condition that he doesn’t question any action. Sure enough, the hermit does many strange things, Zadig can’t restrain himself, but then things are not what they seem. Voltaire took inspiration from Jewish and Islamic religious tradition (in the former, it is Moses and an angel, and in the latter, the hermit is the mystical Khizr). Two more works that merit mention are short stories “Microgemas” (1752), where the axiom of humanity being the crowning pinnacle of creation is mercilessly scoffed at, and “The World As It Goes, or the Vision of Babouc”, where Babouc, a Scythian nomad, is tasked by an angel to go to Persepolis and judge whether it merits destruction. It is a tricky dilemma but our hero finds a way out. Voltaire was by no means perfect, but the useful lessons he taught outweigh the faults. We must learn this lesson at least from him. (Vikas Datta is an Associate Editor at IANS. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at email@example.com)

Ten halachic categories in the Jewish People are detailed at the beginning of the Torah portion of Netzavim. They are all commanded to stand together “today” before G-d. Our Sages say that “today” refers to Rosh HaShanah. Our power to merit in the judgment of the High Holy Days is our togetherness. Five of the ten categories of the Jewish People are outlined in the first verse: “Your heads, your tribes, your Elders, your Police, every man of Israel.” The second verse also has five categories. It begins, “tapchem neshechem,” “your children and your women.” The women are the seventh of the ten categories of the Jewish People. The most dear in any enumeration is the seventh. (Kol hashviin chavivin). The children are the sixth category. The first verse ends with “every Jewish male” and the second verse, which is obviously a new category, begins with “your children and women.” The initial letters of the three genders of the Jewish People, male, female and children, also create the same acronym of teneh. The order is just reversed. The tet is taf, children, the nun is nashim, women, and the alef, which is the lowest category, is anashim, men. The men correspond to the letters, otiot, as in “the letter of the law.” The women, nashim, correspondto the nekudot, vocalization or proper pronunciation, and the children, taf, to the hidden sweet level of the ta’amim, which will only be fully explained by the Mashiach. The ta’amim and nekudot are the two higher, secret levels of the Torah. This is one of the secrets of teneh, that the highest level of all is the children, followed by the women and then the men. There is potential in this year, t’hai shnat nashim taf, that in the merit of the women and children, the concealed, inner dimension of the Torah, will be revealed. Other chapters in this series: - Teneh–Revealed and Concealed Levels of Torah - Teneh – Categories of the Jewish People Correspond to Levels of Torah - Hakhel – To Learn, to Hear, to Merit - Taf (Children) – Drops and Prophecy - Nashim (Women) – Breath and Soul - Inner Dimension of Torah and the Inner Dimension of the Heat - Redemption in Merit of Women and Children - Search For My Inner Essence - Two Levels of the Inner Dimension - Israel, Torah, and God – Inner and External Dimensions - Four Directions and the Four Worlds - Emanation Consciousness – No Friction - Face, Innerness, Glory, and Atzilut (Emanation) - Awareness of a Higher Dimension Helps to Create a Good Year

The jcc of greater pittsburgh, a member of the jewish community center association of north america aquatics fitness sports early childhood camp. Receiving a diagnosis of diabetes can change your entire world these patients and doctors share tips on how to stay in control with the condition. Back in 1968, bucky and the squirrels topped the charts with their dance hit ‘do the squirrel’ unfortunately, on their first promotional tour, the plane carrying the band crashed and unfortunately, on their first promotional. A holidaymaker returned from a break to find his car wasn't working - after a squirrel stuffed the mechanics full of hundreds of acorns stunned motorist andrew wilkins, 25, says the rodent stashed its hoard of nuts in his volkswagen golf. Home - welcome to toshiba - toshiba's start experience including trending news, entertainment, sports, videos, personalized content, web searches, and much more. The pulse of what's trending on youtube check out the latest music videos, trailers, comedy clips, and everything else that people are watching right now. Jewish folk-singer debbie friedman performs at temple sinai by manny theiner few musicians alive can be credited with almost single-handedly birthing an entire subgenre of music, but jewish folk-singer debbie friedman is certainly one of them long before the appearance of popular jewish rockers like rick recht, she became the best. Ryan boylan from clearwater beach is trying to keep his emotional support squirrel who he rescued after hurricane matthew last year as. A long island squirrel—undeterred by a milk bottle thrown in his direction—was eventually shot and killed when he tried to attack some the 19th century cast them as a pleasant feature of modern urban life at a time when people sometimes gathered around a single squirrel in central park in awe, the way they might react to a black bear in. Dating women in squirrel island: looking for single women in squirrel island we have plenty that are looking to chat now meet girls free here, never pay for anything. How to find that book you've spent years looking for and i believe it has an underlying christian message it is about a woman who is a waitress and a single mother, her daughters father left when she was a baby when he resurfaces and her daughter is kidnapped, she suspects her ex in the end, the kidnapper is found and it. Fleischman translates in english to meat man, or butcher it is most often used with a single n for those who were persecuted as jews other germanic spellings for christians and others not deemed jewish are fleischmann, or fleishmann. The oldest of four children, he grew up in squirrel hill, the leafy, picturesque neighborhood on the east side of pittsburgh that has long been home to the city’s jewish community he moved back there after graduating from the state university at binghamton in 2000 but he quickly realized that his dating prospects in. Coney island is a peninsular residential neighborhood, beach, and leisure/entertainment destination of long island on the coney island channel, which is part of the lower bay in the southwestern part of the borough of brooklyn in new york city the site was formerly an outer barrier island but became partially connected to the rest of long island. Jokes4uscom - jokes and more joke generators: click here for a random pick up line click here for a random yo mama joke. Peter tells of spending a year on a deserted island with only a monkey for a companion when he claims along time for stewie is good italian mom without bad kids you can't do that on television, peter. In puerto rico she rubbed the island's flag between her legs on stage top-five hits, secret and take a bow, the latter topping the hot 100 for seven weeks, the longest period of any madonna single something to. Vector illustration set lovely twin sister two child girls having fun to read a cartoon cartoon caricature of man on skis with rabbit and squirrel disney cartoon united states - circa 2005: stamp printed by united states, shows cartoon, disney characters, mad hatter, alice, circa 2005 disney cartoon united states - circa. Her mother was of lithuanian jewish and french quebec ancestry. It turned out that he was going to be looking after a southern flying squirrel naturally, this species of squirrel usually resides in forests and woods, using trees as their habitat they furthermore survive on a diet of nuts, seeds, fruit and insects as well as eggs and birds snackable content.

Comics Lend New Meaning to Violence, War and Trauma By Justine Hofherr BU News Service When Professor Hillary Chute first read Maus, a graphic novel depicting author Art Spiegelman’s father’s experience as a Polish Jew during the Holocaust, she realized comics could encompass much more than American superheroes like Spiderman and Batman. “I was really surprised when I started looking at how many different kinds of stories about world historical conflicts were in the form of comics,” Chute said at a lecture entitled “Comics as Documentary: Words, Images, and War,” at Boston University’s Photonics building Thursday evening. “It struck me that the most complicated and interesting work were works about history and trauma to some extent.” Chute encountered Maus in 2000 while taking a historical fiction class at Rutgers University, where she got her PhD in English in 2006. She never read comics as a child, she said, but Maus, the first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize, made her realize the comic form opens doors for documenting acts of war, trauma and violence in ways that news articles and photos cannot. The combination of graphic visual images and text in artificially constructed frames invites the reader to slow down, Chute said. “I’ve always been interested in the intersection of history, narrative and memory,” Chute said. “Comics like Maus engage the reader in imagining the unimaginable.” Maus, published in 1986, uses minimalist drawing style and postmodern techniques in pacing, structure and panel layouts, Chute said. Spiegelman also utilizes different types of animals to represent different human races, with mice representing Jews, cats representing Germans and pigs standing for non-Jewish Poles. One page of Maus depicts a German Nazi cat in a Jewish ghetto gripping a Jewish mouse in one claw and forcing a gun down the mouse’s throat. The mouse narrating the events of WWII describes the ghettos, saying, “It was fences put up all around! No mouse could go out from the ghetto; No food and no medicine could go in!” Chute said this jarring personification of mice forces the reader to see the Holocaust as a spectacle and commit the atrocities that occurred to memory. Maus inspired Chute to bring the graphic novel into academia. Comics were long considered lowbrow, she said, but they are gaining greater esteem as teachers recognize that they often document historical truths in engaging ways. Other groundbreaking graphic novels depicting war include “I Saw It: The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima, A Survivor’s True Story” and “Barefoot Gen,” by Keiji Nakazawa, a survivor of the A-bomb. In these two manga comics, Chute said, Nakazawa recounts the bombing of Japan’s Hiroshima in gruesome detail, often depicting characters with flesh dripping off their arms and faces. “I Saw It” was published in 1972 and “Barefoot Gen” was published and serialized in 1973. More recently, she said, comic journalist Joe Sacco has also paved the way for documentary-style graphic narratives with his novel, “Palestine,” which depicts Israeli-Palestinian relations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in December 1991 and January 1992. “They opened the field for new content,” Chute said. Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 and the Arab Spring uprisings, which began in Tunisia in 2010, are just a few of the other traumatic events that have inspired comic culture, Chute said. English professor Davida Pines, who teaches a course dedicated to the graphic narrative at Boston University, attended the lecture to learn more about the significance of hand writing in comics. She said the act of writing in an age of high technology engages the reader. “Handwriting is like a brushstroke,” Pines said. “It puts you so close to the artist.” Like Chute, Pines has been fascinated with comics since she encountered Maus in graduate school at Brandeis University and said she wants graphic novels to be considered literature worth studying. “Comics help us create a memory of something so deeply subjective,” Pines said. Chute is working on her next book about comics as a form of documentary, which will look at the post-World War II environment in which Spiegelman in America and Nakazawa in Japan established comics as a form for addressing the cultural consequences of war. The book will also investigate current graphic reportage by figures such as Sacco on the Balkans and the Middle East. Comics are around to stay, Chute said, and should not be limited to just one format—print or online. “People are really interested in texts that contain multiple media,” Chute said. “Comics can be very appealing and instructive.”

