Hormoz Shariat
A servant of Christ – called to transform Iran and the Middle East with the gospel.
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Qasem Soleimani Assassination: Impact on Iranian Christians
January 10, 2020 January 10, 2020 Hormoz Shariat Current Events	Christianity in Iran, Iranian government, persecuted church, Qasem Soleimani Assassination, underground church in Iran
This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Understanding the Impact of Soleimani Assassination
Iran’s government has been heading down a troubled path for many years. In this third post, I consider what we may expect spiritually in Iran in the coming months.
The Iranian government is between a rock and a hard place. It has too many multifaceted problems and is fighting too many unwinnable wars. Besides their internal problems, now they must respond to Trump’s action and threats. These issues impact how the government will treat Christians and how the people will respond to the gospel message.
Funeral of Qasem Soleimani, Tehran, Iran on 6 January 2020.
Photo: Maryam Kamyab and Mohammad Mohsenifar
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
The Islamic Regime’s Problems
Bad economy. The economy is bad because of sanctions, poor decisions, and weak economic infrastructures. Iran can solve none of it. A lack of financial resources will continue to pressure the government. They have been reducing subsidies. If they become unable to pay salaries to government employees and especially the revolutionary guards, the whole government will implode. Even if they suddenly want to shore up the economy’s foundation, they cannot because the system is not designed for such corrective action. So the economy is an unsolvable problem for them.
Corrupt government. Corruption is so rampant that it has become an integral part of how the government governs. The US$150 billion that they received under Obama’s administration sped up corruption in Iran. Many people in power wanted a piece of that pie. Those who want to eradicate corruption cannot do it because the top clergy and their families are the major players in it. So corruption is another unsolvable problem for them.
Oppositional population. The people are against them. They came on the streets to protest the economy, and they faced bullets. As a result, their hatred of the government and even Islam itself has increased. The regime reportedly killed over 1,500 people within the past two months. They have not allowed the families of the dead to gather and mourn, and they arrested those who tried. That means the parents of some of those who were killed are now in jail because they publicly mourned the loss of their son or daughter. The government has lost the people’s heart, and there is no way to gain it back.
Military Threat. Now they have President Trump threatening them with action. It started with the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, but Trump made it very clear that he is ready for more. They have no solution for that. If they do nothing, they look weak. For 40 years, they have lied to the people of Iran, telling them that Iran is a superpower. Now they are in danger of being found out and losing respect and credibility. This threat may give people hope that their government is not as strong as it claims and that it could be toppled. If so, this hope will encourage them to continue their protests and oppositions.
The Spiritual Impact
More salvations. I predict that in the next six months, we will have an accelerated number of Iranian Muslims who will come to Christ. This expectation is not new. We saw a similar occurrence ten years ago. During the Green Movement in 2009, the government killed, raped, and tortured many people. The government’s brutality unmasked the true face of Islam to many: a heartless religion that devalues human life. Because of what they saw, many people who were undecided about Islam beforehand became sure that Islam is not the way. Thus, they became open to the message of the gospel. Even some fanatic Muslims—people who were sold out to Islam and opposed Christianity just a few months prior—came to Christ. How do we know? Because they contacted us and shared their stories. Likewise, we expect that in the next six months, we will see a surge in salvations among those who used to be devoted Muslims—even among the clergy and government officials!
Fewer persecutions—temporarily. Because the government has too many problems to fight, for the next few months they will not focus on destroying Christianity as they have when they have had the money and time. If their negotiations prove successful, however, and they can bring back a more normal situation to Iran, then they will start a new wave of Christian persecution.
More intense persecution. They will arrest fewer people, but they will act harshly toward them—that is, long jail terms and even execution. They will want to make an example out of the few they arrest to put fear in the hearts of other Christians and stop them from evangelizing, fellowshiping with other Christians, or connecting to organizations outside Iran such as Iran Alive. As Christianity grows and the government feels more out of control, it will intensify the persecution.
Greater opportunity for Christians to be salt and light. As the darkness grows, the light can have more impact because it has the power to destroy the darkness. Light in the midst of the darkness is easily seen and very attractive. So this is the time for Christians to be different. In the midst of the nation’s desperation and hopelessness, Christians can bring the hope of Christ.
On our channel, we encourage Christians to behave differently than their culture expects. We ask them not to be afraid, not to lose hope, but to continue in faith, to love others, and to share their faith with others. We tell them that no matter what happens, even if there is a war, God will still be with them and stay faithful to His promises. We tell them, “Continue to show Christ to the people around you in your actions and talk because no matter what, you know that you are the winners. Iran will eventually be a Christian nation according to Jeremiah 49:38.”
These are critical times. What happens in Iran will impact the Middle East, and what happens in the Middle East will impact the world. Let’s be awake and alert. Let’s see where God is working and join him.
Let’s listen to God more than we listen to the news. When we listen to the news, we will be reactionary—reacting to what has happened—that is, reacting to what Satan has done. But when we listen to God, we will be proactive. If we listen to the news more than God, then we will always be a few steps behind Satan because we must first hear what he is doing and then try to stop him. But when we listen to God first, we stay several steps ahead of Satan. God wants us to be proactive and be several steps ahead—not behind—what Satan is doing. God wants us to listen to him more than we listen to the news.
Know the will of God and do it. This is the time to act. I have felt a great urgency in my soul the past few months that we should act and act now. With what we see happening in Iran now, I know that feeling of urgency was and is from the Lord. The time is short, and the days are evil. We must be wise and not fools. We must know the will of God and then do it (Eph. 5:15–17). Before us is a historic opportunity to make Iran the first Islamic nation that turns to Christ. We know it will surely happen because He promised it (Jer. 49:38), but we also know that He wants to accomplish His will through us. Let’s join together to do His will and make history in Iran and the Middle East.
General Soleimani Assassinated—Now What?
January 9, 2020 January 9, 2020 Hormoz Shariat Current Events	Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, iran nuclear deal and donald trump, Iranian government, Qasem Soleimani Assassination
The new year began with an event that will change the future of Iran. In this second post, I consider what we may expect politically in the coming months.
Iran has lost one of its top leaders. General Qasem Soleimani, head of the Quds Army, was more powerful and influential than Iran’s President Rouhani. The people and the Iranian government are on the opposite side of almost every issue, but regarding Soleimani, they both loved and respected him.
Senior commanders of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces, including General Qasem Soleimani, met with Ayatollah Khamenei on April 11, 2016. Source: http://english.khameini.ir, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Despite President Trump warning that the United States will quickly strike back, “perhaps in a disproportionate manner,” if Iran strikes any American person or target, Ayatollah Khamenei and Iran’s military leaders vowed to take revenge. They responded Tuesday by firing 22 ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq.
What will the Islamic Republic of Iran do now? What will happen? Will they continue to fight back? If they do, the U.S. may attack and they will lose a lot; if not, they will look weak and full of hot air.
There are three possibilities: moving to full-fledged war, responding with a limited conflict, or private negotiation.
Full-Fledged War?
In my opinion, this option is very unlikely because:
The Islamic government knows a war with the United States will end its regime. This government is in trouble—big trouble. The economy is bad, and sanctions are making it worse; the nation has risen against the government; the people are turning away from Islam to become secular agnostics or Christians. This regime has no popularity either inside or outside the country.
In the past two months, not only have Iranian cities demonstrated against the Iranian government but so have cities in Lebanon and Iraq. The people of Iraq want Iran out of their country. Iraqis are happy about the assassination of Soleimani but do not show it on the streets because of fear. Many were killed a few weeks ago demonstrating against Iran’s intervention in Iraq.
The Islamic government does not have many options unless it already has a nuclear bomb. If so, they will detonate one in the center of Iran’s desert to let the world, and especially Trump, know that they cannot be pushed around anymore. If they do have the bomb, they probably will not use it except to threaten, bully, and impose their will in the Middle East and the world.
If they have no nuclear bomb, Iran’s options are VERY limited. Trump threatened that he has already identified Iranian targets to hit if Iran acts against U.S. citizens or property. They understand Trump may do it, and even his own congress cannot stop him.
Iran knows that without a bomb, they have practically no protection from a U.S. attack. Therefore, after the assassination, they declared that they will fully pursue making the bomb. A possible shortcut for them is to purchase a bomb from North Korea and detonate it in a desert to pretend that they have successfully built it themselves and that they can build more.
Limited Conflict?
As already seen through Iran’s initial ballistic missile response, this option is likely.
Khamenei and the Iranian government will want never to appear weak. Honor and shame are controlling values in the Middle East, especially among the leaders. So to show that they are not taken aback by the assassination and that Trump’s threats mean nothing to them, they have to do something even if through other organizations. Tuesday’s ballistic missile attack seems to be just such an action. Khamenei said he had dealt the United States a “slap in the face” while the foreign minister announced that the nation had “concluded proportionate measures” in its retaliation.
This attack—perhaps intentionally—had no casualties. It brought honor to the Iranian government, showing its own people and the world that they are not afraid of the U.S. and that they will retaliate. But with no casualties, they felt safe from U.S. payback. It is interesting that the Iranian media is presenting the attack as a point of strength. They are saying, “Nobody since Vietnam has attacked U.S. bases, but we did. And Trump did not have the guts to retaliate.”
Iran’s government must also maintain deniability. Iran may follow up by attacking U.S. embassies around the world, attacking U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf, or killing some American citizens around the world—even in the U.S.—just out of pride to show that they are not defeated. Of course, they will do these things through proxy terrorist organizations whose support is not traceable to Iran. For their own protection, they want to be able to say, “We did not do it; those who support us and hate the U.S. did it on their own.”
