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On August 1, 2010 a couple were kayaking down the Jordan River south of Salt Lake City. Just after passing beneath the bridge at Winchester St. their kayak capsized. The couple tried to swim to safety, but by the time the fire department arrived, the couple had drowned. Their bodies were recovered less than 20ft from the point where their kayak had capsized. The couple had become trapped. They were not trapped by solid objects, but by a dangerous current present in the river. This dangerous current developed just downstream of a small drop less than 3ft high as seen in Figure 1. The water on the surface of the river just below the drop was not moving downstream, but was moving upstream, back toward the drop. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal view of this type of current; due to the recirculating nature of the current it is often called a "roller" or "hydraulic".
Figure 1 - A couple drowned at this site in August 2010.
Figure 2 - Profile view of a "roller". Courtesy of Wright Water Engineers, Inc. and ASDSO.
An important phenomenon responsible for dissipating energy in a channel is the hydraulic jump. A hydraulic jump occurs in a channel when shallow, high velocity (supercritical) water meets slower moving (subcritical) water. The short and turbulent transition between the two water depths is called a hydraulic jump. An image of a hydraulic jump can be seen in Figure 3. When there is a large amount of excess energy in a channel it can be dissipated by a hydraulic jump. At many overflow structures, especially large ones, a stilling basin may be installed to control and confine the resulting hydraulic jump. At many smaller low-head structures stilling basins are not installed, as a result the hydraulic jumps near these structures may not be well controlled. If the high energy water flowing over a drop structure (headwater) can force the water away from the downstream face of the structure, then a "fully developed" hydraulic jump can occur, much like the one in Figure 4. A fully developed hydraulic jump is relatively safe for human passage.
Figure 3 - A hydraulic jump in the lab. Flow moves toward the right.
Figure 4 - Profile of a "swept out" hydraulic jump.
The current can become dangerous when the water downstream of the structure (tailwater) is too deep for a fully developed hydraulic jump to form. Figure 5 shows the situation where the current may pose a significant public safety hazard. This current occurs when the falling water, or nappe, meets a body of slow moving water and travels to the bottom of the channel. The water entrains a significant amount of air as it plunges to the bottom of the channel. Momentum causes the air entrained water to travel downstream along the bottom of the channel. Once the buoyant force of the entrained air can overcome the inertial forces of the water, it will begin to rise. The force of the rising air creates a strong current. By the time this current has reached the surface it may be a significant distance downstream of the drop structure. Some of this water that has been forced to the surface will double back toward the drop structure creating an upstream current on the surface of the water. This type of current is a "submerged" hydraulic jump. Energy is being dissipated, but the headwater does not have enough energy to push the tailwater away from the face of the structure.
Figure 5 - Anything that floats may get trapped in a submerged hydraulic jump.
There are a myriad of ways to prevent a submerged hydraulic jump from forming, however most solutions have serious drawbacks. Some points to consider when designing a retrofit include: cost, safety, energy dissipation, scour, sediment deposition, variable flow, fish passage, effects on headwater depth, and ice passage. For example, the current at Winchester St. develops just downstream of a box culvert, so any changes to headwater depths would be unacceptable.
To recommend mitigation measures for the dangerous current at Winchester St. on the Jordan River, a 1:23 scale model was built and tested by John Guymon in the BYU fluid mechanics laboratory. John's model revealed that an apparent scour hole and deposition zone immediately downstream of the structure contributed to the formation and strength of the submerged hydraulic jump as seen in Figure 6. When the deposition was removed in the model, it was found that a weakened submerged jump occurred. If the deposition was left in place and the scour hole filled, a fully developed hydraulic jump occurred right at the face of the structure in the model. Although a fully developed jump at the face of the structure would pass a human, it is sensitive to tailwater depth, and would be susceptible to developing a submerged jump with even minor changes in the channel. With the model scour hole filled and the deposition removed, a swept out jump occurred a safe distance from the face of the structure. If the scour hole were to be filled, the material would have to be grouted into place to prevent scour or foot entrapment. A picture of the model can be seen in Figure 7.
Figure 6 - Depiction of Scour and Deposition Zones.
Figure 7 - 1:23 scale model of the drop at Winchester St. Flow Starts at the top right and flows toward the bottom left.
A promising solution that may be applied to any structure developing a submerged hydraulic jump is currently being developed and tested here at BYU. It is a design based on a crest modification used in the Northwest to safely pass juvenile salmon downstream; a lip is added to the spillway to redirect the velocity of the plunging nappe. A rough image of the concept can be seen in Figure 7. By nearly eliminating the downward velocity component in the plunging nappe, it may prevent air entrained water from traveling downstream along the bottom of the channel and prevent a boil area (Figure 5) from forming. It may also cause a swift downstream velocity along the channel surface, ensuring the safe passage of people.
Figure 7 - A modified flip-lip designed to prevent upstream surface velocities.
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Common and Safe
Some people think that glass straws are dangerous because they can break. Yes, glass could be dangerous if you were to have it break in your mouth, in your hand, or in your beverage; but this is very unlikely. The glass we use is so strong that you can’t bite into it. You’d have to drop or bang it on something harder to break it.
There are many other items used in the kitchen made of glass that have the same risks: measuring cups, coffee pots, glass bowls, and drinking glasses. Each of these items could break if they hit up against something harder, but we all use them regularly and it is rare that one breaks. The bottom-line is that under every day normal usage, glass items are safe whether you are drinking from them or handling liquids and foods that you will consume later. Maybe the ultimate example of glass being used everyday and being risky are eye glasses. We seem to think those are safe enough for everyone on the planet to use on a daily basis.
Breakable is Better
Things that last forever are not always the best for us (think about all the toxic plastic straws that will be harming our planet years after we are gone). Most of us need change or we get bored. Things that are breakable, fragile, or temporary can sometimes be the finer things in life that leave us better off: ice cream cones, pets, the seasons, love, and even life itself.
Take love for example. Just because you can get your heart broken, doesn’t mean you should shy away from opportunities to fall in love and be deeply vulnerable with another person. Falling in love is an experience that brings forth aliveness and happiness in one’s life. In other words, falling in love is worth the risk of getting your heart broken. Without your heart being open and vulnerable, you could never experience love.
Glass Straws are Guaranteed
Likewise, Glass Straws offer so many benefits that they are worth the risk of breakage. But how do you deal with loss? When your lose a loved one, you can’t replace them and it may hurt for a while because you loved them. When something glass breaks, you usually have one option – go buy a new one. In most cases, you can’t just call up the company that made the product and ask for a new one. It can get a bit frustrating when you are one drinking glass short of a coordinated table setting, or your prescription glasses fell to the ground and now you can’t see.
This is where Strawesome sets itself apart from other glass product manufacturers. We are willing to stand behind our glass straws and provide you a free replacement if your straw breaks (even for those one-of-a-kind ones)! You can read our replacement policy here. So not only are our glass straws safe and better than plastics, but our Lifetime Guarantee is unlike any other glass product you can buy.
Keeping with the analogy of straws and hearts, we want to give away the awesome hand-made glass heart shown in this post’s photo. To be eligible to win, share an experience that on the surface seemed dangerous or worthless, but turned out completely contrary. We will pick a random winner on January 11th, 2013.
Happy New Year!
– Brian Surowiec
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These Tiny, Freaky Sea Creatures Ate the Skin Off a Teenager’s Legs in the Ocean
An Australian teenager made a grisly discovery this weekend when a cloud of mysterious, tiny sea creatures attacked and ate the skin off his lower legs. Sea lice might have been the culprit, but if so, it was a very large amount of very hungry sea lice.
According to The Guardian, 16-year-old Sam Kanizay decided to soak his legs in the water at Dendy Street beach in Brighton over the weekend. When he got out, it looked like he had wet sand clustered all over his lower legs, so he went back in the water to wash it off. His legs started bleeding profusely when he wiped the “sand” off.
The bleeding was so bad Kanizay’s father had to take him to the hospital. Not a whole lot can shock emergency room staff in an Australian hospital, but staff were bewildered. Nobody could figure out exactly what attacked him.
yikes! Australian teen comes out of the ocean pouring blood. attacked by some tiny creatures. maybe sea lice?? https://t.co/VcF4DGPMha
— Peter Krupa ? (@peterkrupa) August 7, 2017
Mystery sea creatures that experts think might be sea lice.
“No one knows what the creatures are. They’ve called a number of people, whether it’s toxicity experts or marine exerts and other medics around Melbourne at least,” Kanizay’s father said.
The culprit was most likely some sort of tiny sea creature. Sea lice are common, but they mostly eat fish. When sea lice bite people, it usually just looks like a pinprick. Kanizay’s legs poured blood after the attack.
— JJFH (@JJFHypothesis) August 7, 2017
Marine biologists say if there were a large number of dead fish in the water, that could be the source of an abnormally large population of sea lice.
Kanizay’s father went to the area with a bag of meat. He found tiny creatures that swarmed to the steak. He caught them in a pool net and brought them home to make a video.
“What is clear is these little things really love meat,” he said.
That is so freaky. Those aren’t necessarily what attacked Kanizay at the beach. A lot of things will show up if you throw meat in the ocean. But does anyone else feel itchy now? I feel super itchy.
Kanizay is expected to recover just fine. Australia might be full of deadly snakes and spiders, and flesh-eating sea bugs, but they also have very good healthcare. So Kanizay will be well taken care of.
Sea lice exist all over the world. They are not just an Australia thing.
Are you ever going back in the water again? Let us know in the comments.
(Image: YouTube / Storyful News)
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Investors in cryptocurrencies face challenges as the market for virtual coins isn’t as carefully regulated as the market for trading in many other types of assets. Working with a cryptocurrency lawyer is advisable to ensure that your rights are protected and that you make sure your investment dollars are as safe as possible when buying Bitcoin or other virtual currencies.
While regulations for cryptocurrencies are still evolving, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is clearly moving to take a more proactive role in policing investment offerings in the cryptocurrency marketplace. In fact, as CNBC reported, the SEC appointed a new leader of an emerging cryptocurrency division in June of this year.
New Leader Appointed to Cryptocurrency Division of SEC
According to CNBC, Valerie Szczepanik has been named as the new senior advisor for digital assets and innovation and will head up the SEC’s cryptocurrency division. She first joined the SEC back in 1997 and will now be in charge of coordinating how all SEC offices and divisions respond to the growth and development of the cryptocurrency market. In particular, one of her key roles will be to coordinate efforts related to regulating Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and other cryptocurrency trades.
The cryptocurrency market has already become a multi-billion dollar market with minimal oversight, raising the potential for substantial investor losses due to scams and fraud. The SEC has declared that while cryptocurrencies are not considered securities under the traditional definition, Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are to be treated as securities even though cryptocurrency companies believe that cryptocurrencies should be treated differently.
The SEC has begun issuing warnings to consumers about scam risks, and now with the development of a cryptocurrency division under the guidance of Szczepanik, it is possible the agency will begin to develop tighter rules and regulations as well as cracking down more on those who are in violation of SEC rules for securities trading.
The involvement of the SEC and the creation of a new cryptocurrency division by the agency could potentially result in more investors in virtual currencies, and particularly more international investors. If these new investors come into the crypto market and begin trading, this could help to increase liquidity and it could raise prices, which have fallen in 2018 after a dramatic increase of 1,300 percent in 2017.
Many experts believe that foreign investors are eager to begin trading within the virtual currency marketplace but are waiting for additional guidance from regulators. The SEC’s new division and the announcement of the new head of that division could help to spur investors who are confident that new regulations will be forthcoming.
It is important for all investors in Bitcoin and other virtual currencies to understand changes in the regulatory environment so they can make the most informed choices about how they are affected. A cryptocurrency lawyer can provide insight into new legal developments that could impact investments.
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April 11, 2018. Lawrence Journal-World.
Rising jail populations among smaller jurisdictions such as Douglas County are contributing to mass incarceration in the United States, a spokeswoman for a national criminal justice policy organization said at a gathering Wednesday night.
Jasmine Heiss, director of outreach for In Our Backyards of the Vera Institute of Justice, spoke at Lawrence’s Carnegie Building at the invitation of Justice Matters, Kansas Appleseed and the University of Kansas’ Department of African and African-American Studies. Heiss said part of her role at the Vera Institute is advising municipalities like Douglas County on how to reduce the number of people they jail.
Justice Matters and Kansas Appleseed both oppose the half-cent sales tax that’s been proposed as a funding source for an expansion of the Douglas County Jail. If voters approve it in this spring’s referendum, the tax would fund the $44 million jail expansion as well as an $11 million behavioral health campus, and it would provide $5.1 million annually for expanded behavioral health services.
While incarceration rates in the nation’s largest cities are decreasing, Heiss said, smaller jurisdictions like Douglas County have seen increases in their jail populations over the past 45 years. Heiss said one of her group’s goals is to combat that trend.
Douglas County’s incarceration rate is lower than state and national averages, Heiss acknowledged.
According to Douglas County Undersheriff Gary Bunting, the county currently incarcerates about 1.85 people per 1,000 residents, and the Prison Policy Initiative think tank has reported that in 2016, the national incarceration rate was 6.93 and the statewide rate was 6.96.
Nonetheless, Heiss said the county was trending in the wrong direction. She added that the jail issue shouldn’t be viewed in isolation, but should be interpreted as part of the national issue of mass incarceration.
“Jails are mass incarceration’s front door,” she said. “You can’t pull individual systems out of the larger problem.”
Heiss argued that evidence from other counties indicated an expanded jail would only be a stopgap measure and wouldn’t solve the underlying problems driving the overcrowding. She said that although the county has been successful in diverting inmates from the jail, it needs to address its overcrowding issue more comprehensively. She said that should include a look at law enforcement contacts that lead to arrests and ways to speed up court procedures so that inmates spend less time behind bars waiting for their cases to be resolved.