As September quickly approaches and summer fades away, many college-bound students are packing up and preparing for the upcoming year on campus. For some, this is new and unchartered territory: dorm life, new friends, unlimited extra-curricular activities, and doing your own laundry. And for a few students, this includes becoming a Bat Mitzvah. Last year, according to the Dayton Jewish Observer, four students at Tufts University were called to the Torah as B’not Mitzvah during the spring semester. One of these young women, Kira Mikityanskaya, was inspired to have her Bat Mitzvah during her first trip to Israel the summer before her freshman year. Kira didn’t even learn that she was Jewish until the age of 6 when she and her family immigrated to the United States from Russia. Growing up she at attended Sunday school and was active in her local Jewish youth groups, but as she turned 13, when many of her friends started preparing for their Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s, Kira felt she wasn’t ready. So the time came and went, and she never had a Bat Mitzvah. After a Birthright trip to Israel last year, Kira decided she wanted to finally have her Bat Mitzvah – she just didn’t know how to do it. When she arrived on Tufts’ campus for the first time last Fall, she saw a flyer at the campus Hillel for a program helping students who had never had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah to have one. Seven months and one mitzvah project later, Kira became a Bat Mitzvah at age 19. Nearly 2000 miles away, four other women were recently called to the Torah for a B’not Mitzvah. They, like Kira and her friends, were also past the traditional Bat Mitzvah age – but a bit further along. At ages ranging from 76 to 90, these women, who grew up in a time when girls didn’t typically have a Bat Mitzvah, were finally able to celebrate. “It shows that you never get too old to do something you want,” said the eldest of the group, Diana T. Wunch, in the Houston Chronicle. For many, a Bar or Bat Mitzvah comes hand-in-hand with a slew of requirements and rules, such as several years of study in the synagogue’s religious school, membership, Torah-trope tutors, mitzvah project, etc. These requirements and policies can often deter families and individuals looking to have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah outside of the traditional timeline. Unaffiliated and interfaith members of the community need to know that our doors are open, especially for the important lifecycle events – from Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s through weddings and funerals. For this reason, JOI is working in partnership with STAR: Synagogue Transformation and Renewal on Call Synagogue Home to help rabbis and synagogues look beyond their policies and seize these opportunities for engagement. Whether it’s a Bat Mitzvah at 19 or 90, or an interfaith family who wants to celebrate the birth of a child, we are working together to make sure that our community is welcoming to everyone who wants to share in these rich, family experiences. September is right around the corner, and for the Jewish community that means getting ready for the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). While these holidays attract many Jews who otherwise never attend synagogue, save for maybe the occasional Bar/Bat Mitzvah, they also ignite a debate within the Jewish community that’s been going on for years: charging for attendance at High Holiday services. We believe, as do a growing number of synagogues and congregations across the US, that there should be no “pay-to-pray” stipulation for the High Holidays. As the holidays get closer, we anticipate more being written about this issue. The magazine Jewish Living has inaugurated this year’s debate with a short article that mentions a very funny video making the rounds on YouTube, in which a couple hurries up to the doors of a temple only to realize they forgot to buy tickets. As luck would have it, though, there is a ticket scalper lurking in the shadows. Titled “Bad Karma on the Kippur,” the three minute video, which is similar to this typically cringe-inducing clip from Larry David’s HBO show “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” is an intelligent mix of humor and social commentary – even addressing interfaith relationships and race. Ticket scalping at High Holidays will never be as blatant as portrayed in this video, but it does raise many questions about how this practice affects the unaffiliated members of our community (or those who can’t afford dues) who view high ticket prices as a major barrier to participation. Chabad charges nothing for their High Holiday services, and their attendance at this time of year skyrockets. Isn’t it time for the rest of the community to lower or remove this barrier and open our doors for all who would like to enter? Here at JOI, we get a lot of emails from people looking for help in navigating the world of interfaith marriage. The reasons for their inquiries vary – some live in rural communities without access to a rabbi, others don’t belong to a synagogue and aren’t sure where to turn. Reaching out over email is not unusual, but according to a new survey by Ynet, a news website in Israel, more and more people are turning to “internet rabbis” even if they live in urban areas or belong to a congregation. The reason: greater accessibility. I can’t say I’m surprised at the survey’s results. After all, sending an email is a lot quicker than writing a letter, or even making a phone call. In our case, as a national organization with headquarters in New York, our blog and various list serves allow us to reach an audience worldwide. But we are also a somewhat specialized organization. What’s interesting about the survey is the number of people who have access to a rabbi but would rather click through to find an answer written by a rabbi. The Ynet survey only seemed to cover people searching for basic Judaism related questions, and there are plenty of websites designed for this purpose. Our website has a Q and A section, and participants in our Mothers Circle program have access to a virtual rabbi who can answer questions and concerns about the particulars of Jewish practice, tradition, history, community, culture, and belief. But what about rabbi’s expanding their services online, beyond answering questions? When people living far from any synagogue write to us with a desire to explore becoming a Jew, we often point them to the website of Rabbi Celso Cukierkorn. He is based in Florida, but he offers an online conversion course to anyone who wants to become Jewish, whether you are in New Mexico or New Zealand. We have blogged in the past about “virtual synagogues” and the rising number of outreach professionals who use podcasts (essentially a radio program that can be downloaded and listened to at a later time) to reach people who may not feel comfortable stepping into Jewish institutions. These are all great examples of electronic Public Space JudaismSM - maximizing technology to reach those on the periphery of the Jewish community where they are, on their terms. Some might think the lack of personal contact with a rabbi doesn’t fully represent Judaism, but for many it can be the first step in joining our Big Tent. The article notes that “population shifts and tight budgets” are forcing numerous changes that have to be addressed. This includes the closing of Louisville’s only non-Orthodox Jewish day school and kosher restaurant, merger talks between synagogues, and a possible consolidation of the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Community Federation of Louisville. So what are the institutions doing to make sure they can handle these societal changes and keep the community vibrant? The Jewish Community Center, for example, which offers a fitness center and performing arts along with Jewish day camps and educational programs, plans on competing more aggressively for both non-Jewish and Jewish customers. “Not only do we have to offer programming, we have to offer great programming,” said Helene Kramer, a Federation Board member and co-chair of the consolidation committee. And even though the JCC had to close their on-site kosher restaurant Café J, it is still available for catering. They are also reaching out to interfaith families like never before. While many still believe the common complaint that intermarriage leads to a “dilution of Jewish heritage,” Rabbi Joe Rooks Rapport of The Temple (Louisville’s largest congregation) points to the Boston survey that found many interfaith families raise their children Jewish. “It puts the whole conversation of intermarriage on its head,” he noted. With the help of JOI board member Todd Blue and his wife Karen, who co-chair Louisville’s Jewish Community Outreach Taskforce, the federation is promoting a local chapter of The Mothers Circle, JOI’s rapidly expanding program for non-Jewish mothers raising Jewish families. We have had the privilege of working with Louisville since 2006, when we conducted a “community scan” that focused on what they are doing to welcome intermarried and unaffiliated families. That’s why we know they are doing more than what the article reports – especially in reaching other target populations, like young folks and Jews-by-choice. For example, they are starting a chapter of PJ Library, a program that sends Jewish books and music to families with young children to create stronger Jewish homes - with over 280 children registered so far. Louisville is making great progress as they continue their efforts to grow an already vibrant and inclusive Jewish community, and we are excited to be a part of the process. Not long ago, some in the Jewish community were calling for a return of the “taboo” against intermarriage. Their thinking went something like this: if parents (and rabbis, and communal leaders) spoke more about how much they want our young people to marry other Jews, the intermarriage rate would go down. Well, one clever—and wealthy—dentist in Chicago went a step further by adding a financial incentive to encourage his offspring to only marry other Jews. According to the Chicago Tribune: Can a monetary prize be used to bind a family to its ancestral faith? …In his will, Feinberg expressed his wish to disinherit any descendant “who married outside the Jewish faith.” Unfortunately for the late Max Feinberg, in this case it appears that money is as equally ineffective as social taboos in conquering love. The family of the late dentist is currently embroiled in some very ugly—yet legally interesting—litigation, to the point where his daughter is trying to have her own children declared legally deceased in order to collect their money! The punch line? “Of the couple’s five grandchildren, four married gentiles.” A small item in the column “Celebrity News” of the August 1st edition of the Atlanta Jewish Times caught the attention of JOI’s Rabbi Kerry Olitzky. It was a blurb about how Barack Obama, when he was in the Illinois State Senate, shared an office suite with an Orthodox Jew. The piece, which was an excerpt from an article in Newsweek, explained that Obama was very curious about Jewish customs, and even offered to open electric doors for his suitemate. But the title above the blurb is what stood out – “Shabbas Goy.” At JOI, one of the principles of our Big Tent Judaism coalition is to “lower the barriers to participation.” This includes defining “insider” terms like “daven” (to pray) and eliminating offensive language, such as “goy” or “shiksa.” In response to the blurb, the paper published Kerry’s letter to the editor: In your “Celebrity Jews” column in the Aug. 1 issue, in order to make the Obama campaign relevant, your contributor uses the heading “Shabbos Goy” regarding the relationship between Ira Silverstein and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. It is time to stop the use of such language that excludes and offends. With the growing number of those from different religious backgrounds now part of the Jewish community, the term “goy” needs to be excluded from our vocabulary. No more need be said. Are you ready to take this step with us – to use only inclusive language that will help people feel welcome in the Jewish community? We spend most of our time at JOI focused on expanding Judaism’s Big Tent. Whether that means engaging intermarried families, recent Jews-by-choice, or anyone else who might feel they are on the periphery of the community, our goal is to let them know that we welcome them, and we want them involved. We do this through a variety of initiatives: Mothers Circle, Empowering Ruth, and Public Space JudaismSM to name just a few. One thing we have yet to try, though, is simply offering cash as an incentive to get people through the doors of Synagogues and other Jewish communal institutions. According to a piece in the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, cash incentives are becoming more and more popular among college based Jewish organizations. We have blogged in the past about financial incentives (Jewish families who move to Dothan, Alabama can apply for hefty, interest-free loans to help with relocation), and generally they seem like a good idea. Home loans or a reduction in synagogue dues can be powerful tools of attraction, and we are strong supporters of such practices. But with those examples, the incentives are directly related to ongoing Jewish engagement – cash offers no guarantee that once the person is paid, they will continue their involvement in the Jewish community. While cash is a common theme in the article, not all programs mentioned take the same approach. In one program, called the Maimonides Fellowship, students who agree to take the money ($400 or a free trip to Israel) are obligated to commit to 10 weeks of Torah study courses. In another, called the Sinai Scholars Society, there is no such commitment, only required attendance at a three events. One college student said she was interested in participating because she was intrigued – by the check for $500. Of course it’s impossible to say what kind of impact this will have on Jewish engagement. The article cites a cash-for-study program at Lake Park Synagogue in Wisconsin that was shut down after some board members became uncomfortable with the process – but doesn’t mention if any of the students continued to gather and study Torah when they weren’t being paid to do so. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is quoted as saying a cash payment “trivializes Judaism, and it portrays secular Jews as people to be bought off.” Perhaps, or maybe it will light a fire in someone who otherwise would never go to a Torah study course. It’s an interesting method for encouraging Jewish involvement, and we will be watching closely to see how it “pays off.” On the heels of yesterday’s blog regarding Rabbi Kerry Olitzky’s letter to the editor in support of lowering the barriers for people who want to convert to Judaism, we write today about those who are already Jewish – but are still forced to “prove it.” An Israeli Olympic athlete, according to Seth Farber in the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, has been unable to convince the rabbinate that she is Jewish, and therefore she can’t be married in Israel, the place she calls home. The athlete, Anna Gostomelsky, is a Russian immigrant who was only able to provide documentation that her father was Jewish. Despite oral testimonies from numerous individuals who claim her mother was Jewish – and the fact that she leads a Jewish lifestyle – without the paperwork, the rabbinate refuses to recognize her as Jewish. As Anna puts it: “In more than 150 countries in the world, not only am I Jewish, I represent the Jewish people. Only in Israel to people question my Jewishness.” While this issue generally affects people who have immigrated to Israel, Farber says that more and more, proving Judaism through paperwork is also causing hardship on native Israelis. As the founding director of ITIM: The Jewish Life Information Center, which “help Israelis navigate the rabbinate’s labyrinths,” he says people who have grown up in Israel as full Jews, but whose parents married outside of Israel, will find themselves having to prove their Jewishness – all because one group of Orthodox Jews have set the bar dramatically high. Farber writes: “Rabbinical courts insist on authentication of Jewishness because the assumption that someone who claims he is a Jew is a Jew - a principle that is, incidentally, codified in the Shulhan Arukh (code of Jewish law) - has been challenged in recent years by ultra-Orthodox poskim (halakhic authorities). These rabbis claim that such an assumption can be made only so long as the claimant is an observant Jew. However, in a society whose members are secular Jews - “those who don’t act Jewish,” in their words - no such claims hold any real credence.” We have written about this before, but it still shocks and saddens when stories emerge of people who have lived their whole lives as Jews – only to be told that they are not Jewish. Farber, who is also an Orthodox rabbi, understands that “people transcend the Orthodox community,” and it shouldn’t be up to one group to make these decisions for all. At JOI, we believe these kinds of barriers only keep people from pursuing their Judaism. The worldwide Jewish community should be troubled by stories like Anna’s, and we are thankful that rabbis like Seth Farber are around to help guide people in their pursuit of a Jewish life. In a July 24th editorial in the New Jersey Jewish News, titled “The Conversion Mess,” the newspaper commented on the United Jewish Communities unusual step “of asking an Israeli prime minister to intervene in a brewing Israel-Diaspora crisis.” At issue is heightened scrutiny for state-authorized conversions in Israel, specifically regarding immigrants to Israel from the Former Soviet Union. The newspaper and UJC fear that the added pressures may nullify “thousands of official conversions undergone by immigrants.” In response, JOI executive director Kerry Olitzky wrote a letter to the editor proclaiming his support for removing the barriers that put an undue burden on people interested in converting to Judaism: Your editorial “The conversion mess” is aptly named, for conversion is indeed a mess in Israel, and it has seeped into a variety of places throughout the world. How can we complain that people aren’t converting to Judaism if we continue to erect barriers for them to cross over? It is hard enough to reach people on the periphery of the Jewish community. Shouldn’t we be able to at least capture people who are running in our direction? This was one of the motivations for our Empowering Ruth program for women who have converted to Judaism. This provides them continued education and support as they navigate the difficult and sometimes treacherous road once they have converted. The only thing that we should be saying to anyone who expresses an interest in conversion – or who has already converted – is “Welcome. We are glad you are here.” Often times, the most effective way to make an argument is to frame it as a piece of fiction. For instance, millions of children have learned over the years that “slow and steady wins the race” because of Aesop’s story of the tortoise and the hare. Whether that’s true or not, the message is easily received and understood. This is how author Reuben Bibi, who has just published a book called The Decision, approaches the subject of intermarriage. The novel, according to Rabbi I. Nathan Bamberger of The Jewish Press, debunks “the fallacy that intermarriage can work.” I have not read the book, but Rabbi Bamberger’s synopsis and review tells me enough to know that the novel takes a decidedly anachronistic view of interfaith marriage. In a nutshell, an unengaged Reform Jewish man, Michael, marries a Catholic woman, Susan, and they have a family. When one of their children gets sick and has to go to the hospital, she concludes the illness is a result of the child never being baptized. The husband, who had met an Orthodox Jewish man in the hospital, decides that baptism is too much and reaches out to his new friend “and their subsequent meeting and conversation result in Michael’s momentous decision.” Though I don’t know what his “decision” is, the message of the book is quite clear – marry outside of Judaism, and you are putting another nail in the coffin. This is one of Michael’s quotes in the book: “I did not want to give up my Jewish heritage…Hitler tried to destroy the Jews and failed, but here I am allowing my Jewish identity to die in a different way. I was losing no matter which way I turned.” Clearly there is no way to salvage your Jewish identity if you marry someone of another faith! We know from the countless people JOI has worked with over the years that this kind of thinking is remarkably backwards. This book seems to care nothing for nuance or the realities of living in a modern society. Intermarriage is less about rejecting faith than it is about living in a mixed culture. With the growing diversity of Jewish families, it’s better to welcome and engage interfaith families and try to answer the question of “Why be Jewish.” We suggest you read Rabbi Kerry Olitzky’s book Making a Successful Jewish Interfaith Marriage to see how interfaith families can indeed lead a rewarding and meaningful Jewish life. Rabbi Bamberger ends his review by saying that “with proper education the scourge of intermarriage will become a thing of the past.” I hate to break it to him, but there is no way to stop intermarriage. That’s why we have created The Mothers Circle, The Grandparents Circle and Big Tent Judaism. Around here, we believe that “intermarriage does not end Jewish continuity; not raising Jewish children ends Jewish continuity.” The hard line approach – shaming families by equating intermarriage with the Holocaust – only pushes people away, and that’s a message worth fighting. When people think about the musical West Side Story, whether it’s the Tony-award winning play or the Oscar-winning movie, images of white kids and Puerto Rican kids engaged in well choreographed fights immediately comes to mind. But these were not the two groups that Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein had in mind when they sat down to first write the play, which was going to be called East Side Story. According to a piece in The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh, the original story was to take place in New York City’s Lower East Side. Here’s the description: Tensions erupt between Jews and Catholics during concurrent Passover and Easter holidays. There is a couple that is in love – she is Jewish and he is Italian Catholic. While the play was shelved until a few years later, and moved to the (then) gritty west side of Manhattan, it’s interesting to note that the issue of Jewish interfaith relationships was seen as something comparable to gang wars. Fortunately, we have come a long way since then, with many in the Jewish community realizing that intermarriage is not something to fight over, but rather something we have to accept as inevitable. Our reactions are what set the course for the future – do we take it to the streets and rumble, or do we instead engage intermarried families and work to encourage their increased participation in Jewish life? At JOI, we believe in the latter because as anyone who has seen West Side Story (or read Romeo and Juliet) knows, fighting the relationships rarely ends on a positive note. From time to time, people write into JOI to tell us how they have used our outreach programming and successfully applied it to their communities. The following message was sent to our program officer Liz Marcovitz from Elyse Chiert, who attended our 2007 conference in Washington, DC: I just wanted to drop you a line to let you and others know that the JOI conference made a huge impact to my work and thus the Sydney Jewish community in Australia. I hope you remember that 3 of us from The Shalom institute and Network attended the conference while we were touring the US. It took a few months for us to process what we learnt plus see the projects come to fruition. We were inspired by the conference as we learnt about many new initiates while we were there. I know you were involved with follow up after the event but as only 2 of us are running a large organisation that caters for 5000+ young adults in Sydney, I was time poor to fill in all the forms, but I think your follow up was amazing and so important. I have sung the praises of the JOI to many people here in Sydney and we have had a number of successful events after implementing some ideas that we saw at the conference. Here are a few… 1. Hearing Ruth Messinger speak about social action at the conference inspired us to start social action awareness group called the “Jewish change makers forum,” and we were privileged to have Ruth speak at one of our events recently while she was visiting Sydney. 2. We have passed on our feedback to Hillel after hearing about Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative, and I believe it’s on their agenda for 2009. 3. As our community is small, we combined the idea of The Mothers Circle and called our group Shalom Baby, but will be looking at holding Mothers Circle type events in the near future. We held the launch event last Friday with hundreds of mothers attending who are so excited there is now something in the community for them. 4. The PJ library idea has been a hit too, and we are currently in talks about starting this here, however we are still trying to work out how and who to deal with in the US to be able to get the books sent to Australia. So thank you again for everything, and I wish you the best of luck with JOI as it’s such an amazing organisation doing such important work. We are excited that Elyse has been able to make such an impact on her community, and we are confident that she will continue to find success in the future. If anyone reading has their own outreach stories to share, we would love to hear them! For the past couple of years, STAR (Synagogue Transformation and Renewal) and JOI have been working together on a program called Call Synagogue Home which aims to help make synagogues more welcoming towards interfaith families during life-cycle events, which include brit milah and baby namings, B’nai Mitzvah, weddings and funerals. They also include non-traditional lifecycle moments, such as high school graduation, recovery from illness, the purchase of a new home or even a new job. Rabbi Kerry Olitzky often leads training sessions for synagogue leadership, offering suggestions on how they can attract and engage unaffiliated families during any of the life-cycle events listed above. Thanks to the popularity of online video sharing sites like YouTube, now anyone can get a taste of what Call Synagogue Home has to offer. This clip provides some highlights from one of Kerry’s training sessions and gives a glimpse into one of the many ways JOI helps institutions to explore how they can create a warm and welcoming environment for interfaith families during life-cycle events and beyond. Embracing diversity in the North American Jewish community is not limited to the inclusion of Jews-by-Choice, intermarried families, and Jews of Color. Truly embracing diversity also entails recognizing the diversity of those raising Jewish children who are not Jewish themselves. Just like Jews, those from other religious backgrounds who are a part of the extended Jewish family—whether raising Jewish children, married to a Jewish partner or otherwise— represent a diverse constituency. An earlier post highlighted the rumors about a trend towards Catholic-Jewish intermarriages. Most make the assumption that if you aren’t Jewish, you’re probably Christian or from a similar religious background—assuming these individuals have a cherished religious background at all. The Mothers Circle facilitator Kit Haspel of Providence, RI was recently interviewed by the Warwick Beacon in an article about the important work of The Mothers Circle to support interfaith families in the area. Kit made sure to note that interested mothers have come from a vibrant patchwork of backgrounds: Catholic, Buddhist and those professing no religion at all. She emphasizes that the thread tying them together is their commitment to raise children steeped in Jewish community, culture and life. We at JOI do our best to use inclusive language to recognize the diversity of all those from other religious backgrounds that are raising Jewish children. Hopefully we as a North American Jewish community can continue these efforts through the content of our language and our programs, such as The Mothers Circle or The Grandparents Circle (for grandparents of interfaith grandchildren). As our community grows more diverse, maybe one day instead of just focusing on the Christmas tree, we’ll be adding Ramadan to the topic of those December dilemma conversations. At JOI we spend a lot of time focused on the creation of welcoming environment. We even have developed a signature research tool that helps us to evaluate the welcoming nature of institutions and communities—what we call an environmental outreach scan (an example of which can be found here). One of the things that we like to say is that our institutions and organizations should reflect the way we treat guests in our homes. That is why my wife gets upset when we have guests for Shabbat and I make motzi (blessing over bread) and then take the first bite myself rather than offer the first piece to a guest. But that is what the tradition teaches us to do since it is important to complete the act immediately following the blessing. There are other places and times in the Jewish culture code, as I like to call it, which call for similar, seemingly unwelcoming behaviors. When we enter a house of mourning, we are not supposed to speak to the mourner until the mourner speaks to us. This Saturday night/Sunday is Tisha B’av, a commemoration of tragedy that has befallen the Jewish people throughout its history, most notably the destruction of the ancient Temples in Jerusalem which led to the exile (some call it diaspora) of the Jewish people. The somber day is marked by many rituals, including the reading of the book of Lamentations and fasting. On Tisha B’av, contrary to what we teach most of the time, it is customary not to greet people. So if you find yourself in the synagogue for Tisha B’av, don’t be surprised if no one says hello. In this case it is indeed part of Jewish culture. I am what many in the Jewish community would label as an “insider.” I work for a Jewish organization, attend Shabbat services regularly and am an active participant on several committees at my synagogue, of which I am a proud dues-paying member. With that being the case, many of my fellow “insiders” assume that I’ll be spending a portion of my weekend fasting and at synagogue, observing Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning on the Jewish calendar. Last year was the first time I observed Tisha B’Av, choosing to fast and attend services several times with hopes of connecting to the power and meaning of the day. But by sun-down after a long day, I just found myself hungry and disappointed, not having felt any spiritual or religious connection. This year, I hesitate to observe in the same, traditional manner as last year, despite the expectations of being an “insider.” Instead, I’m considering observing Tisha B’Av, a day reminding us of destruction and exile, in an alternative way, one that might provide me with a deeper spiritual connection. This year I’d like to do my part to ensure that in the future, no community will ever have a reason to mourn for the same reasons that many will fast this Saturday night and Sunday. We can not reverse history, but we can make a difference for communities that currently face devastation, including the refugees of Darfur and the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. For those on the “inside” or “outside,” fasting all day or not at all, why not take a moment to reflect and even act to make certain that no other People have a day of mourning like Tisha B’Av? The museum, “an interactive children’s center that promoted Judaism through art and play,” is one of a handful of Jewish discovery centers in the nation. Visitors learn biblical stories, Jewish customs, and songs. But the real motivation, beyond education, is “to connect with unaffiliated Jews, a term reserved for Jews who are not members of a synagogue or Jewish community group.” Lowering the barriers to participation is one of the methods we believe will lead to greater involvement in the community, and that’s just what this museum is attempting to do. According to Emilie Kuperman, the Jewish Federation and community center director: “We’re trying to really create an open tent in a way that a family would want to be involved with the Jewish community on their terms,” Kuperman said. “This is another way to give families an opportunity to connect.” This is a great first step. Opening day at the museum brought Jews from all denominations, and everyone spoke highly of the resources. But to truly make the museum accessible, they should take it out of the Jewish Community Center and bring it to a secular location – that way they don’t have to wait for people to come to them, especially the unaffiliated who aren’t involved in the Jewish community. That suggestion aside, we’re excited to see communities embrace new and creative ways to make our Big Tent even bigger. At JOI, one of the first steps towards effective outreach is figuring out your target demographic. Is it young people, the elderly, the unaffiliated, etc…? Once you know your target audience, you can fashion programs with a better chance of engaging those you have set out to reach. That’s what’s happening in Israel right now, according to a piece in the Jerusalem Post. The government has charged the group Nativ with studying the Jewish community in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) “as the next step in an initiative to expand Jewish educational services in the region.” The government is taking this step because aliya amongst people living in the FSU has dropped dramatically – even though there are, according to government figures, approximately 900,000 people in the FSU eligible for Israeli citizenship. But others dispute those figures, saying that they are based on “Russian and Ukranian censuses and neglected to account for the unique way in which Russian speaking Jews identify.” And furthermore, while an estimated 80 percent of the 900,000 figure are intermarried, “it’s precisely the children of these intermarried families who are the main consumers of Jewish activities in FSU countries.” That’s an interesting development. At JOI, we believe that intermarriage is not a barrier to Jewish continuity – it’s the decision of families to not raise their children as Jews. In the FSU countries, it seems these interfaith children are the ones promoting continuity. With this study, Nativ will be able to better target their audience and find the best way to engage the area’s Jewish population – hopefully including not just the large number of adult children of intermarriage, but the rest of their families, too. We have done a number of community scans and demographic studies to help better understand the needs of targeted populations. Perhaps we can take our signature outreach methodology and set up a branch in the FSU. Although I grew up in the South, I admit that I have never been to Dothan, Alabama. I imagine it is a very nice town and I know that it has a Jewish community with a vibrant population and many Jewish communal institutions. The question that the community leaders in Dothan are asking is: How do you get people move to Dothan and help sustain the community? In other words, what will it take for people to move to Dothan, especially when the trend among young people is to move to the “big cities.” That is where Dothan seems to have taken a page out of the JOI play book. We believe that if we want people to enter the Jewish community and its institutions then we have to provide them with incentives for doing so. In the case of Dothan, the Jewish Community Service of Dothan is offering $50,000 no interest grants as part of its Family Relocation Project. In today’s economy, that is indeed an incentive. Families shouldn’t expect automatic entitlement to the JCS funds just because they are moving to town – there is an intensive vetting process to make sure recipients are committed to helping strengthen and grow Dothan’s Jewish community. One of the qualifications is the family must remain in Dothan for at least five years. This is a bold plan, and we look forward to following its progress—and measuring its success. Though JOI is often known for its work with those who have intermarried, we established our Big Tent Judaism campaign to emphasize the importance of being welcoming to all those who wish to engage with the Jewish community. True, intermarried couples are sometimes marginalized by the Jewish community, but so are gays and lesbians, Jews of color, Jews-by-choice, those with disabilities…and the list goes on. We commend the Interfaith Disability Connection for recognizing the need to “[educate] and [engage] faith communities in cultivating mutually beneficial relationships with people with disabilities.” This Sunday, the Interfaith Disability Connection will be holding a discussion of acceptance and inclusion at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta: “That All May Worship: Beyond The Ramp.” The Atlanta area organization counts five local synagogues as members, three of which are also members of the Big Tent Judaism Coalition. The Interfaith Disability Connection provides resources to these congregations, as well as to people with disabilities and their families and caregivers. The resources include everything from the physical set up of our institutions to alternative format worship services. The important awareness of making our Jewish institutions accessible for those with disabilities is becoming a higher and higher priority for the Jewish community. For example, according to the Cleveland Jewish News, Suburban Temple-Kol Ami renovated its sanctuary to include ramps and handrails leading up to the bimah and roomier aisles to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs, As the Jewish community continues to look to its future, we hope that accessibility becomes a high enough priority that it will no longer need to be a priority at all.

Only two months after the Six Day War, which witnessed the return of the Jewish people to the Old City of Jerusalem, Jews across the world once again gathered to commemorate and mourn the loss of the Temple in 70 CE. It was the 9th Day of Av and North American Jewry was marching to synagogue, where they would sit on the floor in sackcloth and remind God that “Jerusalem… laid waste, despised and desolate.” As Jews wailed and cried for a barren Jerusalem, a young rabbi living in Montreal, Canada, restlessly watched this theater of the absurd. He grew more annoyed as the macabre scene continued over the course of the day. What on earth were these people talking about? Did they realize that world history had been radically transformed? Did they not understand the daunting opportunities and challenges that now stood in front of the State of Israel? Finally, David Hartman picked himself up, moved to his pulpit, and asked the cantor to please stop praying. “I have something to tell all you,” Hartman announced. A puzzled cantor lifted his head up and a bewildered congregation turned their eyes to their leader. “I want you all to know that the Jewish people are singing and dancing in the streets of Jerusalem while you are sitting here and crying.” A few years later Hartman and his family immigrated to Israel and learned first hand that not everyone was singing and dancing in the streets of Jerusalem. Deep political strife still crippled the Jewish State, and its Palestinian inhabitants were being terribly mistreated. But the streets certainly were not desolate and the return of Jews to Zion meant confronting the spiritual and ethical challenges of power and politics. When David Hartman passed away on Saturday the world lost one of the most innovative religious thinkers of this past generation and undoubtedly the most influential Jewish thinker since the death of his teacher Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik in 1993. Hartman’s philosophical contribution to Judaism and Western life can be understood as follows: he inserted into Judaism the revolutionary and radical impulses of Zionism, and conversely he reminded Zionism of the ethical, moral, and sober voices of the rabbinic tradition. Other Jewish thinkers before Hartman had sought to create a hybrid, a shatnez of sorts, marrying religion to nationalism. For them, Judaism and nationalism were totally compatible, each complementing the other. The Bible was a nationalist document, the Israelites were Israelis and the modern Jewish State was the fruition of a messianic dream. Hartman broke with that worldview. He was not interested in compromising on the strengths or covering up the deficiencies of either Judaism or nationalism. To the contrary, he believed each could offer a corrective to the other. Judaism’s weakness was its passivity and inability to address peoples’ day-to-day experiences; nationalism’s shortcoming was that it could become idolatrous, fetishizing the survival of a people over the concerns of humanity and one’s ethical obligations. The return of Jews to Zion demanded that they reconsider the nature of Judaism; Zionism’s attachment to the Jewish people meant that it had to live up to a moral and ethical ideal. I met Hartman when I was twenty years old, fresh out of yeshiva in Israel and in my first year at Manhattan’s Yeshiva University. By that time, Hartman had already been celebrated in Tom Friedman’s From Beirut to Jerusalem as the last great prophet of peace and pluralism in Israel and had already cultivated a group of students whose impact was beginning to be felt widely and deeply in Jewish communal and academic circles. Still there was nothing that the master enjoyed more than a good argument with a young yeshiva student. It was in those arguments that I, and countless others, found their place in the drama of Jewish history. But for Hartman Judaism was never about the kind of challenging and critiquing that paralyzed two thousand years of rabbinic life; it was not about giving lip-service to asking profound questions but then not having the guts and resolve to live with spiritually painful and existentially wrenching answers. For Hartman Judaism was about having the confidence and self-assertiveness not only to ask, but to answer, build, create, and originate. As we mourn the loss of this master it’s important to recall how little patience he had for what had been lost and his deep investment in what the future might hold. I recall Hartman telling me how horrified he was when Pope John Paul II visited the Holy Land in 2000 and, like all dignitaries, he was taken first to Yad ve-Shem (the Holocaust memorial). “Is death and loss all we have to show for ourselves?” I asked, “Where would you take him instead.” “I would take John Paul to the maternity ward at Hadassah hospital and let him know that Jews didn’t just die and wander about aimlessly in the world. They are alive and flourishing." While Hartman is no longer with us, the books he wrote, the students he cultivated, and the institution he built give testimony not only the survival of a people, but to the flourishing of Judaism in modern western life.