Negotiation?
This option is most likely, but it will not be a public negotiation.
Because of Trump’s multifaceted strategy, I believe the Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to negotiate. They know that if they misbehave, Trump will attack their oil facilities, which will wipe them out completely since their only source of survival income is oil.
Iran cannot support or survive a war. They will not want to enter a war with the United States because they know their army cannot carry on that fight for more than a few days. More importantly, they know their own people will not support that war. The American population wants to avoid war because of its cost—both in money and lives; the Islamic regime wants to avoid a war with the U.S. too, but for them, the motivation is even higher—their survival.
Negotiation will happen in secret. Iran will be forced to negotiate, but public negotiation would admit weakness. The importance of honor and saving face will prohibit public terms. So after limited terrorist action around the world through their proxy agents, they will start negotiating with the United States secretly without either side mentioning it publicly.
Negotiation is not the same as appeasement. Critics might say, “But that is what Obama did, negotiating with Iran.” President Obama’s policy invigorated the regime. Obama wanted the treaty more than they wanted it. Obama wanted to evade war more than they wanted to avoid it. Therefore, Obama came to the negotiation table from a very weak position.
The Iranian government celebrated after the nuclear deal with Obama was signed because they got so much with little cost. They received US$150 billion in cash, the removal of sanctions, freedom to sell oil in the world market, and permission to have business relationships with Europe and other countries, all for just a promise that they would delay building a bomb until 2025! They used that money to expand their influence in the Middle East, finance terrorism around the world, and yes, build the bomb—but in new, underground facilities hidden in the middle of large cities. They were allowed to buy arms from Russia and build up their military, including developing intercontinental ballistic missiles able to deliver nuclear warheads to Israel, Europe, and soon, to the United States.
It seems that Trump has a better understanding of the Islamic-Iranian culture. An appeasement policy never works against a bully. It encourages them to continue that behavior. You must stand firm against bullies. Even the Bible tells us, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Islam’s mandate in the Quran is to rule the world by war and violence with neither compromise nor negotiation. Islamic regimes will never negotiate by choice but only when they have no other way out.
The good news is that the Lord is faithful to His promise in Jeremiah 49:38. We know that sooner or later there will be a horrible war in Iran according to Jeremiah 49:34–37. Let’s pray that this war will be delayed so that more Iranian Muslims will have a chance to hear the gospel before being killed.
Iran as a nation has rejected Islam and is open to the gospel. Let’s do our part to share the good news with Muslims and disciple them to become agents of transformation after they get saved. Through our broadcasts and our training school, we are doing just that. Will you join us?
In my final post for this series, I write about the impact of these current events on Iranian Christians.
Did you miss part 1 that explained Qasem Soleimani’s role and popularity in Iran? Find it here.
Who Was Qasem Soleimani—a Terrorist or a Hero?
January 7, 2020 January 7, 2020 Hormoz Shariat Battling Terrorism, Current Events	Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Donald Trump, Iranian government, Qasem Soleimani Assassination
A lot is happening and will happen in Iran and the Middle East in 2020. The assassination of Qasem Soleimani has started a chain reaction that will change the future of Iran. These changes will probably affect the whole Middle East and even the world.
The Iranian government has vowed to take revenge. In response, President Trump has warned that he is ready to take action and destroy 52 already identified sites in Iran if there is any attack on American lives or properties. Many predict a full-fledged war will happen soon.
General Qasem Soleimani on 1 October 2019.
Source: khameini.ir. Photo cropped and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Who Was Soleimani?
Who was Qasem Soleimani? Outside Iran, he was known as a terrorist, but inside, he was a hero. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians mourned in the streets after his death because many people loved and admired him. This is why:
He was in charge of the Quds Army, the international arm of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He executed Iran’s policy in the region and internationally. In the region, under Soleimani, Iran became a major force determining the future of countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. We know Iran is the top financier of terrorism around the world. It was Soleimani who was trusted with that budget, and he was effective in using the money to fight wars with proxy armies and produce terrorism through proxy organizations.
He was the number two man in Iran. He was a close ally and friend of Ayatollah Khamenei for over 40 years. Khamenei has trusted none of the other IRGC leaders, fearing that if they become powerful and united, they may turn against him. So he has frequently changed the senior leadership of IRGC with one exception: Soleimani. Khamenei trusted him very much.
He was a national hero. For years, the media in Iran, controlled by the Islamic government, had depicted and promoted Soleimani as a national hero. Due to that propaganda influence, the people believe the following:
He was the hero who protected Iran from an invasion and attack by ISIS. State-controlled media caused the people to believe that without the general, ISIS would have attacked and even taken over Iran.
He single-handedly defeated ISIS. The people believe that Trump undeservedly took the credit for Soleimani’s work of defeating ISIS.
He made Iran a significant power in the Middle East and the world. Under him, Iran gained a major role in what was happening in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. We must not forget the statements made by Khomeini, Soleimani, and other high-rank Iranian officials for the last 40 years, statements that were drilled into the people’s minds through the media: “Iran under the Islamic Republic has flourished to become a major world power, so much so that even the United States is afraid of it.”
He took control of Iraq, which at one time was the archenemy of Iran. That means he not only protected Iran but overtook an enemy country and brought it under the control of the Islamic Republic. Because Iran has a majority Shiite population, he was able to infiltrate and then control the power factions inside Iraq and its government.
He is the hero who made Iran so strong that America does not dare attack it. When Iran shot down the multimillion-dollar U.S. drone last June and President Trump gave no answer—nor answered immediately to subsequent similar aggressions—the media’s take has been, “Look how strong we are. We can attack Americans, we can attack the oil ships, we can attack the oil production facilities of Saudi Arabia, we can attack the U.S. embassy in Iraq, and America does not dare to respond because we have superior power.”
As a national hero, Soleimani was more popular and loved by people than Khamenei himself. Even though the people’s hatred for their leaders has grown, Soleimani was the only official who had a good name and was loved.
What Was Soleimani’s Future?
Khamenei had plans for Soleimani’s future. The ayatollah worked hard through the media to deceive people and make Soleimani a hero because he had a long-term plan: make him the next president. Currently, no government-approved candidate for the 2021 election is positioned to bring hope—even false hope—to the hearts of the people and get them to vote. With Khamenei and the Islamic government so unpopular, Soleimani was the solution.
The top religious leaders expected that when Soleimani became president, they could deceive and control the people for another eight years, giving them a false hope that Soleimani would curtail the power of the mullahs and make Iran’s governments more secular. A more secular rule would remove the clergy from the government but not from power. Under the guise of democracy, they would continue to rule the people.
This deceptive plan was working. Hundreds of thousands of people publicly mourned Soleimani’s death. Few realized that Soleimani was supporting and supported by the corrupt Islamic regime. They did not realize that during the protests in 2009 and 2019, he was the one who brought Syrian soldiers to the streets of Tehran, killing Iranian youth with no mercy, and stifling both movements. Bashar Assad, Syria’s president, sent his soldiers to return a favor to Soleimani’s Quds army, which has been helping Assad for many years by slaughtering the people of Syria who opposed Assad, assuring the survival of his rule.
By killing Soleimani, Trump not only stopped an international leader in terrorism but derailed the top clergy’s plans for their regime. It was a great personal blow to Khamenei and his future.
Nevertheless, Khamenei is using Soleimani’s death to his advantage. He pronounced three days of national mourning that hundreds of thousands of people attended. The government organized and spent much money on a huge, prolonged national memorial. They used the love people had for Soleimani and the grief they are feeling for their own purposes:
To distract people from their daily misery. People have been protesting for two years. But in the past two months, their lives have been so miserable that their protests have been national and continual. Government forces reportedly have killed over 1,500 people and arrested over 12,000. But the protests still go on. The people have economic woes and are therefore disgusted with the government because of its corruption. Those in power have embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars for themselves and their families. The government has spent billions of dollars to advance their ambitions outside Iran but has not cared about its own people.
To once again emphasize that the U.S. is their enemy. For survival, the Iranian government has always needed an outside enemy. For the past 40 years, enmity with the United States has served that purpose. Unlike the government, most of Iran’s people love the U.S. Therefore, the government is using this assassination to convince people that America does not have goodwill towards the people of Iran. So, they say, America must not be trusted but rather hated, and if some love the U.S., they are deceived.
To avoid complaints and protests due to war status. Although they have no actual war as yet, now they can ask people to tolerate their miserable lives because “we are fighting the U.S.” The government can sidestep demands with this war excuse.
The year 2020 will be one of many unexpected happenings—it has already started that way. But no matter what happens, we as Christians must be alert, seek the truth (and not believe everything we hear in the news), seek God’s wisdom and supernatural understanding of the events and what He is doing through them, ask Him to reveal to us His plans and what He is doing and where He is working. Then we must have the courage to step out by faith to do His will, partnering with Him to transform our lives, our families, and our nations.
My next article in this three-part series will address what we may expect next in the chain reaction that follows the assassination.
Then and Now: The Current Political Climate of Iran
March 27, 2019 March 27, 2019 Hormoz Shariat Current Events, Life in Iran	Iranian government, Nuclear Deal, oppressive regime iran, results of 2018 protests, Satellite TV, Social media
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Then and Now: 40 Years Rule
Iran is the only country in the world led by Islamic clergy. Forty years ago this past February, Iran’s secular intellectual elites joined with the conservative clergy to overthrow the Western-backed monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Soon after ousting the Shah’s regime, the revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic republic. The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) implemented Islam and forced its laws in every area: personal life, family and society. The people of Iran have seen theocratic Islam in action firsthand for 40 years.