The county should also examine why people of color are incarcerated at a much greater rate than their percentage of the county’s population, Heiss said.
“Across the county, they are about 3.5 times as likely to be incarcerated (as) white people,” she said.
Douglas County Jail data shows that in 2016, black inmates accounted for 15.3 percent of the jail’s population and Native Americans made up 5.4 percent. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, blacks make up 4.6 percent of the county’s population and Native Americans make up 2.7 percent.
The money the county would spend on the jail expansion could be used more effectively on programs that would keep people out of jail, such as employment training and mental health and substance abuse programs, Heiss said.
In a phone interview with the Journal-World on Wednesday, Douglas County Commission Chair Nancy Thellman said the proposed half-cent sales tax, if approved, would provide sustainable funding for the additional substance abuse and mental health programing Heiss advocated for.
“More than half the revenue the sales tax would raise would be used for behavioral health,” she said.
However, Thellman rejected the view that mass incarceration was an issue in the county, citing the county’s low incarceration rate when compared to state and national averages.
“It sounds to me as confirmation that referendum opponents are using the national mass incarceration problem to hijack a local jail issue,” she said. “We do not have mass incarceration in Douglas County. It would be great to focus on the needs of Douglas County on this very important issue.”
View original article.
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In the new Forward Today, Scott reflects on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., writing that “resurrection joy and King’s dream are two sides of the same beautiful coin.”
Dear friends in Christ,
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Our church recognizes him as a holy martyr of the faith, and this is the day the church keeps as his commemoration. Doctor King, pray for us. We need your intercession now, as ever.
One of my favorite works of King is his imagined “Paul’s Letter to American Christians” delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama on 4 November 1956. In the letter, King imagines what the Apostle Paul might have said to American Christians. Its message is disturbingly current today. In the letter, “Paul” warns of the dangers of capitalism. The letter chastises the church for its complicity in oppression. And then there is this:
I wonder whether your moral and spiritual progress has been commensurate with your scientific progress. It seems to me that your moral progress lags behind your scientific progress… How often this is true. You have allowed the material means by which you live to outdistance the spiritual ends for which you live. You have allowed your mentality to outrun your morality. You have allowed your civilization to outdistance your culture. Through your scientific genius you have made of the world a neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual genius you have failed to make of it a brotherhood.
Do you find this as true, and as convicting, as I do?
We as a nation – and as a world – have much for which to repent, but surely our lack of a moral compass is chief among our sins. If we were more morally advanced, we would find racism, classism, and all forms of discrimination and devaluation to be waning. The church has, sadly, forfeited its place as a moral voice in society. (Popular Christianity’s embrace of culture-war wedge issues doesn’t count, because there’s nothing moral about those attacks.)
We are an Easter people. We ought to embrace an Easter morality. In the New Creation of Jesus Christ, love is stronger than hate, mercy is stronger than might, hope is stronger than fear, and life is stronger than death. If we manage to live as Easter people, I think we will find that we are very much honoring the legacy, vision, and hope of Martin Luther King, Jr. Resurrection joy and King’s dream are two sides of the same beautiful coin.
Let us repent where we are wrong. Let us embrace what is right. And let us, like those women at the Easter tomb, share the glad news of new life in Jesus Christ.
I close with the end of King’s imagined letter from Paul. “And now unto him who is able to keep us from falling, and lift us from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope, from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy, to him be power and authority, forever and ever. Amen.”
Today’s featured sale item is the Social Justice Bible Challenge.
To get future reflections from Scott in your inbox, subscribe to Forward Today.
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In order for companies to ramp up production and meet their annual goals going forward, implementing automation will be a must. As the world emerges from the COVID crisis, automation needs will not only continue to expand — they will explode.
E-commerce companies often ship products in boxes that are much too large for their contents. Automated and fit-to-size packaging helps businesses to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and lessen their environmental impact.
As material handling technology advances, it becomes clearer and clearer that warehouses and DCs must continue to automate in order to remain efficient and financially sustainable. While the challenges and solutions are different for every warehouse and DC, a thoughtful and careful analysis will identify the right path toward increased automation for your organization.
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Our value for this half term is Wisdom
Welcome to Y3/4M's class page
Your Class Teacher is Miss Murray.
Our Teaching Assistants are
Mrs Rhodes and Miss Makin!
We are looking at the story 'Varjak Paw'.
- Reading books will only be changed on a Tuesday and a Thursday. Children are expected to read at least twice per week.
Bug Club, TT Rockstars and Century Tech
- As you are aware we now have access to the fantastic Spelling Shed which is an online spellings resource. Should you have any problems accessing Spelling Shed please let me know.
- TT Rockstars is an interactive timetable resource that we now have access to in school and at home. It is a fun way for us to learn our timetables, challenge each other and the teacher! Let Miss Murray know if your log in is needed again.
- Century Tech is an online learning platform that learns what your child specifically needs to support them. Please do not answer the questions for your child as the technology tailors itself to what your child needs based on what they know and what they need support with.
Every Friday, children will receive two pieces of homework. These could be on Century Tech or on Showbie.
Homework will usually be Maths, English or Topic based, which will link in with the work we have been learning in lessons. We are hoping that this will help consolidate children's learning.
Spellings will be given on a Monday and tested on a Friday. As well as practicing at the children will also practice them in school.
It is really important that homework is completed by the following Friday.
Spelling tests will take place, every Friday.
Times Table tests will take place every Wednesday.
- PE kits must be available in school on PE days. This consists of plain (black) bottoms/shorts, a white t-shirt, pumps (for indoor PE) and trainers (for outdoor PE).
- Please remove earrings before children come to school on dance and PE days. If children cannot remove their earrings they will not be able to participate due to health and safety reasons.
- PE for Year 3/4M is on a Thursday and Friday . Please make sure jewellery is removed and all hair is tied back.
Here is a great website for all your topic needs, covering the complete primary curriculum. http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/
Our current value is:
Please see below for the Y3/4 long term plan:
This is our Topic overview for Spring 1Term:
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The Women’s HIV/Sexual Violence Initiative was a collaborative effort among five partner agencies: AIDS Project Worcester (APW), Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc., Pernet Family Health Service, Rape Crisis Center of Central MA, and YWCA Daybreak. The premise of the project was to address the high rates of HIV/AIDS disease among women in Central Massachusetts; with specific attention to women who have a history of or are experiencing sexual violence.
APW staff worked in the community to educate women about the risk factors related to sexual violence, STDs and HIV/AIDS. Project staff visited more than 50 agencies over the course of this project and screened more than 1,000 women. In 2009, 480 women were screened and 147 participated in the program.
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Just last week in The Washington Post, I read about the installation in the District of Columbia of a sculpture based on an iconic picture of General Dwight D. Eisenhower as he addressed soldiers belonging to the 101st Airborne Division just prior to the massive invasion of the Normandy beaches during World War II on June 6, 1944. Of course, the date is better known as D-Day.
He knew, and they knew that many of those listening to the Allied Commander and future president of the United States would die in what was the greatest amphibious invasion in military history. Surprise belonged to the Allied forces, tactical advantage to the Germans.
Eisenhower understood the horror of war, the maiming and loss of lives of American, British and Canadian soldiers fighting to rid the world of Adolf Hitler and his merciless diet of tasteless Nazism. He knew too the physical destruction of once beautiful cities.
Once combat ended in Europe, Eisenhower saw first-hand the results of another unconscionable act of brutality: the killing of six million Jews. He viewed the worst of man’s inhumanity to man.
Eisenhower, along with Generals Bradley and Patton, visited Ohrdruf Concentration Camp, part of the infamous Buchenwald network of forced labor and concentration camps in central Germany. He had a specific purpose. He wanted to see for himself the bodies of Jewish prisoners and the emancipated but living human beings who somehow avoided death.
Yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the German camp in Nazi-occupied Poland known worldwide as Auschwitz. About 1.1 million Jews either died or were killed at this site of mass murder.
The guiding principle of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC is never to forget (and maybe forgive) the horrors imposed in the name of anti-Semitism. It was a nightmarish persecution of people guilty only of being Jewish.
It was an evil attempt to obliterate the Jewish religion and culture in Europe. Hitler used the extermination of Jews to rally Germans to feel a sense of superiority and empowerment to rule the world. He was cruelly shrewd, a masterful propagandist.
It was a concept born out of a sickness, to use Jews as scapegoats for the problems that bedeviled Germany after World War I. He converted a formally civilized country into a hotbed of extermination.
Anti-Semitism is still a thriving scourge in and outside our country. Hate crimes in Pittsburgh, PA, Poway, CA, New York City and elsewhere are despicable examples of terror still bedeviling Jews. The shameful killings and acts of bias are increasing, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
So is nagging fear. Memories of the holocaust are strikingly searing. Jews find themselves haunted by the past.
Why is anti-Semitism on the rise?
I am neither a theologian nor a political scientist. I am treading on thin philosophical ice. But I will wade where I shouldn’t.
Our president has fanned the festering flames of prejudice by his asinine attacks on Muslims and minorities. He leads by insult and baseless claims.
Hatred is ingrained in the human condition. If given permission by an irresponsible leader, “bad angels” feel emboldened to use violence as a tool.
Both in our nation and Europe, elements of the population feel disenfranchised and disrespected. They feel their lives and livelihoods are threatened by minorities.
For reasons beyond my comprehension, Jews become a common target. Festering resentment translates into acts of violence and harassment.
I can offer no prescription for tolerance. I hope and pray that civic, political, business, religious and academic leaders will speak up—constantly—against anti-Semitism and personal degradation. Not just platitudes but genuine disgust.
Silence is unacceptable. It feeds the beast of bias.
President Eisenhower governed during a more placid time in the early 1950s. He was a strong, tough leader, often under-estimated in the political world.
Ike understood the power of peace and wanton destruction wrought by warfare. His visit to a concentration camp enabled him to view inhumanity at its basest level.
I liked Ike. Still do.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
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Dr. Backoff Assembly and Use
To help user avoid supine sleep.
- Elastic strap approximately 3 cm wide
- Tennis ball
- Fixed blade or lock-blade knife
- Cut off a length of elastic a little longer than 1 meter.
- Tie the ends of the elastic together (granny knot) to form a circle.
- Use the knife to cut approximately 3 cm long crossed slits on opposite sides of the tennis ball.
- Poke a loop of the elastic near the knot through both holes in the tennis ball (all the way through the ball).
- Push the knot inside the tennis ball.
- Pull and adjust the elastic through the slits on either side of the tennis ball to produce two equal-sized elastic loops coming out of the ball.
- Custom fit by pushing elastic into or pulling elastic out of the slits on each side of the tennis ball such that the elastic loops go around the shoulders comfortably, yet snugly. The elastic should hold and center the tennis ball between the shoulder blades.
Place arms through the elastic loops such that the tennis ball is centered between the shoulder blades.
Machine wash as necessary.
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Fibromyalgia is one of the most misunderstood conditions confronting doctors and their patients who are diagnosed with it. Characterized by chronic, widespread body pain and tenderness to various degrees of touch, it has, until our recent work, defied understanding despite nearly 200 years of observation and description. In fact, it remains classified as a medically unexplained syndrome.
The common myths regarding fibromyalgia are: fibromyalgia isn’t real — it is; fibromyalgia is a distinct disease — it isn’t; fibromyalgia is not associated with arthritis and joint damage — it is; fibromyalgia pain originates from a muscle-related tissue abnormality — it doesn’t; a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is confirmed if widespread pain and at least 11 out of 18 fibromyalgia tender points are present — it isn’t; fibromyalgia can be successfully treated with pills alone — it can’t; the cause, mechanism, and relationship of the myriad fibromyalgia symptoms is unknown — not since the recent publication of my book, The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle.
Fibromyalgia, a common disorder affecting approximately 2 to 4 percent of the population, ranks as one of the top three diagnoses amongst patients seen by rheumatologists. Adults can be affected at any age, but the predominant age at the time of diagnosis is the forties to fifties. Its prevalence increases with age. Disproportionately, eight to nine women are diagnosed for every man. It occurs most often as a condition unto itself or can be found in association with numerous other medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
The key, characteristic symptom of fibromyalgia is the presence of chronic, widespread body pain, particularly in muscle areas. The pain quality and intensity varies between individuals and waxes and wanes over periods of time within any one individual. Descriptions of pain range from aching, burning, and gnawing, all the way to “screaming.” Stiffness is noted frequently, particularly in the morning. Fatigue is another prominent manifestation worsening, paradoxically, with too little activity as well as too much activity. Sleep disturbances are very common and result in feeling unrefreshed, tired, or sleepy on wakening in the morning. Cognitive problems are subjectively recognized with reported difficulties in memory, concentration, and verbal skills. Psychological and psychosocial distress are frequently identified, particularly depression and anxiety. Other symptoms or conditions may include headaches; restless legs syndrome; irritable bowel syndrome; irritable bladder syndrome; cold sensitivity; sensitivity to chemicals weather, medications, noises, lights; needles and pins, numbness, tingling or other unusual sensations.
The only physical finding specific to fibromyalgia is the presence of widespread soft tissue tenderness to a painful trigger such as finger pressure. However, in some, even a light touch may elicit pain. This tenderness can range from discrete, well defined fibromyalgia tender points to widespread, whole body tenderness. Interestingly, despite their association, the degree and severity of the subjective pain does not correlate with the degree and severity of the tenderness. Pain and tenderness are two different things.
There are no diagnostic laboratory tests for fibromyalgia. Thus, fibromyalgia is diagnosed by the nature of the symptoms, clinical examination findings, and excluding disorders that mimic fibromyalgia.