The University of Texas affirmative action case of Fisher v Texas reminds us that UCLA stands for University for Caucasians Lost among Asians. And at 38% UCLA is behind other University of California campuses, such as Irvine (50%) and Berkeley (41%). Stanford lags behind (or forges ahead?) with only 24% Asian enrollment. Of course these enrollment percentages are multifold greater than the Asian population, even in southern California. As President Clinton once hyperbolically asserted, without racial preferences for others, some universities would have all-Asian freshman classes. At the University of Texas, Austin the freshman class was just under 16%, while the Asian population of Texas was just under 4%. In light of such figures, how can Asian-Americans, the argument goes, claim discrimination? A glance at the briefs in the upcoming (October 10) Supreme Court case of Fisher v. Texas reveals the variety of arguments for and against preferences. The appellant, an unsuccessful white applicant, Abigail Fisher, claims that she was denied admission to the University of Texas while minority students who had considerably lower SAT and academic achievements were admitted. Not granted automatic admission under the top ten percent of one’s public high school class track, she did not qualify under the other track. (Disclosures: My wife, Althea Nagai, cosigned the Abigail Thernstrom et al. brief and also works for the Center for Equal Opportunity, which filed a brief together with the Pacific Legal Foundation and National Association of Scholars. I co-signed the brief of Current and Former Federal Civil Rights Officials.) The opposing sides in debates over affirmative action generally fall into two camps—the conservative one of color-blind merit, and the multiculturalist one of transforming society along racial and ethnic lines. Of course the universities can’t say they are interested in producing racial and ethnic diversity for its own sake and need to allege some other goal. Moreover, they may not impose racial quotas, though they may take account of race (see Justice Breyer’s differing votes in the University of Michigan undergraduate versus the law school cases). But universities simply don’t exist for the sake of academic merit by itself, and multiculturalism, an exotic flower of contemporary nihilism, is an assault on reason and intellectual honesty. Universities have longstanding roles in developing citizenship (“leadership”), commerce, faith, and character. Even before the aspirations of early modern political philosophy and Progressivism, the universities were not solely devoted to fostering the contemplative life. A color-blind Constitution does govern America, including its public universities, but its application to particular instances is always a prudential, that is, political matter. Political theorists will recognize this as the problem of the best practicable regime. To seek a more practical end, some try to work between these contrasts of merit and multiculturalism. The brief by Richard Sander and Stuart Taylor dwells on academic “mismatch”—putting unqualified students into selective colleges where they are in the bottom of their classes statistically imperils their academic and professional future. (In another study, Sander and Taylor also show how the color-blind standard, following quickly made adjustments, improved overall black outcomes in California.) The admissions office sets the stage for a slow-motion trainwreck that the faculty and ethnic studies counselors try to clean up. When minority background is being “rewarded” a huge plus by admissions, the harm is even greater than the inappropriateness of the policy—Ms. Fisher’s exclusion aside. What sadist would want to put the first kid in the family to go to college to enter into what would all too often become a demolition derby? Is affirmative action a live-fire, four (or more)-year reality show? In the face of these and other disasters, I know affirmative action programs that led to recruitment of black students who were academically superior to the white students. It was actually pretty simple. At the large Midwestern state university I once taught at, quite renown for drinking and sports, the admissions standards for the overall student body were so low that any element of academic selectivity, such as an affirmative action program might produce, led to those recruits being a cut or more above the majority white students. There you have it: affirmative action that produces meritorious results. (N.B.—to file away for future reference—I believe without exception these African-American students all graduated from inner-city Catholic high schools. N.B. #2: The State of Texas has a “color-blind” affirmative action plan that guarantees admission to the top ten percent of each graduating class at public high schools. Private schools, including religious ones, are excluded.) These peculiarities of affirmative action aside, the real problem we face is the discrimination against Asian Americans. Here is a group whose mean SAT scores are 230 points above those of black applicants. With a policy of attempting to mirror the demographics of the State (or some other measure), one Asian group protested that Asian applicants had to meet a far more rigorous evaluation than black or Hispanic applicants. The statistical variance also reflected, critics say, unflattering stereotypes of Asians held by admissions officials. All that suffering under a Tiger Mother, only to meet with rejection! Let the traditional civil rights standard of “strict scrutiny” protect Asian-Americans in their admissions, and justice will be done, this argument goes. In contrast, two Asian-American briefs bluster on behalf of the Texas preferences, arguing that the high numbers alone show that this enlightened policy is expanding opportunity and not promoting discrimination. Texas has 11.8% blacks but only 4.5% at the University of Texas. As with blacks, some academically lagging Asian subgroups may eventually benefit from preferences (how, they never say). One brief even boldly asserts that the higher rejection rate for Asians comes about because they apply for the most competitive programs in the University (e.g., sciences and engineering). Of course, they cannot make such a case without offering group comparisons (not to mention comparative graduation rates), which they decline to do. It is hard to resist comparing Asian discrimination with the appalling injustice of anti-Jewish policies in various selective universities. The comparison works only partially. The Jewish quotas were part of an attempt to preserve a Protestant establishment against the rise of a group that threatened its dominance in not only the universities but in the ruling elite of the country—and that opposition applied to other unwelcome groups, too, such as southern Europeans, Catholics (see McGeorge Bundy’s dismissal of William F. Buckley’s God and Man at Yale), and others. This threat to established power may be involved in Asian exclusion today, but there is a more obvious and insidious explanation. Asians, along with high-achieving white groups, are mere “bumps in the road” or collateral damage in the ongoing war for ideological transformation of the universities. Indeed, I heard the Asian-American representative on President Clinton’s Commission on Race, a Korean-American woman, make the argument that other groups had suffered more than Asians, and they should get deference. Asians should relish their role as houseboys on the liberal plantation. The best essay on Asian-Americans as immigrants can be found in Richard Rodriguez’s collection, Days of Obligation—a lovely parallel with the Merchant of Venice, on how immigrant children betray their fathers—they are Jessicas. Truth to tell, ethnic Japanese in particular have encountered challenges in American jurisprudence. To abbreviate the history, the Yellow Peril (I prefer Das gelbe Gefahr, as it sounds worse in German) was contained in Korematsu v. U.S., a case Justice Stephen Breyer assails with all the conventional pieties in his recent book, Making Our Democracy Work. In trying to justify the Court’s Guantanamo decisions, he misses the connection between nationality and political loyalty, which is at the heart of Korematsu. He would apply everyday legal standards to a potential wartime invasion. Of most interest here is how Breyer’s liberal Court predecessors reaffirmed Korematsu’s ethnic categorization, with the intention of justifying affirmative action categorizations and preferences. See Justice Douglas’s dissent in DeFunis v. Odegaard (416 U.S. 312, 1974), and, far worse, Justice Brennan’s joint majority opinion in Bakke v. Regents of the University of California (438 U.S. 265, 1978). Of sounder judgment on Korematsu is the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist’s defense in his All the Laws But One: Civil Liberties in Wartime. As my parents were relocated in WW II, these events are part of my biography. A cousin’s daughter attended Lowell High School in San Francisco (also Justice Breyer’s alma mater). She could not have gotten in had she checked the Chinese box (her mother’s ancestry) and not the Japanese one (her father’s). In the meantime as the courts sort out this mess and as private universities continue with their social experimentation, I will tell my daughter to have a “Not with Dad” on her college application.

National Jewish Named One of Best Places for Postdocs DECEMBER 03, 2008 DENVER — For the second year in a row, National Jewish Medical and Research Center has been named one of the best places in the nation to undertake postdoctoral training. The Scientist , a magazine of the life sciences, named National Jewish the second best place in the United States for “postdocs” to work, based on the results of a survey completed by more than 3,000 postdocs. Last year National Jewish ranked 6th in the survey. The results are published in the March 2008 issue of The Scientist “This recognition is a very gratifying indication that we are ‘doing it right’ in terms of training basic and clinical research fellows at National Jewish,” said John Cambier, PhD, Chairman of the Immunology Department. The survey covered 11 topics in which respondents judged their respective institutions. National Jewish rated especially well in quality of training and mentoring, value of postdoc experience, equity and networking opportunities. National Jewish also rated at the top on family and personal life and quality of communication. Postdoctoral researchers usually join an established research lab for a few years after earning their PhD’s to get more training in a specific area before starting their own research laboratories. National Jewish employs about 90 postdocs in numerous research laboratories.

List of countries with coalition governments A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament. A coalition government might also be created in a time of national difficulty or crisis, for example during wartime, to give a government the high degree of perceived political legitimacy it desires whilst also playing a role in diminishing internal political strife. In such times, parties have formed all-party coalitions (national unity governments, grand coalitions). If a coalition collapses, a confidence vote is held or a motion of no confidence is taken. For the purposes of this list, coalitions can come in two forms. The first is produced by two or more parties joining forces after fighting elections separately to form a majority government. However, some coalitions (or alliances) are already decided before elections to give the parties the best chance of immediate government after the election. - Albania: Socialist Party of Albania, Socialist Movement for Integration, Unity for Human Rights Party, Demochristian Party of Albania. - Austria: Austrian People's Party, Freedom Party of Austria - Belgium: Christian Democratic and Flemish, Reformist Movement, Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats, New Flemish Alliance. - Bulgaria: GERB, United Patriots - Croatia: Croatian Democratic Union, Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats - Cyprus: Democratic Rally, European Party, Ecological and Environmental Movement. - Czech Republic: Czech Social Democratic Party, ANO 2011, Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party. - Denmark: Venstre, Liberal Alliance, Conservative People's Party. - Estonia: Estonian Reform Party, Social Democratic Party. - Finland: Centre, National Coalition, New Alternative - France: En Marche, MoDem - Germany: Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, Social Democratic Party. - Greece: Coalition of the Radical Left, Independent Greeks. - Iceland: Independence Party, Reform Party, Bright Future. - Italy: Five Star Movement, Lega Nord - Kosovo: Democratic Party of Kosovo, New Kosovo Alliance, Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo, Independent Liberal Party. - Latvia: Unity, National Alliance, Union of Greens and Farmers. - Lithuania: Social Democratic Party, Labour Party, Order and Justice. - Luxembourg: Democratic Party, Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party, The Greens. - Macedonia: Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity, Democratic Union for Integration, Socialist Party of Macedonia, Party for the Movement of Turks in Macedonia. - Moldova: Democratic Party, European People's Party of Moldova - Monaco: Union for the Principality, National Union for the Future of Monaco, Promotion of the Monegasque Family. - Montenegro: Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, Social Democratic Party of Montenegro, Democratic Union of Albanians, Bosniak Party. - Netherlands: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Christian Democratic Appeal, D66, Christian Union. - Norway: Conservative Party, Progress Party. - Romania: Social Democratic Party, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats - San Marino: Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party, Popular Alliance, Freedom List, Sammarinese Union of Moderates. - Serbia: Serbian Progressive Party, Socialist Party of Serbia - Slovenia: Modern Centre Party, Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia, Social Democrats. - Sweden: Swedish Social Democratic Party, Green Party (Sweden). - Switzerland: Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland, Swiss People's Party. - Ukraine: Batkivshchyna, Svoboda. - United Kingdom: - Åland: Liberals for Åland, Åland Centre. - Faroe Islands: Union Party, People's Party, Social Democratic Party. - Dominican Republic: Dominican Liberation Party, Institutional Social Democratic Bloc, Alliance for Democracy, Christian Democratic Union, Dominican Workers' Party, Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic. - Panama: Democratic Change, Panameñista Party, Patriotic Union, Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement. - Trinidad and Tobago: United National Congress, Congress of the People, Tobago Organization of the People, National Joint Action Committee, - Guyana: A Partnership for National Unity plus Alliance for Change, - Argentina: Cambiemos (Republican Proposal, Radical Civic Unión, Civic Coalition) - Curaçao: Movementu Futuro Kòrsou, Partido MAN, Sovereign People. - Greenland: Community of the People, Democrats. - Sint Maarten: Democratic Party, United People. - Algeria: National Liberation Front, National Rally for Democracy, Movement of Society for Peace. - Democratic Republic of the Congo: Union of Mobutuist Democrats, People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy, Unified Lumumbist Party, Social Movement for Renewal, Coalition of Congolese Democrats, Federalist Christian Democracy-Convention of Federalists for Christian Democracy, Christian Democrat Party (Democratic Republic of the Congo), United Congolese Convention, National Alliance Party for Unity, Union for Federalist Nationalists of Congo, Alliance for the Renewal of Congo. - Gabon: Gabonese Democratic Party, National Woodcutters' Rally – Rally for Gabon, Democratic and Republican Alliance, Circle of Reformist Liberals, Social Democratic Party, Rally of Republican Democrats, African Development Movement. - Guinea-Bissau: African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde, Party for Social Renewal. - Kenya: Jubilee Party of Kenya(An Alliance of The National Alliance TNA and United Republican Party), NASA Faction led by Raila Odinga,. - Lesotho: All Basotho Convention, Alliance of Democracts, Basotho National Party, Reformed Congress of Lesotho. - Mali: Alliance for Democracy in Mali, Union for the Republic and Democracy, Patriotic Movement for Renewal, National Congress for Democratic Initiative, Union for Democracy and Development, Movement for the Independence, Renaissance, and Integration of Africa, Party for Solidarity and Progress, Alternation Bloc for Renewal, Integration, and African Cooperation, Bloc for Democracy and African Integration, Citizens' Party for Revival, National Rally for Democracy, Sudanese Union-African Democratic Rally. - Mauritania: Rally of Democratic Forces, Union of Forces of Progress, Independents. - Mauritius: Mauritian Labour Party, Militant Socialist Movement, Mauritian Social Democrat Party. - Morocco: Justice and Development Party, Popular Movement, Party of Progress and Socialism.[when?] - Rwanda; Rwandan Patriotic Front, Social Democratic Party, Liberal Party. - Senegal: Senegalese Democratic Party, Union for Democratic Renewal. - Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front, Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai. - Armenia: Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia, Rule of Law, Independents. - Bangladesh: Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party. - Cambodia: Cambodian People's Party, Funcinpec Party. - India: Bharatiya Janata Party, Shivsena, Telugu Desam Party, Lok Janshakti Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, Apna Dal. - Indonesia: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar, National Mandate Party (PAN), National Awakening Party (PKB), United Development Party (PPP), Nasdem Party, People's Conscience Party (Hanura) - Iraq: Islamic Dawa Party, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Iraqi Islamic Party, Kurdistan Democratic Party, Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, Islamic Dawa Party - Iraq Organisation, Sadrist Movement, Iraqi National Accord, National Democratic Party, Iraqi Communist Party, Islamic Action Organisation, Kurdistan Islamic Union, Independents. - Israel: Likud, Shas, The Jewish Home, United Torah Judaism, Kulanu - Kyrgyzstan: Ata-Zhurt, Social Democratic Party, Respublika. - Japan: Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito - Lebanon: Future Movement, Lebanese Forces, Tripoli Bloc, Kataeb Party, Progressive Socialist Party, Free Patriotic Movement, Armenian Revolutionary Federation in Lebanon, Marada Movement, Amal Movement, Hezbollah, Independents. - Malaysia: United Malays National Organisation, Malaysian Chinese Association, Malaysian Indian Congress, Malaysian People's Movement Party, People's Progressive Party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Sarawak United People's Party, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Liberal Democratic Party, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, Sarawak People's Party. - Maldives: Maldivian Democratic Party, Gaumee Itthihaad, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, Republican Party, Social Liberal Party, Adhaalath Party. - Nepal: Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre), Nepali Congress, Nepal Democratic Forum, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified). - Pakistan: Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan Muslim League (F) and Sunni Tehreek - Palestine: Fatah, Hamas. - Philippines: PDP-Laban, Lakas-CMD, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People's Coalition, National Unity Party. - Sri Lanka: All Ceylon Muslim Congress, Ceylon Workers' Congress, Communist Party of Sri Lanka, Eelam People's Democratic Party, Jathika Hela Urumaya, Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, National Freedom Front, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Up-Country People's Front. - Thailand: Pheu Thai Party, Chartthaipattana Party, Rum Chart Pattana Party, Mahachon, Phalang Chon Party. - Timor-Leste: National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, Timorese Social Democratic Association, Social Democratic Party, Democratic Party. - Australia: Liberal Party of Australia, National Party of Australia, Liberal National Party of Queensland, Country Liberal Party - New Zealand: Labour Party, NZ First, Greens. - Papua New Guinea: National Alliance Party, People's Action Party, People's National Congress Party, People's Democratic Movement, United Resources Party, Pangu Party, United Party (Papua New Guinea), Melanesian Alliance Party. - Solomon Islands: Reform Democratic Party, Democratic Party, Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, Rural and Urban Political Party, People's Congress Party, Rural Development Party, People's Federation Party, Independent Democratic Party, Independents. - Tonga: Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, People's Democratic Party, Independents. - Vanuatu: Union of Moderate Parties, Labour Party, Our Land Party, Republican Party, National United Party, Namangi Aute, Family First Party.

Aug. 17, 2018 Dr. Mitch Glaser was born into a nominally Orthodox Jewish home in New York City at a time when views on life, death and religion were beginning to undergo major changes in American Society. His religious roots, fragile at best, were soon lost after his Bar Mitzvah to the excitement and energy of the 1960s. After dropping out of college in 1970, Dr. Glaser moved to California and was introduced to various Eastern religions which while intriguing him did not answer the questions of his soul. After two of his closest friends received Jesus as Messiah, Dr. Glaser was introduced to the message that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. Following a thorough investigation of the Old and New Testament along with studying the Messianic prophecies, Dr. Glaser himself received Jesus as his Messiah in November of 1970. Almost immediately after becoming a believer, Dr. Glaser became involved with what was then the West Coast branch of Chosen People Ministries (formerly known as the American Board of Mission to the Jews). This was the beginning of a thirty-five year ministry that has included working with such Messianic missions as Jews for Jesus and Ariel Ministries. Since 1997, Dr. Glaser has served as president of Chosen People Ministries – one of the oldest and largest Messianic missions in the United States. Chosen People Ministries was established in 1894 by Hungarian immigrant, Rabbi Leopold Cohn, and today is worldwide with missionaries in nine countries around the world including the United States, Germany and Israel. Dr. Glaser has been extensively involved in Jewish evangelism in several countries, and was instrumental in helping to establish a congregation among Russian Jewish immigrants in New York. He is an alumnus of Northeastern Bible College, holds a Master of Divinity degree in Bible from Talbot Theological Seminary and a Ph. D. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary School of World Mission. He is the co-recipient of Christianity Today magazine's Award of Merit in the Apologetics/Evangelism category for 2009, for the book To The Jew First: The Case for Jewish Evangelism in Scripture and History, co-edited with Darrell Bock. He is also the co-author of The Fall Feasts of Israel with his wife.He also authored Isaiah 53 Explained: This Chapter Will Change your Life and most recently co-edited with Darrell Bock The People, the Land and the Future of Israel: Israel and the Jewish People in the Plan of God. He has written many articles for the Christian periodicals and has taught at leading evangelical schools such as Fuller Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. Dr. Glaser is also a musician, composer and gifted teacher. The Glasers have two adult daughters.