What do they think now?
In this series of blogs, I discuss the current spiritual, political, social, and economic climate in Iran and why I believe Islamic rule in Iran is nearing its end.
The Current Political Climate of Iran
After 40 years of theocratic rule, the people have changed their political thinking and behavior.
Building of the Iranian Parliament in Tehran
Celebration rallies ignored
Not many people showed up at government-sponsored rallies celebrating the 40th year of the Islamic Revolution a few weeks ago. In previous years, the government successfully forced its employees and their families to form a crowd on the streets. Then the news agencies used coverage of the crowd to proclaim that the government was popular. But this year the celebration was a disaster—even government employees and their families refused to show up.
But this year the celebration was a disaster—even government employees and their families refused to show up.
Iran’s media said they were showing live coverage of people marching on streets supporting the government, but for the most part, they were using footage from previous years. It was rainy in the cities in the north, but the supposed live coverage showed a very nice sunny day. Even in Tehran, the media showed “live” rallies on the streets but had to mask the trees because in the previous year at this time, the trees were green (there was an early spring), but this year the winter was longer and the trees still had no leaves. This obvious attempt at deception was all over social media and a matter of laughter and discredit for the government.
Desire for secular government
The majority of Iranians want separation of religion from politics. Iranians admire America and everything American. If they had a choice, and if there was ever a referendum, an overwhelming majority would vote for a secular government—American style.
Secure communication breakthrough
The Green Movement in 2009, an outburst of rallies objecting to voting fraud, was organized using Twitter. So the government shut it down easily after shutting down Twitter because the people had no secure way to communicate with each other. For years, phones and the internet have been filtered and controlled; Facebook has been blocked.
But in 2015, free and secure social media apps (such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Viber) became available. Secure social media has revolutionized the spread of information and communication between people once again. The people ignore untrustworthy government-sponsored channels and media; they look for true information only from satellite broadcasts, the internet (using VPN), and through these apps.
The people look for true information only from satellite broadcasts, the internet (using VPN), and secure apps.
Rejection of terrorism sponsorship
Iran has become the top financer of terrorism around the world. It is a destabilizing force in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. The people of Iran, however, are bitterly against the IRI’s involvement in those countries saying to their government, “You care more about them and advancing your agenda than you care about your own people. We are suffering financially, and you are spending so much money advancing your agenda around the world.”
Rejection of the nuclear bomb
Development of nuclear bombs and cruise missiles has always been the top priority of the IRI. They pursue these weapons despite financial difficulties and sanctions because they believe that having them will ensure no threat from outside can topple them. They want the nuclear bomb also to bully other countries with the threat of nuclear attack. The majority of Iranians have a different view about the nuclear bomb: “We as a nation have a right to have it, but our government will abuse it.” They feel it is like giving an irresponsible child a gun.
Rejection of enmity with America
One comment I constantly heard from the people of Iran about Obama’s nuclear deal was “Americans are so naive.” After the signing of the deal, there was a celebratory spirit in the Parliament in Iran saying, “We gained a lot without giving up much.” The deal’s intention was not to stop them from developing nuclear bombs but just to slow them down. What made them happy was that they could continue the development of nuclear weapons because the inspection of the nuclear sites had so many constraints, and the inspection of the military sites was not allowed at all.
The government takes Trump’s warnings very seriously, however, because they know that he is a man of action. So since mid-January 2019, the IRI has been warning the people of Iran that an attack by the USA is imminent. Of course, they magnify this threat to distract the people from noticing how miserable their lives are and that the government’s policies have failed and have destroyed Iran’s economy.
Before the 1979 revolution, Iran was a close ally of the USA and Israel. Now according to the IRI, America is the “Great Satan” and Israel is the “Little Satan.” Both must be destroyed by any means, including the nuclear option. But neither of these concepts are believed or supported by the Iranians. Even with the threat of a USA/Israel attack of Iran, many are welcoming it saying, “Please come and help us get rid of these mullahs.”
Many are saying, “Please come and help us get rid of these mullahs.
Iranians want political change
At the time of the revolution, the people supported Khomeini and thought Islamic rule would bring relief from corruption and the western social values that were invading Iran. But they have witnessed that there is now more corruption, more injustice, more moral decay, more disintegration of the society than in the Shah’s time.
Throughout much of the past four decades, the people believed that their efforts to make a change through voting in presidential leaders would make a difference in their country’s leadership. In the past year and a half, their eyes have opened to the truth that only a total regime change will make any difference. The regime can no longer deceive its people with a scripted political play of alternating moderate and hard-liner presidents.
In conclusion, the Iranians are open and ready not only to a spiritual revival but also to a major political change—from a theocratic dictatorship to a secular democracy.
Next week: the current social climate of Iran.
Then and Now: A Look at What Forty Years of Islamic Rule Has Brought to Iran
March 8, 2019 March 8, 2019 Hormoz Shariat Current Events, Life in Iran	Christianity in Iran, Iranian government, Islamic Revolution
Iran is the only country in the world led by Islamic clergy. Forty years ago this past February, Iran’s secular intellectual elites joined with the conservative clergy to overthrow the Western-backed monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Both the aristocracy and clergy wanted to remove the influence of foreign nations, stabilize an economy suffering from high inflation and overspending on large modernization projects, and regain previous power roles and wealth that government corruption and the Shah’s growing oppression of dissidents had taken away from them.
Soon after ousting the Shah’s regime, the revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic republic. The religious right quickly removed their secular, leftist allies from power, and enforced a return to the conservative religious and social values that the Shah had upended with his modernization program. The general populace—who had seen their country move rapidly from a conservative rural society to a modern urban and industrial one in less than a generation—welcomed the change.
Kashan, Iran: Iranian families suffer increasing inflation, unemployment, and distrust of their corrupt government. Photo: grigvovan
The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) implemented Islam and forced its laws in every area: personal life, family and society. The people of Iran have seen theocratic Islam in action firsthand for 40 years.
In a series of blogs over the next few weeks, I will discuss the current spiritual, political, social, and economic climate in Iran and why I believe Islamic rule in Iran is nearing its end.
The Current Spiritual Climate of Iran
After 40 years of theocratic rule, the people have changed their spiritual thinking and behavior.
Rejection of Islam
The people of Iran have seen Islamic rule in action for 40 years. A growing number have concluded that Islam is not the answer to their problems; it is the source of their problems. They realize that if they want a better future for their country, they need to get rid of Islam and Islamic rule.
The rejection of Islam has occurred little by little over many years, not overnight. It is not an emotional reaction to suffering and injustice but rather a thoughtful and deliberate decision. The number of people who want nothing to do with Islam grows daily. We now get reports regularly from our viewers saying such things as, “My uncle who was a devout Muslim and pro-government just one year ago now says Islam is not of God and is interested in Christianity.”
The rejection of Islam is so wide and deep that I can boldly say Iran is turning away from Islam and will never go back to it. Indeed, Islam is experiencing the greatest defeat of its history in Iran today.
“My uncle who was a devout Muslim and pro-government just one year ago now says Islam is not of God and is interested in Christianity.”
–Report from Iranian viewer
Growth of secularism
As a result of the rejection of Islam, Iranians have become attracted to secularism both politically and socially. They do not want to be religious. They want to be free, and they think that to live free means to do whatever they desire to do. Many are embracing a life of immorality, drugs, sex, and hedonism—a total reaction to the oppressive dictatorship of Islam. Since Islam was forced on them as the best religion in the world, they say, “If this was the best religion, let’s forget about the rest.” As a result, those who walk away from Islam usually do not want anything to do with any organized religion including Christianity, until we show them that Christianity is not like Islam. This is why so many have come to Christ through our satellite broadcasts.
Growth of Christianity
Currently, Christianity is more respected and valued in Iran than Islam. This attitude is amazing because Iran is still a Muslim country and almost all were born as Muslims. I just read a quote on Instagram from a Muslim addressing the clergy in Iran: “I’d rather go to hell with Christians than go to heaven with Muslims like you.” The media, and especially satellite broadcasts, have had a major role in dispersing the lies and misconceptions about Christianity such as these: Christians worship three Gods, they are blasphemers, they are drunkards and live immoral lives. According to Operation World Research, Iran has the fastest growing evangelical population in the world with 19.6 percent growth per year.
Persecution in Iran is a reaction of the government to the growth of Christianity. The government has, to a great extent, destroyed its opposition inside the country. They feel safely in control because they know the people of Iran are reluctant to bear arms and start a violent revolution. The only wildcard out of their control that can threaten their future is the growth of Christianity. They realize they cannot stop this growth, but they are trying to slow it by intimidating Christians so they will neither witness nor gather together. It is a campaign of intimidation and isolation.
Spiritual freedom of the younger generation
The emerging younger generation is free from fear. They have little fear of the government. They are convinced that Islam is not of God, so they are not afraid to deny Islam. Religion is a non-issue for them. They want change but are unwilling to use violence to topple the government. They live a hopeless life not seeing any bright future for themselves. Suicide, drug addiction, and sexual immorality are rampant among the youth in Iran. The good news is that once they come to Christ and find a purpose in their lives, they boldly spread the gospel. Many are not even afraid of arrests and even death. I heard many young Christians say “I am not afraid of death because before Jesus, I was dead; indeed, He gave me life.” Another young man told me, “I am not afraid of them. They are afraid of me and my gospel message.”