Over the years, two fallacies have become deeply entrenched in the fibromyalgia medical community. First, it has become accepted that fibromyalgia can be accurately diagnosed by identifying the presence of widespread pain for at least 3 months and at least 11 out of 18 fibromyalgia tender points on examination, but nearly 9 out 10 individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia on this basis do not have fibromyalgia. Second, it has become widely accepted that fibromyalgia pain either comes from nowhere or spontaneously arises in the nervous system despite the biological impossibility of both these concepts.
Sensitivity to painful stimuli in fibromyalgia arises from nerve and chemical changes in the spinal cord areas involved in processing pain signals as they are sent from the body through the spinal cord to the brain. These changes result in a process known as central sensitization through which the body’s pain signal is amplified and magnified. This causes a pain trigger to be perceived as more intense and more widely distributed in the person with fibromyalgia than in the person without it. If pain is a radio signal, then in fibromyalgia the volume control is cranked up way too high in the pain processing areas.
However, knowing the volume is turned up is only part of the answer. To effectively understand and treat primary fibromyalgia, we needed to locate the source of the pain signal that actually gets amplified. Our research at the Fibromyalgia Polypain Arthritis Center, published in my book, The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle, has answered this key question. We discovered that the pain arises from an unrecognized arthritic condition known as primary generalized osteoarthritis and its complications that affect the spinal discs as well as other tissues around the joints.
We developed the Polypain Model through which we now understand that fibromyalgia is not a disease, but rather a pain state, much like fever is a temperature state, with underlying diseases causing the change in state. In the fibromyalgia polypain patient, first, primary generalized osteoarthritis and its associated features generate pain signals. Then, second, these signals are amplified in the nervous system through lowered pain thresholds that are, in part, genetically determined, but are highly plastic and are sensitized by the ongoing intensity of pain signals and disease conditions that impair the sleep quality and psychological health of the individual. Thus, our model provides, for the first time, an integrated and unified framework to understand and measure independently features from where the pain originates and the factors impacting pain threshold sensitivity as well as the interaction of both that leads to the overall perception of pain.
Based on our understanding of what causes fibromyalgia pain and how it is modulated, everything that is unknown about the relationships between pain, tenderness, disability, sleep, weight related issues, psychological and psychosocial disturbances, and sexual difficulties are now clear and understandable. This knowledge has led to our Polypain Wellness Core Program as detailed in my book and utilized at our center. Through a blend of traditional and complementary therapies, it guides and empowers patients with the most unique, integrated, and thoroughly effective self-managed wellness recovery program and allows individuals to transcend the suffering of fibromyalgia to make positive changes in their health and overall well-being.
Jeff Sarkozi, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., F.A.C.R. is an internationally trained and experienced rheumatologist and internal medicine specialist with more than 25 years of experience in clinical practice and research. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada, and a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology. He specializes in the diagnosis and management of patients with unexplained chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain and fibromyalgia and has seen thousands of patients with these conditions. His research has led to the development of numerous patient aids and treatment programs to relieve symptoms and improve function in patients.
Dr. Sarkozi serves as a consultant, advisor, and medical expert to the legal profession, healthcare industry, and media regarding musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, and other rheumatic diseases including their relationships to trauma and environmental exposures. His book, The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle, identifies where fibromyalgia pain comes from and makes everything that has been unknown about chronic widespread pain clear and understandable. It empowers patients and their healthcare providers with a nine-step wellness recovery program.
Dr. Sarkozi directs the Fibromyalgia Polypain Arthritis Center, the only community rheumatology setting devoted to fibromyalgia and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain in California. He can be reached at (714) 973-4636.
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The SURE – Smart Urban Security and Event Resilience Project of the city of Tampere in Finland has received a funding of EUR 3.2 million from the EU's European Regional Development Fund and its Urban Innovative Actions initiative. The project aims to improve the security of residents and visitors in Tampere by developing smart security solutions associated with urban environment. The purpose is to predict the movements of large masses of people, the safe use of public spaces and the effect of urban security services and infrastructure on people's behavior. Insta participates in creating a comprehensive urban security solution that will be completely new and unique. The key areas of the project are Ratina and the Central Square, which are used for organizing events in the Tampere city center.
The project started in early September and will last for three years. It enables developing and testing various innovative solutions, such as sensor data integration and the resulting 3D models, simulations and real-life exercises. Insta is utilizing the Insta Blue Aware ™ (IBA) situation awareness platform, which combines data, image and video sources and presents a shared, map-based situation picture in a browser. The project will also include investments in a smart lighting network, CCTV surveillance and information displays. The project led by the city of Tampere is participated by a diverse group of experts from the Safety and Security Cluster of Pirkanmaa and Smart Tampere program. The companies taking part in the project are Nokia, Insta and Securitas.
The SURE Project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.
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Bulimia is an extremely dangerous disease that affects thousands of patients around the world. These are bouts of gluttony and subsequent vomiting, alternating with very restrictive, even draconian diets. Bulimia nervosa is a condition that causes great havoc throughout the body. In many cases, the disease develops in such a way that the patient’s immediate family does not know anything about it. Treatment for bulimia nervosa is very important and must be started as early as possible. You have to be very careful about this disease. The treatment of bulimia nervosa relies in particular on psychotherapy, which is difficult and long-lasting. In today’s article we explain exactly what the symptoms of bulimia are and how it is treated in Poland. We cordially invite you to read carefully!
Bulimia – the most important information about a dangerous disease
Bulimia is a disease that means eating disorders that are very dangerous for the body. The greatest danger is that the symptoms of bulimia can hardly be noticed even by the closest people. Bulimia causes a sick person to have a few or even several weeks of episodes of huge appetite. In the meantime, he does everything to try to implement healthy eating in his diet. The bulimic feast consists in most cases of very caloric dishes eaten in giant ones. Then there is great guilt. In such a situation, the sick person decides to induce vomiting or overuse of laxatives and diuretics.
These types of activities, however, have a great impact on the functioning of the entire human body. Irritated oral mucosa, damaged tooth enamel from stomach acid are just some of the symptoms of bulimia that people suffering from this extremely difficult disease have to deal with . These symptoms are also often accompanied by disturbances in the heart rhythm and the menstrual cycle, severe abdominal pain, constipation, flatulence, dizziness or nausea.
What are the symptoms of bulimia nervosa?
At first glance, the symptoms of bulimia are unnoticeable to the relatives of the sick person. A person suffering from bulimia nervosa is usually of normal body weight or slightly overweight. Sometimes she has a slightly swollen face. Like an anorexic, she is fascinated by food. He reads a lot about it and knows the caloric tables of his favorite products. A person with bulimia nervosa goes to the toilet after their favorite meal and vomits. To drown out this characteristic sound, he starts the hair dryer or releases water. People struggling with bulimia in the vast majority of cases sit down to feast only at night, so as not to be caught red-handed. The disease may be asymptomatic for a very long time. This is why treatment of bulimia nervosa is so tedious and difficult to successfully implement.
How to treat bulimia nervosa?
Treating bulimia is not easy. As statistics show, people suffering from bulimia do not see a doctor until many years after getting sick, when their body is already heavily exhausted. They are more motivated to treat than people with anorexia because they feel they have completely lost control of their eating habits. However, this is not a rule, because many people find it difficult to persevere in therapy. The mainstay of treatment for bulimia nervosa is psychotherapy. We are talking about both individual therapy and family and group therapy. Treatment is carried out in psychiatric hospitals or day wards. The latter solution occurs when a person suffering from bulimia does not use dehydrating and laxatives.
With the help of a doctor, a person struggling with bulimia learns how to properly approach food. He eats several small meals throughout the day to keep the risk of vomiting to an absolute minimum. After a meal, he is under constant observation for at least one hour. During this time, she is not allowed to go to the toilet. In the treatment of bulimia, it is also important to constantly replenish the deficiencies of minerals. In some cases, it is also necessary to take antidepressant pills.
Treatment of bulimia nervosa is very difficult, because during its course patients often break down. The sick person completely loses motivation to fight the disease because there were episodes of re-overeating. Sometimes, when the therapist tries to get to the source of the problem in a sick person, the patient completely gives up on further therapy. In some cases, the family makes cooperation very difficult because it ignores the patient’s problems and does not want to raise issues that are difficult for them. It also happens that a cured person returns to his old habits in stressful moments or with serious life changes.
Bulimia – statistics
Current statistics show that the number of people suffering from eating disorders is constantly growing. Experts emphasize, however, that the official statistics are not entirely reliable, because many people struggling with this type of problem do not ask for help at all. There are also those who have had a short episode of the disease and have never returned to it.
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Earth Day celebrations this year followed the trend of so many events that have gone virtual or online over the past month or so. It has been a month where every day seems the same, and some days we are hard-pressed to remember what day of the week it actually is. In such times, one would have ample reason to forget about Earth Day, let alone celebrate it in any meaningful way.
On the other hand, this is a year where the fiftieth Earth Day and Earth month observances could not have come at a more appropriate time. The incidence and spread of the SARS Covid-2 Virus or the Novel Coronavirus has brought large parts of the world to a virtual standstill. Some are referring to these times as “The Great Pause”. Country-wide “lockdowns” and “stay at home” orders have entered the vernacular of our awareness.
There have been many visible and measurable effects of the pausing, the slowing-down, the stopping of everyday human activities on our planet. Early on in the pause, we saw satellite imagery of noticeable reduction of pollution over countries like China, large parts of Europe, India, and more. Residents of a city in northern India woke up to a new landscape of reduced air pollution. After almost three decades, they could now actually see the snow-capped peaks of their neighboring Himalayas. Scientists have reported that the great pause had actually changed the level of seismic activity, the way the Earth was moving.
It is reasonable to expect that the effects of this unprecedented, large-scale pause in human activity are going to be short-term in nature. However, if seeing is indeed believing, then these changes have shown us how rapidly and dramatically we humans can effect change on our planet. One may argue that we are in extraordinary times, and that the current drastic reduction in human activity is a blip on the radar. That argument is probably correct. However, even small, incremental, persistent changes in our behavior can eventually change the energy and the vibration of our planet. It is like boiling cold water – it often seems like it is taking forever for the water to warm up. Once the water reaches 211F, it only takes a single degree of change, for it to change state and becomes steam. Massive change often comes in slow increments, from small commitments.
The newly minted weekly video gathering of #SpiritChat folks occurred on Earth Day this week. Four of us gathered briefly, and contemplated asked the question – what does Earth Day mean to us? Sharon (@awakeningtrue) offered that her hope was that more folks would take the opportunity to meditate on Gaia and her warm, golden, healing energy. Julie (@juliejordanscot) said that she was going to act on a challenge to hug a tree deeply, with a warm loving embrace, and feel its energetic, inner vibration. Quratulain (@iquarattariq) spoke about how the great pause has led her to ‘reduce her footprint’ on this One Earth, and to be grateful for her abundant life, when compared to so many others’ lives. On behalf of the community, I offered a reading of a short poem by Emily Dickinson…
Nature rarely uses yellow
Than another hue;
Saves she all of that for sunsets, —
Prodigal of blue;
Spending scarlet like a woman,
Yellow she affords
Only scantly and selectly,
Like a lover’s words.
– Nature XXXI #EmilyDickinson #CollectedPoems
Sunset in the backyard (Fall 2018)
What may Earth Day mean to you? We have a few more days left in this Earth month of April. We still have time to consider some small changes that we can make in our lives — changes that will eventually make a huge impact on all the elements of our planet. The water we drink, the earth we plant seeds in, the air we breathe — all these elements, this ecology, is looking forward to helping ensure for our healthy, long-term survival. On this Earth day, in this Earth month, we can perhaps commit to meeting the planet and its elements at least half-way, can’t we? And yet, we have something greater to do.
The greater commitment we can make on this Earth Day is to take a great pause, and examine the state of our inner Earth. What can we do to cleanse our inner Earth’s elements of the toxic pollutants of fear, anger, jealousy, prejudice, and the like? How can we create a sustainable, rare Earth that embodies the five elements of simplicity, purity, peace, amity and compassion? If it is true that the outer world reflects the state of our inner world, then let us accept the invitation to begin within.
Let us embrace the opportunity provided by the great pause with a sense of urgency. The time to act is now. We have the heart and soul of the planet to heal.
P.S. Please join us on Sunday, April 26 at 9amET / 1pmUTC / 630pm India for our weekly gathering of the #SpiritChat community on twitter. We will discuss our commitment to action to the Earth within and without. Thank you for reading. Namaste – @AjmaniK
Do the best you can, until you know better; Then when you know better, Do better — Maya Angelou
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|Storage Temperature:||Below -10oC|
|Stability:||> 10 years under recommended storage conditions|
|Substrate For (Enzyme):||1,4-β-D-Glucosaminidase|
Taxogenomic assessment and genomic characterisation of Weissella cibaria strain 92 able to metabolise oligosaccharides derived from dietary fibres.
Anna, M., Phebe, V., Guðmundsdóttir, E. E., Santesson, S., Nilsson, A., Óli, H. G., Linares-Pasten, J. A. & Nordberg, K. E. (2020). Scientific Reports, 10(1), 5853.
The importance of the gut microbiota in human health has led to an increased interest to study probiotic bacteria. Fermented food is a source of already established probiotics, but it also offers an opportunity to discover new taxa. Four strains of Weissella sp. isolated from Indian fermented food have been genome sequenced and classified into the species W. cibaria based on whole-genome phylogeny. The genome of W. cibaria strain 92, known to utilise xylooligosaccharides and produce lactate and acetate, was analysed to identify genes for oligosaccharide utilisation. Clusters including genes involved in transportation, hydrolysis and metabolism of xylooligosaccharides, arabinooligosaccharides and β-glucosides were identified. Growth on arabinobiose and laminaribiose was detected. A 6-phospho-β-glucosidase clustered with a phosphotransferase system was found upregulated during growth on laminaribiose, indicating a mechanism for laminaribiose utilisation. The genome of W. cibaria strain 92 harbours genes for utilising the phosphoketolase pathway for the production of both acetate and lactate from pentose and hexose sugars but lacks two genes necessary for utilising the pentose phosphate pathway. The ability of W. cibaria strain 92 to utilise several types of oligosaccharides derived from dietary fibres, and produce lactate and acetate makes it interesting as a probiotic candidate for further evaluation.Hide Abstract
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A "Good War" It Wasn’t
This document is part of the Journal of Historical Review periodical.