Regain Your Independence Retain full use of your home, and Remain in the home you love. Installing a Stairlift turns your home into a bungalow, by removing the obstacle of stairs if they become too challenging. Don’t Delay – Call Today! Call Hours – Mon-Sun 7am-7pm Installing Stair Lifts For Your Home Red Oak, Texas Supposing that you have been staying in your residence the majority of your life or even if you have plainly relocated into a brand-new home in Red Oak, then you perhaps wish to continue to be , particularly if you are near your close friends and family members. Base on a study via AARP, even as they grow older, approximately 90% of senior citizens choose to stay in their houses. But this is actually never as straightforward as it seems and with physical health declining just as one gets older, it becomes much more hard for seniors to remain on their own, primarily if you have stairs at home that you require to go up every day. What Is a Stair Lift? Staircases can be one of uppermost challenging and treacherous places in your home. Luckily, there are actually methods that can certainly allow your loved one or even you to stay at home and be actually self-sufficient for longer and also a stair lift could be a very good advantage for individuals suffering from range of motion problems, those using a walker or people in a wheelchair. 8 out of And so, what really is a stair lift? A stair lift is a practical tool that can easily help you to be mobile as well as it transports you up and down the staircases, permitting you to move around in your place easily and do tasks that you would certainly be not capable to undertake otherwise. A stair lift is practically a mechanical seat that helps to lift you up and down the staircases. A track or rail is typically mounted to the staircase treads as well as a seat or a lifting system is affixed to the track. You are able to get on the chair or the platform and the chair slides along the track allowing you move up and down the stairs. You additionally have models where you can easily take your wheelchair on the stair lift and these are known as platform lifts. Benefits of Stair Lifts Stair Lifts are a big support to the seniors and also people with movement issues who consider it a problem to move up and down the stairs in their home. Having a stair lift in your home can easily have a ton of benefits: - Offers Freedom Independent Living When mobility as well as getting around a house with staircases comes to be a concern for senior citizens as well as individuals with disabilities, they are actually usually dealt with the choice of relocating. That being said, by having a stair lift, you could continue to be in the home. A stair lift can easily give you independence to move around in your home as well as walk up and down the stairs really effortlessly and obstacle-free. A stair lift provides mechanical passage down and up the stairs. The seat of the stair lift offers a lap belt that ensures that you are actually safe when the stair lift is in motion. Today, a lot of stair lifts have integrated safety features that will avoid its operation in case it comes across an obstruction on the stairs or if any type of aspect of the stair lift i.e. the seat, armrests or footrest is not in its right setting. The stair lifts also are equipped with a safety lock that prevents any type of accidental usage or kids from using the chair. Generally, the chair of the stair lift has a modifiable and also padded seat and also armrests that ensure maximum comfort. You can also adjust the footrest according to your height. - Staircase Accessibility Many stair lifts have very slim profiles as well as do not take up the entire staircase, which is openly attainable. Typically, the chair, in addition to the footrest are collapsible to ensure it is not a blockage for family members and other people wanting to use the stairs. - Easy to Use Stair Lifts are extremely user-friendly and handle. Many stair lifts have a toggle switch positioned on the armrest of the chair that permits you to handle it. These days, several stair lift designs are equipped with a remote control that permits you to manage it quite easily and also gets the stair lift to the top or the bottom of the stairs as required. When the stair lift is in the park stance, it charges, to ensure you are able to use it whenever you want to and just in case there is a power disconnection, the stair lift commonly has an integrated battery back up that allows you to run it. Who Uses Stair Lifts in Red Oak? In the U.S., 1 in 4 adults who are 65 years and above suffers a fall every year and according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), falls is a leading cause of injuries in the elderly. Stairs in the house can be a huge risk for people with mobility problems. Stair Lifts are mainly used by and also are a good help for: - Aging in place elderly people - People having walking and also movability conditions. those using a wheel rollator or in a wheelchair - People with a health issue - Individuals having a sports impairment - Persons with balance concerns - Those with leg and back concerns Types of Stair Lifts There are different forms of stair lifts like: - Stair Lifts for Straight Stairs If your home includes a straight staircase, then a stair lift which operates adjacent a straight path or rail is certainly among the most common form of stair lift. These oftentimes provide drop-down or set seats that are connected. The setup of a stair lift for a straight stairs might end up being a challenge if the staircases are far too thin. In case your stairs is mostly straight but it features a curve up on top, then you can select a straight stair lift along with a bridging system that helps the lift to get to the landing better. Usually, straight stair lifts are the least pricey and simplest to setup. - Stair Lifts for Curved Stairs In the event that your stairs are curved, then you need to set up a curved stair lift. Those are a lot more complicated compared to straight stair lifts and also they require curved rails to accommodate the exact shape of the staircase. Generally, curved stair lifts are actually even more pricey. - Standing Stair Lifts If your staircase is particularly considerably narrow and it will certainly not go with a chair stair lift, then a standing stair lift is ideal. On the other hand, you must make certain that you have enough headroom in the staircase ,as well,that it is elevated enough to fit you when you’re standing. Standing stair lifts are particularly effective for people experiencing concerns moving their knees. Some standing stair lift designs similarly have a short ledge that allows you to keep your balance. Having said that, standing stair lift may not be suited for everyone, specifically if you do not have the strength to stand for a number of minutes or even if you are simply predisposed to getting lightheaded. - Outdoor Or Exterior Stair Lifts These types of stair lifts are commonly put in outside on stairways that go to your front door or on stairs going to your back yard or even patio. Outdoor stair lifts are generally similar to straight or curved stair lifts that are used inside; however, these are generally made using weather-proof components. Where can i buy a chair lift for stairs in Red Oak, TX Cost of Stair Lifts in Ellis County Stair lifts are very personalized and customized according to your requirements and the sort of stairs on your property, consequently the prices differ drastically. However, the expense of base equipments begins with approximately $3,000-$5,000. And also, there are a number of factors that impact this base cost such as the length of the trackway required, if the staircase is bent, an electric motor upgrade, seat upgrade, folding seat and foot pedal, swivel seat and also form of energy. Address: Red Oak, TX 75154, USA Phone: (832) 261-7776 Major Cities we service around Texas More TX Cities we Service: Red Oak, Texas Red Oak is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The population was 10,769 at the 2010 census, up from 4,301 at the 2000 census. The North Central Texas Council of Governments projects that number to grow to 63,329 by the year 2030, as it is on the verge of explosive suburban growth. Red Oak was the exterior location for filming True Stories, directed by David Byrne of Talking Heads and released in 1986. One of the first settlers to this area was James E. Patton and his family in 1844. They settled in what is now known as Ovilla, Texas, located about two miles from Red Oak. Before Red Oak was given its name in 1849, it was known as Possum Trot due to the animal that lived there. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad began near the Red Oak area in 1884 and was completed in 1890. This railroad allowed people to travel to Dallas and Waco. In 1949, Red Oak became an incorporated town of Ellis, County. Red Oak is located along the northern edge of Ellis County at 32°31′32″N 96°48′22″W / 32.525607°N 96.806189°W / 32.525607; -96.806189. Adjacent cities are Glenn Heights to the northwest, Lancaster to the north, Ferris to the east, Pecan Hill to the southeast, Waxahachie to the south, and Oak Leaf to the west. It is 18 miles (29 km) south of downtown Dallas via Interstate 35E, which has two exits in Red Oak. Red Oak - Latest - Google News Google News - AmDocs is ramping up hiring in the Dallas area, unveils 5G 'lab' - Dallas Business Journal - The Business Journals Form D Friday: Stream Realty Partners raises $532M - Dallas Business Journal - The Business Journals Form D Friday: Stream Realty Partners raises $532M - Dallas Business Journal The Business Journals - Where to get the best gourmet popsicles in Dallas, according to Yelp - CW33 Dallas - Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Dallas, according to Tripadvisor - CW33 Dallas 2022 Taste of Dallas Ticket Contest - CW33 Dallas 2022 Taste of Dallas Ticket Contest CW33 Dallas Sketch shows suspect wanted for Dallas man’s murder - FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Sketch shows suspect wanted for Dallas man’s murder FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth - Midlothian To Hold Community Prayer Vigil Tonight In Support Of Uvalde - - Focusdailynews Manufacturing Companies - Dallas Business Journal - The Business Journals Manufacturing Companies - Dallas Business Journal The Business Journals - Join The Best Club: Beckley Club Estates is Charming And Friendly - CandysDirt.com - Candy's-Dirt - Federal Judge Says Sexually Oriented Businesses Can Stay Open Late … For Now - Dallas Observer Dallas expands areas where neighborhood markets can be held - Community Impact Newspaper Dallas expands areas where neighborhood markets can be held Community Impact Newspaper - JUST IN: 2023 Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Presentation Ball Debs Announced - My Sweet Charity For Oak Cliff Can Move Forward With Farmer's Market - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth For Oak Cliff Can Move Forward With Farmer's Market NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Letter to the Editor: In support of Doug Barnes for Waxahachie City Council - Waxahachie Daily Light Letter to the Editor: In support of Doug Barnes for Waxahachie City Council Waxahachie Daily Light Say Something App Puts Safety Tool in DISD Students' Hands - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Say Something App Puts Safety Tool in DISD Students' Hands NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Survey: Many Dallas firefighters struggle with mental health - The Dallas Morning News Survey: Many Dallas firefighters struggle with mental health The Dallas Morning News What We Know About the Nine Monkeypox Cases Identified in the US - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth What We Know About the Nine Monkeypox Cases Identified in the US NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth - Pickup truck slams through Dallas home | wfaa.com - WFAA.com North Texas Could Be Key in Increasing Mental Health Providers - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth North Texas Could Be Key in Increasing Mental Health Providers NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Man Charged, Accused of Carrying Gun Onto Elem. Campus, Accidentally Shooting Himself - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Man Charged, Accused of Carrying Gun Onto Elem. Campus, Accidentally Shooting Himself NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth - Here's Who Is Coming To Dallas This Week: May 26 - 30 - D Magazine Body cam shows Ferris officer trying to stop wrong-way driver - FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Body cam shows Ferris officer trying to stop wrong-way driver FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth - Yelp hosting $10,000 giveaway for Texans to explore Top 100 Places to Eat in the state - CW33 Dallas - Bravo, Fatburger brings California burger glory to far east side of Dallas - CultureMap Dallas Dallas tax services firm Ryan soars to $2.5 billion valuation with new investment - The Dallas Morning News Dallas tax services firm Ryan soars to $2.5 billion valuation with new investment The Dallas Morning News Foodie 411: Table for 10? - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Foodie 411: Table for 10? NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth 40 Under 40 Awards - Dallas Business Journal - The Business Journals 40 Under 40 Awards - Dallas Business Journal The Business Journals New Italian restaurant with perfectly shaped pizza flips for Frisco - CultureMap Dallas New Italian restaurant with perfectly shaped pizza flips for Frisco CultureMap Dallas - Gas prices drop leading up to Memorial Day Weekend: Here's what it looks like in Dallas - WFAA.com - Rapid In-Migration, Multifamily Development Driving Dallas To New Heights In Self-Storage - Bisnow Downtown Dallas block goes to apartment builders - The Dallas Morning News Downtown Dallas block goes to apartment builders The Dallas Morning News Cats available for adoption in Dallas - CW33 Dallas Cats available for adoption in Dallas CW33 Dallas - 58 things to do in North Texas this weekend: rock your face off in Arlington, get artsy in Cedar Hill and celebrate your Pride in Dallas! - WFAA.com - Suspects wanted in aggravated assault case in Dallas, police say - WFAA.com - Suspects wanted in aggravated assault case, Dallas Police say - WFAA.com Missing Dallas 15-year-old’s photo added to digital billboards - FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Missing Dallas 15-year-old’s photo added to digital billboards FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Marisela Botello case: Couple charged with murder back in custody in Dallas - FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth Marisela Botello case: Couple charged with murder back in custody in Dallas FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth - Introducing the Dallas Business Journal's first group of the 40 Under 40 honorees - Dallas Business Journal - The Business Journals Dallas' rosiest spring charity gala comes back in bloom to raise $200000 - CultureMap Dallas Dallas' rosiest spring charity gala comes back in bloom to raise $200000 CultureMap Dallas Travel with Terri to Scarborough Renaissance Festival - The Cross Timbers Gazette Travel with Terri to Scarborough Renaissance Festival The Cross Timbers Gazette - Law Firm O'Melveny & Myers Inks New Lease at Harwood No. 14 - D Magazine - Sigur Ros Brought Us Back to the Womb With a Comforting Show At the Winspear - Dallas Observer - Single-Family Housing in Dallas Needs Attention But Not a Drastic Overhaul, Dallas Architecture Forum Panelists Say - CandysDirt.com - Candy's-Dirt Red Oak crash kills two - Waxahachie Daily Light Red Oak crash kills two Waxahachie Daily Light - Dallas-based Orange Leaf releasing watermelon treats for the summer - CW33 Dallas Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Dallas metro area - Longview News-Journal Cities with the fastest growing home prices in Dallas metro area Longview News-Journal Country star Cody Jinks performs in Dallas on May 28. - The Dallas Morning News Country star Cody Jinks performs in Dallas on May 28. The Dallas Morning News - Two Dallas Starbucks Announce Union Organizing Efforts - Eater Dallas - A Mid-Century Modern with the Most Spectacular Live Oak Tree You'll Ever See - D Magazine Why Dallas Chop House will be replaced by Wicked Butcher - The Dallas Morning News Why Dallas Chop House will be replaced by Wicked Butcher The Dallas Morning News Dallas Doings: May 26th, 2022 - Texas Jewish Post Dallas Doings: May 26th, 2022 Texas Jewish Post - LIST: Top cheesecake bakeries around Dallas, according to Yelp - CW33 Dallas - First Foundation opens first full-service branch in DFW since moving HQ from California - Dallas Business Journal - The Business Journals - Truck barrels through Dallas home, as resident watched TV, but everyone OK, police say - WFAA.com - Every Day Can Feel Like a Vacation at This Renovated Dallas Oasis Now For Sale - CandysDirt.com - Candy's-Dirt These are the 11 best things to do in Dallas this Memorial Day weekend - CultureMap Dallas These are the 11 best things to do in Dallas this Memorial Day weekend CultureMap Dallas - Lakeside Beach Property Becomes Selling Point in Rural Midlothian - CandysDirt.com - Candy's-Dirt Dallas Catalytic Converter Thefts - Dallas Observer Dallas Catalytic Converter Thefts Dallas Observer Jasmine Crockett wins Democratic primary for 30th Congressional District - Longview News-Journal Jasmine Crockett wins Democratic primary for 30th Congressional District Longview News-Journal - 'This is not what we stand for' | DPD places officers on leave for failing to assist driver who crashed car after being briefly chased by police - WFAA.com Bonton Farms Receives $60,000 Donation From Chili's Customers - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Bonton Farms Receives $60,000 Donation From Chili's Customers NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth - Texas' Only Honoree, Galleria Dallas Wins Three 2022 International Shopping Center Awards - dallasinnovates.com - 2 suspects extradited back to Dallas for 2020 murder of 23-year-old Seattle woman - WFAA.com Million Dollar Hi-Line Connector Extension Approved by Dallas City Council - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Million Dollar Hi-Line Connector Extension Approved by Dallas City Council NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Dallas OKs $5 million in incentives for Neiman Marcus to keep its HQ in Dallas - The Dallas Morning News Dallas OKs $5 million in incentives for Neiman Marcus to keep its HQ in Dallas The Dallas Morning News Rare authentic sushi restaurant Tatsu Dallas debuts in Deep Ellum - CultureMap Dallas Rare authentic sushi restaurant Tatsu Dallas debuts in Deep Ellum CultureMap Dallas Dallas Invents: 121 Patents Granted for Week of April 26 - dallasinnovates.com Dallas Invents: 121 Patents Granted for Week of April 26 dallasinnovates.com Huge Knox Street development gains approvals - The Dallas Morning News Huge Knox Street development gains approvals The Dallas Morning News - City of Dallas Approves Reverchon Park Interlocal Agreement with Dallas ISD - Dallas City News Broadway Dallas patrons preview 'Oklahoma!' with a beautiful evenin' - CultureMap Dallas Broadway Dallas patrons preview 'Oklahoma!' with a beautiful evenin' CultureMap Dallas