The role of satellite broadcasts
Satellite broadcasts have been essential for delivering information to Iranians’ living rooms despite the government’s obsessive control of media and communication within the country. The government regulates and monitors the internet in Iran, so searching online can be very dangerous. But watching the 40 illegal but available satellite channels in the privacy of a home is not dangerous. The people of Iran get the latest news and hear the voices of government opposition 24/7 via satellite.
Iranians watch Church 7 on live satellite broadcast.
Satellite broadcast has played a great role in evangelizing Muslims and strengthening persecuted Christians as well. There are an estimated 3 million Muslim background believers in Iran (some put a conservative estimate at 1 million and some extrapolate up to 6 million). Most have never been to a church of any kind even once. They are prisoners in their homes when it comes to worship or learning more about Jesus. The number of underground house churches and the count of people attending them are very small compared to the total number of Christians. It is estimated that only 5 percent of Christians in Iran are a part of the underground church. That is why Iran Alive’s global church and its broadcast services are so popular in Iran—it is the only church the people have available and can belong to.
Freedom from Islam’s spiritual bondage
Spiritually, a veil has been lifted from the minds of Iranians. Muslims, in general, prohibit independent thought and questioning their faith. I have seen intelligent Muslims with PhDs freeze up when I ask them questions that require them to think independently rather than repeat answers given by an authority. In Iran, however, using reason and questioning Islam has become a norm and even a fad. Unlike Muslims in other countries, an increasing number of Iranian Muslims are looking at Islam objectively and considering other options with an open mind.
Diminishing hatred toward the Jews
Hatred towards the Jews and Israel is diminishing gradually. First, those who come to Christ learn from the Bible to pray for Israel and that the Lord has special plans for the Jewish nation. They also learn that the Lord wants them to love all nations including the Jews. Such love is expected of true Christians, but what is unexpected is that a growing number of Muslimsare also questioning the government’s mandate to hate the Jews and wipe Israel off the map. There is such distrust toward the government that when the government sets up rallies shouting, “Death to Israel,” they say, “We don’t trust you. Tell us why we should hate Israel. What have they done to us? You are our true enemy not them.”
Iran has been approaching this turn in its spiritual climate for many years, and now, especially in this past year, it is picking up speed.
Next week: the current political climate of Iran.
Why Is Christmas the Season for Persecuting Christians in Iran?
December 14, 2018 December 14, 2018 Hormoz Shariat Current Events, The Persecuted Church	Christianity in Iran, Christmas in Iran, iran government afraid of growth of Christianity, underground church in Iran
Recently, and especially in the past two weeks, we have seen massive numbers of Christians arrested in Iran. This surge in persecution has occurred every Christmas for the past few years. Some people have asked me why. To help you understand what is going on in Iran, I will give three reasons:
1. More Iranian Muslims come to Christ during the Christmas season than any other time.
Muslim women shop for Christmas items.
The Islamic government of Iran knows, just as we do, that more Muslims come to Christ during the Christmas season than any other time of the year. The joyful time of Christmas stands out against the many “mourning holidays” filling the Iranian calendar and so is attractive to Iranian Muslims. Therefore, not only Christians but also many Muslims love the Christmas season and celebrate it. Many Muslims set up a Christmas tree in their homes with decorations and gifts under it, knowing well that it is a Christian celebration.
Our underground house church network (and many others) do their greatest outreach during the Christmas season. They throw Christmas parties in their homes and invite Muslim friends and family members who gladly accept, knowing they are being invited to a Christian gathering.
Even as the meaning of Christmas is fading in the US into merely a “holiday season” concept, people of Iran—both Christians and Muslims—celebrate Christmas distinctly as the birthday of Jesus. So, when Muslims are invited by a Christian friend to go to a Christmas party, they know the theme will be a celebration of Jesus’s birthday. Therefore, they are not shocked when the gospel is shared with them in those parties and an invitation is made to trust Jesus as Savior—they expect it, are ready for it, and many times go to the party prepared to make a decision for Christ.
Muslims accept Christ as their Savior at a Christmas party given by underground house church leaders in Iran.
We take advantage of this open season through our satellite broadcast as well. Our programs become more straight-forward evangelistic conversations as we talk about the meaning of Christmas. Every Christmas, we broadcast the Jesusfilm multiple times in various dialects of Iran. We see many Muslims respond to these Christmas broadcasts and come to Christ.
2. The government is alarmed and reacts out of fear.
As the situation in Iran deteriorates financially, socially, and morally, more Muslims are open to the gospel. The underground church in Iran is growing, and the government is alarmed and increasingly feels threatened. Recently, Ayatollah Boroujerdi—director of a high-profile Islamic seminary in Qum, Vatican of Shiite Islam—stated that “accurate reports indicate that the youth are becoming Christians in Qom and attending house churches.”
Because of sanctions, the Islamic Republic of Iran is in a financial crunch. They cannot afford to put much of their limited resources into monitoring and containing the fast-growing number of Christians. Therefore, they turn to a policy of intimidation. That is, they arrest some Christians and publicize it to put fear in the hearts of others, hoping that they will not dare have Christmas parties and will cancel ones already planned.
“Accurate reports indicate that the youth are becoming Christians in Qom and attending house churches.
—Ayatollah Boroujerdi
3. Government branches compete for limited funds through persecution.
In Iran, several offices from various branches of government work to make sure the power will stay in the hands of the Mullahs and the Revolutionary Guard. These offices all have a mandate and authority to arrest and destroy all who might threaten the future of the government. This includes Christians. So, because of the current scarcity of finances, they must constantly compete for better funding. They win more resources for their office by showing their effectiveness in stopping Christians. Therefore, they
try to arrest as many Christians as possible, and
they make a big deal out of the arrests and publicize them in the news.
Their motive is not just to intimidate Christians, but also to show their higher-ups they are worthy of funding. As Christmas approaches, I expect that these arrests will continue and intensify. So please pray for Iranian Christians to be safe, wise, and alert. Also pray that they will be bold and not be intimidated by the Islamic government and will continue to evangelize Muslims through Christmas parties. Pray that many Muslims will come to Christ this month both in our underground house churches through personal evangelism and also through our satellite broadcasts as a result of our special evangelistic Christmas programs.
What Should the Worldwide Church Do Now?
August 17, 2018 August 17, 2018 Hormoz Shariat Current Events	412 School, Christianity in Iran, toppling iran regime, training church leaders in Iran
This entry is part 6 of 6 in the series What Is Happening in Iran?
What Is Happening in Iran?
This post is part 6 of a six-part series on the current state of Iran and its church. To read the entire series now, click here. If you missed the earlier posts, you can read them here: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5.
Too many times in history, the Church has missed open doors for the gospel and arrived too late. Japan wanted the gospel message right after World War II. We missed it. Russia wanted the gospel in the years just before the Soviet Union collapsed. We missed it. Too many times, God has softened hearts through suffering, and the Church has stood on the sidelines and waited until those soft hearts have hardened again more solidly than before.
Let us not let that mistake happen again! Here are steps we can take to honor what God is doing in Iran:
Keep busy evangelizing. The harvest is ready, but the workers are few. This is the time of the harvest and we must multiply our efforts. According to my experience, these days evangelizing Iranian Muslims living inside the country is very easy. Many Iranians come to Christ even with a simple message. This opportunity will go away when the government collapses. Then workers will come to the field and find the ground bare.
Focus on Bible education and discipleship. Iranian believers today have a supernatural hunger. They want to know the Bible. They want to grow in their faith and be useful for God’s Kingdom. This hunger will lessen in intensity after the government collapses.
Train Leaders. Training new leaders is the greatest need of the church in Iran today and the most strategic action to prepare for the change of government in Iran. There are many believers in Iran, but they are without shepherds. They are without leaders and elders. We must act now to train leaders. When Iran opens, it will be too late.
At Iran Alive, we pray and ask the Lord to give us the “Issachar” anointing, so we know what to do when. We continue to evangelize using the media. We are preaching and teaching the word of God to masses. But we believe the most strategic thing God is asking us to do is to train leaders now. That is why starting the 412 Leadership School tops our agenda and focus.
We invite churches, organizations, and individuals to join us in taking advantage of this historic opportunity to build God’s church in Iran. The time is short and this window of opportunity is about to close. We must act fast and decisively. We must remember that whatever happens in Iran—good or bad—will impact the whole Middle East.
If you wish to partner with us to train leaders and harvest new believers in Iran, please go to www.iranaliveministries.org and help us fund the launch of the 412 School of leadership.
To learn more ways to help, please contact me at hormoz@IranAliveMinistries.org or (469) 982-0000. Or text “Iran” to 74784 for more information.
History is in the making in Iran. As the 40th year of the anniversary of the Islamic revolution approaches, we are seeing the end of this regime. Much is happening in Iran today politically, socially, and spiritually. I believe we will see a major change in Iran soon and it will be in weeks, months, but not years.
Much is happening these days in Iran.
There is much news daily about Iran. Following the news carefully and being constantly and directly in touch with the people of Iran has given me a perspective that might be helpful to those who want to understand what is going on. So each day this week, I have provided a short commentary on What is happening in Iran. Click on the navigation links below to read the whole series.
What Will Happen to the Church in Iran?
August 16, 2018 August 14, 2018 Hormoz Shariat Current Events	christians in Iran, Iranian government, toppling iran regime, training church leaders in Iran, underground church iran
What Is Happening in Iran?—Part 5
The gospel and leader-training windows are open widest now —before political and economic changes occur. Photo: Carlos Castilla
This post is part 5 of a six-part series on the current state of Iran and its church. To read the entire series now, click here. If you missed earlier posts, you can read them here: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4.