Use this menu to find more documents that are part of this periodical.
War Time: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War by Paul Fussell. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Hardbound, xiv+331 pp., photographs, notes, index, $19.95, ISBN 0-19-503797-9.
Of the approximately half-million titles issued by mainline American publishers in the 1980s, War Time by Professor Paul Fussell is one of a small selection which a Revisionist might profit from reading. It has a variety of shortcomings; parts of it are twice-told and thrice-told stories to Revisionists, and there are portions which have an eerie resemblance to a wide range of works published in 1916-1933 about the First World War. History in the broader sense in fact comes in second to other matters ranging from efforts at broad psychologizing to extended literary memorialization. But the fact that the most prestigious of the Establishment university presses would attach its signet and nihil obstat to such a volume as this brings up a whole range of questions and speculations from a Revisionist perspective. This includes the question of why, at this moment of global neo-imperial saturation and general immersion in the unrealistic prolongation of the homeric saga of 1939-45, assisted these days by daily gas attacks from television replays of it all (sometimes as much as 30 hours a week in some urban centers), a work from its own stronghold should come forth which in the main promotes a caustic, destabilizing assault on a substantial number of the Establishment's most reassured and oft-repeated yarns, fables, conventions and fixations, integral essentials of what we have been tirelessly reminded was the only noble, benevolent war throughout the last near-millennium.
Those familiar with the follow-up of World War One, and this reviewer was weaned on its post-hostilities disillusionist literature to the point that he became virtually traumatized and for a time suppressed that he had read much of it (he never heard a word of it mentioned in school), will dwell in memory on this background and puzzle why it took almost 45 years for the appearance of a book at least partially analogous on War No. 2. The main topics of the book at hand, insofar as they are a replay with variations on the experience of 1914-18, had been exhaustively investigated, examined and reported in the first three years after the 1918 cessation of hostilities, and the subject for another dozen years thereafter produced a literature so vast that it would take a respectable slice of a normal lifetime to read it all. But, in view of the sieve-like nature of memory, it does no harm to restate and rewrite many things while introducing so many new ones growing out of the different experiences of 1939-1945. Prof. Fussell does not try to explain why it took so long after World War Two for a book like his to appear, and, since his book is close to being totally non-political, he does not dwell upon the hard reality that such a work is actually subversive to the general world political status quo, since the latter is based almost entirely on the political settlement following the "victory" of 1945 and its outrageously unrealistic historical foundation. Disturbing this does not seem to be the author's intention whatsoever, and one need not pursue the reason behind its production or its objective, but just enjoy its continuous perforation of dearly-held popular misconceptions, ranging over the years from the sappy to the preposterous.
As for his personal explanation of how he came to write War Time, Prof. Fussell in his Preface (p. ix) declared that over the last half century the "Allied" part of the war of 193945 had been "sanitized and romanticized beyond recognition by the sentimental, the loony patriotic, the ignorant and the bloodthirsty," and that he was just trying "to balance the scales." However, in an interview in Denver on the occasion of a visit to a large bookstore to autograph copies of his work, the author declared in the most emphatic of terms (even the reporter put the key word in italic) that he was without the faintest smidgin of a qualification "a sentimental patriot." (Denver Post, October 19, 1989, p. 2C). Having already upbraided both the "sentimental" and the "loony patriotic" for the disfiguring and distortion which they had visited upon World War Two history, he was here creating a separate category for himself out of both these, apparently convinced that sentiment and patriotism might be rescued from these unworthy pretenders, it being left unsaid that ignorance and bloodthirstiness could expect no champions regardless of the final conclusion and disposition. It might be cautionary however to keep in mind that the bloodthirsty and the ignorant are never vanquished from the field of writing about the past, and that there is never some "final verdict of history," which is one reason why it is extremely difficult not to react to the infectiousness of the enthusiastic, reckless arrogance of the profoundly uninformed amateur. This also partially explains why there is rarely a cause too bizarre to gain adherents and a personality so unbelievably outrageous as not to generate deeply impressed and convinced followers if not totally-captured zealots.
The Library of Congress identifies the general classification of War Time as principally concerned with the "psychological aspects" of World War Two (throwing in "propaganda" as a coda), but its subtitle is Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War. Psychology and behavior, understanding and insight are all interwoven in the individual personality, and have a substantial dependence on the amount of factual knowledge gained and present, or the lack or total absence of, as well as experience. The poverty-stricken intellect in the fields of politics, and surely economics, of the mass of the soldiery Prof. Fussell describes and serves as fugleman for, leads one to speculate how any managed any understanding whatever, wandering about mystified and in confused wonder at everything, and about as competent to analyze and sort out anything as a squirrel might be in attempting to figure out the significance of Sunday.
From internal evidence one might describe War Time as essentially a literary history of the war of 1939-1945, looking at things almost exclusively through the eyes of then contemporary British and American soldiers and civilians. It makes a minimum effort to summon or mobilize historians, and even for facts tends to depend on subjective contributions from others, which creep into the story from several vantage-points, sometimes almost by indirection. The primary sources are novelists, short-story writers, essayists, collections of letters published well after they were written, poets and various versifiers with output ranging from the profound to doggerel, biographers and diarists, some previously unpublished or long-delayed, with copious recourse to memoirs and random collections in productions of several kinds of literary historical consequence; materials cited from the Imperial War Museum in London were of special interest to this reviewer. (Seven decades ago, when this writer was still a pre-schooler, the famed literary critic Carl van Doren observed that biographies had been in the hand of fictioneers and moralists for many centuries, while it was increasingly obvious that auto-biographies were greater snake-pits of these distorting influences. So it cautions one in using these as sources, as is also the case with diaries. A diarist has been said to be powerless before facts, but in diaries a quiet filtering-out process tends to take place, described by the colorful and the imaginative as a kind of literary Darwinism, with only those facts serving to defend the diarist, the "fittest," if you will, tending to survive in the record. One has to resist the tendency to esteem all sources as of equal validity.)
It need not be stressed that there is not the faintest reference to Revisionists or Revisionism in War Time, nor the remotest hint or citation of or to their work, even though the latter enterprises contain much related information of the sort used here. The impression reflected here and there is one of proposing that no one has got around to treat of the matters involved in the book before. The chief drawback of this book from a historical perspective, however, is its top-heavy reliance on sources published in the 12 years prior to its publication. Anything done on any historical subject so weighted on sources or recollections that long after the event excites a succession of reservations and much reflection. As to his own subjective commentary and narrative, there is an almost Chekhovian quality to his analysis of the things that hurt him so bad 45 years or more ago that he seems to be simply restating the contemporary reactions and observations. (It was Balzac who observed, "We describe best the things that have hurt us the most.")
War Time has no general bibliography but contains a thorough name and author index. However, checking authorities confined to source notes gathered at the back is a problem, since these authors are not indexed unless mentioned directly in the text. Several sources perform repeated service in various chapters, but, when serially cited, the page numbers may not be entered in the index, which creates additional labor for those who are not content simply to glide along with the story, which is easy to do, as it is expertly told. Prof. Fussell is a foxy and subtle writer who enjoys distinction among pedagogues; he actually is vastly readable, as against the general output of a class of users of the printed form who make about the same impression in English as they might in Sanskrit. Since the chapters of War Time leap abruptly from one subject to another, disturbing those who expect a sustained narrative, the style seems to change as well. Some parts appear to be written in the candid, ingenuous manner of the unpretentious wartime 20-year-old ignoramus, caught in this excruciating wartime insanity, utterly incapable of figuring out why and how he got there. Other parts are in a learned and sophisticated mode, employing here and there bits and pieces of a sense of humor which could be described as a concealed weapon, though there is the likelihood that if the general run of dunces stumbles across this work they will never realize it has been used on them.
Early chapters concerned with weaponry, tactics and strategy in the war cover familiar ground. There is interesting commentary on the gradual switch from lightness and accuracy to mass production of ever more heavy stuff, area-comprehensive saturation bombing and other recourses, drowning the enemy in continuous cloudbursts of metal; the movement from rifles to automatic weapons, flame throwers and other mass-dispersal armament requiring no more skill than the ability to point them somewhere, culminating in the ultimate mass weapon used against an entire community, the atom bomb, all in all an insightful discourse.
Prof. Fussell's complaint about inferior weapons and related commentary about performance, accepting Max Hastings' conclusion that when the combatants faced one another in equal numbers the Germans were invariably the best, recalls an observation made during the First World War. When General Robert Lee Bullard, one of the three top American commanders in France 1917-18, retired in December 1924, he made the remark that in the recently concluded combat one German soldier had been the equivalent of three "Allied." This stirred up a testy controversy in the daily press for weeks, and may have been difficult to prove concentrating exclusively on the Western Front, but was surely correct if one included what had transpired on the Eastern, where the Germans had simply pulped the armed forces of the Tsar, while maintaining what was essentially a holding action in the West, as was developed by early historians of the war such as the Briton A.F. Pollard and the American Carlton J.H. Hayes, whose works were probably the best until that of C.R.M.F. Cruttwell, published in 1934.
There may be an almost uncontrollable impulse to bulk out Prof. Fussell's account on the part of anyone who has worked this field as well in the last 40 years, though necessarily muffled in an examination such as this. This is demonstrable when it comes to matters of such fame and repute that they are long-ago established as icons, simply too numerous to memorialize. One might begin with the legendary "Battle of Britain," which in many ways set the pattern for the parade of semi or full fictions which are draped across the story of the war, a few of which are repeated in War Time. Especially recommended is the drastic deflation of the above by Wing Commander H.R. Allen, who took part in the saga, in the Times of London for September 15, 1978, far too long to reproduce here. Cmdr. Allen brings up an important point concerning war stories: their evolution from patent exaggerations to "emotive issues," which is worse. It has been argued for a long time that what people believe is secondary to what they want to believe, and that they are often more likely to exert themselves in the "cause" of the latter than in that of the former. (That Churchill carefully rehearsed and partially plagiarized his famous never-has-so-much-been-owed-to-so-few rhetoric and that his famed we-shall-fight-on-the-beaches etc. speech was really delivered on the radio by an actor are secondary incidentals.)
Concerning a few others, in the fiascoes-and-Pyrrhic-victories department, in the account of the unbelievable calamity of the Dieppe raid (which took place August 19, 1942 and not in the fall of that year, by the way), nothing is related that the survivors of it (which this writer has long called "a one-day Gallipoli") were considered so psychologically destroyed that they were never again committed to combat. Prof. Fussell is even more appalled by what transpired in November. 1943 at Tarawa. a three-square-mile atoll in the Gilbert Islands, just north of the Equator and about 500 miles west of the International Date Line, a part of the British Empire at least nominally since 1892 and by formal annexation in 1915. This island had been taken and fortified by the Japanese, and defended by a contingent of land-based sailors (supported by a goodly detachment of Korean laborers, incidentally). It was overcome by a formidable American invasion assisted by almost unopposed air and naval support, but at such a cost of life that it provoked a poltical storm in the U.S.A. It had an acrid anti-climax, not commented upon here. Two hours after "victory," the British flag was run up over the premises; what thousands of Americans had been killed and wounded to take from Imperial Japan was virtually a coconut plantation owned by a London-based soap and detergents company. Even contemporary Time magazine, which Prof. Fussell does not like, reported this in an issue printed after the battle.
In another department the author of War Time must be congratulated for a brilliant piece of Revisionist detective work. This is the disclosure that one of the war's most mawkish propaganda works of sentimental blubbery, the book My Sister and I, was not written by a Dutch lad describing the awful German hordes "raping" his homeland in the 1940s (a variation and new wrinkle on the similar tear-jerkers about the Germans in adjoining Belgium in 1914), but by an American editor of a major publisher right in the safe and secure haven of his New York City editorial premises, enough to make a propaganda-balloon-buster positively glow. One might hope that this would lead to a deep investigation of a hundred or so other books produced in the U.S.A. and Britain 1939-45; who knows what absorbing scandal such an enterprise might produce. The successful foisting upon the public of one knee-slapper should suggest the perpetration of others, in analogy with the conclusion that observing a rat on a farm indicates the presence of many more. And in view of the American avidity for the outpourings of mountebanks, blatherskites and snake-oil-sellers over the decades, there could be the makings of a veritable industry of disclosure of fakes (such as Leland Stowe's 1940 journalistic inventions that German success in Norway was due to a plenitude of native Norwegian traitors.)
In a book which tries to concentrate on states of mind brought about by reaction to various wartime realities, attention to the "common soldier" obviously bulks heavily, despite the score or more of substantial deviations from this expected concentration. As a consequence one might expect that various topics would get more attention than they do, especially the pathologies of armies and related wartime behavior, which after all is advertised in the very subtitle of the book. But there are some.