Michael Collins: Notes from the Underground Part 1 Notes from the Underground Why the 2004 Election Matters More than Ever Part 1: The Meaning of the Legend “Scoop” Independent News Part 1 of series Election 2004: The Urban Legend Imagine a night at the theater.* A magician comes on stage with a corpse in tow. A doctor from the audience confirms that it is in fact the very real human corpse of a middle aged white male. The magician passes his hand over the corpse just once. It gets up, dances a gig, and leaves the stage. The reanimated middle age man who was once dead returns for an encore. You’re aghast! You go back stage and confront the magician, “How did you do that?” The magician responds sincerely, “I have no idea.” Does that make him a magician? Now imagine that after you question the entertainer, he rolls out another corpse, which is undoubtedly a quite dead middle aged white male. The magician says, “Just pass your hand over the corpse once.” You do, and the corpse arises, dances a gig and leaves the dressing room asking the first person he sees where to get a cab. Does that make you a magician? On election night 2004, the networks came on the air and announced that George W. Bush had won the presidential contest to become 43rd president of the United States. Earlier in the day, there were leaked reports revealing the results of the networks’ own exit polls conducted by a distinguished polling firm. The reports had the White House in a panic. Bush was sure to lose given the trends. According to the exits, he was losing his base, the rural segment of the population that had carried him to victory in 2000. Turnout in the Republican suburbs was not much greater than in the country as a whole, and new voters were going for Kerry 60% to 40%. The final leaked poll was enough to bring broad smiles to the faces of Democratic leaders and committed campaign workers who had gathered in union halls and hotel ballrooms across the nation. Then, as if by magic, the 11 pm Election Day vote tallies told a different story. These were accepted by the network reporters as an ex cathedra dictate from the American electorate. We were told that the pious Red prevailed once again over the decadent Blue, a replay of 2000 we were told. Bush was reelected. The optimistic mood of the Kerry campaign and Democratic faithful was crushed in the twinkling of an eye. What happened? What about the exit polls? The still corpse of the Bush campaign had been reanimated. It arose from the death of certain defeat, danced a gig, and trotted off center stage to do its considerable damage for the next three years: death and destruction in Iraq; dismantling of the United States Constitution; the abandonment of Katrina’s survivors (for all the world to see); augmented by an impressive and elaborate parade of other calamities that are all attributed to this feat of magic on election night. Steve Rhodes Creative Commons How Did They Do It? Quite simply … by magic. According to the final exit poll, the only heat Bush won, he had two million less votes in the rural segment of the population. That segment went from 23% of the electorate in 2000 to 16% in 2004. Bush made marginal gains in the suburbs. He was headed for disaster rolling into the cities. He picked up steam in cities with populations 50,000 to 500,000, by breaking even in 2004 after a 17% loss to Gore in 2000. But it was big city dwellers that passed their collective hand over the Bush corpse and brought it to life. He was on life supports before the big city totals were factored in. All that Kerry had to do was match the Gore big city percentage and he would be the next president. According to the day after election final exit poll, big city turnout was up 66%, Bush votes increased 153% (Fig. 5) over 2000 there, and white voters (Figs. 6 & 7) in big cities went from five million in 2000 to nine million in 2004. Had some would-be campaign operative passed his hand over our largest cities and reanimated white males in sufficient quantity to save the seemingly doomed Bush and doom the rest of us? Click for big version Election 2004: The Urban Legend On June 13th of this year, “Scoop” Independent News published Election 2004: The Urban Legend. I wrote the article based in large part on the research of Internet poster Anaxarchos. The figures cited above from the final national exit pool exit poll and the absurdist conclusions forced from those figures demonstrate that there is no reason to have faith in the final poll result and, as a result, no reason to believe that there is a coherent narrative to justify the election results and the Bush victory. We’re like the incredulous audience member who went back stage to confront the magician. Even though we can do the trick ourselves by passing our hands over the questionable reported results and the final exit poll to justify continued political life to someone who looked like a sure loser, there’s a foul magic to the process. Where are the Critics of the Urban Legend? When the article was published, it received wide spread attention across America’s only uncensored news source, the Internet. Multiple sites posted the article in full, not a common event for a 7,500 word analysis. Major figures in the free and fair elections movement provided their endorsement including Mark Crispin Miller and Ernest Partridge. We anticipated a full scale assault from friends of the network’s long time polling company, Edison Mitofsky (EM). Nothing much materialized. This was surprising since our reporting and interpretation of the network – EM presentation of the urban results dooms that poll to the status of a failed effort, at the very least, and, more likely, one of the biggest ever failures in public opinion polling. Anaxarchos Responds to the Missing Critics Recently, I received a letter from Anaxarchos containing his remarkable comments on the few criticisms offered and, more importantly, an elaboration on the initial article. I’d encourage you to read the full letter (see Appendix) as well as this article. Anaxarchos: “Having looked carefully at the critical reviews, it appears to me that your critics have entirely missed the import of your piece and its underlying analysis. I could review many of the subsidiary points they raise, but that seems unimportant compared to the two larger points that they don’t mention.” He’s correct. Those who ridicule critics who question the results of the 2004 election were restrained to say the least. This was surprising. The Bush defenders have left no criticism of the election results unturned, particularly those related to the exit polls. Why the restraint? There were no substantive responses to Urban Legend because there could be none. The claim that turnout in the big cities (500,000 or greater) went up 66% was demolished entirely through simple political commentary. Why would urban residents’ turnout in waves propelling Bush to victory when the rest of the country was only at a 16% increase in turnout? What had Bush done for them to justify this first ever rousing level of support? More importantly, when in our history did an incumbent president lose share and actual votes in his strongest area (in this case, the rural segment) and gain steam and secure an election victory in hostile territory (the big cities)? The claim of the 66% increase in turnout was also put to a final rest by the incorporation of actual city turnout data made available on election night and finalized shortly there after. Specifically, actual city voting results showed that city turnout increases were only about 16%, (Chart 1) the reported average for the country. These big city results were, in some cases, reported on election eve by the very networks that paid for the exit polls and by the exit pollsters who claim to reconcile their final results to the election results. One must wonder if the right hand was giving to the left the full story. Could the polling company and their sponsors, the major networks (plus CNN and the Associated Press) have been this ignorant of what was happening in New York City? The results reported on local news outlets owned by the networks showed a 12% increase in turnout? That’s 54 points below the claimed urban increase of 66%. New York is, after all, the headquarters of the television network poll sponsors and near the headquarters of the polling company. Did they simply ignore these results in their haste to produce their version of the final exit poll the day after the election? And why wasn’t there any comment on the more than obvious disparity between the actual results for big cities, particularly on turnout, and the polling results they continued to show long after the certified vote count for big cities became available to everyone. This is a critical question addressing the integrity of the entire exit polling and reporting process The Entire Narrative of the Election Anaxarchos elaborates the first big error of the exit pollsters and network consortium Anaxarchos: “It seems to me that the most important implications of “Urban Legend” are these: 1) The entire narrative of the 2004 election is built on the foundation of the exit polls. There is virtually no other real-time source of data on who voted how, why, and where. Indeed as the critics of the use of exit polls for fraud detection have pointed out on many occasions, this voter survey is precisely what the exit polls are “intended” to provide, and why they are funded by the consortium of media outlets, the NEP. The Charlie Cook reference in your piece was typical. The Exits provided the sum total of the data behind his analysis of the election.” Based on the final exit poll two distinguished analysts, Charles Cook and Ruy Teixeira stuck their necks out in different directions. Cook called the Bush victory a display of political genius and immediately made a fundamental mistake. He claimed that defections from the Kerry camp by black, Latinos, and Jewish voters had done the trick for Bush. Had he examined the data available at the time, he would have known that there were only marginal changes in these groups. Teixeira was more precise as Anaxarchos points out: “Unfortunately, so committed was Teixeira to the impossibility of widespread election fraud, that he assumed that there was disconnect between urban data as the NEP defined “urban” and county data, with the observation that, “urban doesn’t mean urban and rural doesn’t mean rural”. Teixeira promised a detailed county analysis to reconcile the differences. Of course, no such “reconciliation” was forthcoming. My guess is that Teixeira, like Cook, underestimated the magnitude of the “reconciliation” that would be required and also underestimated the final turnout of the 2004 election which only further widened that gap.” One of the most astute analysts, Cook, jumped to the self-informed conclusion that the Bush urban victory had to be due to a shift in ethnic voting. It’s easy to see why. He was unaware that the white big city vote increased from five million in 2000 to nine million in 2004. We can suppose that it never occurred to him that such a thing could or would happen. Why would we expect him to check the exit turnout rate against actual city voting totals? Teixeira’s response and follow up are even more perplexing. He’s the author of The Emerging Democratic Majority and a recognized polling expert. After dropping his confusion of terms argument, he promised a county analysis to show how Bush won, a common response of establishment Democrats. But he never produced the study? Why? Maybe he stared into the abyss and the abyss stared right back. He dismissed claims of fraud based on exit poll analysis by writing “… it is possible that the magnitude of these corrections has been greater than normal.” That depends on what your definition of normal is. What’s normal about increasing turnout by a factor of four (16% actual to 66% claimed) to achieve an absurd result? The basis for the urban data correction (actual city results) was available when he made this statement. Had he bothered to look? We’d like to hear from him on this and the questions we outlined clearly in the original article (presuming he’s given up his role as a Democratic apologist for questions about Bush election integrity). So what does this mean? Anaxarchos: “ It means at a minimum that either one must try to support the indications of the Exit Polls that the Bush winning margin in 2004 came in the Urban centers, implausible as that seems, or one must craft a new narrative of the 2004 presidential election. Believe it or not, the former option is not nearly as difficult as the latter. Your critics have missed what it means to simply declare that “the Exit Polls must have been wrong”. With that dismissal, much of the supporting evidence for how Bush “won” in 2004 disappears as For over 30 years, the way we’ve made sense out of “who voted where and why” is through exit polls which are designed to and accepted as answering those very questions. There have been few complaints, other than Florida 2000 when the exit poll showed a narrow Gore victory. Given the trashing of 100,000 mostly minority spoiled ballots, who could criticize the pollsters if they initially showed a Gore victory as a result of interviewing voters in minority precincts whose ballots had been “spoiled.”. If we don’t know how Bush won, ratifying the election results is mindless magic. If we don’t demand an understanding of how he won, then can we dismiss the notion of election fraud made over and over with to an ever widening and receptive audience? Are elections the one area of administration activity that escapes critical analysis? Perhaps the election fraud doubters have been listening to Alberto Gonzales and his crew on these questions. Anaxarchos offers a compelling case for the election polls failure across the board, not just in the big cities. “Consider the following: If the Bush winning margin did not come in the cities, where did it come from? If the urban vote as reported by the Exits is incorrect, then the remainder of the Exit Poll narrative must also be incorrect. It is true that the big city vote underlines the anomaly but take a look at the three-category demographic (Urban, Suburban, and Rural) and you get a slightly more muted version of the same story. If the cities don’t hold Bush’s winning margin, then that clearly means that it must have come from somewhere else. While the erosion of the Bush rural margin is significant, reversing it is not enough. We must also “offset” the loss of Bush’s urban margin in the suburbs and we must do this while constantly living under the overhang of an 18% increase in turnout (which clearly favored Kerry). The result is that the Exit Polls must not only be “wrong” in the cities, they must also be “wrong” across the board and this to a significant degree. In truth, the degree of this “wrongness” must increase as we go from city to countryside because, as we have seen, the Exit Polls weight the Bush urban margin into existence.” Painful choices regarding the outcome of the 2004 presidential election. We can accept the official election results simply as reported by discarding or denying any and all questions and anomalies. Doing so makes us no better than the uncritical magician in the opening passage. It just happened. We don’t know why. We agree that it doesn’t make much sense but that’s just the way it is (in this best of all possible worlds). Move along. We can accept the election results and totally dismiss the exit poll adjustments as indicative of a flawed poll that should be dismissed. Our argument here is no better than in the first option. Its faith based. That’s just the way it is but we’ll discuss it a bit, feign erudition, and impress you with our obscure knowledge of polling methods and math. Or we can face the reality and the dreadful conclusion. There’s no way to tell if Bush truly won the vote total in 2004 while there are many reasons to doubt that he did. The parallel measurement of the actual vote, the exit poll, can only concoct a Bush victory through egregious adjustments to its own raw data for the big cities. Why would such adjustments be required? Was the measurement off for the smaller cities where Bush gained 17 points over 2000? Was it off for the suburbs and rural segment? What about the voluminous reports of voter suppression and voting irregularities across the nation; reports including consistent vote flipping from Kerry to Bush? If there were no problems with the actual vote count, problems that the exit poll analysis clearly indicates, why on earth would two thirds of Ohio counties destroy the ballots and election records from 2004 well before the required retention period? And what about this question, perhaps the simplest of all with the greatest potential for understanding just what happened in 2004? Why does the network consortium refuse to release the raw data for 2004? The raw data has been closely guarded by the pollsters and the networks despite at least two requests for examination of this data by now Committee on the Judiciary Chairman, John Conyers, Democrat, Michigan. Has that data suffered the same fate as the destroyed Ohio ballots? Would the handling of the raw data that produced this unbelievable narrative embarrass the networks and indicate that they should have known shortly after the election; that they certainly know by now, without any doubt, that there are huge problems with the final exit poll, the poll the national election pool and its polling company have defended to consistently and vigorously? Or would the freeing of this privately held data concerning our public election show what many suspect: the real winner of the 2004 election is not sitting in the White House. You can be sure that the four major networks, CNN, and the Associated Press would be in court right now demanding the release of the exit poll data were it any concern other than them holding back the data from the rightful public review demanded. Permission to reprint in part or whole with a link to this article in “Scoop” and attribution of authorship. Appendix: Full Letter from Anaxarchos to Michael Collins Thank you for sending me the reviews for your article, “Urban Legend”, and congratulations on the overwhelmingly positive response you have received. I was a little disturbed at the few negative criticisms that you sent along. Having looked carefully at the critical reviews, it appears to me that your critics have entirely missed the import of your piece and its underlying analysis. I could review many of the subsidiary points they raise, but that seems unimportant compared to the two larger points that they don’t mention. It seems to me that the most important implications of “Urban Legend” are these: 1) The entire narrative of the 2004 election is built on the foundation of the exit polls. There is virtually no other real-time source of data on who voted how, why, and where. Indeed, as the critics of the use of exit polls for fraud detection have pointed out on many occasions, this voter survey is precisely what the exit polls are “intended” to provide, and why they are funded by the consortium of media outlets, the NEP. The Charlie Cook reference in your piece was typical. The Exits provided the sum total of the data behind his analysis of the election. Unfortunately, the data he relied on was “implausible” and thus his “analysis” was equally so. Neither was Cook the only one to trip over that anomaly. Ruy Teixeira also noticed the same “implausibility” within days of the election. Unfortunately, so committed was Teixeira to the impossibility of widespread election fraud, that he assumed that there was disconnect between urban data as the NEP defined “urban” and county data, with the observation that, “urban doesn’t mean urban and rural doesn’t mean rural”. Teixeira promised a detailed county analysis to reconcile the differences. Of course, no such “reconciliation” was forthcoming. My guess is that Teixeira, like Cook, underestimated the magnitude of the “reconciliation” which would be required and also underestimated the final turnout of the 2004 election which only further widened that gap. AlterNet.Com So what does this mean? It means at a minimum that either one must try to support the indications of the Exit Polls that the Bush winning margin in 2004 came in the Urban centers, implausible as that seems, or one must craft a new narrative of the 2004 presidential election. Believe it or not, the former option is not nearly as difficult as the latter. Your critics have missed what it means to simply declare that “the Exit Polls must have been wrong”. With that dismissal, much of the supporting evidence for how Bush “won” in 2004 disappears as well. Consider the following: If the Bush winning margin did not come in the cities, where did it come from? If the urban vote as reported by the Exits is incorrect, then the remainder of the Exit Poll narrative must also be incorrect. It is true that the big city vote underlines the anomaly but take a look at the three-category demographic (Urban, Suburban, and Rural) and you get a slightly more muted version of the same story. If the cities don’t hold Bush’s winning margin, then that clearly means that it must have come from somewhere else. While the erosion of the Bush rural margin is significant, reversing it is not enough. We must also “offset” the loss of Bush’s urban margin in the suburbs and we must do this while constantly living under the overhang of an 18% increase in turnout (which clearly favored Kerry). The result is that the Exit Polls must not only be “wrong” in the cities, they must also be “wrong” across the board and this to a significant degree. In truth, the degree of this “wrongness” must increase as we go from city to countryside because, as we have seen, the Exit Polls weight the Bush urban margin into existence. In fact, the weightings decrease significantly as we move from more to less urban territory, and this has been previously presented as an indication of the rural accuracy of the Exit Polls in comparison to the tallied vote count. How do we now reverse that? At the very least, this begs for a serious investigation as you called for. Yet, the story gets worse. The election narrative starts with the vote count but it doesn’t end there. Certainly the accepted narrative of the election, universally reported by the major news outlets, of “values voters”, “security moms”, and the like, all derived from the Exit Polls and all the products of “weighting”, become much less compelling if the overall narrative is undermined. But, this part of the accepted narrative is also the more trivial. There are some much more important implications here. It is not simply that the election narrative based on your unlikely “Urban Legend” is wrong by itself. It also undermines the use of that story to refute competing narratives which were unceremoniously rejected at the time of the election itself. Consider this:”In a stunning admission, an elections manager for NBC News said national news organizations overestimated President George W. Bush's support among Latino voters, downwardly revising its estimated support for President Bush to 40 percent from 44 percent among Hispanics, and increasing challenger John Kerry's support among Hispanics to 58 percent from 53 percent. The revision doubles Kerry's margin of victory among Hispanic voters from 9 to 18 percent. Ana Maria Arumi, the NBC elections manager also revised NBC's estimate for Hispanic support for Bush in Texas, revising a reported 18-point lead for Bush to a 2-point win for Kerry among Hispanics, a remarkable 20-point turnaround from figures reported on election night. "Latino presidential partisan preferences did not change significantly from four years ago," said WCVI's president, Antonio Gonzalez, in his presentation before the National Association of Hispanic Journalists… "”But I repeat, NBC has set an example for network poll integrity by taking a giant step away from the Edison International/Mitofsky election results, and toward WCVI's findings. For example, today NBC stated that 70% of its respondents came from non-urban areas and 30% from urban areas, while acknowledging that 50% of Latino voters come from urban areas. This admission could explain the difference in their results and WCVI's. They under-represented Latino urban voters (who are more likely to vote democratic) and over-represented Latino non-urban votes (who are more likely to vote republican). We hope the other networks follow suit with more adjustments in their findings," Gonzalez concluded. HispanicBusiness.Com According to its exit poll survey, the Institute found that Latino voters supported democratic presidential candidate John Kerry over President George W. Bush by a margin of 65.4% to 33%.” The problem with the story above is that the real implication of such a sampling error among Hispanics was not considered. According to the “official” narrative, the shift of Hispanic voters toward parity was one of the most important pillars of the Bush “victory” in 2004. From “Urban Legend”, we know that this problem was most likely a weighting problem and not a sampling problem per se. But, the issue is not confined simply to Hispanic voters. Another pillar of the victory was a small but significant shift among black voters away from Kerry, universally reported as an artifact of the Republican use of political or religious “wedge issues” in the election. Perhaps one of the most important facts revealed in the “Urban Legend”, however, was that the Exit Polls reported a 40% increase in the black vote overall in comparison to 2000, but, simultaneously, virtually no increase in the black big city vote. We thus have widespread examples of exit poll responders appearing where they are not: black and Hispanic voters, with more conservative and Republican tendencies popping up in the suburbs, and a mass of urban GOP whites materializing in the cities. But… if these things didn’t happen, how could Bush possibly “win”? The inverse of this is equally striking. The suggestion from the Exit Poll anomalies, above, is that 2004 was actually a rerun of the 2000 election with 16 to 18% greater turnout. In fact, you also saw that the pattern of both the weighted and unweighted Exit Polls for 2000 and the unweighted Polls for 2004 are remarkably similar. But if this was true, how is it possible for Bush not to lose? Did the Exit Polls really pick up “ghost voters” in the cities and thus expose widespread election fraud? Who knows? There are actually some states in which the Bush urban margin improves through a process similar to the one implied, by “Urban Legend”. Yet, it is more likely that the Exit Polls picked up an anomaly in the larger election and the attempt to reconcile this anomaly creates the “ghosts”. It is also possible that something completely different occurred which actually gave the election to Bush, but nothing in such an outcome is possible without overturning the Exit Polls in their entirety and creating not just a new narrative for the election itself but also explaining the massive variation of the Polls themselves. To attempt to take any other position is fundamentally dishonest and genuinely “faith-based”. 2) I have already run on too long but, while point #1 above explains the extrinsic implications of “Urban Legend”, there are some intrinsic implications as well. In the spring of 2005, Edison/Mitofsky, the polling organization responsible for the 2004 exit polls, released their analysis of the exit poll discrepancy. Instead of blaming precinct selection or methodology, the polling organization made a spirited defense of both. The alternative explanation was that a breakdown had occurred in the sampling of voters in what Mitofsky claimed were accurately chosen precincts. Since that time, numerous panels representing the statistical establishment have convened and, each time, have supported Mitofsky’s original conclusions. Explanations of various presumed sampling problems, “within precinct errors”, “shy voters” and the like, have been numerous and tiresome. Because of “Urban Legend”, it also seems that these were entirely irrelevant. How is it that the august scholars and expert panels missed the most fundamental anomaly of the urban vote? This isn’t just missing the forest for the trees. This is more like missing the forest fire for the toadstools. I will go into this in some depth in the future if you have an interest. Note to Anaxarchos: I have an interest. Mike

Face to Face With Reality Ever since the scientific revolution, we have tended to divide the world into a public sphere of objective, measurable reality and a private sphere of ephemeral, subjective perceptions. In this view, the external world is considered the fundamental reality, while consciousness is reduced to an epiphenomenon, so that all our perceptions of the world--its colors, sounds, and textures--are meaningless, revealing nothing intrinsic to the cosmos. All subjective qualities are reduced to quantities--for example, our perception of the redness of an apple is reduced to a particular frequency of light, or music is reduced to vibrating air molecules striking against our ear drums. As I wrote in One Cosmos Under God, "science begins with the one world we experience with our senses (where else could it begin?), but quickly saws off that familiar limb by 'excluding everything that can be imagined or conceived, except in abstract mathematical terms,' consequently relegating everything outside mathematical description--the very world it started with--to 'an ontological limbo.'" Only this second, abstract world is considered to disclose valid information about the universe, whereas all of our initial impressions of color, sound, texture, beauty, and meaning supposedly reveal nothing real about the universe, only about our own nervous systems. But one of the fundamental teachings of any spiritual view is that the universe has a within that is accessible to humans. In other words, the universe is not simply an exterior, made up of discrete parts that are external to one another. Rather, by looking at the parts in a certain way, we may discover a wholeness in the world that in turn reveals its interior dimension. Parts show us only the exterior of the cosmos, while wholeness shows us the great within (and vice versa). The human face is undoubtedly the original within. As infants, our whole world is oriented toward the mother's face. Obviously, in looking at a face, we don't first attend to a nose here, an eye there, and and a mouth there, and inductively leap to the conclusion that a face exists. Rather, without even knowing it, we attend to the face as a whole, and can instantaneously distinguish one face from another and one expression from another. In attending to the mother's face, the baby knows that the mother has an interior, and through her changing expressions, only gradually begins to discover his own interior. Autistic children, for example, do not see whole "faces," but only a collection of parts, so that they are never ushered into the intersubjective Withinness of the cosmos. Instead, they are condemned to a bizarre and frightening existence of living death--immersed in a sea of things that move and have independent existence, but reveal no meaning. In the strict scientific view, one would have to say that people with autism are more in touch with reality than anyone else, since they live in the world of meaningless objects described by science. Just as the face allows us to access the within of the person behind it, the wholeness of the cosmos allows us to see within it. (One of the central points of my book is that modern physics reveals the cosmos to be an internally related whole, not just a collection of exterior parts.) Paradoxically, we can know the interior only by focusing on the exterior. Just as the face is the meaning of its features, the meaning of existence can be discovered by dwelling in its features. Poets, for example, have always understood that by indwelling in nature we can intuit what dwells within nature--we are drowning in a sea of clues that point beyond themselves to a hidden reality to which the clues point. By attending to things and events in a certain way, we allow them to "speak" to us, and this in turn informs us about their nature. The English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins coined the term "inscape" to refer to this more intense experience of observing things in such a way that their intrinsic qualities emerge. He believed that by allowing one's attention to be drawn to a bird in flight, a tree, or a landscape, we allow their character to act upon us through a union of the inner and outer worlds. Similarly, Goethe argued that we discover the true nature of things through a contemplative kind of looking he called "seeing with exactitude." By doing this, we can open ourselves to what the cosmos is telling us about itself. This has obvious theological implications. For example, what is scripture but an exterior narrative that tells us of the within--the inner nature--of God? Just as it is a mistake to view nature as an object, one makes the same mistake in viewing scripture only as a historical narrative of external events. Rather, those events have a within which is their true teaching. As a matter of fact, this is probably the simplest definition of esotericism: inner religion. It can also be argued that the figure of Jesus answers the deepest human longing to "see the face of God," and thereby know his within most intimately. Again, the whole point of the gospels, if you are a Christian, is that their external narrative reveals the interior God. You cannot dismantle or deconstruct the gospel stories, for this would be like disassembling a human face to try to understand its expression. We see by a sort of interior light when we dwell in faith, for faith is actually a holistic foreknowledge of as yet undiscovered truths--knowledge of approaching discoveries on the interior plane of things. As the poet Novalis put it, "The seat of the soul is where the inner world and the outer world meet." If you are feeling boxed in by the materialistic paradigm of modernity, know that you may escape it any time through the many inscapes that surround us. A reader was taken by my comment that "I actually enjoy sitting in a chair in the dark at 4:00 AM staring at a candle illuminating the face of one of my inspirations." He asked me to elaborate on just what I mean by "face." He further noted that religions in general advise against idolatry. This is true. However, in my view, idolatry is the exact opposite of what I am talking about. For idolatry involves reducing the Absolute Subject of God to a a mere object in the relative world. An icon is the opposite of an idol: it is a membrane through which the transcendent, unseen energies of the divine penetrate and cast their luster into this world. Truly, the icon is situated at the frontier between the immanent and transcendent God. Those who do not countenance the countenance are missing the point. For it was long ago decided--after a theological battle known as the Iconoclast Controversy--that the use of icons is not only appropriate but fundamental to Orthodox Christianity, which is, after all, original Christianity. According to Bishop Kallistos Ware, the seventh ecumenical council in 787 proclaimed that "since Christ became true man, it is legitimate to depict his face upon the holy icons; and, that since Christ is one person and not two, these icons do not just show us his humanity in separation from his divinity, but they show us the one person of the eternal Logos incarnate." Among my darshan images is a traditional icon of Jesus hanging right above my desk. One of my friendly nonlocal operators, or what I like to call "I-amissaries" from across the great divide. Interestingly, the anti-icon forces were probably influenced by contemporary Islamic and earlier Jewish ideas regarding the depiction of God. But icons are not worshipped. Rather, they are revered in the same way a Jew reveres the Torah, not as an "idol" but as a reflection of God. Easy for Jews to say, because they have always been more literate than the rest of humanity. One of the purposes of icons was to provide "opened books to remind us of God," especially for the toiling masses who lacked the leisure or literacy to crack a real book. This is one great advantage Christianity had over Judaism in spreading the idea of monotheism--the whole story could be presented to the pagan mind in the form of a pop-up book. But we're getting far afield. I didn't mean for this to become a history lesson. Ever since he was young, this reader had an affinity--an attraction, in the sense we have been using the term--toward the being he understood to be Jesus. This mysterious attraction occurred whenever he consciously thought of Jesus. In my opinion, the attraction was probably mutual without him realizing it, but that's another matter. The reader pointed out that there have been countless depictions of the "face" of Jesus, probably none actually being an exact or even a close likeness. Nevertheless, "at the risk of becoming an idolator," he imagined the face of Jesus in his mind's eye. Now why, my dear bobbleheads, why should this little experiment have brought real tears to his eyes, along with a wholly unexpected flood of feeling and emotion? The feelings clearly weren't rehearsed or "affected." Feelings of being an "unworthy sinner," feelings of regret, a desire for reparation, a profound sense of gratitude, thankfulness at having an unseen mentor and invisible but often sadly ignored influence in his life. As an aside, it is interesting to note that in Judaism, tears--especially this particular type of tears that we don't seem to have a word for--are considered a gift of God. For example, the narrators of the Zohar--the mystical text underlying kabbalah--weep whenever they grasp a profound spiritual truth. Or think of the "wailing wall." These purifying tears signify many things. For example, they reveal the primordial wound through which vertical energies intrude into our enclosed little world of illusory self-sufficiency. The heart must be "wounded" in order to allow God's energies to flow, while penitential tears are a kind of transpersonal "blood." (What did Leonard Cohen sing? "There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.") Furthermore, it is said that the gift of tears is a form of transpersonal touch, specifically, of contact between image and likeness. Again, we are born in the image of God, but spiritual work involves the never-ending task of becoming the likeness. When image meets likeness--when we are "touched" from above--there is often a spontaneous production of tears. The flow of these vivifying tears is mysteriously associated with "life"--the higher Life, not mere biological life. For these tears ultimately represent a "crucifixion" of the heart, life emerging out of death, a mingling of sorrow and joy, burial and resurrection, a rose blooming on the cross of the heart. Jesus actually sweats real blood when face to face with God in Gethsemane. And what happened when his heart was pierced by the Roman centurian? Blood and water flow. Our reader asked, "does God send these people to earth so that we can relate as humans to the mystery of the vertical through them, [and need they] be present physically to take advantage of this doorway?" To be continued. Good for a Sunday Morning Speaking of icons, this is the most shockingly great gospel music I have ever heard: If Ms. Coates and her Gospel Harmonettes don't speak to you directly from another world, you'd better check yourself. You might be dead. As one reviewer expressed it, "put your shouting shoes on." Amen.