In Iran, Islam has experienced the greatest defeat in its history. According to Operation World, Iran currently has the fastest growing evangelical population across the globe. Iran’s desperate situation has created a perfect storm for the cause of Christ. Millions have rejected Islam and are open to the message of the gospel. There are now over 3 million believers in Iran.
What will happen when the regime changes in Iran?
Spiritual hunger will suddenly die down. Iranians will suddenly have another hope besides Christ. Non-believers will be more interested in and focused on bringing a democracy to Iran than considering the claims of Christ.
Iranians will have freedom to assemble and start churches. The underground believers will gather into large communities and start many churches. Many evangelists will visit Iran to conduct stadium-size gatherings. Many denominations will send their workers to start new denominational churches. Many Iranian believers will start their own independent churches as well. We must bear in mind, however, that the 3 million believers in Iran are mostly new believers. Many will be distracted by the political events. Many will be deceived by cults and will join cultish churches. Many will start weak churches because they do not have any biblical training. So the visible church will suddenly grow—but it will be weak.
Opportunities for expansion of the gospel in Iran will grow, but so will the dangers that can undercut the gospel’s power. The Church at large has a responsibility at this historic time to be wise concerning Iran and to redeem the time that God has given us.
There is much news daily about Iran. Following the news carefully and being constantly and directly in touch with the people of Iran has given me a perspective that might be helpful to those who want to understand what is going on. So each day for the next week, I will provide a short commentary on What is happening in Iran.
Next up: What can the worldwide Church do to support its Persian brothers and sisters?
What Options for Survival Does Iran’s Government Have?
August 15, 2018 August 14, 2018 Hormoz Shariat Current Events	Iranian government, renewed sanctions for iran, results of 2018 protests, toppling iran regime
Iranians continue to protest in Tehran and elsewhere despite arrests.
This post is part 4 of a six-part series on the current state of Iran and its church. To read the entire series now, click here. If you missed any earlier posts, you can read them here: part 1, part 2, part 3.
The government of Iran (IRI) is going down with or without sanctions. The sanctions will merely speed up the process. The IRI has few options left:
Try to reform itself. Reforms will not work because the leaders are too corrupt and disjointed to implement a comprehensive reform and the people of Iran will not buy into any plan that the government supports. The IRI has passed its window of opportunity when reform might have worked.
Try to stifle the protest with violence. This option has a high probability of occurring. The IRI has shown that it has no respect for lives. When cornered and their existence threatened, they might easily turn to violence. Not long ago, a top clergyman said, “If we have to kill 1 million to keep Islam in Iran, we will.”
Save themselves and let the regime collapse. It is very possible that those in power will abandon their positions and flee the country. Many have already stored their wealth in foreign banks, anticipating the day when they have to flee. The dollar exchange rate tripled recently because those in power were buying billions of dollars to send their wealth abroad. At this point, a military coup is also very possible. If this coup helps dethrone the mullahs and very quickly establishes a secular and democratic government, it could work.
Negotiate with the US government. I believe negotiation is the number one option for the IRI and they will take it. Of course, they will not do this publicly. They do not want to lose the little respect and credibility they have before their people and the world by admitting defeat. They will ask for negotiations behind closed doors while at the same time bad mouthing the USA and Trump in public and the media.
The IRI has already started planning for reform (option 1). But they are finding fast that they are not capable of doing it and the people will not be fooled by it anyway. I believe that, very soon, unannounced secret negotiations between the IRI and the US will start (option 4)—if they have not started already. These negotiations may prolong the IRI’s existence for a time but not indefinitely. Eventually, they will again try violence (option 2) followed by giving up power (option 3).
Next up: How will a regime change in Iran affect the underground church?
What Is the United States Doing about Iran?
August 14, 2018 August 14, 2018 Hormoz Shariat Current Events	iran nuclear deal and donald trump, Iranian government, renewed sanctions for iran, toppling iran regime
What Is the United States Doing?
This post is part 3 of a six-part series on the current state of Iran and its church. To read the entire series now, click here. If you missed the earlier posts, you can read them here: part 1 and part 2.
Trump and his administration are following three main plans to push out the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI):
Pressure with sanctions. The US is putting more financial pressure on the already pressured government of Iran through sanctions and an oil embargo. Trump may talk of violence, but he will not enter into a full-fledged war with Iran because all he needs to do is just wait for sanctions to effectively destroy the IRI.
Approach Iran from a point of strength. Trump’s constant threat to engage in military action puts extra pressure on the IRI. Iran’s government knows its military is no match for the power of the USA and Israel. They know that if a war starts, their people will not support them as they did in the eight-year war against Saddam in the 1980s. Obama negotiated from a point of weakness: he begged Iran not to start a war and bribed it merely to slow down its development of nuclear bombs. But Trump approaches the IRI from a point of strength. Many Iranians living inside Iran are pleased with and support Trump’s approach because they feel Obama threw the IRI a lifeline to survive, but Trump has pulled it back.
Keep open the possibility of negotiation. Trump says he is open to negotiation but wants Iran to take the first step. Trump is a strong negotiator—as shown in his book The Art of the Deal—and knows the one who first breaks down and asks for a meeting has a weaker position in negotiation.
There is much news daily about Iran. Following the news carefully and being constantly and directly in touch with the people of Iran has given me a perspective that might be helpful to those who want to understand what is going on. So each day this week, I will provide a short commentary on What is happening in Iran.
Next up: Does the IRI have any options for survival?
Dr. Hormoz Shariat
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Qasem Soleimani Assassination: Impact on Iranian Christians January 10, 2020
General Soleimani Assassinated—Now What? January 9, 2020
Who Was Qasem Soleimani—a Terrorist or a Hero? January 7, 2020
Then and Now: The Current Political Climate of Iran March 27, 2019
Then and Now: A Look at What Forty Years of Islamic Rule Has Brought to Iran March 8, 2019
Battling Terrorism
Life in Iran
Lives Transformed
5 Things About Hassan Rouhani's Visit to the U.S. (4)
5 Things You Didn't Know about Iran (5)
Challenges and Opportunities for the Iranian Church (3)
Lessons from the Persecuted Church (3)
Then and Now: 40 Years Rule (2)
Understanding the 2018 Iran Uprising (5)
Understanding the Impact of Soleimani Assassination (3)
USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq? (5)
What Is Happening in Iran? (6)
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Super Bowl Reaction: The World Celebrates; New England Mourns
February 6, 2018 , by Andrew Martin, Staff Writer
c/o nbc.com
What a game! Before yesterday’s Super Bowl, I kept telling myself that it was the Eagles; it was Nick Foles. The only part of the Eagles team that scared me, as a Patriots fan, was their defense. So-called experts predicted that it would be like a Giants-Patriots game where the Patriots offense would be held to around twenty points. In reality, it was quite the opposite. The offensive shootout fostered entertainment that couldn’t be paralleled.
As an avid Patriots fan, I don’t remember watching the Patriots offense play this well, especially when making big plays. After Brandin Cooks was sidelined, the Patriots utilized Hogan, Amendola, and Gronkowski as deep threats, which is something that hasn’t been done all year.
The game was simply a microcosm of what defined the year: What in the world is a catch? Twice the Eagles scored touchdowns on plays that resembled Kelvin Benjamin and Jesse James’ controversial incomplete calls against the Patriots in the regular season. Even from my biased perspective, I believe that the catches in the Super Bowl were, in fact, catches.
What shocked me the most was how the Patriots lost. Like I mentioned above, I thought it would be a relatively low-scoring game. Instead, the Patriots gave up almost as many second-half points as they surrendered in the first half. That almost never happens against defense coached by Bill Belichick ’75. My nightmares from the Pittsburgh game returned when the Patriots couldn’t get a stop on third down. The Eagles converted well during over 50 percent of their third downs. The Patriots defense looked weak in all sectors. There weren’t any sacks; the blitzes were picked up effectively by the Eagles; the secondary got burned by great route running by Nelson Agholor and company. There’s also the Malcolm Butler case, which I’ll get into later.
This was obviously a great win for Philly, but there’s a lot of questions for them going into the offseason. First and foremost, what should they do with Nick Foles? He almost quit football a few years ago, and now he beat Tom Brady and the Pats. He bailed out the defense by putting up 41 points on a Belichick-coached defense. Again, this rarely happens. The 2001 Rams, the Greatest Show on Turf, didn’t even come close to 41 points. With Carson Wentz coming back next year, it’s going to be interesting to see what Philly does with Foles. I’m not being a sore loser here, but it’s obvious that Coach Pederson’s scheme works well with Foles. There’s no doubt that Foles went out there and won the Super Bowl, but he simply was an average quarterback with the Rams and Chiefs. Now he looks elite. I’m not sure what the trade offers will be for him, but I’m sure the Eagles could snatch a fairly good draft pick. As for other top players, I don’t think there’s a chance they move away from Wentz, especially considering how well he played before his knee injury. Philly deserved to win the game, plain and simple. This is going to be a very interesting offseason for them.
Now here comes the painful part. So-called experts are going to say that we just witnessed the end to the greatest dynasty in the history of sports. From the ESPN article to Malcolm Butler’s bizarre benching, we will have plenty of time to discuss what will happen. The Patriots will draft a quarterback. Brady will be back. I’m just a little concerned about Belichick. In my opinion, he’s the best coach in the history of sports, without a doubt, yet the coaching staff did not put together a good defensive game plan. It’s rare to say that Belichick was out-coached, but Pederson did a fantastic job exploiting the Patriots’ lack of a pass rush, especially on third down. Will Bill be back next year? I can’t see him retiring, but then again, I can’t see the Patriots ever crumpling. They’re my team, and they will always be my team.