For those with long memories or an interest in literature, it seems obvious that the direct ancestor or inspiration for Chapter 7 is the celebrated novel by John Dos Passos, Three Soldiers (Doran, 1921), with its top-heavy concentration on the subject of "barracks pettiness" and the endless aggravations of the minutiae of day-to-day army life, the continuous perpetration by the lower chain of command of irksome and often enraging trivial impositions resulting in what one World War One era writer in another context described as a residue of "sullen masses of animosity." A contemporary reviewer of Three Soldiers (E.L. Pearson, in The Independent, October 1, 1921, p. 16), remarked, "all the profanity and obscenity of talk in the barracks is reported with the pedantic accuracy of a dictaphone," and perhaps there will be readers of War Time nearly 70 years later who find this same quality (though they might style it "vulgarity" rather than "profanity" or "obscenity"). Such readers may agree with the First War Establishment luminary, Coningsby Dawson, and his complaint in the New York Times (October 2, 1921) against Dos Passos for his "intemperance in language" and his "dismal vituperation," in applying similar strictures to Fussell. There may, even today, be readers of this chapter in War Time who will react in the same way as the famed literary critic Henry Seidel Canby predicted concerning Dos Passos' work, that "dainty readers" might be "shocked" and others might forbid their youth to read it, but in view of what has transpired in domestic mores in the interim between these two books, the latter may be little more than the traditional "corporal's guard."
The brief relation on desertion in Britain at the moment of the invasion of France in 1944 merits more attention to this subject, and a note on its subsequent neglect. A related topic is the massive misappropriation of Army supplies and participation in the civilian black market in more than one region of Europe during hostilities. Carl Dreher, a widely published engineer and three-year veteran of the Army Air Force, remarked in an article in the Virginia Quarterly Review (Winter, 1947) that it is questionable whether any army in history ever looted itself as did that of the U.S.A. in France, presumably in the concluding calendar year of the war. Time reported on one occasion that AWOLs and deserters stole a whole train in the environs of Paris. It was repeatedly reported that many military personnel were known to have sent home more money than they had been paid, while Steven Linakis, in his book In the Spring the War Ended (Putnam, 1965), which certainly compares with the work of James Jones, buried in novel form an additional account of widespread looting of supplies for sale to Belgians by AWOLs and deserters after V-E Day. Linakis' mention of "Slovik" reminds one that Prof. Fussell does not cite William Bradford Huie's The Execution of Private Slovik (Signet, 1954) and the entire subject of desertion in aspects unrelated to the exploitation of goods-starved civilian-war-zone Europe.
Fussell likewise neglects similar evidences of less than lustrous elan. Obviously in the Pacific island war a different situation existed, as there was no place to flee to upon becoming AWOL, but the New York Post writer John Hohenberg, in his book New Era in the Pacific (Simon & Schuster, 1972), brought up the subject of "insurrections" among American troop concentrations in the Far East in the closing weeks of the war in Asia. If someone is going to get involved in a detailed account of the bleak and melancholy aspects of the war's underside, it is suggested that topics such as these deserve ample airing. Among sources not found in War Time one might review the piece by John McPartland, "The Second Aftermath," in Harper's for February 1947. "This was not a generation of heroes," he declared in summary, having already demonstrated why he came to that conclusion.
All this brings up an umbilically-related subject for a book seriously concerned about behavior, but there is no substantive treatment in War Time about the administration of normal discipline in the Anglo-American armies, 1941-45. Since this was a matter of major concern in the First War, the silence merits attention. In testimony before the Senate Committee on Military Affairs February 13, 1919, Brig. Gen. Samuel T. Ansell testified that there had been 370,000 soldiers courtmartialed 1917-1918 (New York Times, Feb. 14, 1919, p. 1, and the shocked and outraged editorial on this figure in The Nation, Feb. 22, 1919, p. 267). A vituperative controversy erupted over this, and lasted all year, with the Wilson Administration and its military establishment stoutly defending the program, and Gen. Ansell (subsequently reduced in rank) a fierce and unrelenting critic. The newspaper coverage of this battle over the military discipline program (there were many harsh sentences for really trivial offenses) would if collected make a thick volume. Apparently the situation which prevailed 1939-45 was of a somewhat different order.
Going on to other affairs, especially absorbing is Prof. Fussell's Chapter 9, "Type-casting," a recapitulation of the generally circulated stereotypes of the adversary during the war, with heavy emphasis on the Japanese, and appropriately decorated with one of the more poisonous cartoons by Arthur Szyk, unparalleled by any other caricaturist of either of the World Wars for skill in dehumanizing the enemy, putting even the formidable Louis Raemaekers of 1914-18 well in the shade. The racial nature of the war in Asia was recognized by any number of people even before it spilled over to engage the U.S.A. in December 1941, and scores of stupid views were fully aired during the nearly four years of combat thereafter. In 1945, well before its end, the famed political figure Norman Thomas described the Pacific War as "an organized race riot," and many of its outrageous excesses became widely known long ago, many spectacular examples and incidents finally being gathered together by Prof. John W. Dower in his book War Without Mercy (Pantheon Books, 1986); this work is cited once in War Time but its author is not listed in the index. An early memoir of this, at a time when the publication of such observations was deeply resented, was "One War Is Enough," by Edgar L. Jones, in the Atlantic Monthly for February, 1946, which this writer found most impressive. But printed references to Japanese skulls ending in the USA as ashtrays and polished shin bones as letter openers could be found (in a local example, a Colorado dentist canceled the bill of one politician's son in 1942 upon the promise of getting in return from him later a pair of Japanese ears).
People who had studied a modicum of Asian history and economics here in the decade before Pearl were aware of many preposterous stereotypes about the Japanese which are not to be found mentioned in War Time, and a few had more general consequences than simply feeding the superiority fantasies of the intellectually under-privileged; the latter was part of what had brought the war about in the first place, though ignorance of that was perhaps not really the fault of those doing the fighting. One nutty notion abroad in America, which this writer remembers hearing about the time of the Shanghai crisis in 1932, was that the Japanese suffered from a racial defect which made it almost impossible for them to maneuver an aircraft correctly. Several Japanese naval fliers brought down in excess of fifty U.S. and other "Allied" aircraft in the war, one exceeding the top U.S. "ace" by about 65; respect for the Japanese, as Prof. Fussell says, was very low but respect for his Zero fighter plane was quite high for some time, until Japan ran out of materials with which to make them. Another fairy tale whispered that they had been fed misleading ship-building plans, resulting in several capsizing upon launching. This must have entertained their naval architects and shipyards, which during the war built the two largest battleships the world has ever seen; the world's largest aircraft carrier; the world's largest submarine, capable of holding three aircraft; and, among other things, the world's largest and deadliest torpedo, as the British found out off Malaya (December, 1941) and later off Ceylon (April 3-10, 1942).
It is too bad Americans did not read George Bronson Rea's Shanghai-published English-language Far Eastern Review in the 1920s and 1930s (Franklin D. Roosevelt apparently did once in awhile, as he had an article in it in August, 1923 which was almost fulsome in its praise of the Japanese). They might have learned via thousands of photographs of the stunning urban and industrial development going on in Japan and might have been far better prepared for what happened than to go into war in 1941 thinking they were facing idiots and weaklings swishing around in kimonos, drinking tea and bowing all the time while putting together only light bulbs, Christmas tree ornaments and silk stockings. Even people who just play games know that it is a very grave mistake to underestimate an adversary.
A telephone booth might have held those American soldiers who were aware of the book-length calls for war with Japan 1906-1941, from Homer Lea through McCormick, Pooley, Millard, the American-in-China businessman-Sinophile Carl Crow, and related contributions from about forty others; the eerie prediction of 1941-45 by the British intelligence officer and student of naval architecture, Hector Bywater, in his famed bestseller of 1925, The Great Pacific War (Houghton Mifflin), which described a Japanese-American war raging between 1931 and 1933; and the tactical rehearsal in detail of the Pearl attack itself in February, 1932 by U.S. Admiral Harry E. Yarnell's ship-based war-games aerial assault. It had taken Walter B. Pitkin 535 pages just to summarize the subject through 1920 in his Must We Fight Japan? (Century, 1921). But at about the time of the 1932 Hawaii war games, Helen Keller, speaking in John Haynes Holmes's Community Church in New York City, suggested the emphasis was starting to switch from a U.S.-Japan war to a USSR-Japan war, which then dominated things for some five or six years, while a growing contingent of pro-Maoist, Stalinist and Trotskyite reporters started pounding the war drums in the American press. This was to be followed by a new wave of truculence beginning in the fall of 1937 with Pres. Roosevelt's quarantine-the-aggressors speech (Americans were starting to mobilize for the defense of the Euro-American colonial system in Asia), a virtual paraphrase of one delivered a short time before by the US Communist Party chief Earl Browder, and a heightening season of tension for four years after that.
It is obvious from what Prof. Fussell relates at a number of places in his book that the American soldiery in the Pacific had not the faintest idea of what they were confronting, reflecting among other things a lack of interest in a frightfully bad education for the previous 20 or more years, and had to substitute something for nothing, hence the stultified imaginations and internalizations of the ugliest of racial propaganda insinuations, all of which made things harder and worse as the war proceeded (and many of which are still in place despite the passage of 45 years). But the young men who were to do the fighting's understanding of the buildup just before the December, 1941 showdown was fully as dim, if such were possible, as it was of all the history sketched above. If, for instance, there was a single American in Hawaii who had ever heard of Kyatsu Sato's book, A Japanese-American War Is Imminent, issued in Japan and reviewed here by Walker Matheson five months before Pearl (The Living Age, July, 1941, pp. 437-38), he would have been a Western Hemisphere intellectual standout.
Going on to other things, Chapter 13, "With One Voice," is an entertaining discourse on popular culture during hostilities, both in the armed forces and the civilian world. This also excites comparison with the First War. What a literary veteran of the 1917-18 time, James Rorty, described as the "herd rhythms" of the general public and the soldiery in those days were truly awful, and there were in excess of three score of utterly execrable "songs" perpetrated on America and the world (some sold in the millions), especially by the phonograph, to prove it (how could you beat the likes of "Hello Central, Give Me No Man's Land," "When Tony Goes Over The Top," and "Mammy's Chocolate Soldier"?). There is no indication of it in War Time but in the six weeks after Pearl the composers of the land copyrighted about 300 new songs, a very large number incorporating vicious and malevolent racial and ethnic abuse, obviously directed at raising public hackles and universal murderous sentiment. But not one of them faintly approached the status of a war propaganda sing-along such as "Over There" by George M. Cohan (big in 1917, nearly ignored by the industry in 1918), and few were ever performed anywhere. It was the utterly unmartial that stuck this time, and so distressingly sentimental and treacly that the totality was an incitation to desertion. It is additionally ironic that what Prof. Fussell describes as the Second War’s "singing anthem," the "Beer Barrel Polka," was a pre-war importation from Czecho-Slovakia, performed by a Prague musette-orchestra, and was on the juke boxes of the country nation-wide as a wordless instrumental number well before a set of lyrics in English were supplied and generally sung in accompaniment.
A generous part of War Time is Prof. Fussell's fond memorial of and tribute to wartime literature, all of Chapters 15 and 16 (and parts of others, for that matter), the former being devoted primarily to Cyril Connolly and the inception and contents of the remarkable London magazine Horizon, which well preceded U.S.A. wartime involvement. That this should be done is entirely proper in a volume by a distinguished professor of English literature with an education spanning the Ivy Leagues of both coasts, from matriculation in the nucleus of the Claremont Colleges in California to the terminal doctorate from Harvard.
One is again impelled to recall the 1917-18 experience while reading this charming reconstruction. The second time around the war government did not create an agency to police and censor the armed-forces reading, like the First Wares War Library Service, with its perfumed and denatured reading manual, Books In Camp, Trench and Hospital (2 editions, 1917 + 1918). But it had a much more sophisticated guide through the corral in the shape of the publishing industry's self-policing and self-censoring Council on Books In Wartime, which blanketed both armed forces and home front with millions of copies of laboratory-tested and inexpensively processed books calculated to boost "morale" as well as to sell political positions and other things, including recreation and what the author designates as "diversion."
He is far too realistic, however, to suggest that the Council's highbrow literature was the general fare of the soldiery at large. On p. 250 he frankly declares, "the comic book was the book of the war," "the favorite reading in the armed forces." Even this represents an advance in literacy on the previous war, however. In 1919 the War Department released figures indicating that one out of every four of those registering for conscription in 1917-18 between the ages of 21 and 31 had been unable whatsoever to read or write, some 700,000 (New York Times, February 18, 1919, p. 11). Those barely able to do either undoubtedly were a much larger number, especially in view of over 24 million ultimately registered by the end of the war in a somewhat expanded age spread. This illiteracy statistic, which got wide attention in the nation's post-war press, was responsible during the years 1919-23 for the first big drive to bring about the inclusion of a Department of Education in the federal government. (It is standard narrative that the decision to build an army out of conscriptees rather than volunteers was an idea of the Chief of Staff, General Hugh Scott, and impressed upon War Secretary Newton D. Baker, who "sold" the idea to Pres. Wilson. All dictionaries concede that the origins of the slang term for World War One American soldiers, "doughboys," are "obscure," but seem never to have contemplated this word in relation to the name of the key figure in the mass roundup of American manpower. One must assume dragnets of such vast scope will always uncover a lot of things those responsible for administration thereof wish they had not found out.) Whatever may be the situation, by 1941 we had a vast legion with at least a rudimentary vocabulary (word counts by specialists published in such sources as the Quarterly Journal of Speech calculated that Pres. Roosevelt's famed "fireside chats" to the nation 193341 consisted almost entirely of the most common 900 words in the English tongue), and found that range of expression satisfied by cartoon magazines.