NYC Alcoholism/Addiction and Gay-Related Links New York City Gay- and Lesbian-Friendly Meetings. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center hosts many Alcoholics Anonymous, Crystal Meth Anonymous and other 12-step recovery meetings. You'll be welcome at any meeting if you think you might have a problem. Each of those groups has many meetings not at the Center; ask for a list at any of the meetings or go to the link to its web page in the Center's list. The center also offers a large selection of professional substance-abuse treatment and recovery services, including a licensed outpatient program covered by Medicaid and a number of insurance companies.The Big Book Concordance Status Report: Steven E. Poe v. Roy T. Young. Poe's case for copyright infringement was dismissed on motion for summary judgment. The district court held that (1) there was no credible evidence that Young had copied from Poe's work and considerable evidence that he had not, and (2) in any event, Poe's work lacked the requisite creativity for protection under the U.S. Copyright Act. Defending this meritless case cost Young $14,000 in legal fees. [Summary of the case] [Court's decision] Electronic version. An index to every significant word in the Big Book, "Alcoholics Anonymous" (3d edition): - 9,902 Words - 66,576 References - 447 references to alcoholism - 169 references to sobriety - 63 references to acceptance - 19 references to sponsorship - 17 references to serenity - and much, much more . . . Step Worksheets for download: Other Things here: Online listing of AA meetings worldwide: Other Useful Gay and AA/Addiction Links Neither this web site nor the Big Book Concordance is authorized, produced, approved or endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous or any other 12 Step program. RYAA page - 2-24-14 There is a good deal of alcoholism and addiction in the gay community, but newer studies suggest that the incidence among younger homosexuals may be no greater than in the population at large. This article suggests that gay liberation in the 1970's may have spared male homosexuals now under 30 some of the misunderstanding, discrimination and hatred that drove older homosexuals to drink and drugs. It also suggests that older homosexuals may abuse drink and drugs to dull the pain of aging in an especially youth-oriented, beauty-driven homosexual culture.This article discusses some of the treatment issues specific to homosexuals who abuse alcohol and drugs, and suggests the use of gay special-interest 12-Step groups to assist in treating internalized homophobia and in making some of the lifestyle changes beneficial to homosexuals in recovery . Substance abuse is endemic in the homosexual communities in the United States. Although the etiology of abuse in any given individual can be complex, there are certain themes which are frequently seen in the gay or lesbian addict, and require specialized treatment in recovery. Awareness of these special risk factors increases the chances of successfully treating a lesbian or gay addict. The author has chosen this topic because he is both homosexual and in long-term recovery from alcoholism. American Psychiatric Association (1994) (the DSM-IV) lucidly groups all addiction to and abuse of substances into a single chapter: Substance Related Disorders. There is no single theory which accounts for why some people abuse substances and others don't (Straussner, 1993), but the presenting picture is essentially the same regardless of the substance. In all probability, addiction (like so much mental illness) has a multifactorial etiology. Thus it must be viewed in a biopsychosocial framework. Straussner (1993) concludes that, It may be best to view substance abuse as a multivariate syndrome in which multiple patterns of dysfunctional substance abuse occur in various types of people with multiple prognoses requiring a variety of interventions (p. 11). Here are some of the predisposing factors: 1. the possibility of a biochemical or genetic factor in intergenerational transmission; 2. familial factors such as early separation from one or both parents early in life; inadequate parenting during childhood; physical or sexual abuse, or growing up in a family with multigenerational abuse of substances; 3. all of the psychological theories posit psychological factors in the development of addiction. For all the "insight" provided by these theories, none of them leads to any more effective intervention than the others. In fact, those willing to be straightforward on this subject admit that psychotherapy of any ilk is largely ineffective in treating active addiction. If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, it is then apparent that the following classic psychological bromides are wrong and/or irrelevant: The addict uses the substance: - as a substitute for unacceptable sexual or aggressive drives, as a substitute for the primal addiction to masturbation, or as a defense against homosexuality; - as the result of a fixation in and a regression to the oral stage of development; - in response to an underlying neurosis based on the conflict between dependence and anger, or - as slow suicide (Straussner, 1993). Other more modern theoretical perspectives focus equally ineffectively on poor ego development, pathological narcissism, or a deficiency in the sense of self (Straussner, 1993). More useful theories for treating an individual in later-stage recovery suggested that, - the addict attempts to medicate emotional problems such as depression, anxiety and anger; - express dependency needs; - compensate for feelings of inferiority and powerlessness, or - relate to such things as low frustration tolerance, high level of impulsivity, or the inability to endure even low-level anxiety (Straussner, 1993). Learning and behavioral theorists see addiction as a conditioned response; it produces a pleasurable high (perhaps very pleasurable in some, making them more willing to accept the negative consequences of indulgence) or relieves pain (as suggested above). Because children raised by addicted non-biological parents are at a higher risk of alcoholism than children raised by non-addicted non-biological parents, expectancy, modeling, imitation and identification may also predispose to substance abuse (Straussner, 1993). 4. environmental and cultural factors in general can play a role in the etiology of addiction, such as: - availability of the substance (e.g., many soldiers became addicted to heroin in Vietnam because of the high stress of war, and the availability of the substance, but upon return to civilian life a large proportion of them ceased to have problems with drugs and alcohol); - lack of rewarding alternatives in life (e.g., lack of decent living conditions or opportunity to earn an income, as might be experienced by persons living in a minority ghetto), - influence of mass media, or - social or peer acceptance of use of the substance. Finally, regardless of the theory of addiction or the predisposition of the person to addiction, almost anyone who takes a mood-altering substance in large quantity for a long enough time will experience physical and/or psychological dependence (Straussner, 1993). Etiology of alcoholism in homosexuals People with a homosexual orientation are, of course, subject to all of the multiple risk factors for addiction discussed above. They also have some psychosocial predisposing factors common to all hated minorities, and some unique to the homosexual population. There are many different types of alcoholics; there are many different types of homosexuals, and there are even more types of alcoholic homosexuals (Nardi, 1982). Common to all hated minorities is the damage done to self-image by the internalization of that hatred. Erikson (1959) asserts that it is impossible for any member of a hated minority to escape that internalized hatred. Homosexuals are subject to unique stressors, as well. Starting in youth, sometimes as early as school age, sometimes before the homosexual himself is aware of any sexual orientation, he learns some of the dangers of being homosexual: public derision ("Joey is a fagot!"), discrimination ("We don't want a queer on the baseball teem"), and physical harm ("Hit the sissy again!"). The child may be rejected by her family implicitly (Mother overheard: "I'd rather my daughter be dead than be one of those lez-bines.") or explicitly (Father overheard: "You are a homo, you are not my son. Get out of my house.") (Savin-Williams, 1994). In later life he will face discrimination in the workplace and the possibility (only today less prevalent) of arrest and imprisonment for "unnatural acts." Rosario, Hunter & Rotheram-Borus (1992) note, . . . the experience of being gay or bisexual in our society overwhelms any potential differences in social categories involving age, ethnicity, race, social class or geographical region of the country (p. 19). The homosexual is unique among minorities in facing hatred and discrimination in that she usually has no role model, no positive example in her family, no loving parent who has gone through the same experience, to support her in her pain. Those discriminated against because they are (for instance) Jewish or African-American usually have families or communities for which this is a common problem. But gay youths are all too often rejected even by their families (Savin-Williams, 1994) and too seldom have yet found their supportive peers and communities. Facing this external view of herself, no wonder that the homosexual internalizes this hatred and has difficulty with accepting her identity, building self-esteem, and expressing her sexuality. About 65% of all homosexuals seek therapy and give as a reason depression which is a result of adjusting to their homosexuality; of these, 50% started therapy between the ages of 18-21 (Diamond-Friedman, 1990). In turn, these difficulties lead some to increase their consumption of alcohol or other drugs to aid in the coming-out process, or to medicate the anxiety or depression associated with concealing their identity or facing rejection from family and friends, discrimination in employment and housing, physical assault, arrest or imprisonment. Colcher (1982) hypothesizes that homosexuals use substances to dull the pain of feeling "different and alone," to reduce "sexual inhibitions" relating to internalized homophobia, and to reduce the stress of the keen competition for good-looking sexual partners. Nardi (1982) hypothesizes that homosexuals are more at risk of drinking to the point of addiction because the gay life style often revolves (or revolved in 1982) around gay bars, which have a history of permissiveness and protectiveness: The absence of significant subculturally valued alternatives to drinking settings . . . contributes to the dependency on alcohol as an acceptable solution to feelings of anxiety, alienation and low self-esteem (p. 21). Various older studies indicate that about one-third of all homosexuals will have a problem with substances at some time in their lives (Diamond-Friedman, 1990). In a more recent study, however, McKirnan & Peterson (1989) come to a strikingly different conclusion. Based on their very large (n=3,400) and well-controlled study, they criticize earlier studies as being biased for several reasons, not the least of which is that they were made in gay bars of the bar-going population. McKirnan & Peterson (1989, p. 549) found the following percentages of homosexuals reporting alcohol problems: General Homosexual Population SampleAge Men Women Men Women 18-25 29 16 26 24 26-30 25 7 25 23 31-40 16 8 24 25 41-60 7 4.5 19 15 (overall) (16) (8) (23) (23) Significantly, up to age 30 the homosexual men in the study show no higher incidence of alcoholism than men in the general population (although homosexual women show significantly higher levels). But after age 30, the high incidence of alcohol problems declines much less in the homosexual population than it does in the general population. Why are older homosexuals at greater risk of alcoholism? The author has found no sufficient explanation in the literature. McKirnan & Peterson (1989) suggest that psychosocial or cultural variables in the homosexual population might be responsible for increased alcoholism in the later years. They hypothesize that homosexual men and women do not typically enter traditional marriages or childbearing roles as they age, are often not in mainstream occupations, and do not typically adhere to traditional sex roles, all of which encourage control of drinking. The author suggests that more significant than "encouraging the control of drinking," the functions of childbearing and childrearing may have a significant part in the emotional happiness and stability of the parents, being biologically ego-syntonic which, in turn, could relieve feelings of loneliness and lack of fulfillment which give impetus to drink. Author suggests several other explanations as to why today's older gays have a higher rate of alcoholism: Today's older homosexuals faced a more closeted life in their young years, with a much higher prevalence of the stressors discussed above. Gay liberation had not yet struck. They began drinking heavily earlier and, addiction being a disease most frequently progressing into middle age before being addressed, were addicted by their middle 30's. Thus, the higher rates of alcoholism in those over 30 shown by McKirnan & Peterson (1989) may be caused by an even higher incidence of alcoholism in the pre-liberation group, which is now in its 30's, 40's and 50's. That male homosexuals under the age of 30 should show no greater incidence of addiction may be a testament to the positive effects of gay liberation. Another untested hypothesis which occurs to the author is that many older homosexuals (say, over 35) are faced with the daunting task of competing for lovers, friends, and sexual partners in the unrelentingly youth-oriented, beauty-driven gay culture. One of the major tasks of middle age for homosexuals is to reach acceptance that they are no longer able to compete for lovers or sexual partners on the basis of beauty (of which youth, in the homosexual population, is ordinarily a requisite), and accept that their sex and love lives may be substantially less fulfilling, or fulfilling in different ways, than when they were younger. Many homosexuals as they pass 35 turn increasingly to drugs and alcohol for solace and companionship. Treating Addiction in Homosexuals Addiction is like a fire; once started it becomes self-sustaining, and the first order of business for the fire fighter is to put out the blaze. Only later comes the search for the match. Similarly, treatment of the addict in early recovery is largely behavioral and cognitive: daily attendance at AA meetings provides (among other things) a support system and teaches the addict a number of techniques to avoid drinking/using, break old habit patterns of action and thinking, and reduce or manage the inevitable pain of withdrawal and recovery. Even psychodynamically oriented therapists now agree that focusing on the underlying causes of active addiction in an individual does not work to halt the addictive behavior (Colcher, 1982). Thus initially the sexual orientation of an addict is largely irrelevant to his treatment (Colcher, 1982), except (1) as it may cause legitimate concerns as to the treatment he may receive at the hands of a homophobic treatment staff, or may fuel his alcoholic denial that even an unbiased staff could help him, and (2) that the homosexual because of his lifestyle may be at special environmental risks to continued sobriety. In these cases, an addict should be referred to a gay-sensitive rehabilitation program, or to one of the gay special-interest groups of the 12-Step programs. Internalized homophobia is common in gay alcoholics, and often a source of considerable pain and dysfunction. In the author's experience, addiction is most often initially driven by pain; thus it is important in recovery to reduce pain and stress wherever possible in the recovering alcoholics life and thus reduce the temptation for the alcoholic to self-medicate. The alcoholic may be self-medicating anxiety, anger and depression relating to the internalized homophobia. In addition, a homosexual who has been taught by parents, church, school and society in general that homosexual lovemaking is forbidden, sinful, bad, sick, disgusting, and perverted, may use alcohol to medicate the anxiety which these negative thoughts provoke in him and thus allow him to engage in sex at all. And to the alcoholic contemplating abstinence, the prospect of not being able to have (or function in) sober sex can be a motivation to and justification for not staying sober. Gay special-interest 12-Step programs (and, perhaps gay group therapy) can help the recovering alcoholic consciously work through internalized homophobia, and understand and reject for himself the destructive myths about homosexuality: Most of these myths are counterproductive . . . since they are based on assumptions that all gay males are identical, are fixated at regressive levels, and can never achieve a "whole" and satisfactory life. Examples of these myths are: gay males are hysterical and dramatic, especially in dealing with conflict; gay male sex is compulsively driven sex; the treatment objective is a dyadic, long-term relationship; gay males are basically narcissistic; gay sex is basically masturbation; gay males are immature (fixated at pre-Oedipal stages, fixated at adolescence, manifesting the Peter Pan syndrome); gay men are totally sexually liberated; "something" will always be missing, in comparison with heterosexuality; gay intimate relationships cannot last and cannot mature; gays are "sad young men"; casual sex is empty sex; gay men are psychotic; gay men cannot obtain relatedness; and so on (Smith, 1982, p. 55). In addition, strange though it might seem, in the gay special-interest meetings of 12-Step programs, gay men and women can learn (perhaps for the first time) to relate to other gay men and women in non-sexual ways, thus building healthy relationships based on other common interests. This may be especially important for older homosexuals, for whom the earlier, sexualized relationships may be undesirable, unfulfilling, and unavailable. Whatever the etiology of an individual's addiction, successful long-term recovery requires him to come to terms with himself and his homosexuality, and to learn to cope with life. In the treatment of the gay alcoholic, the therapist must not only keep perspective on the client as an addict, but also as a homosexual, with all that may mean to that person in his biopsychosocial setting. This includes being aware of the special challenges discussed above of internalized homophobia and the related low self-esteem, a lifestyle in which alcohol, drugs and gay bars may be central, and the particular problems of aging in the homosexual community. Especially, older gay men need information and encouragement to find the joys which can be contained in the second half of life (Smith, 1982). The therapist must be sensitive to the gay subculture and to subcultural changes. The therapist must also be aware of the developmental tasks, as described by Erikson (1959), that gay men face throughout their lives. For instance, the stage of generativity can involve more than just parenting. Twelve-Step groups give ample opportunity, through 12th-Step work for mentoring and nurturing others, and for utilizing that most noble of the ego defenses: altruism. American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Colcher, R.W. (1982). Counseling the homosexual alcoholic. Journal of Homosexuality, 7(4). 43. Diamond-Friedman, C. (1990). A multivariant model of alcoholism specific to gay-lesbian populations. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 7(2). 111. Erikson, E. (1959). Identity and the Life Cycle. New York: Norton. 30. Quoted from Greene, R. & Ephross, P. (1991). Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. 97. McKirnan, D.J. and Peterson, P.L. (1989). Alcohol and drug use among homosexual men and women: epidemiology and population characteristics. Addictive Behaviors, 14. 545. Nardi, P.N. (1982). Alcoholism and homosexuality: a theoretical perspective. Journal of Homosexuality, 7(4). 9. Rosario, M., Hunter, J., & Rotheram-Borus, M.J. (1992). HIV risk acts of lesbian adolescents. Unpublished manuscript, Columbia University. Quoted from Savin-Williams, R.C. (1994). Verbal and physical abuse as stressors in the lives of lesbian, gay male, and bisexual youths: associations with school problems, running away, substance abuse, prostitution and suicide. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(2). 261. Savin-Williams, R.C. (1994). Verbal and physical abuse as stressors in the lives of lesbian, gay male, and bisexual youths: associations with school problems, running away, substance abuse, prostitution and suicide. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(2). 261. Smith, T.M. (1982). Specific approaches and techniques in the treatment of gay male alcohol abusers. Journal of Homosexuality, 7(4). 53. Straussner, S.L.A. (1993). Clinical Work with Substance-Abusing Clients. New York: The Guilford Press. You can download this paper in Adobe PDF or in RTF format for easy printout with footnotes. Neither this web site nor the Big Book Concordance nor any of the content herein is authorized, produced, approved or endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous or any other 12 Step program.

What the heck is it and what does he mean "Thou Art God"? Well, for those of you who don't understand the reference, please go to the 'Background' section. For some of you who may Grok what I am trying to say, bravo! Way back in college, I had a best friend who introduced me to so many things, one of which was Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Well, I had always been a science fiction addict, so this was just another enjoyable reading exercise as I had read Heinlein many times before. This one was different! I had been exploring alternative religions and practices while in college; having rejected long ago the 'Catholic' upbringing as I was raised. It just made no sense. While the moral principals were well founded and civilized, the ridiculous rules and regulations made no sense in a 'modern' civilization. Yes, pageantry, music and ceremony was nice, but as a historical reference not as a belief system. At the 'Religion Center' at the University of Houston, a truly enlightened concept, I met so many great and enlightened individuals, many of whom were also exploring alternatives and searching for their meaning and direction in life. There were many who proselytized their belief system, but usually with an open mind and a openness for discussion. We had energetic discussions on the benefits and negative aspects of 'organized religion' and how it had historically fostered (and continues to do so) disruptions in the progress of human civilization. Wars, torture, mental and physical torment, corruption, deceit and a host of other detrimental practices have historically been found in most religions (tell me which one has not?). Most organized religions preyed on those less fortunate, less educated and those with poor self esteem. Organized religions seemed to always do well with impoverished classes the world around as they sought some sort of meaning to their miserable existence. Naturally the rich, powerful and power hungry were only too happy to oblige and created numerous variants to the same theme; join us, give us what little riches you posses as well as your obedience and worship and we will promise you everlasting happiness. What a crock of bull. Now there were and are truly GOOD people, who want to help and benefit those less fortunate. Many throughout history did so. Some are famous, Jesus Christ, Buddha, Gandhi, Mother Theresa and maybe Billy Graham. There are thousands who labor selflessly for others who will never be famous. Many of these follow various religions and symbologies, but most or all were selfless and dedicated to their own personal cause to help others. They all professed to love their fellow man; irregardless of condition, position or wealth. I also came to realize that there was true EVIL in the world. It seems that the embodiment of Good and Evil were strictly 'human' situations as animals were governed by instincts and basic drives with little or no self awareness that seemed to make humans human. Man's inhumanity to man was more often than not a manifestation of ways to foster power over others. Some were more evil/sick than others as much of the EVIL was demonstrated in self serving abuse of those less fortunate, less informed or the weak (physical/mind/spirit). History classes and a historical exploration of religions around the Globe, had a recurring theme. Dominance, Power and Corruption. Some were Geo-Political, but took on the zeal and pageantry of a religion. Hitler's Germany was a perfect example. The Gestapo/SS as the enforcement arm (priests/ministers), with the Fuehrer as the god-like leader. Politicians and bureaucrats the world around try to emulate a 'leadership' role luring unsuspecting followers along seeking 'free' benefits with no consequences. A sort of 'heaven on earth' or a lure to better their lives if only they will 'follow' the 'preachings' of the gifted bureaucrat. The World around, from the mighty Roman Catholic Church to the Al-Qaeda cell in a cave, followers all do what they are told. They have forgotten or have never exercised true Free Will. They are unwittingly surrendering their true Humanity and Free Will to these 'preachers' doing EVIL to others with no consideration to the consequences. They are true practitioners and followers of EVIL. Goodness, that is harder to find today than ever, but it IS there to be found. Goodness peeks out around Christian Holidays, Jewish celebrations, July 4th and even the remembrance of 911 and other celebratory holidays in the USA and elsewhere.. People reach out and help others for a time. Then it is back to cruelty and abuse, dominance over others for their own self interest. Now lets talk about self interest! Ayn Rand presented a philosophy of Objectivism, where the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self-interest, that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights was embodied in laissez fair capitalism. This view of self interest did not preclude charitable activities, just proposed they were best served when it benefited the donor as well or more than the recipient. This approach was based on individual rights and did NOT include the suppression of another's freedom or right to free expression, just that everyone should look out for their own self interest and basically get the hell out of the way of others. Conflict can be negotiated in a self interest and mutually beneficial compromise or other balancing transaction where both parties maintain an equality or equivalence. In some cases one wins and the other looses, but there is no forceful suppression of individual freedoms or rights to personal pursuits. One bets that it will rain the other not; win or loose there is no coercion, just a matter of choice and belief. One bets that this product will sell over another; it matters not if the causality is better function or more attractive coloration; it is what it is and one may benefit while the other looses. No coercion demand or subjugation. Just a matter of free choice of the human civilization as it conducts laissez fair capitalism. No religion or moral dictates. Each is free to practice and believe as he/she will, as long as there is not coercion, subjugation or force to apply another's belief system. Each acting in his/her own self interest independent of others individual rights or liberties. How dose Acquanew fit into all of this. Well it is just a vehicle, not unlike (but certainly no equivalence to Atlas Shrugged) Objectivism to communicate what I believe and how I pursue my own self interest. You may accept, adopt or ignore it as you see fit. It is in my own self interest that others respect my individual rights and liberties and get the hell out of my way! Whether it be some idiotic bureaucrat in local, state or federal government, I yield not my individual Constitutional Liberties. I embrace the USA Constitution, Bill of Rights and individual freedom and liberty as defined therein. I seek my own self interest, while not abrogating another s right to pursue his/her own self interest. Should we find a mutually agreeable path to further each other's self interest, let us continue on until it no longer serves us. So be it; c'est la vie. To this end, the balance of this web site will have information that will aid or inform you to help seek out your own objectivism, self interest and freedom. There are threats and intrusions into our freedom of choice and ability to pursue our own self interest and happiness at many levels. There is NO guarantee that you will attain happiness at any level, just that you have the right to pursue your own self interest, happiness and ability to live free. There are so many intrusions, regulations and laws that interfere with our freedoms that I can't possibly attempt to list them or address them all. In my own self interest, I will annotate and mention the most egregious ones that impact my own self interest and liberty. If you choose to join me or ignore me, that is your choice. For a time, I hope you will at least take note, join me if you believe a mutual self interest exists and let us pursue expanded freedom, true goodness and the suppression of evil. Working on more.... please be patient!