Then there’s Malcolm Butler. Reports said that he had the flu, but for Eric Rowe to be the second corner is not ideal. The Patriots missed Butler out there. His scrappiness is unparalleled. He fights for jump balls like no other corner in the league does. I hope his benching isn’t somehow related to last offseason’s near-trade to the Saints. However, I can’t help but believe that we have seen Butler play his last game in a Patriots uniform. We also missed Edelman and Hightower. Hightower’s the leader on defense, leading big plays. On the bright side, it seems like Stephon Gilmore finally understood how to play Patriots’ defense. He really stepped up over the last two games.
When the game ended on the Hail Mary, I felt like the Eagles didn’t know what to do. Neither did the Patriots. The Eagles were so shocked when they dethroned the Pats that they forgot to celebrate. Hats off to former Patriots LeGarrette Blount and Chris Long. Both these guys are great citizens and deserve this trophy.
There’s really nothing left for me to say. Sure, there were some controversial calls, but the Eagles beat the Patriots fairly. Congratulations to all Philadelphians on a well-deserved victory. To be the best, you have to beat the best. You beat the best.
Andrew Martin can be reached at akmartin@wesleyan.edu.


Pension cut is inevitable
April 6, 2017	Leave a comment
The most feasible of the three options to solve the funding shortfall at the Caribbean Netherlands Pension Fund PCN is to lower the payable pension, Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk informed the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday.
The three options are: having the employers, including the public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba and the schools on the three islands, deposit additional funds in the PCN; increasing the pension premiums, and reducing the pension allowances.
“There are no more flavours than that,” said Plasterk who noted that the first two options were not feasible as they would entail a very high financial burden for the local governments. He said it was “unavoidable” to lower the pension allowances by 3.5 per cent which the PCN has announced it has little choice than to effectuate this month.
In a letter to the Bonaire labour union USIBO dated April 4, in response to the Bonaire petition against the pension reduction, Plasterk referred to the 3.5 per cent cutback as a “dreadful, but unavoidable step.” He stated that the Dutch Government was “very much aware” of the standard of living of vulnerable groups in the Caribbean Netherlands and the difficult financial situation in which they live.
However, the reduction that the PCN has to apply per April 1 was needed in order to structurally restore the pension fund and to create a healthy financial situation. The PCN has already extended the recovery period by two years in 2016, thereby avoiding even greater reductions, stated Plasterk.
Plasterk urged the labour union to grant him time to find acceptable solutions with the other employers and the PCN. He said that this would take some time due to the complexity of the matter. The Bonaire unions stated that they were not prepared to wait and announced industrial action on Wednesday. The unions asked for a deferral of the pension reduction to October this year.
During the meeting with Plasterk on Tuesday, the Senate’s Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations KOREL had asked about the status of the PCN and the planned pension payment reduction. Several members expressed their concerns about the effects on the pensioners.
“The elderly on the islands already have a very tough time to keep their head above water. How are we going to ensure that these elderly can have a decent life,” said Senator Meta Meijer of the Socialist Party (SP). Plasterk repeated that there were few other options than to reduce the pensions and added that he could not say much about the issue as this matter is now before the Courts.
Senator Martine Baay- Timmerman of the 50Plus party brought up the issue of the “missing” pension premiums, the apparent non-payment of pension premiums by island employers and the omissions in the administration of the Netherlands Antilles Pension Fund APNA in the past. She stated that 50Plus received many emails on this matter from people on the islands.
The Dutch Government as employer had deposited some US $2 million to supplement the capital of the PCN, stated Secretary General of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK Richard van Zwol. However, the public entities and the schools carry their own responsibility in this matter, he added.
The BZK Ministry has made expertise available to assist the islands in solving the issue of the missing premiums, said Minister Plasterk. “Unfortunately, not everyone has made use of this offer,” he stated. Van Zwol lamented the approach of the St. Eustatius Government on this matter and said that this bordered on neglecting its tasks.
The Daily Herald.
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On this day March 18, 1789
Catherine Murphy was executed at Newgate prison on March 18, 1789, for coining. Her co-defendants, including her husband, were executed at the same time by hanging, but as a woman the law provided that she should be burnt at the stake.
She was brought out past the hanging bodies of eight men and made to stand on a foot high 10in square platform in front of the stake. She was secured to the stake with ropes and an iron ring. When she finished her prayers, the hangman piled faggots of straw around the stake and lit them.
According to testimony given by Sir Benjamin Hammett, then Sheriff of London, she was hanged before being burned. In part through his efforts, burning as a method of execution was abolished the next year.
in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
Eleven countries signed a convention establishing the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), currently the world’s largest particle physics laboratory.
Blue founding members
The acronym CERN originally stood, in French, for Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (European Council for Nuclear Research), which was a provisional council for setting up the laboratory.
The organization was established by the following 11 European governments; Belgium, Denmark, West Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands and United Kingdom.
Today the organization has twenty European member states, and is currently the workplace of approximately 2,600 full-time employees, as well as some 7,931 scientists and engineers (representing 580 universities and research facilities and 80 nationalities). Read More…
Sir Francis Drake finishes his circumnavigation of the Earth when Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth with Drake and 59 remaining crew aboard, along with a rich cargo of spices and captured Spanish treasures.
Drake's statue in Plymouth
The Queen’s half-share of the cargo surpassed the rest of the crown’s income for that entire year. Drake was hailed as the first Englishman to circumnavigate the Earth.
Drake was awarded a knighthood, but not by Queen Elizabeth aboard Golden Hind, as is commonly thought.
He was actually knighted by a French nobleman called Monsieur de Marchaumont, on 4 April 1581, and, in September 1581, became the Mayor of Plymouth.
He was also a Member of Parliament in 1581, for an unknown constituency, and again in 1584 for Bossiney.
The Queen ordered all written accounts of Drake’s voyage to be considered classified information, and its participants sworn to silence on pain of death; her aim was to keep Drake’s activities away from the eyes of rival Spain.
Drake was a navigator, slaver, a renowned pirate, his exploits were legendary, making him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards , King Philip II was claimed to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats, about (US$6.5M) by modern standards, for his life.
He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588, subordinate only to Charles Howard and the Queen herself. He died of dysentery in January 1596 after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico.
200,000 protestors take to the streets of London to protest against the newly introduced Poll Tax (Community Charge), introduced by the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
By far the largest occurred in central London on Saturday March 31, 1990, shortly before the poll tax was due to come into force in England and Wales. Many believe the riot – the largest in the city in the 20th century – caused Thatcher’s downfall eight months later.
The disorder in London arose from a demonstration which began at 11am. The rioting and looting ended at 3am the next morning. This riot is sometimes called the Battle of Trafalgar, particularly by opponents of poll tax, because much of the rioting took place in Trafalgar Square. Read More…
On this day July 5, 1687
The Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton was first published, describing his laws of motion and his law of universal gravitation.
The Principia is a three-volume work, Newton also published two further editions, the second in 1713, and the third in 1726.
The Principia contains the statement of Newton’s laws of motion forming the foundation of classical mechanics, as well as his law of universal gravitation and a derivation of Kepler’s laws for the motion of the planets (which were first obtained empirically).
The Principia is “justly regarded as one of the most important works in the history of science”.
In formulating his physical theories, Newton had developed a field of mathematics now known as calculus. However, the language of calculus as we know it was largely absent from the Principia. Instead, Newton cast the majority of his proofs in geometric form, although with many calculus-like arguments based on limits of vanishing small geometric quantities.
On this day June 21, 1948
The Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM), nicknamed Baby, was the world’s first stored-program computer. It was built at the Victoria University of Manchester by Frederic C. Williams, Tom Kilburn and Geoff Tootill, and ran its first program on 21 June 1948.
The machine was not intended to be a practical computer but was instead designed as a testbed for the Williams tube, an early form of computer memory. Although considered “small and primitive” by the standards of its time, it was the first working machine to contain all of the elements essential to a modern electronic computer. Read More…
Cumbria shootings
Yesterday a gunman shot 23 people, killing 12 of them, in the county of Cumbria, North West England, United Kingdom.
Western Cumbria
The series of attacks began in mid-morning in Frizington and moved to Whitehaven, Egremont, Gosforth and Seascale, sparking a major manhunt by Cumbria Constabulary.
The gunman, a local taxi driver, was later found dead in a wooded area, having abandoned his vehicle in the village of Boot.
Two weapons that appeared to have been used were recovered. There are 30 different crime scenes being investigated. Police confirmed it was the worst incident of mass shooting in Britain since the Dunblane massacre of 1996.
The incident began in the morning of 2 June 2010, when 52-year-old Derrick Bird, shot dead his twin brother, David Bird, in Lamplugh, followed by the family solicitor, Kevin Commons, in and around Frizington. He then moved on toward Whitehaven. Read More…


The second French FREMM Frigate “Normandie” starts sea trials
On the 25th October 2013, the French Navy’s Second of Class FREMM Multi-Mission Frigate “Normandie” has started its first sea trials in Lorient.
These first sea trials will be carried out for several weeks and will involve industrial teams led by DCNS, the French Navy crew, the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the OCCAR FREMM Programme Division.
The first sea trials and tests will focus on the propulsion system and ship’s navigation. The FREMM’s high-performance hybrid CODLOG (COmbined Diesel eLectric Or Gas) power package combines a gas turbine for mechanical propulsion at speeds exceeding 27 knots and electric motors for quiet, low-speed propulsion. The sea trials of the combat system will start in early 2014.