The author pays proper obeisance to the contemporary conventions and fixations re "race" and ethnic considerations which have loomed ever so much larger in the last 30 years, and manages to read history backward a bit in "presentist" fashion in so doing, finding sinister things in the spread magazine advertising of the 1940-45 time, in what was a quite innocent context then and of course seen as so abhorrent today, especially in the super-hypersensitive Halls of Poison Ivy. It is an aspect of unending tendencies to adjust the past to the present, reflected on an obvious level by the laying low of statues, renaming of buildings because the original designates have fallen into disrepute for something done long ago now thought to be shameful, expunging of past awards and honors, retroactive cancellation of university degrees and other similar efforts to demonstrate the higher degree of purity now prevailing in public affairs and the superior sanctity in perception of righteousness. Here it has become "trendy" not only to deplore the actions of predecessors, which is bound to take place in reassessments of what things mean, but also to make positive physical changes in the landscape and alterations in the printed record to emphasize that contemporaries have not only become penitent in their name ex post facto but are willing to consider them to be non-persons in the effort to make it evident that "conversion" to a more holy state of ceremonial conscience has been effected. This impulse not only encourages the alteration of the record: it subtly attempts to include in the record things that never took place.
It used to be a conviction generations ago that the only certainty upon the outbreak of war was that one side would not win. Modern wars are mainly lost by both sides, though it takes awhile for this to be realized. In first shock of apparent "victory," however, the "winners" are posed no questions nor ever expected to answer any, while the defeated ("victory is with the defeated," wrote the 16th century German scholar Sebastian Franck) have to answer for everything, including a range of things that should have happened if they did not.
(Many people have difficulty distinguishing what they have experienced from what they have imagined, and in wartime this becomes a widespread disability, partially reflected in such consequences as wondrous fabricated inventions conjured-up apparitions and narrative filled with fictions, left to be undone when [and if] sobriety returns and those who have lost their heads find them again.)
In dwelling on the diversions of the armed forces of 1940-45, however, Fussell does not lean backward to examine any possible relation between then and now in another pressing matter of almost total absorption on the part of those of our moment, like "racism," namely, drugs. Preoccupation with alcohol and drunkenness as a distraction is another social fact with heavy echoes of 1917-18, but Prof. Fussell fails to pick up any strain of involvement with the hard narcotics or even marijuana, already a national recreation well before the start of world hostilities in 1939. We know World War I sent home to the U.S.A. a substantial cohort hooked on morphine, largely resulting from primary exposure in French front-line medical stations and hospitals, where it was a routinely administered painkiller. And Paris police submitted a memorandum to the Wilson government in the summer of 1920, first published here in the administration's Commerce Reports and filtering thereafter into the general press, claiming that 1,500 U.S. deserters were making a living at criminal enterprise in Paris and vicinity supplying guns and deriving their income "chiefly from the illicit sale of drugs." Though profoundly embarrassing and outrageously unacceptable socially in the American scene (a drunk in the family was admitted as casually as one with bad eyesight, but who ever acknowledged a dope addict?), hard drugs were as big in the Prohibition era as was booze, even if this phenomenon still lacks a decent chronicling. Maybe someone will get around to this some time, but the subject is hardly a recent topic (vide the famed "war on drugs" waged by the League of Nations in 1924-25 and thereabouts, while the 1909 "war on drugs" has long been forgotten).
Readers with a fair grasp of economic history will surely assess Prof. Fussell as an amateur at that kind of enterprise, and the part of his book dealing with the home front is the weakest. Only 15 when the war began and barely 20 when wounded in combat in 1945, the author obviously had no personal experience of any significance in the complex rat race of induced administrative shortages, rationing, price controls, evasion, product degeneration and alteration, black market operations, criminal expertise of several kinds and a variety of related subjects which were a part of the economic experience here (he manages to mention a couple.) War Time does not come within many magnitudes of the chapter-and-verse excoriation one finds in such as Prof. Fred A. Shannon's America's Economic Growth (3rd. ed., Macmillan, 1951.) (The American standard of living declined markedly 1942-45 despite the flood of money which war production bestowed upon the populace.) His brief reportage on the gray, gritty bleakness of early '40s wartime Britain is good, but another part of it sounds like a remembrance-of-upper-middle-class-dinners-past, though lacking Proust's obsession with cauliflower.
Fussell's strong suit is analysis of advertising in American magazines of the war era, but he neglects the part played by advertisers, not in trying to sell the war and everyone doing their part, but in trying to prime future consumers for the period after the war, a sorry ploy grossly overplayed by all. As Prof. Shannon remarked acidly, "The 'golden postwar future' consisted of the ball-point pen." As for economic crime and the home front economy, we still have only a partial picture of that even now. The fortunes made by organized crime out of the war have been partially documented (see for instance the Valachi Papers); as the implacable Mafia-pursuer, Ralph Salerno, put it, "World War Two came as a godsend to the Mafia." On the legitimate side we may, some decade, get as clear a picture of what happened domestically as we had of 1917-18 by as early as 1925. The Senate Investigating Committee chaired by Harry S. Truman of Missouri in 1942, while revealing some $50 billion had already been skimmed off war contracts as "slush," quoted one company executive testifying before it as saying, "If it had not been for taxes, we could not have handled our profits with a steam shovel." (Shannon, op. cit., p. 841.)
There have been many eloquent statements across the years describing war as the occasion for the ultimate in sacrifices. War is also the occasion for the achievement of the ultimate in swinery, and the rise to prominence, according to the famed British liberal, John Bright (1811-1889), of the worst of a nation's leadership class or pool. Pondering this leads one to dwell for a moment upon the observation by Frank Moore Colby, this reviewer's favorite 20th century literary critic, that "Some of the best reasons for remaining at the bottom come from looking at what is at the top."
Prod Fussell's concluding chapter seems to have impressed early readers most, especially the gripping episodes of carnage quoted by him from various witnesses. In the main this depiction of outrageous incidents of gore and dismemberment seems to have borne in on particularly those who have no evident reading experience in World War One literature on the subject. Recommended are the books by Ellen La Motte, Georges Duhamel, Henri Barbusse, Andreas Latzko, Philip Gibbs, Roland Dorgelés and Ludwig Renn, among thirty or more memoirs which exceed what is at hand in sustained ghastliness, all but Renn appearing in the first wave of 1916-20 literary disclosure of the 1914-18 Schrecklichkeit. (Later in the decade there is a second surge which really does not compare with the earliest on record, though one may suggest the later books are more elegantly written.) It may be added, however, that as gruesome as are the incidents in War Time, anyone who had ever read reports of or talked to men attached to Graves Registraffon units might recall a far lengthier string of just as compelling recitations, and know that a vast number of soldiers' graves in combat lands contain only pieces of their bodies, and sometimes very little. They may also know that an uncounted multitude not only were never identified but never were reconstituted sufficiently to make possible a formal burial, as at Verdun, let alone the legions lost at sea. The World War II story, especially on the Eastern Front 1941-45 and, during much of the war, in Asia and the Pacific, may probably exceed a good part of 1914-18 if ever comprehensively told.
In a subject directly related to the above, there is no sustained discussion of the demographic impact of all the World War II loss of life upon America or Britain, let alone the rest of the world, in War Time, probably a reflection of its contemporary unfashionableness ("We have lost our best men," wailed a French letter writer to the editors of the American weekly The Nation early in 1919). Nor has anyone else since 1945 ever tried to describe the horrendous dysgenic consequences of the war to the human species as was developed with such ominous emphasis during World War I by the globally distinguished Stanford University biologist and educator, David Starr Jordan.
Since virtually no one took the time to look around after 1945 before the newest stages of perpetual war for perpetual peace set in, contemplating demographic consequences simply did not take place, neither in the manner of Dr. Jordan, nor the famed Red Cross figure, Homer Folks, whose The Human Costs of the War (Harper, 1920) was exceeded by no other memoir in exhibiting what the just-concluded conflict had done to the race, and certainly not as in the furious books of Duhamel, The Life of Martyrs and Civilization: 1914-1917 (the English titles of the translations), published here by Century in 1919. Duhamel was so repelled and disintegrated by what he had to cope with as a front line surgeon that he exploded in the conclusion of the second title above (which won a Goncourt Prize in France in 1918), "I hate the twentieth century as I hate rotten Europe and the whole world on which this wretched Europe is spread out like a great spot of axle-grease." The somber and morose assessments of these and others did not happen a second time, while the slack was immediately taken up by "defense" and the Cold War expansion into the affairs of those who permitted it or welcomed it, or who could not do anything about it. So it was no wonder that after 1945 there developed an approach which ignored demographic arithmetic and qualitative re-considerations, while assisting the emergence of a class of ideological desperadoes and related theoretical strategic "megadeath intellectual" assassins who coolly measured how many tens of millions might conveniently be sacrificed in the sustaining or extension of what was conceived as "freedom" and "democracy." Their assumptions seemed to be that it made no difference as long as the surviving breeding stock consisted of anyone resembling humans, and that no matter how physically or mentally defective a residue, the survivors could be confidently depended upon to swell a pool of offspring incorporating the joint qualities of Hercules and Isaac Newton. The assiduous peddling of and the mindless belief in the notion that things can only go up, never down, has helped bring about the decline or demise of more than one people and nation
In putting together this estimate and examination of War Time it was considered proper to leave for the last a look at the religious dimension of the war era, but this aspect, which stands so large in sketching in the final outlines of the Great War (as Prof. Fussell calls it throughout), is almost too brief to warrant a reflection, let alone a comparison with the earlier combat. There has been no Preachers Present Arms (1933) dealing with World War II ("Bloodthirsty Preachers: How They Fanned War Fever in 1914-18," as Newsweek so succinctly summarized Ray Hamilton Abrams' book). In War Time the subject is mainly represented by a few pages in Chapter 16's condensed literary history of the war, stressing the U.S. experience, and what perhaps the publishing industry was wishing the troops were reading, predominantly references to inspirational uplift and related morale-propping messages and narratives, mainly biblical and historical, with very little contemporary input (there were echoes of the first war to be encountered here and there, to be sure, such as the declaration in London by the Archbishop of York, quoted by Time of January 29, 1940, "We are fighting for Christian civilization," along with rather frequent assertions from Anglo-American clerics about how "righteous" it all was, but in the U.S.A. there really was no Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis this time around, nor even a Rev. John Roach Straton.) And as a result there was not the exhausted mindlessness that followed November 11, 1918 and the four years of straying from the ways of peace that they were supposed to have been following, reflected in the books various theologians and preachers wrote or tried to write from 1919-21, a sad record of stupid and paralyzed incoherence which effectively baffled those who read or attempted to read this material. Essentially, what happened in the aftermath of 1918 and of 1945 was so different that dwelling on the subject is to risk starting another book.
* * * * * *
Early in 1958 this reviewer wrote a lengthy dispatch to the editors of the magazine Liberation, suggesting among other matters the necessity of a systematic and extended debunking of World War II, and that if such did not take place in the manner of 1916-36, the citizenry had better start getting themselves measured for lead underwear. The editors gave my discourse prominent disclosure in a subsequent issue, but it inspired nothing, and a few years later, in the regime of the sainted John F. Kennedy, Americans all over the country were tearing up their driveways to install atom bomb shelters. And enough has been published in the last 30 years cringing over the possibility of a planet-wide atomic barbecue to fill a substantial library.
The war in need of deflation now having taken place so long ago, peculiar problems, provoking indeed grounds for a moment of hesitation, arise. Repeated surveys made in recent years of general levels of information prevailing reveal that there are young people who have grave difficulty placing the Second World War in the right century, let alone knowing who fought it and where. Undoubtedly there may be some among them that believe the First World War was one of the 12th-century Crusades, and if pressed, on a multiple choice test, might identify Belisarius as a junior officer under General George Patton at the Battle of Waterloo, and Procopius as a saxophone player in Duke Ellington's orchestra at the time of the 1939 New York World's Fair. In the meantime these ignoramuses are part of those who live in a world political community which has done little for four and a half decades except react to the debris and the officially-peddled legends of 1939-45, while occasionally scratching their chins and pates wondering what it.is all about.
Despite this degeneracy, every now and then a book comes along stirring up the hope once more that the campaign suggested above might start materializing. War Time is the latest. Though it is obvious such an intent is vastly remote from the author's object in writing it, nevertheless it is pleasant to contemplate it as the putative initial entry of a season of similar works (maybe 30 more would seem about right) to memorialize World War II in a manner attractive to the general Revisionist impulse.
All times are disorderly. The notion that human affairs move in the direction of something called "normalcy" is a hallucination. The most profound and impressive modern sources of disorder are big, long wars, the aftershocks of which roll across the world for generations in a series of massive political tidal waves, though few of the politicians and warriors live to see the consequences of their endeavors, or understand them if they do. On the literary, artistic and intellectual level, however, the reverberations of these epic struggles last far longer and probably will never entirely vanish as long as memory activated by curiosity bulks so large a part of the human psyche (it was Samuel Johnson who remarked that curiosity was "one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.") War Time embodies, at least in some measure, the inevitable, and possibly salutary, disquiet which must arise, above all for citizens of the "victorious" nations, in contemplating the reality of the Second World War.
Additional information about this document
|Author(s):||James Joseph Martin|
|Title:||A "Good War" It Wasn’t, Book Review|
|Sources:||The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 10, no. 1 (spring 1990), pp. 59-80|
|First posted on CODOH:||Nov. 13, 2012, 6 p.m.|
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1 For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
How lovely is your dwelling-place, O LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah 9 Look upon our shield, O God; look with favour on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Psalm 84 – Longing for God
(Verses 1-7) The sons of Korah are from the tribe of Levi. They are Kohathites who look after the gates and music in the Temple. Their heart and their work are in the worship of God in the Temple, referred to as ‘tabernacle’ or ‘tent’ here to signify God’s presence. A Christian does not base worship on a building, but on the Lord who has become his Saviour and is worthy of his praise and worship. But the obvious keen and enthusiastic way that these Temple servants want to worship God is a great example to us today. We should worship God in the fellowship of a Bible-believing church, with others who have turned from their sin to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. The ‘LORD of hosts’ is our Almighty Saviour God, worshipped by the Heavenly host of angels. The sons of Korah’s desire to worship God is expressed in phrases like ‘longs for’, ‘faints for’, and ‘cry out for the living God.’ God is very much ‘living’ in the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son—crucified to bear our sins and judgment but risen from the dead—and God the Holy Spirit, who gives spiritual life. The writer envies a swallow which can nest near the altar. You can only worship God as ‘my King and my God’ when you trust and know that Jesus is your personal Saviour. Then you can praise Him during each day, wherever you are. When you do that and rely on God’s strength to live a different life than you could as a non-Christian, you are on a blessed and daily spiritual ‘pilgrimage’ to honour God and see others trust Him. When you travel through life’s dry valleys of tears (‘Baca’ means ‘weeping’) God helps you to drink from His provision of the Holy Spirit in your life. He will help and strengthen you as you keep on trusting and praising Him. Each Lord’s Day try to do that with others.