Why Won't Mexican Families Acknowledge Their Gay Children and Partners? DEAR MEXICAN: I read in your book that Mexico is due for a revolution about every 100 years or so. The last one was in the first part of the 20th Century, and you wrote they are about ready for another one. Do you think the drug war presently being fought between the cartels and the Mexican government is actually just a revolution being funded by drug money? Some of the other analysts I work with think it is, and others think it's not. Since you seem frank about all things Mexican, what do you think? The Ugly American DEAR GABACHO: Scary how prescient I was, ¿qué no? You'd think I was Mayan! My ¡Ask a Mexican! book came out in 2007, and that particular respuesta to a question dates back to 2005. And while the tens of thousands of dead, the hundreds of thousands of Mexicans forced from their homes by the narcoviolence, and the millions of dollars spent to fight the multibillion-dollar drug industry seem like a revolution, there are no politics involved with the drug cartels—just plain and simple capitalism taken to Hayekian extremes. You'll probably see a revolution in the ballot box next year, as Mexican voters will no doubt toss the National Action Party (PAN) out of office and go back to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which ruled Mexico for more than 70 years, showing the only real result of Mexico's centenary revolts remain the same: Meet the new jefe, same as the old boss. DEAR MEXICAN: I am an openly gay Jewish man; my partner is Mexican-American. My family talks about our relationship with me all the time; his family doesn't discuss a word about it. We've been together two years, and it has never even been acknowledged! Why is this so common with Mexicans? I don't understand how his family can act like it doesn't exist. Of course, I don't bring it up, either. I play the in-the-closet game with them. I am too afraid to say anything that will hurt our relationship. Any suggestions or experience with this? Oy Vey With the Homophobia DEAR HEEB: You didn't reveal enough info. Is your partner out to his familia? Have you talked to him about your discomfort? Are you in a serious relationship? You might think so, but does your partner? There definitely might be a cultural component to your partner's shunning of you: The Mexican has scores of gay primos whose orientation is never discussed at birria Saturdays and carne asada Sundays because the older generation simply doesn't like jotos and is in denial that some of its beautiful progeny are full-fledged mariposas, not the homoerotic hombres they're expected to become. But the Mexican also knows of many old-school families who openly embrace their gay sons, daughters, nephews, nieces and the like. It could honestly be the family is trying you out to see if you're worthy of their son—shit, my papi didn't acknowledge my now-brother-in-law until a good five years into his courting of my sister, and now Dad and the cuñado are the best of buds! Get the This Week's Top Stories Newsletter Every week we collect the latest news, music and arts stories — along with film and food reviews and the best things to do this week — so that you'll never miss OC Weekly's biggest stories. Every week we collect the latest news, music and arts

I am a Jew. I am now hated by the person who is commander in chief. Don't think to tell me about how his son-in-law is Jewish and his daughter is a Jewish by choice. If the President really cared about jews he would not have made a Nazi his chief advisor. I am scared. I am terrified. I am holding my child close because I worry that someone will say she is an undocumented immigrant. I am encouraged by the protesting. there was no organized German Resistance to Hitler. I am encouraged that I am not alone. I am scared however that one man will destroy in less than four years what took over 225 years to build.

Two University of Toronto building signs and an on-campus bus shelter were defaced with drawings of the swastika symbol over the weekend in an act of vandalism. The first marking was found on Medical Sciences Building signage at 1 King’s College Circle on Friday. A student passerby noticed the graffiti on Friday afternoon and brought it to the attention of Hillel U of T, a Jewish campus organization. The group immediately reported the incident to campus security, after which the marking was promptly removed by university staff. Rob Nagus, Director of Hillel U of T, told The Varsity that the organization was “pleased that the university responded quickly and removed the graffiti.” The organization also posted a photograph of the graffiti to their Facebook page, assuring students that they would be “monitoring the situation and working with administration to ensure that the University of Toronto is a safe campus for all students.” The swastika symbol is commonly associated with the atrocities committed by the Nazi Party, anti-Semitism, and racism. University spokeswoman Althea Blackburn-Evans confirmed that the first marking was removed soon after it had been reported. Blackburns-Evans added that the university’s Campus Police had filed a report with the Toronto Police and that an active investigation is underway, although “there are no leads or witnesses at this time.” A second swastika symbol appeared on a bus shelter near the southwest corner of St. George Street and Harbord Street later on Friday; it has since been removed. In addition, on Saturday evening, a third symbol was discovered on a signboard outside the Department of Sociology building at 725 It is unknown if the three incidents are connected. Nagus told The Varsity that these incidents were reported as well. At press time, the graffiti at the Department of Sociology building was still present.

Sermon notes of Pastor Mark Downey October 23, 2016 Scripture Reading: Daniel 8:23-25 For those listening and not reading, amorality is one word, not two. If we were a moral nation, things would be much different. The word amorality means indifferent to or incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong; having no moral standards, restraints, or principles. One dictionary went so far as to say, “Humans... are amoral and what guides them is not any sense of morality but an instinct for survival.” Of course, we disagree with placing ourselves on the level of mere animals. We are the children of God and He gives us the means to flourish as no animal can do. We are the only race, by intelligent design, to experience the transformation of amoral to moral, from a carnal nature to a spiritual supremacist. I don't have that many more election sermons to do for 2016 as the fuse is burning quickly. I sent three copies of my open letter (in the second week of October) to the Trump Towers in Jew York City and we shall see if they shall stand or fall like the twin towers. The modern tower of Babel is reaching unto heaven, but there will never be enough steps to get there. In fact, the steps are going in the opposite direction, in which the foreseeable future is heaven's antithesis. It's appalling, that as we move closer to Election Day, the fabric of our society is interwoven with the religion of Halloween and the obsessive-compulsive hysteria of mainstream media whores rubbing America's nose in the pornographic smut of Jerry Springer politics. Our only hope is being transformed by the renewing of our racial consciousness. Last Sunday, we had a bit of excitement, as a former member of our congregation walked through the door and tried to join our worship service, and I think I shocked the congregation by kicking him out. That's what shepherds do when wolves approach the flock. Normally, we have a very peaceful atmosphere and I'm a mild mannered gentleman. I say former member, not by any formal excommunication or even the due process of Matthew 18, but by default when he betrayed our church and Christian Identity, not by casual association with a known enemy, but by overt support and endorsement of the guy I've referred to a few times as that dirty preacher from the South. This dirty preacher isn't really a Southerner, but went to high school in Hollywood, CA, and was regarded by his own kosher peers as one of the jewish students there (his words, not mine). I don't know what he is, but I know him by his fruits and he acts in every which way as a jew without a moral compass. A devil is defined in Strong's Concordance as a “false accuser and slanderer” and that is what this dirty preacher does on a regular basis. If God hates “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren” (Prov. 6:19), then I am obligated and it is my holy duty to send allies and co-conspirators of devilish usurpers from our hallowed ground. We have the right to defend the sanctity of our fellowship to worship in peace without the leaven and spirit of Judas. Judas was the epitome of lawlessness and the motto of the dirty preacher is “war for Christ,” but it's more like war against Christ. Do we want that war entering our door without, I might add, a lawful cause? One cannot support FGCP and a cabal of slanderous, antinomian, rogue carpetbaggers and evildoers at the same time. “For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?” II Cor. 6:14. Thus, I had no other moral choice than to do what was right. Purging is a constant theme and biblical remedy. The Law in Deut. 19:19 says, “You shall purge the evil from among you.” The word evil means to break in pieces or to spoil. In other words, when morality breaks down, it is the decomposition of right and wrong. The United States of Amorality is the decay of divine Truth and we see it with a preponderance of decadence and alien influence. Some people have the mistaken notion that just because you're a church, your doors are open to anybody who walks in. Some people have the mistaken notion that just you're a pastor, you have to act like an effeminate, good-for-nothing, used car salesman of theology. That's true for the universalist church; for the ecumenical movement and for a mindset of dharma-tolerance. But it's not true for the ecclesia of Israel. It's not true for a modern Israelite nation to harbor the spirit of race mixing. Which leads us to the greater dilemma of Christendom today. and that is the lack of discrimination i.e. the discernment of what's right or wrong. 'Discrimination' is not a bad word, except for those who are caught up in political correctness. If you can't say, “I hate jews,” then you're no different than those who cannot say “radical Islamic terrorism”, because the entire population of heathenry worldwide are antithetical to White Christians. Any religion other than Christianity (Christian Identity) is evil, and rulers are a terror unto the evil, not the good. Pastor Elmore and I maintain the unity of our fellowship through a very simple premise: that of our identity and that of the imposter jew. We have zero tolerance for anything that smacks of judaism, which, for the goyim, is situational ethics or secular humanism. It is man deciding what is right or wrong. I'll be blunt, so there's no doubt about who joins our solemn assembly. Anybody who advocates the death (i.e. the murder) of your pastors is not welcome here. The threats have been made I can assure you. It is guilt by association for anybody who willingly and knowingly associates with those who make the threats. A hypocrite is one who plays innocent, while at the same time aids and abets those whom we should count as our enemies. Just because somebody says they're a Christian is meaningless in this day and age of amorality. There must be at least a dozen so called Christian TV channels who raise their arms and praise the Lord. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” Mt. 7:21. This tells us that those whom we can discern as not doing God's will in the here and now, should not enter the congregation. We are all familiar with the Law in Deut. 23:2 (which is still the Law) that states, “A bastard [Heb. mamzer, racial alien] shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” That should include the sophistry of proponents defending the Trojan Horse of tares being planted on our turf; they don't belong in Christian Identity. They can use and abuse whatever Scripture they like to obfuscate their banishment, but they are banned by their own words and actions. If anybody in Christian Identity is making excuses for non-Whites being Christian, then they should be shunned. If they are in league with mamzers, then they should not be allowed into the assembly of believers. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” II Cor. 6:14. The Greek word for unbelievers means non-Israelites. Unfortunately, in the Christian Identity community, we have a cabal of those who don't believe in discrimination and therefore have no moral compass. This is an impediment that must be fought and overcome so that we have one racist direction. We cannot have any direction without a rudder and a captain of the ship to steer it. In other words, we do not include those who would open the door for unbelievers or have sympathies for them. If they think we talk about the antichrist jews too much, then that's just too bad. They are not welcome in our church. And that is to maintain our own integrity in the eyes of God. Nobody is going to put a guilt trip on me for the moral duty of discrimination come Judgment Day. The universalist that I gave the boot to commiserates with mongrelizers, who are known by their fruits. The Divine Law is on my side, or I should say I am on the side of the Law. A chronic habitual liar or those who support them have no place in a fellowship of God fearing believers. A believer holds the Truth sacred and will not compromise it with the illusions of “false brethren.” A lie will not make you free, it will put you in bondage. Any kind of lie is a perversion of the Truth and the tool of sorcerers who intoxicate their victims with amorality. What will guide us? The Truth or lies, right or wrong, light or darkness? About a year ago I wrote 'Going Dark' and observed that the media mind control is to exclude the Word of God from public debate or discussion other than occasional lip service. We are being served a double whammy of a month-long trick or treat holy day for state-of-mind Satanists and the sexual escapades of presidential candidates. The jews media is the master of censorship and the authors of confusion. They could focus on real issues that concern people, but they don't. In my opinion, they are engaged in the politics of personal destruction vicariously through tweedledum and tweedledee to control mass awareness of “wickedness in high places.” Literally, the violence and vandalism was revealed to be hatched in Democratic offices hiring thugs to provoke incidences with Trump supporters; even going so far to spray paint profanities on dozens of cars at a rally. An old commie trick is to accuse your opponents of what you are actually guilty of. In an undercover video released last week, two Democratic Party operatives admitted that they were paying goons with brass knuckles to go into Trump rallies and let blood and/or crack some skulls. They hired people to cause mayhem and start fights, forcing otherwise law abiding citizens to defend themselves, their families and children with them. Hillary was their paymaster and one of these professional tricksters, Scott Foval, said on the video, that there's a “double blind” between them and the DNC for the purpose of plausible deniability. These are no flunkies, as the other operative, Robert Creamer, has visited the White House hundreds of times. The media whores were right there every time there was an incident, trying to blame the Trump supporters as violent racists. Now that the truth is being revealed, the media is either spinning the story or completely silent. In fact, the FBI and Justice Dept. aren't interested in any sort of investigation... crickets. This kind of governmental conduct in cahoots with the fourth branch of government, the prostitutes of journalism (i.e. the scribes), have turned America into a banana republic. I have been preaching for years that the gradualism of totalitarianism brought us the first black dictator and now we can look at the first woman dictator. The mask will come off after the election. The interference of this unfree election is not the Russians; it's the antichrist amoral elements from within that place themselves above Jesus Christ. The religious and political arms of Babylon's Mystery are slowly evaporating to show the weasels behind the iron curtain. I went into a Kroger grocery store the other day and there was a whole aisle of Halloween garbage, with candy on one side and paraphernalia on the other. The intoxicating drug of blasphemy is a billion dollar a year market and somebody must be buying into the fun of witchcraft, torture, death and the black arts of the occult. It's not just for kids any more. In fact, adults have taken over the holy day. It fits in perfectly with a presidential election reeking of bloody clandestine terrorists, coincidently named ISIS – the Egyptian goddess of children, sponsored by the United States of Amorality. This has got to be the darkest of times in American history where pagan lust and hedonism rule the day. The churches are nowhere to be found, objecting to the pumpkin madness. In fact, they wallow in the subtleties of Baal worship. The dark-skinned people, the dark arts and the darkness of perverse politics is a dark cloud over America. It does not comprehend the Light; it hates it. Does not the Bible say, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Ex. 22:18 KJV)? That's Old English which newer translations render “You shall not allow a sorceress to live” (NASB). Interesting that most translations refer to the witch or sorceress in the feminine singular. Do we have a witch running for President? What is the craft of witches? It is “rebellion” against God: “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king” (I Samuel 15:23). What proof is there that Hillary is a practising witch? Larry Nichols, former Clinton insider during the Arkansas years, said, “Back when Hillary was first lady, she would go on the weekends to California with some of the women, and they went to a church for witches.” Former FBI agent assigned to the Clinton White House, Gary Aldrich, came to the conclusion that, “The Clinton Administration was a corrupt disaster, beyond redemption or repair." What Agent Aldrich was referring to as "corrupt" were the deliberate attempts to block standard FBI background checks on White House staffers to the blatant drug use by staffers, to the deliberate policy of allowing people without high security clearances to read Top Secret [and above] material, and to the deliberate lapses of National Security policy at the highest level, actions that Aldrich feared could lead to an attack on the United States by either Russia or China. From his book 'Unlimited Access' we learned years ago that the First Lady's Christmas tree was decorated with condoms. But rarely are we told about the other decorations, which were: carved wooden figurines of fertility gods and goddesses, pornographic clay figurines, on top of the tree, there was a large stainless-steel ball pierced by colored shafts. So many of the ornaments didn't celebrate Christmas as much as they celebrated sex, drugs, and rock and roll, like crack pipes, syringes, heroin spoons, or roach clips. There were other vulgar things on the tree that I cannot mention in a Christian sermon, but all of it points to rebellion against God. Ex Illuminist witch, Doc Marquis, said in a 1993 interview, “Did you know that one witch can spot another witch a mile away? You can tell by the way they talk, walk, and by watching their eyes. Their eyes are especially important. I can tell you that both Bill and Hillary are powerful, practising witches. And I can tell you that Hillary is by far the more powerful of the two.” The aforementioned are but three witnesses to establish the witchcraft of the Clintons. I learned in my research what separates a Satanist from a Luciferian. Both believe they derive power from the energy of an animal or human being respectively. Hillary gave Janet Reno her blessings to incinerate 19 little children at Waco in 1993. The Branch Davidian's home was called Mt. Carmel. In the Bible, Mt. Carmel is the venue in which Elijah defied the priestcraft of Jezebel, and the people killed all of the priests of Baal when they saw the power of God. For that, Elijah became a hunted man by the queen. By the same token, in the last days a new ministry of Elijah shall arise with the message of Christian Identity. From today's Scripture reading in Daniel 8:23-25 we read, “Near the end of their kingdoms, when the rebels have reached the full measure of their sin, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, will come to the throne. His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the powerful along with the holy people. Through his cunning he shall cause craft [the witchcraft of deceit] to prosper by his influence, and he shall be great in his own mind, and without warning he shall destroy many. He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be shattered, but not by human hands.” This prophecy could very well pertain to the Clintons, who are but puppets of the Rothschild's. The prophecy is an easy analogy of the continuing legacy of hate crimes against Jesus Christ and the bloodlust of murderers. They have no supernatural powers, but their love of money is filled to the full by Esau-Edom. They may destroy the Trump empire and let that be a warning to all other billionaires and minions of millions. Europe is being raped and pillaged by the Middle East wars, which crypto jew, Gen. Wesley Clark leaked as the Game plan for conquering seven Arab countries in five years. It's taking a little bit longer, because their think tanks said, “Why not create a refugee crisis and bring America down with everything else?” He's not called 'Slick Willie' for nuthin'. He could very well be the antitype of Roman power under Antiochus, who when the cup of iniquity overflowed by an excess of jewish wickedness, the divine punishment was past due, and thus commenced to destroy them in 70AD with complete justification. They deserved it for killing Christ and His followers then as well as today. The good news for us is that the Clintons will be crushed by an act of God. “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” Romans 12:19. From Daniel's prophecy we should expect that those who are teaching the spirit of antichrist are also practising the worship of Freemasonry's pantheism of gods. In ancient times Baal worship was not one deity, but thousands that were crafted by idolators. There's nothing new under the sun. We might as well call it the spirit of Halloween and the election is between the Republican wizard and the Democrat witch; and let us not forget all the congressional seats of ghosts and goblins. Such a deal. Whether Antiochus or Jezebel, the Clintons symbolize the same rebellion as jews. Amongst legalists, this verse “he shall be shattered” could be construed to be an exemption for queens or former First Ladies, but hardly a free pass from divine justice. The sin of witchcraft was as much rebellion against God as idolatry or blasphemy, and deserved the same punishment, death. Trump is not a true reflection of the United States of Amorality, but Hillary is. And for that reason, I look forward to her “rigged” votescam win on November 8th. There is good reason to believe that she is a modern version of Jezebel. Is it not magical that the Clintons have unnumbered scandals and innocent blood on their hands (an estimated body count of over 100 people killed who could have sent the Clinton's to jail), and have never been prosecuted for their crimes against humanity? Even during her campaign, there have been a basket of expendables. Have they not gained their illegitimate power by selling their souls to false accusers, a race of congenital liars AND tapped into the monopoly of merchandising pharmakeia. I think there's probably more to Trump's demand for drug testing before the final debate. We should be comforted in the knowledge that Hillary's fate is that of a merchant of death and that her ancient counterpart, Jezebel, was thrown out of a window, trampled by a horse and her corpse eaten by dogs as prophesied by Elijah the prophet. Dogs in the Bible are often a metaphor for racial aliens. It would be divine justice if the mongrels whom Hillary bribed with entitlements for votes, threw her out the window (allegorically) and cannibalized her Foundation down to the bone. There are always bigger outlaws vying for 'king of the Hill' (pun intended). Is there a spirit of Jezebel in churchianity? You bet there is. Is there a spirit of Jezebel in Christian Identity? Never! If you walk into a church and the common refrain is “Judge not, lest thou also be judged,” then you better have the whole armor of God to withstand gross perversions of Scripture. The minute they tell you you're a racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic... you name it … they are judging you and will vote for the spirit of amorality. The Lord is our Judge and we judge by His Word. The admonition not to judge is in relationship to maturing in Christ to a certain level and then not being hypocritical, chastising the neophyte for not being at our stage of progress. “Why do you look at the stick [splinters] in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye?” (Mt. 7:3) means, somewhat satirically, to find fault in others which we overlook in ourselves. If someone is void of introspection, they will be hard pressed to fellowship with their own brethren. Luther correctly observed: “That He [God] may the more earnestly warn us, He takes a rough simile, and paints the thing before our eyes, pronouncing some such opinion as this, that every one who judges his neighbour has a huge beam in his eye, while he who is judged has only a tiny chip, (and) that he is ten times more deserving of judgment and condemnation for having condemned others.” Sometimes it's a very thin line over an argument or disagreement, but we now have 35,000 denominations in a nation of unqualified discernments. Otherwise, there wouldn't be all the splinters right? “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” John 3:19. How can a White man love darkness? “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Law and judges it. And if you judge the Law, you are not a practitioner of the Law, but a judge of it” James 4:11. You can't love your brother if you slander him. “If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” I John 4:20. The only thing we can do when we are wronged is to separate ourselves from the wrongdoers. “Therefore come out from among them, and be separated, says the Lord, do not be joined to the impure; and I will admit you” II Cor. 6:17. Holy people belong to a community that is under the Law and Grace and should be distinguished in moral purity from “all that is in the world” (I John 2:16) and those who take “pleasure in unrighteousness” (II Thes. 2:12). If we don't love the hallowed ground upon which we walk with Christ, how can we ever stand our ground against those who changed the truth of God into a lie? Hillary wants a world without borders and that means a world without any racial identity. The concept has crept into genderless bathrooms. It soils the church with monsters and sociopaths who are not there to worship or fellowship, but to stir the pot with apathy and ignorance. I don't think they even know what makes them tick, because they don't care or want to know. They don't have a circumspect bone in their body. “The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” I Cor. 2:14. Shame and decadence came to our shores when we tossed a life preserver to the union of witchcraft and Christianity and let the Good News of a Kinsman Redeemer drown. We are swimming in the brine of an antichrist culture war, because White Christian Americans think more highly of themselves than they ought to, while minimizing the subtlety of false promises and false accusers. Whether one admits it or not, one is repeating the intellectualization that we “would be as gods,” the same thought that entered the mind of Adam, that we can create our own utopia in lieu of the Kingdom of God; because people want a kingdom of heaven on earth so much, that they will do anything to create the illusion that their New World Order can bypass the requirements of Christ. In their own smug self-righteous way, the political alchemist has turned Adamkind into a universal brotherhood of mongrels. The inertia of such satanic philosophies is banking on a herd mentality of ever increasing slaves to a system contrary to God. It's democracy, formerly known as mobocracy; rule of the mob. There never would have been a golden calf at Sinai had it not been for the mob going with the flow. While their leader, Moses, was away, the rebellion against God would play. In the movie, The Ten Commandments, the jewish actor Edward G. Robinson, played the part of the agent provocateur. And that's the part jews play today, to agitate society to decide what is right or wrong for themselves. That is amoral. The magic of illusion is to convince people that there is another God behind the curtain and it's... a mirror. The thing is, magicians never deal with reality, but only trickery and deceit. The extension of trick or treating from one day to a season of self indulgence is proof that we have become an amoral nation. “To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune, Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles” - William Shakespeare, Hamlet. The question today is: are we going to be voters or not? I believe in voting and political activism as long as God is the only candidate and we are the submissive body politic. Man's system is rigged, because it is trying to bypass John 15:16, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” I'm voting for the choices God has already made for us. That's called morality. I'll vote for a man who reads, believes and obeys the Word of God, because He does delegate His authority. That's called jurisdiction. “Every soul must be subject to more powerful authorities. Since there is no authority except from God, then those who are, by God are they appointed. Consequently, one opposing the authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and they who are in opposition will themselves receive judgment” Romans 13:1-2. There must be a grand canyon of cognitive dissonance whose cup overfloweth with the platitude that we have to vote for the lesser of two evils. I've heard some doozies as to why this election is so important to our future and yet very few understand the cause and effect of sin and judgment of our national demise. Why don't we hear from the clergy (Baal priests) that “to repent or not to repent, that is the question”? We don't hear from them because they don't take evil seriously. That is what the company of Elijah faces today. I can understand how so many Americans can get fired up over the blatant smear campaign run by a corrupt media, especially when the underdog is kicked and scourged without mercy. One can't help but notice the unfairness of what should be news, but is unbridled slander. Are the presidential campaigns for real or are they all staged manipulations? That is the question. One conservative Christian pundit asked why the left wing keeps winning and then tried to answer his own question by saying the leftists surround and protect its wounded, whereas the right wing surrounds and cannibalizes its wounded. He said he was only speaking to those who knew what he was talking about. Well, thanks for nothing, we really need explanations like that in times like these. However, I would venture to say that he was speaking from personal experience and that he was somehow wounded and nobody came to his rescue. Did I mention that he's a Christian Identity pastor and he's a full blown Trump supporter? Perhaps misfortune has crossed his path, because he has chosen the lesser of two evils. This is the Big Tent philosophy of White Nationalism, thinking that the rule of the mob will rule the day. But a majority of voters do not necessarily make things right in the eyes of God. Here's the witchcraft of the almighty deal: whenever we vote for somebody who isn't God's anointed, his/her baggage comes with it, including compromise, dilution and amorality. By voting for the questionable Christian character of a candidate, you are consenting to be governed by his/her platform i.e. to stand in defense of the sodomite community; of perverts walking into the bathrooms of your children; to give the antichrist IsraeLIE all the money and blood they can consume. The two party system protects itself and cannibalizes you. It may be left and right, conservative and liberal, Republican and Democrat, but it is not right and wrong, it is all wrong. It is pure Marxist dialectics and only fools are sucked into the Game. It really doesn't make any difference who gets elected, both are a curse and judgment of God upon the people who will not have Jesus Christ to rule over them. Bring them hither. It gets really old every time I hear the hackneyed mantra “If you don't vote, you don't have the right to complain about anything.” Oh yeah, is that the law? Are there fines and penalties if I complain? If only idiots are running for office, doesn't that make me an idiot for voting for them? And wouldn't complaining be idiotic. Why can't a no vote be a vote of no confidence? It wrecks their Game. Christian Identity author and friend John Wickey made this inarguably common sense statement, to wit “The Founders designed the vote to be your consent to the government it creates. When you vote you agree to accept the outcome. That means it is actually voting that forfeits our right to oppose the outcome... The system of voting itself is designed to forfeit our right to oppose the outcome. Voting grants consent. Consent forfeits opposition.” To put our founding fathers in proper perspective, they had the history of governments behind them and they earnestly wanted something that was exclusively Christian and run by the White race only. It would be subverted at a later date, as concessions would disintegrate the integrity of their original intent, a White Christian America. Consent was a well understood principle for Christian governance and the calibre of candidates were a crucial standard. The legacy that the founders left us was basically the codification of Christian Identity even though it wasn’t called that. In the last election cycle (2012) I wrote 'Non-Consent of the Misgoverned' and elaborated on 'consent': Where do we find ‘consent of the governed’ in the Bible? White Christian Americans of the late 18th century believed government was of God according to Romans 13 and was in contradistinction to ‘the divine right of kings.’ In practice, a government that is not ‘under God’ is a government that thinks it is God... In 1637, the Christian inhabitants of Massachusetts, having no grants of land or authority or any officers of the king in the quiet wilderness, would not be molested or annihilated by raiding indians. “For two years (1637-1639) they acted without… formal agreement among themselves regarding the method or organization of their government, choosing and obeying their magistrates, electing and holding their assemblies, according to their habit before they came. But in 1639 they adopted a formal constitution, which they called their "Fundamental Orders. “The foundation of authority is laid in the free consent of the people,” Thomas Hooker said, preaching to them from Deut. 1.13, “Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.” It is best that it should be so, for “By a free choice the hearts of the people will be more ready to yield" obedience. This was the principle of the Fundamental Orders. Their governor was always to be a member of some approved congregation; but any man might be a freeman and voter and fill any other magistracy whose town admitted him to be a resident, without test of doctrine or church membership; and the freemen were to elect the deputies by whom the laws of the colony were to be made in General Court” – from History of the American People.” In other words, a Christian community is going to know who is worthy to govern and who has the wrong priorities. And that's the premise of today's message, that there are way too many people who want to be leaders who have no qualifications. And even more people deciding for themselves what is right and wrong regardless of the truth. The dirty preacher from the South, the crypto-universalist from Chicago, the money grubbing adulterer from Michigan, the proud grandfather of mongrels from Mississippi, the thief and plagiarist from Ohio et al have no business calling themselves Christian Identity and should be purged from our movement if we are to move. It’s not that difficult to show the original Christian intent for the entire system of government 200 years ago. Madison testified, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” John Adams also testified, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious [i.e. Christian] people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” It is a sad commentary indeed that the United States of Amorality is closer to Mt. 15:8, “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” than “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” I Peter2:9. When I first launched into writing this sordid depiction of 2016, I had a plethora of vivid files available showing the depths of depravity whereby we have sunk to. But it took another direction, much to my surprise and delight, by the Holy Spirit to benchmark this year for its insanity as the dissolute pus drips, drips, drips through the Halloween mask of self-righteous piety. Our collective nose has been rubbed into so much smut and lasciviousness that we are gasping for air in a calculated moral asphyxiation from the oozing toxins of convoluted reasoning. I don't have to mention all of the talmudic Sodoms and Whorlandos to make my point, we are surrounded with it in every city. The slippery slope is scary and frightening. The reportage of sins and failures simply builds a more calloused sense of morality. We need to look at it from another angle. We need to reject the spirit of the current culture and pandering to the rancid music of catholic orgy, the multiculturalism of darkness. Loving our brethren must not be confused with our hate for both the sin and sinner. Evil does not work independently of the actor. God punishes the evil person and nation for their rejection of Him. The amoral citizen of Sin City will charge the moral Christian with imposing their form of government on them, while they legislate immorality. To such hypocrisy I say “ENOUGH!” As foreboding as things are, I shall fear no evil. What are they going to do? Kill me with labels or maybe even bullets? I am free of Halloween. I am free of this crazy presidential election. The Truth shall make us all free. We will not remain silent. As a final thought, God does not owe anybody from any era an apology. And the Lord will cause the Jehu's to finish their work, and the Josiah's to emerge and rediscover the Law, and the Elijah's to smoke the altars of Baal forever into ash. One promise of God has been misappropriated and is yet to prevail. The Lord said, “Upon this rock [Christ, not Peter] I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” Mt. 16:18. The church or ecclesia was the assembly of free citizens, to which belonged judicial and legislative power, and from which aliens and slaves alike were excluded. This is our future. This is our hope. We will stand a united and moral race to defeat an enemy once and for all. Bless the congregations of Israel.