The delivery of the “Normandie” Frigate is planned in August 2014.
The First of Class frigate “Aquitaine” was accepted by OCCAR on 23rd November 2012 and delivered to the French Navy. Five other French FREMM frigates, including the Normandie, are currently being built simultaneously and are at different stages of assembly and construction at the DCNS Lorient shipyard.


Headstones in the News>
Roy Ruhkala shares passion for Rocklin’s rich legacy
california Monument Association
Headstones in the News
The key keeper of history Roy Ruhkala shares passion for Rocklin’s rich legacy
At 96, lifelong resident is still the museum’s best story teller
By: Gloria Beverage for the Placer Herald
Rocklin History Museum
Roy Ruhkala may have started collecting pieces of Rocklin’s history nearly 50 years ago, but he has been gathering memories of the community’s rich history for a lifetime. On the first Sunday of each month, the 96-year-old lifelong resident of Rocklin serves as a docent at the Rocklin History Museum – sharing his memories and answering questions.
The museum, based in one of Rocklin’s first homes, is Ruhkala’s pride and joy. It houses a treasure trove of memorabilia, photographs and tools that pay tribute to the industries that drew people to this area: granite quarries, the Transcontinental Railroad and ranches.
As a community leader for most of his adult life (10 years on the Rocklin City Council, including four consecutive terms as mayor, and seven terms on the Rocklin School Board as well as service on numerous other agencies), Ruhkala began lobbying in 1989 for the creation of a museum as a way to create a bridge between Rocklin’s past and its future residents.
His efforts began long before that, however. Ruhkala began collecting historic photographs in the late 1960s and early 1970s when longtime residents would gather for an annual picnic/reunion at private homes.
“I talked people into bringing their old photos and would ask if we could keep them. Not many people wanted them back. They wanted a place to put them,” he said.
One of the biggest donations he received were hundreds of historic photographs from Ernest and Mayme Willard in 1968. Also a lifelong resident of Rocklin, Ernest Willard was the city’s first employee – starting in 1946 as a maintenance worker and retiring as police chief in 1965.
Eventually, Ruhkala founded the Rocklin Historical Society and was joined by longtime residents, including Gene Johnson, Gay Morgan and Carol and John Peterson, in campaigning for a museum.
After he successfully negotiated the purchase of the Moon residence (at the corner of Rocklin Road and San Francisco Street), Ruhkala enlisted the support of the Rocklin Lions Club members, who worked side by side with Rocklin Historical Society members to paint, repair and refurbish the house and garden.
“I toiled side by side with Carol Peterson working on the windows at the museum,” recalled Kathie Nippert, current president of the Rocklin Historical Society. “Roy showed us how to install the pulley system for each window.”
As work on the building progressed, memorabilia donated by longtime residents or their families began filling the main floor and a smaller detached building on the grounds. His personal collection of granite quarry mining tools and equipment fills the basement, while some of the larger pieces have been placed in the garden.
On a recent Sunday, Ruhkala showed two visitors from Holland how the granite mining equipment was used. Engineers Jan Raaijmaker and John Severijns were in town to attend a training program in Folsom. Raaijmaker said they learned about granite mining and the museum online and decided to explore.
“We didn’t know anything about Rocklin’s granite history. This is a very nice museum,” said Jan Raaijmaker.
In addition to celebrating the city’s granite mining history, Ruhkala pointed out to the visitors that other displays pay tribute to the years the Central Pacific roundhouse was based in Rocklin. Before it was moved to Roseville, the roundhouse (located on Rocklin Road and Front Street) housed engines for use by the Transcontinental Railroad on its way over the High Sierra.
Permanent displays also pay tribute to the legacy of J. Parker Whitney, who developed a 27,000 acre ranch in a triangular section roughly between Lincoln, Roseville, Rocklin and present day northern Lincoln.
Also featured are unique collections, including memorabilia from the years the San Francisco 49ers held their summer training camp on the Rocklin campus of Sierra College.
Ruhkala’s passion and enthusiasm for preserving Rocklin’s history is contagious.
“I am grateful to Roy for taking me under his wing when I joined the Historical Society in 2001. He asked me to be secretary during his term as president and I couldn’t turn him down,” said Nippert. “His hard work and dedication to the society and the museum make him a force to be reckoned with. I thank Roy every time I see him because we wouldn’t have the museum and wonderful exhibits without his planning and forethought.”
The tradition of sharing Rocklin’s history started by Ruhkala will continue with this year’s annual Rocklin Homecoming Reunion from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 29 at Finn Hall on Rocklin Road.
“The purpose is to renew old friendships and to meet and welcome new friends,” said Gay Morgan, who is helping organize this year’s gathering. Photos and memorabilia will be on display.
Open to anyone interested in Rocklin’s history, a minimum $10 donation is requested. For more information, call Morgan at 916-624-2355.
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Located in the sunny south of France, picturesque Avignon was once the seat of power for the Catholic Church. The historic center of Avignon is known… more
Located in the sunny south of France, picturesque Avignon was once the seat of power for the Catholic Church. The historic center of Avignon is known for its architectural and cultural significance, both of which largely stem from its brief stint as the seat of the papacy.
Avignon’s role as residence of the popes was relatively short-lived: the Avignon papacy – or “Babylonian captivity,” as some dubbed it – was controversial within the Church and lasted only from 1309 to 1377, but it left behind a lasting imprint on the city.
Beginning in 1335, a magnificent palace was constructed to house the popes. Completed in less than 20 years in two phases, the Palais des Papes is the largest Gothic palace in Europe. The palace also holds a collection of intricate frescoes by the Italian master Matteo Giovannetti.
Seven popes occupied the palace before the papacy moved back to Rome in 1377. But the palace in Avignon remained property of the papacy until the French Revolution, when it was seized by revolutionaries. It was later converted into a military barracks and prison under the Napoleonic administration.
Today, the property is preserved as a museum and visitors can stroll through its halls and gander at the former private chambers of the pope.
The palace is surrounded by other monuments, including the Cathedral of Notre Dame des Doms, which was built in 1150.
Nearby is the Petit Palais. It was once the residence of bishops, and now houses an art museum with an extensive collection of works from the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
A short stroll from the cathedral is Rocher des Domes, a park with panoramic views of the Rhone.
And adjacent to the complex is the remnants of the St. Benezet Bridge, which once spanned the Rhone. Today only four of the original 22 arches remain, but the construction is solid enough that tourists can still stroll along the span.
Luckily getting to Avignon is quite easy, and a well-developed tourism infrastructure makes travel simple. The best way to avoid the crowds is to visit in the spring or fall.
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Tony Dogs Destroys The Devils
January 9, 2020	| 2019-20 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes	| 6 Comments
Tony DeAngelo grew up in New Jersey and on Thursday, he had the best game of his career against the Devils. DeAngelo scored a hat trick on seven shots while adding two assists to have the best game of the NHL season by a defenseman. In the preseason, I ranked DeAngelo 32nd at defensemen, way above consensus. Here's what I said: "Alright, somebody I really like! Now, that’s not to say there’s concern here with DeAngelo. One, he’s still unsigned and I’m not sure if a deal gets done sooner than later. Two, it’s possible that Fox takes his PP time. I think the two play together on PP2 but we’ll have to wait and see. However, if DeAngelo is playing on opening night getting PP2 time, he could get 40 points and 100 PIM. Yes, the shot rate is slightly below average, but it’s extremely difficult to get that out of anyone on the blue line. You won’t need to take him this early, but I’m targeting DeAngelo because he fits so many team builds." And that's me quoting me copying what Grey does! Well, I may have overshot the PIM, but I was way under on the points. DeAngelo now has 11+25 in 42 games and he worked his shot rate up to over two per game, a solid number for a defenseman. Hopefully you guys checked out my preseason rankings and you own DeAngelo everywhere because I'm not expecting a drop off given the style the Rangers play. Let's take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:
Hope For Hornqvist?