(Verses 8-9) The psalmist asks God to hear his prayer and listen to Him. God always hears and listens to us when we pray with a sincere heart in the name of Jesus. He asks God to favour his ‘shield’ (the king) who is God’s ‘anointed one.’ Jesus is our King, but we also should pray for those who are in authority over us. The Bible asks us to pray for ‘kings and all those in authority’. (1 Timothy 2:2)
(Verses 10-12) One day praising the Lord is far better than a thousand days spent with ‘the wicked’ in other ways. ‘For the LORD God is a sun and shield’. The sun brings light and life. A shield protects. God brings you light, life and protection. He favours those trusting Him. He refuses ‘no good thing’ if you walk blamelessly with Him each day. That is why we can say, ‘blessed is the man who trusts in [Him]’. Do you?
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Citation: Welch B, “Critical Considerations in Choosing High Viscosity/High Volume Drug Delivery Devices”. ONdrugDelivery Magazine, Issue 83 (Feb 2018), pp 50-53.
There are some device design considerations that are common across the spectrum of biologics development. Bill Welch discusses these considerations, highlighting the advantage conferred by accounting for them early in the product lifecycle.
With the ongoing increase in biologics development, early involvement between drug manufacturers, device designers and device manufacturers is critical to the development of an effective and efficient drug/device lifecycle strategy. Many biologics are highly concentrated, so a prescribed dose may be very viscous, or require large volumes of the medication to be injected slowly over time. This can make it difficult to deliver a consistent dose, potentially impacting patient adherence to a given therapy, and so it naturally follows that device development considerations should begin as early as possible.
“Upon first consideration, the simplest solution would be to increase the needle diameter, thereby reducing plunger force to accommodate a more viscous formulation. However, a larger needle would increase pain at the site of injection, decreasing patient acceptance and adherence…”
These particularities of biologics have led to a rise in the popularity of wearable self-injection systems. Instead of scheduling a doctor’s appointment for certain treatments, a wearable device allows patients to self-administer large volume injectable medications. Some estimates predict that, by 2020, biologics will make up more than half of the world’s top 100 selling drugs. To keep pace, device designers must needs overcome the myriad challenges associated with delivering these drugs.
Chief amongst the issues associated with biologics are those of high viscosity and high volume. For proteins, issues of viscosity, solubility and protein aggregation become major obstacles, especially with the smaller-gauge needles that patients prefer. Biologics cannot be taken orally, so the question of how to deliver them via an injection, in a fashion satisfactory to the end-user, cannot be circumvented. Whilst these challenges are not unique to biologics, these drugs demand special attention from device developers.
DEVICE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
From a delivery device perspective, higher viscosity drugs require more force to push fluid through the narrow orifices used in delivery, for example a cannula. This force, or “syringeability” as it often called, is dependent upon many more factors than formulation viscosity alone, including desired flow rate, needle length and needle diameter. Any small change in the needle diameter will result in a large change in the plunger force.
Upon first consideration, the simplest solution would be to increase the needle diameter, thereby reducing plunger force to accommodate a more viscous formulation. However, a larger needle would increase pain at the site of injection, decreasing patient acceptance and adherence. But then again, maintaining a smaller needle will lead to higher than “normal” plunger force, leading to user fatigue and poor user experience. So, the conundrum for device designers is obvious, how best to balance these two opposed design problems and create the most positive user experience possible?
One solution is the use of an assisted delivery device, a common example being autoinjectors such as those used for epinephrine delivery. These can be fitted with power sources that drive the plunger at forces higher than could be provided comfortably by the user. This approach enables device designers to maintain a smaller gauge needle and place the burden on the power source to provide the high force needed for delivery. However, this approach comes with its own set of concerns and considerations (Figure 1). These include:
A power source capable of providing the force required to push large molecules through a small needle is often physically large. This goes contrary to market trends, which suggest that users prefer smaller devices.
New high-strength materials can be used to help alleviate the aforementioned size issue by deploying smaller wall sections and structural features in devices and container closures, thereby miniaturising them. New material technologies can also be used to derive power sources, usually springs, that are smaller and yet provide the same forces.
Stored energy devices, such as springs under compression, require robust safety features to prevent injury, device failures and accidental actuation. Where devices are delivering viscous drugs, this is crucially important. An accidental drop, material fatigue, failure of the glass container closure or excessive vibrations can lead to catastrophes that could injure users or prevent lifesaving drugs from being administered.
The autoinjector approach focuses on maintaining a smaller needle diameter by accepting a higher plunger force. This approach centres on different ways of executing a high force power source. Another approach could be reducing plunger force, whilst still maintaining a smaller gauge needle, by simply lowering any of the variables in the numerator of the Hagen-Poiseuille equation, assuming pressure at the needle is constant:
“The conundrum for device designers is obvious, how best to balance these two opposed design problems and create the most positive user experience possible?”
- F is the plunger force
- L is the length of the needle
- μ is the viscosity
- Q is the flow rate
- A is the area of the plunger
- D is the internal diameter of the needle.
One possible change would be to reduce the diameter of the plunger and thus the plunger area. However, this has size implications, as the syringe or device would need to become longer to accommodate the same drug volume, which raises further problems. Alternatively, the flow rate could be reduced, lowering the force but increasing delivery time. Likewise, decreasing viscosity can be achieved through dilution but the increased volume also increases delivery time. Therefore, these solutions require a different delivery approach that cannot be achieved through direct injection methods.
IV delivery is the extreme case. IV solutions have a much reduced viscosity over syringe based formulations, as well as a significantly reduced flow rate. However, this method greatly prolongs the delivery time. Whilst patients may accept this form of delivery for otherwise unavailable therapies, quicker and more convenient delivery methods are always preferred and are vastly more suitable for non-clinical settings. In response to these limitations, body-worn infusion pump devices may be an alternative worth investigation and investment.
These are already common in diabetes treatment, in which users wear an insulin pump connected to their body via a cannula. However, for delivering high volume drugs, a different perspective is required: the device needs to be treated as a prolonged injection device rather than a continual-use pump (Figure 2). Ergo, such wearable injectors carry their own new set of challenges:
The size challenge in body worn devices lies in the necessity to slow down the delivery speed. While the delivered force required to push the drug through a needle may be smaller, it needs to take place over a period of several minutes to a few hours. Any additional components that may be required to modulate the delivery rate will require more space, causing an undesirable creeping increase device size.
“Unlike prefilled syringes or autoinjectors devices, where the user maintains constant interaction throughout the injection, users of body worn devices cannot be expected to remain vigilance over the course of the procedure, which may take several minutes or even hours…”
Unlike prefilled syringes or autoinjectors, where the user maintains constant interaction throughout the injection, users of body worn devices cannot be expected to remain vigilance over the course of the procedure, which may take several minutes or even hours. Therefore, the ability of the device to provide error alerts, indicate progress and confirm delivery becomes critical, freeing the user to perform other activities whilst the wearable injector does its work.
Body Fixation Method
The first challenge with wearable devices is where they should be placed on the body (Figure 3). There are numerous questions that must be considered before a conclusion can be drawn:
- How sensitive is the tissue?
- Can an adhesive be used on this part of the body?
- Is the adhesive aggressive enough to hold the device in place over the required time period?
- Will it cause allergic reactions?
- Could or should a band of some description be used instead of an adhesive?
- Will the device need to survive wet conditions or withstand physical activity?
- How will the patient feel about wearing a device, is it obvious or obnoxious?
- Will the skin surface need to be shaved before application?
- Does the patient feel “tethered” by their device?
Another consideration is looking at alternate injection platforms departing completely from the conventional needle based designs. Microneedles and needle-free technologies are potential alternatives that could be explored for delivering high viscosity and/or high volume drugs.
Human Factors Considerations
As evidenced by the US FDA’s increased attention to human factors considerations in their appraisal of drug delivery devices, a thorough investigation of a user’s interaction is as important as the actual performance of the device. A device that is difficult for a patient to understand or use intuitively, even if it performs sublimely under perfect conditions, can detract from compliance. As such, device developers will often conduct design and manufacturing process failure mode and effects analyses (FMEAs) early in the product lifecycle. Discovering a significant potential use error, once the development or manufacturing phase has begun, can be costly.
“Connected devices are becoming more prevalent in the healthcare sector, as tech companies turn their attention to drug delivery devices and device designers take more note of the benefits connectivity has brought to other industries…”
Connected devices are becoming more prevalent in the healthcare sector, as tech companies turn their attention to drug delivery devices and device designers take more note of the benefits connectivity has brought to other industries. These benefits include monitoring patient compliance, tracking user activity and location to customise patient care, and managing refills. But these benefits need to be weighed against the implications of their deployment.
- What are the regulatory implications of including these technologies?
- Can third party apps be permitted and, if so, will necessary software updates be managed?
- How will the distribution of apps be managed for drug delivery devices?
- How will the user data, and the entities that hold and manage it, be regulated?
- What are the infrastructure implications?
- Who will manage user data?
- Will user data need to be anonymised?
- Which connectivity technologies should be used?
- How should device recycling or disposal be managed, is conventional sharps disposal compatible with electronic devices?
- Is hacking a threat and, if so, what is the best way to protect against it?
Manufacturers of devices will continue to repeat the mantra of “early engagement” with device designers and developers. This stems from the simple premise that it is easier, cheaper and quicker to make the inevitable change to a design at the beginning of the development cycle than it is toward the end. Manufacturing issues discovered after a design has been locked can cause severe delays or even derail the entire programme. This thought process applies to the drug developer and device designers alike, as earlier considerations regarding device strategy can avoid crippling challenges down the road.
Of course, it is worth restating, here at the conclusion, that the most critical and central consideration for device designers must always be the wellbeing of the patient.
Previous articleJOHN A MERHIGE, CREDENCE MEDSYSTEMS
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Thus you have the story. If I come short in any circumstance, I beg pardon of those that can correct me. It is three or four and twenty years since I saw the book; yet I have, as far as my memory will admit, given you the relation of the matter. However, Luke, as you see, doth here present you with the substance of the whole.21
Alas! Christ Jesus has but little thanks for the saving of little sinners. 'To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.' He gets not water for his feet, by his saving of such sinners. There are abundance of dry-eyed Christians in the world, and abundance of dry-eyed duties too; duties that never were wetted with the tears of contrition and repentance, nor ever sweetened with the great sinner's box of ointment. And the reason is, such sinners have not great sins to be saved from; or, if they have, they look upon them in the diminishing glass of the holy law of God.22 But, I rather believe, that the professors of our days want a due sense of what they are; for, verily, for the generality of them, both before and since conversion, they have been sinners of a lusty size. But if their eyes be holden, if convictions are not shown, if their knowledge of their sins is but like to the eye-sight in twilight; the heart cannot be affected with that grace that has laid hold on the man; and so Christ Jesus sows much, and has little coming in. Wherefore his way is ofttimes to step out of the way, to Jericho, to Samaria, to the country of the Gadarenes, to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and also to Mount Calvary, that he may lay hold of such kind of sinners as will love him to his liking (Luke 19:1-11; John 4:3-11; Mark 5:1-20; Matt 15:21-29; Luke 23:33-43).
But thus much for the sixth reason, why Christ Jesus would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, to wit, because such sinners, when converted, are apt to love him most. The Jerusalem sinners were they that outstripped, when they were converted, in some things, all the churches of the Gentiles. They 'were of one heart, and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own.' 'Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet,' &c. (Acts 4:32,35). Now, show me such another pattern, if you can. But why did these do thus? Oh! they were Jerusalem sinners. These were the men that, but a little before, had killed the Prince of life; and those to whom he did, that notwithstanding, send the first offer of grace and mercy. And the sense of this took them up betwixt the earth and the heaven, and carried them on in such ways and methods as could never be trodden by any since. They talk of the church of Rome, and set her, in her primitive state, as a pattern and mother of churches; when the truth is, they were the Jerusalem sinners, when converts, that out-did all the churches that ever were.
Seventh, Christ Jesus would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, because grace, when it is received by such, finds matter to kindle upon more freely than it finds in other sinners.
Great sinners are like the dry wood, or like great candles, which burn best and shine with biggest light. I lay not this down, as I did those reasons before, to show, that when great sinners are converted, they will be encouragement to others, though that is true; but to show, that Christ has a delight to see grace, the grace we receive, to shine. We love to see things that bear a good gloss; yea, we choose to buy such kind of matter to work upon, as will, if wrought up to what we intend, cast that lustre that we desire. Candles that burn not bright, we like not; wood that is green will rather smother, and sputter, and smoke, and crack, and flounce, than cast a brave light and a pleasant heat; wherefore great folks care not much, not so much, for such kind of things, as for them that will better answer their ends.