Beyonce Knowles became an almost-household name thanks to being a member of the "Destiny's Child" trio that rocked the 90's and early 's. She went off to become one of the most famous solo artists of all time with a discography that would make Solange Knowles feel bad about herself. Beyonce is also the female half of one of the most famous and wealthy "powercouples" on the planet with her husband Jay-Z and their daughter Blue Ivy Carter. On February 1, , Beyonce posted a picture of herself in underwear announcing her pregnancy with twins. Not many women can show off their pregnant belly with such elegance and beauty, but Queen Bey is not just any woman. How big of a fan are you of Beyonce? Leaked Black — Beyonce NUDE & Sexy Pics [LATEST UPDATED] She is married to Shawn Corey Carter, also known by his stage name Z. She makes our famous Hollywood list the top celebrity leaked ass of all hacks as well because celebs get celebs all the time now days. Here we go celebs pictures of Beyonce just for you guys Beyonce has also featured in movies but unfortunately she kept her hip huggers buttoned up all these times. Some o fus have always been attracted with the way she dances. These delicious and undressed pictures of the celebrity beauty will certainly make you jizz on another level of jizzing… ya feel me. Not only is Beyonce Knowles known for her outstanding vocals and being one of the most famous women in entertainment history, she will probably go down as one of the HOTTEST females to ever walk the planet earth. For decades now, her sex appeal and curvaceous figure have made millions, if not billions of people around the world horny as fuck! We may never to get pound her bangable ass or take a dive into her tasty chocolate pussy, but we can dream all day long and these naked pics of Beyonce help our imaginations seem more vivid. And they wonder why their spoiled ass beige play dough-looking boys grow up to be mass shooters and woman beaters! WTF is wrong with these mothers? Give him a birthday cake with his potato salad and quit whining, Karen! How do they feel about what? That the term for Jewish racial hatred is Anti-Semitism? From what I know (there are Jews in the forum who may answer better than me they appreciate that it has a name, because it makes it possible to push back against it. And it's useful that the name is distinct enough that it doesn't get easily confused with other types of hatred, which, while just as perfidious, are a different issue.

In our other blogs, we have talked about different quarters, for example Triana, where the beautiful art of flamenco started. Today, we want to talk about Barrio Santa Cruz, the Jewish quarter in Seville! Close to the gothic cathedral of Seville and Real Alcazar, you can find your way through the small streets and alleys of Santa Cruz. Impressing artists making oil paintings and musicians cover the streets here. The main street, Calle Agua, leads you through Santa Cruz and ends in the Murillo Gardens. The Jewish quarter Why do we call this quarter in the Spanish city Seville the Jewish quarter? The history of this quarter is quite sad. Seville used to have the biggest community of Jews in Spain. It is unclear when these Jews started living in Spain, but at least since Roman times. In the Moorish period, they were able to live in freedom here in the city, but when the Almohads came, this freedom ended. When San Fernando came to power in 1248, the Jews regained their freedom. He even gave them some synagogues that used to be mosques and he gave them the Barrio Santa Cruz to live. In 1492 the Jews had to leave Spain or had to become Catholic, a lot of Jews also were murdered in the years before. This period was called the inquisition. Even though the quarter is not really Jewish anymore, you can still see their influences and enjoy this beautiful part of the city. What to do in Santa Cruz? Are you curious about the Jews in Seville? Check out the small museum Centro de Interpretacion Juderia de Sevilla. It is located at Calle Ximenez de Enciso 22-Ac. Here they tell you more about the impressing stories and interesting facts about the Jews in Seville. Santa Cruz is also perfect to go enjoy some good food or taste the best sangria of the city in Calle Agua at the restaurant ‘Agua Y Vida’. When you are staying in this area of the city you are lucky, because you are close to the Cathedral, the Archivo General de Indias and Real Alcazar. Don’t look too much on your map, but get lost in the wonderful labyrinth of streets and alleys here in Santa Cruz. During our Daily bike tour, we also go through this quarter, or contact us for a walking tour in this area of the city!

In "The Law in These Parts," one of Israel's most creative nonfiction filmmakers places judges and attorneys on the cinematic witness stand to explain Israel's contorted 45-year-old military legal structure governing Palestinians in the occupied territories. In “The Law in These Parts,” one of Israel’s most creative nonfiction filmmakers places judges and attorneys on the cinematic witness stand to explain Israel’s contorted 45-year-old military legal structure governing Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. Adopting a postmodern method quite different from that of his remarkable “The Inner Tour,” Ra’anan Alexandrowicz poses his questions from a legal angle, and finds these minds stumped by a system they’ve professionally defended. Pic’s Sundance world docu jury prize will raise its profile, with good prospects for positive verdicts from doc and Jewish-themed fests and Euro cablers.According to the filmmaker, it was the arrest of a Palestinian youth filmed in “The Inner Tour” that began his investigation into the legal system that governs Palestinian non-citizens in the territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 war. Little known by the general Israeli public, the enforcement of laws and governance in occupied lands is overseen by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). As a result, any Palestinian arrested in occupied lands is subject to a military brand of law quite unlike civilian-based law. The resulting Kafkaesque system was the byproduct of assumptions that it would be temporary, and would give way to a different, permanent legal structure once the phase of occupation ceased. At the heart of the upside-down logic of the IDF’s ongoing governance is that the sheer passage of time has legitimized this temporary solution. But to apply Israeli law in these circumstances would, the judges try to explain to Alexandrowicz, effectively be granting citizenship to Palestinians. Alexandrowicz positions his seated interviewees — some looking reluctant, others puzzled, still others contentious — at a table on a raised platform in front of a large green screen on which is frequently projected archival footage of arrests and trials of Palestinian suspects. The judges and attorneys often turn to watch the footage being simultaneously seen by the doc’s aud, resulting in a postmodern approach that invites the viewer into the director’s inquiry. The film takes a particular look at the 1968 case of accused terrorist Omar Mohammad Al-Qassem, who led a Palestinian Liberation Army guerrilla unit against the Israeli army before his arrest. His claim of POW status was rejected by the court’s judge, on the grounds Qassem didn’t rate per the Geneva Convention as an enemy combatant. Yet, Alexandrowicz notes to his interviewees, Qassem also was not a civilian in any conventional sense. So what was he? The pic particularly shows military thinking applied to what were fundamentally civilian matters in determining the legal basis for Jewish settlements in occupied land. Justice Meir Shamgar, who emerges as a major figure in the film, describes how he arrived at a legal framework for allowing settlements, inspired by the Ottoman-era “Mawat” (or unused) land provision that OK’d occupiers to reside in areas not used for farming or dwelling. Shark De Mayo’s lensing brings visual density to the filming of talking heads, with the heavily researched archival footage on the green screen creating a theatrical effect — and serving to jog those heads’ memories.

Fulton Community Theatre will open auditions for the first production of its 2014 season, the romantic comedy “2 Across” by Jerry Mayer. Auditions will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 17 and 18 at Holy Trinity Church, 309 Buffalo St., Fulton. The production will be directed by Michael A. Bolio. No preparation is necessary; auditioners will read scenes from the script. The production will run weekends, Feb. 15-16 and Feb. 22-23. The comedy tells the tale of two strangers, Josh and Jane, who meet on a commuter train. They are alone in the car, each is married, and both are doing the New York Times crossword. She’s an organized, sensible, psychologist. He’s a free spirited, unemployed ad exec. She is a crossword pro, he always quits. They learn from each other, argue, laugh, reveal big problems, they kiss. Will they meet again? The character descriptions are as follows (Please note, both characters are in their late 40s to mid 50s): Janet is Catholic, structured, responsible, a good mother and usually right. She’s an achiever whose standards are high and her patience is low. As a psychologist, she’s blunt and honest. She’s a law abider and a rule follower. Everything she attempts, she does well, except for one thing — she has got to learn to have fun. Josh is Jewish and a paradox. He’s part free spirit, part executive, part dreamer, part good son, part Peter Pan. During the trip, each time Janet decides Josh is a flake, he does or says something that wins her total admiration, or he makes her laugh, which she’s not used to. About two thirds through their journey, Josh decides that he and Janet might be meant for each other. Now all he’s got to do is convince Janet of that. For more information, including upcoming auditions for the season, please contact FCT at its website, www.fultoncommunitytheatre.org, or by emailing at firstname.lastname@example.org

Settlement policy might be another point of disagreement between Kadima and Likud. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled Monday that the government had to go ahead with the demolition of 30 homes that were built on Palestinian-owned land in the Beit El settlement’s Ulpana neighborhood. Although Netanyahu has been noncommittal, right-wing politicians in his coalition, including several Likud MKs, want to legalize retroactively neighborhoods and outposts like Ulpana. Netanyahu could be torn between his obligation to Kadima MKs who oppose such legislative initiatives and his more right-wing coalition partners. The peace process may lead to some points of contention, but opponents have refrained from placing the blame on Netanyahu’s government for the lack of progress in negotiations. About the Author: If you don't see your comment after publishing it, refresh the page. Our comments section is intended for meaningful responses and debates in a civilized manner. We ask that you respect the fact that we are a religious Jewish website and avoid inappropriate language at all cost. If you promote any foreign religions, gods or messiahs, lies about Israel, anti-Semitism, or advocate violence (except against terrorists), your permission to comment may be revoked.

BESSY (Beth Emet Senior Synagogue Youth) is the community's highly active, peer-led youth group for high school-age participants. Through monthly, teen planned events, BESSY provides both Jewish social space for its peers as well as an integrated approach to Jewish social action. BESSY is a highly visible asset to Beth Emet – building our community through its constant stream of activity. The BESSY Leadership Board is an all-youth board supported by Youth Programs staff and meets regularly to plan activities, often striving to recognize and fulfill the needs of our greater synagogue community. The relationships built in BESSY go beyond the strictly social to encourage and build the leaders not just of tomorrow but of today. BESSY is NFTY (National Federation of Temple Youth, a program of the URJ) affiliated. Teens are encouraged to participate in regional NFTY events throughout the year!