For years, Patric Hornqvist has been an easy hold in fantasy, but last season brought some doubt if the 32 year old would get back to that level. Injuries have set back Honrqvist this season, but his first three games back have been strong, namely the last two. On Thursday, Hornqvist scored two goals on eight shots in the 3-2 loss to the Sharks. So why am I excited for Hornqvist? One is the shots. He's pushing three per game which brings plenty of value. Two is the top power play time on a strong unit. Three, and this is the main one, is that Sidney Crosby should be returning within a week or so, and given the injuries Pittsburgh has suffered, it seems likely that Hornqvist ends up playing on his wing. This would do wonders for his value and give him the chance to be a solid hold again. Hornqvist is available in almost two-thirds of leagues right now which makes him an incredible speculation add in all formats. If he can stay healthy and plays with Crosby, we could get borderline top 100 value the rest of the way from Hornqvist. Let's take a look at what else happened on Thursday night:
Go Go Giroux
November 21, 2019	| 2019-20 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes	| 3 Comments
Life without Couturier hasn't been as good without Claude Giroux. He started the turnaround on Thursday night. Giroux scored two goals and two assists with three shots and two PIM in the 5-3 win over Carolina. That brings Giroux up to 17 points in 22 games, not exactly lighting the world on fire, but the shot rate is the best of his career. 75 shots in 22 games is a huge step forward, and if that continues, we could be looking at a new career high in goals. Yes, he only has 7 to this point, but we could be on the verge of a heater. Let's take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:
Marchand’s Got Five On It
The gap between Brad Marchand and the rest of the league right now for fantasy hockey is incredible. Marchand scored five points on Monday, tallying two goals and three assists and a +4 rating. It's nothing new, but the first line in Boston has managed to find a way to get even better. Marchand is crushing every category with 10+18 in 15 games with a +13 rating, 28 PIM and 41 SOG. He's as good of a bet as any to finish as the #1 player in fantasy this season. Honestly, he'd be my pick as long as he avoids a lengthy suspension. Let's take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:
Boeser Buries The Kings
The best line in hockey remains in Boston, but the second best at the moment resides in Vancouver. On Wednesday, they were led by Brock Boeser, who had a hat trick and an assist with seven shots and two PIM in the 5-3 win over the Kings. Boeser is now up to 7+7 in 12 games with over three shots per game, +6, and six penalty minutes. He's doing a little bit of everything, and with how well the Canucks are playing, there's no reason he can't finish with 35+40 or better. I'd bet on Boeser being a top 50 player at this point and it should only get better in the years to come. Let's take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:
2019-20 Fantasy Hockey Goaltenders
September 20, 2019	| 2019-20 Fantasy Hockey, 2019-20 Fantasy Hockey Rankings	| 11 Comments
We're at the end of individual rankings! Almost 15,000 words later, we've ranked the top 100 forwards and 40 defensemen. Now, we conclude that with my goaltending rankings. I'm going to start by talking about my goaltending strategy for drafts, then split the goalies into tiers. I'm not going to go in-depth on every goalie, just the ones that I feel are worth talking about, mostly because I'm higher or lower on somebody. The reason I don't want to go very in-depth on every goalie is that the variance on goaltending from season to season is massive. In other words, even the best goalies have poor seasons from time to time, and guys will come out of nowhere to have excellent seasons. Did anyone know who Jordan Binnington was a year ago? The public certainly did not. Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss were afterthoughts for most. Darcy Kuemper was the backup and wasn't drafted outside of deep leagues. Those goalies were the 3rd-6th ranked goalies at the end of the season. This is why I never draft goalies in the first two rounds, and never more than one in the first 7-8 rounds. If you like to have one presumed top end goalie, that's fine, go for it in the 4th-5th rounds if they're still there. Just do not reach, because the range of outcomes in goalies is incredibly wide, while forwards and defensemen are much more certain. Any other questions on this, let me know in the comments section below. Here are my tiers:
31 in 31 – PLAY GLORIA!
August 23, 2019	| 2019-20 Fantasy Hockey, Team Previews	|
Hey guys! Over the next month, I will be taking a look at each team’s players to watch out for going into the 2019-20 fantasy hockey season. This analysis features everything from surefire studs, to sleepers, to streamers, deeper league holds, even to rookie-eligible prospects that may make an appearance at some point this season. Please let me know if you guys enjoy this type of material! Reminder that the stat totals are from last season. Last year my previews went alphabetically, but this year we’re going to go division-by-division, starting with the top team. On our 11th stop on the 31 in 31 tour, we’re headed the city of champions, St. Louis! This team of good old Canadian boys rallied from the basement of the league in January all the way to Lord Stanley’s Cup. There isn’t a ton of turnover going into 2019-2020, but there are some significant question marks on whether guys can repeat their historic performances.
Tavares For Four
March 27, 2019	| 2018-19 Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy Hockey Daily Notes	|
From an individual standpoint, this season couldn't be going any better for John Tavares. That continued on Monday night as Tavares scored 4 goals in the 7-5 win over Florida. That brings Tavares to 45 goals and 86 points, both career highs. Obviously we know to roll Tavares every time out, but where does he rank going into next season? He's bumped his shot rate back up to an elite level and his plus-minus is by far a career best. Is that sustainable? It might be given how good Toronto is. This, of course, assumes that Marner returns next season. I don't think he'll make my top 10, but it will be very close. At the least, Tavares will be in consideration for the wheel in a 12 team draft come September. Let's take a look at what else happened over the last two nights:
2019 Playoff Manifesto
March 4, 2019	| 2018-19 Fantasy Hockey, Playoff Manifesto	| 8 Comments
For those of you doing well in your head to head leagues, this is the most important post of the year. This is my annual playoff manifesto where I break down every team's schedule for the last four weeks of the season. I tell you who are the best teams and players to stream from, who you should look to trade for or away if your deadline hasn't passed, and it allows you to plan ahead with ease. For those who haven't read it in the past, the numbers in the parentheses are how many games the team plays in each of those weeks, with the last number being the last week in the season and preceding accordingly. This is going to be a massive post so let's get right to the 2019 Playoff Manifesto!


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Macdonaldwho later became the first Prime Minister of Canadatalked of "founding a great British monarchy", in connection with the British Empire. Macdonald wished their new nation to be called the Kingdom of Canada, to "fix the monarchical basis of the constitution. They were also wary of antagonizing the United States, which had emerged from its Civil War as a formidable military power with unsettled grievances because British interests had sold ships to the Confederacy despite a blockade, and thus opposed the use of terms such as kingdom or empire to describe the new country.
How to Write a Summary of an Article? Each riding chooses one candidate to elect into parliament. In order to win a candidate must obtain the highest number of votes but not necessarily the majority of votes.
The 'First Past the Post' Elections System Doesn't Work for Canada | HuffPost Canada
FPTP voting methods can be used for single and multiple member elections. In a single member election the candidate with the highest number, not necessarily a majority, of votes is elected. Many Canadians are not happy with the current First Past the Post system currently in place for electing parliamentary officials provincially and federally.
A new electoral system that is more proportional is needed in order to address these problems. There are a few problems that arise out of the FPTP system. One of the most important problems is the tendency for FPTP to favor tactical voting.
Tactical voting happens when voters cast their votes for one of the two candidates that are most likely to win. This is done because it is perceived by the voter that their vote will be wasted if they were to choose to vote for a smaller party, which they would more prefer. This is an understandable feeling by the voter because only votes for the winning candidate actually count Blais, Following the U.
Proportional representation just one alternative to the status quo
Bush because a portion of the electorate 2. The people, who voted for Ralph Nader despite of his staggering inability to win, effectively voted for Bush by depriving Gore of their votes even though they would have preferred Gore. With tactical voting, voters, have to predict in advance who the top two candidates will be.
This can distort results significantly.
One factor that influences tactical voting is the Media. Substantial power is given to the media. Even voters who distrust the media will know that other voters do believe the media, and therefore that those candidates who receive the most media attention will probably be the most popular and thus most likely to be the top two.
The media can also play an important role in persuading voters to use tactical voting. This is exemplified through the use of attack advertisements in television; radio and print media. This happens in the UK. The system may promote votes against as opposed to votes for.
In the UK, entire campaigns have been organized with the aim of voting against the Conservative party by voting either Labour or Liberal Democrat. The media holds an important role in informing and influencing the public about political candidates.
Advantages and disadvantages of FPTP system
This causes the FPTP system to turn into run-off voting, which is a two round voting system where voters elect two forerunners for the constituency and select one to be winner. This can be seen in the example of the Winchester by-election:Canada’s most dangerous place, North Battleford, is fighting for its future The Saskatchewan city dives headlong into the trend of crime prevention through environmental design.
The daughters of wealthy Chinese Canadians who star in the reality show the “Ultra Rich Asian Girls of Vancouver" pursue modeling careers, carry Birkin bags, and sip on Veuve Cliquot. And they. Check out the rest of the gallery Each year, Canadian Business uses a proprietary formula and publicly available data from Statistics Canada and Employment & Social Development Canada to rank the jobs with the highest salaries, strongest job growth, and best long-term hiring momentum in the country.
But what does it take to actually score one of . Canadas First Past the Post System Essay In Canada Federal and Provincial First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) elections are based on single member districts or ridings.
Each riding chooses one candidate to elect into parliament. The first past the post electoral system does more harm than good. Discuss. The article you have been looking for has expired and is not longer available on our system.
This is due to newswire licensing terms. A profoundly dishonest and misleading video. First, the money in question is an investment, not a “gift” or a “sacrifice” as Michael Arana asserts.
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MOVING SOUNDS FESTIVAL | WORKSHOP
DORIT CHRYSLER: KID COOL THEREMIN SCHOOL
SUNDAY, SEP 18 2016, 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
As part of this year's Moving Sounds Festival, Kid Cool Theremin School is proud to present its first Manhattan workshop, teaching children the fundamentals of playing the theremin. Instructed by theremin virtuoso Dorit Chrysler, young participants will be involved in a fun and creative approach to exercise hearing, motor skills, rhythm and melodies. They will be given the chance to explore this truly unique instrument that defies conventional playing methods and rules, leading them to find their own voice of expression.
- The Wall Street Journal wrote about the classes: "Playing a Theremin is like Tickling Butterflies".
www.kidcoolthereminschool.com
Born in Graz and best known for her theremin style, Dorit Chrysler also has a prolific performing career as a vocalist, guitarist and producer. One of the few theremin virtuosos worldwide, she is the founder of the New York Theremin Society and America's first theremin school for children. Following her musicology studies in Vienna, she moved to New York to start a career as a writer, producer and musician. Her solo work ranges from electronic pop music to film soundscapes - most recently for the soundtrack of the HBO documentary "Going Clear". She has performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, collaborated with numerous international artists and produced a wide range of compositions, some of them commissioned by the Venice Biennale and the MoMA Film Department. Recipient of several residencies and grants, she is also the subject of a documentary in the making following her most recent travels to China, Japan, Russia and Brazil.
www.doritchrysler.com
www.movingsoundsfestival.org
Generous support provided by Moog Music