Hence Christ desires the biggest sinner; in him there is matter to work by, to wit, a great deal of sin; for as by the tallow of the candle, the first takes occasion to burn the brighter; so, by the sin of the soul, grace takes occasion to shine the clearer. Little candles shine but little, for there wanteth matter for the fire to work upon; but in the great sinner, here is more matter for grace to work by. Faith shines, when it worketh towards Christ, through the sides of many and great transgressions, and so does love, for that much is forgiven. And what matter can be found in the soul for humility to work by so well, as by a sight that I have been and am an abominable sinner? And the same is to be said of patience, meekness, gentleness, self-denial, or of any other grace. Grace takes occasion, by the vileness of the man, to shine the more; even as by the ruggedness of a very strong distemper or disease, the virtue of the medicine is best made manifest. 'Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound' (Rom 5:20). A black string makes the neck look whiter; great sins make grace burn clear. Some say, when grace and a good nature meet together, they do make shining Christians; but I say, when grace and a great sinner meet, and when grace shall subdue that great sinner to itself, and shall operate after its kind in the soul of that great sinner, then we have a shining Christian; witness all those of whom mention was made before.
Abraham was among the idolaters when in the land of Assyria, and served idols, with his kindred, on the other side of the flood (Josh 24:2; Gen 11:31). But who, when called, was there in the world, in whom grace shone so bright as in him? The Thessalonians were idolaters before the Word of God came to them; but when they had received it, they became examples to all that did believe in Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thess 1:6-10).
God the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son, are for having things seen; for having the Word of life held forth. They light not a candle that it might be put under a bushel, or under a bed, but on a candlestick, that all that come in may see the light (Matt 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; 11:33). and, I say, as I said before, in whom is it, light, like so to shine, as in the souls of great sinners?
When the Jewish Pharisees dallied with the gospel, Christ threatened to take it from them, and to give it to the barbarous heathens and idolaters. Why so? For they, saith he, will bring forth the fruits thereof in their season. 23 'Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof' (Matt 21:43).
I have often marvelled at our youth, and said in my heart, What should be the reason that they should be so generally at this day debauched as they are? For they are now profane to amazement; and sometimes I have thought one thing, and sometimes another; that is, why God should suffer it so to be? At last I have thought of this: How if the God, whose ways are past finding out, should suffer it so to be now, that he might make of some of them the more glorious saints hereafter. I know sin is of the devil, but it cannot work in the world without permission: and if it happens to be as I have thought, it will not be the first time that God the Lord hath caught Satan in his own design. For my part, I believe that the time is at hand, that we shall see better saints in the world than has been seen in it this many a day. And this vileness, that at present does so much swallow up our youth, is one cause of my thinking so; for out of them, for from among them, when God sets to his hand, as of old, you shall see what penitent ones, what trembling ones, and what admirers of grace, will be found to profess the gospel to the glory of God by Christ.
Alas! we are a company of worn-out Christians; our moon is in the wane; we are much more black than white, more dark than light; we shine but a little; grace in the most of us is decayed. But I say, when they of these debauched ones that are to be saved shall be brought in—when these that look more like devils than men shall be converted to Christ (and I believe several of them will), then will Christ be exalted, grace adored, the Word prized, Zion's path better trodden, and men in the pursuit of their own salvation, to the amazement of them that are left behind.
Just before Christ came into the flesh, the world was degenerated as it is now: the generality of the men in Jerusalem were become either high and famous for hypocrisy, or filthy, base in their lives. The devil also was broke loose in hideous manner, and had taken possession of many: yea, I believe, that there was never generation before nor since, that could produce so many possessed with devils, deformed, lame, blind, and infected with monstrous diseases, as that generation could. But what was the reason thereof, I mean the reason from God? Why, one—and we may sum up more in that answer that Christ gave to his disciples concerning him that was born blind—was, that 'the works of God should be made manifest' in them, and 'that the Son of God might be glorified thereby' (John 9:2,3; 11:4).
Now, if these devils and diseases, as they possessed men then, were to make way and work for an approaching to Christ in person, and for the declaring of his power, why may we not think that now, even now also, he is ready to come, by his Spirit in the gospel, to heal many of the debaucheries of our age? I cannot believe that grace will take them all, for there are but few that are saved; but yet it will take some, even some of the worst of men, and make blessed ones of them. But, O how these ringleaders in vice will then shine in virtue! They will be the very pillars in churches, they will be as an ensign in the land. 'The Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land' (Zech 9:16). But who are these? Even idolatrous Ephraim, and backsliding Judah (verse 13).
I know there is ground to fear, that the iniquity of this generation will be pursued with heavy judgments; but that will not hinder that we have supposed. God took him a glorious church out of bloody Jerusalem, yea, out of the chief of the sinners there, and left the rest to be taken and spoiled, and sold, thirty for a penny, in the nations where they were captives. The gospel working gloriously in a place, to the seizing upon many of the ringleading sinners thereof, promiseth no security to the rest, but rather threateneth them with the heaviest and smartest judgments; as in the instance now given, we have a full demonstration; but in defending, the Lord will defend his people; and in saving, he will save his inheritance.
Nor does this speak any great comfort to a decayed and backsliding sort of Christian; for the next time God rides post with his gospel, he will leave such Christians behind him. But, I say, Christ is resolved to set up his light in the world; yea, he is delighted to see his graces shine; and therefore he commands that his gospel should, to that end, be offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners; for by great sins it shineth most; therefore he saith, 'Begin at Jerusalem.'
Eighth, and lastly, Christ Jesus will have mercy to be offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, for that by that means the impenitent that are left behind will be, at the judgment, the more left withoutexcuse.
God's Word has two edges; it can cut back-stroke and fore-stroke. If it doth thee no good, it will do thee hurt; it is 'the savour of life unto life' to those that receive it, but of 'death unto death' to them that refuse it (2 Cor 2:15,16). But this is not all; the tender of grace to the biggest sinners, in the first place, will not only leave the rest, or those that refuse it, in a deplorable condition, but will also stop their mouths, and cut off all pretence to excuse at that day. 'If I had not come and spoken unto them,' saith Christ,' saith Christ, 'they had not had sin; but now they have no cloke for their sin'—for their sin of persevering in impenitence (John 15:22). But what did he speak to them? Why, even that which I have told you; to wit, That he has in special a delight in saving the biggest sinners. He spake this in the way of his doctrine; he spake this in the way of his practice, even to the pouring out of his last breath before them (Luke 23:34).
Now, since this is so, what can the condemned at the judgment say for themselves, why sentence of death should not be passed upon them? I say, what excuse can they make for themselves, when they shall be asked why they did not in the day of salvation come to Christ to be saved? Will they have ground to say to the Lord, Thou wast only for saving of little sinners; and, therefore, because they were great ones, they durst not come unto him; or that thou hadst not compassion for the biggest sinners, therefore I died in despair? Will these be excuses for them, as the case now standeth with them? Is there not everywhere in God's Book a flat contradiction to this, in multitudes of promises, of invitations, of examples, and the like? Alas! alas! there will then be there millions of souls to confute this plea; ready, I say, to stand up, and say, 'O! deceived world, heaven swarms with such as were, when they were in the world, to the full as bad as you!' Now, this will kill all plea or excuse, why they should not perish in their sins; yea, the text says they shall see them there. 'There shall be weeping-when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God' (Luke 13:28,29). Out of which company, it is easy to pick such as sometimes were as bad people as any [that] now breathe on the face of [the] earth. What think you of the first man, by whose sins there are millions now in hell? And so I may say, What think you of ten thousand more besides?
But if the Word will not stifle and gag them up—I speak now for amplification's sake—the view of those who are saved shall. There comes an incestuous person to the bar, and pleads, That the bigness of his sins was a bar to his receiving the promise. But will not his mouth be stopped as to that, when Lot, and the incestuous Corinthians, shall be set before him (Gen 19:33-37; 1 Cor 5:1,2).
There comes a thief, and says, Lord, my sin of thefts, I thought, was such as could not be pardoned by thee! But when he shall see the thief that was saved on the cross stand by, as clothed with beauteous glory, what further can he be able to object? Yea, the Lord will produce ten thousand of his saints at his coming, who shall after this manner 'execute judgment upon all, and so convince all that are ungodly among them—of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him' (Jude 15). And these are hard speeches against him, to say that he was not able or willing to save men, because of the greatness of their sins, or to say that they were discouraged by his Word from repentance, because of the heinousness of their offences. These things, I say, shall then be confuted. He comes with ten thousand of his saints to confute them, and to stop their mouths from making objections against their own eternal damnation.
Here is Adam, the destroyer of the world; here is Lot, that lay with both his daughters; here is Abraham, that was sometime an idolater; and Jacob, that was a supplanter; and Reuben, that lay with his father's concubine; and Judah, that lay with his daughter-in-law; and Levi and Simeon, that wickedly slew the Shechemites; and Aaron, that made an idol to be worshipped, and that proclaimed a religious feast unto it. Here is also Rahab the harlot, and Bathsheba, that bare a bastard to David. Here is Solomon, that great backslider; and Manasseh, that man of blood and a witch. Time would fail to tell you of the woman of Canaan's daughter, of Mary Magdalene, of Matthew the publican, and of Gideon and Samson, and many thousands more.
Alas! alas! I say, what will these sinners do, that have, through their unbelief, eclipsed the glorious largeness of the mercy of God, and gave way to despair of salvation, because of the bigness of their sins? For all these, though now glorious saints in light, were sometimes sinners of the biggest size, who had sins that were of a notorious hue; yet now, I say, they are in their shining and heavenly robes before the throne of God and of the Lamb, blessing for ever and ever that Son of God for their salvation, who died for them upon the tree; admiring that ever it should come into their hearts once to think of coming to God by Christ; but above all, blessing God for granting of them light to see those encouragements in his Testament; without which, without doubt, they had been daunted, and sunk down under guilt of sin and despair, as their fellow-sinners have done. But now they also are witnesses for God, and for his grace, against an unbelieving world; for, as I said, they shall come to convince the world of their speeches, their hard and unbelieving words, that they have spoken concerning the mercy of God, and the merits of the passion of his blessed Son, Jesus Christ.
But will it not, think you, strangely put to silence all such thoughts, and words, and reasons of the ungodly before the bar of God? Doubtless it will; yea, and will send them away from his presence also, with the greatest guilt that possibly can fasten upon the consciences of men.
For what will sting like this?—'I have, through mine own foolish, narrow, unworthy, undervaluing thoughts, of the love and ability of Christ to save me, brought myself to everlasting ruin. It is true, I was a horrible sinner; not one in a hundred did live so vile a life as I. But this should not have kept me from closing with Jesus Christ. I see now that there are abundance in glory that once were as bad as I have been; but they were saved by faith, and I am damned by unbelief. Wretch that I am! why did not I give glory to the redeeming blood of Jesus? Why did I not humbly cast my soul at his blessed footstool for mercy? Why did I judge of his ability to save me by the voice of my shallow reason, and the voice of a guilty conscience? Why betook not I myself to the holy Word of God? Why did I not read and pray that I might understand, since now I perceive that God said then, He giveth liberally to them that pray, and upbraideth not' (James 1:5).
It is rational to think, that by such cogitations as these, the unbelieving world will be torn in pieces before the judgment of Christ; especially those that have lived where they did or might have heard the gospel of the grace of God. Oh! that saying, 'It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the judgment than for them,' will be better understood (Luke 10:8-12). This reason, therefore, standeth fast; namely, that Christ, by offering mercy, in the first place, to the biggest sinners now, will stop all the mouths of the impenitent at the day of judgment, and cut off all excuse that shall be attempted to be made, from the thoughts of the greatness of their sins, why they came not to him.
I have often thought of the day of judgment, and how God will deal with sinners at that day; and I believe it will be managed with that sweetness, with that equitableness, with that excellent righteousness, as to every sin, and circumstance and aggravation thereof, that men that are damned, shall, before the judgment is over, receive such conviction of the righteous judgment of God upon them, and of their deserts of hell-fire, that they shall in themselves conclude, that there is all the reason in the world that they should be shut out of heaven, and go to hell-fire: 'These shall go away into everlasting punishment' (Matt 25:46).24
Only this will tear [them,] that they have missed of mercy and glory, and obtained everlasting damnation, through their unbelief; but it will tear but themselves, but their own souls; they will gnash upon themselves, for that mercy was offered to the chief of them in the first place, and yet they were damned for rejecting of it; they were damned for forsaking what they had a propriety in; for forsaking their own mercy.
And thus much for the reasons. Second, I will conclude with a word of application.
First, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then this shows us how to make a right judgment of the heart of Christ to men. Indeed, we have advantage to guess at the goodness of his heart by many things; as by his taking our nature upon him, his dying for us, his sending his Word and ministers to us, and all that we might be saved. But this of beginning to offer mercy to Jerusalem, is that which heightens all the rest; for this doth not only confirm to us, that love was the use of his dying for us, but it shows us yet more the depth of that love. He might have died for us, and yet have extended the benefit of his death to a few, as one might call them, of the best-conditioned sinners, to those who, though they were weak, and so could not but sin, yet made not a trade of sinning; to those that sinned not lavishingly. There are in the world, as one may call them, the moderate sinners; the sinners that mix righteousness with their pollutions; the sinners that, though they be sinners, do what on their part lies—some that are blind would think so—that they might be saved. I say, it had been love, great love, if he had died for none but such, and sent his love to such; but that he should send out conditions of peace to the biggest of sinners; yea, that they should be offered to them first of all; (for so he means when he says, 'Begin at Jerusalem';) this is wonderful! this shows his heart to purpose, as also the heart of God his Father, who sent him to do thus.
There is nothing more incident to men that are awake in their souls, than to have wrong thoughts of God—thoughts that are narrow, and that pinch and pen up his mercy to scanty and beggarly conclusions, and rigid legal conditions; supposing that it is rude, and an intrenching upon his majesty to come ourselves, or to invite others, until we have scraped and washed, and rubbed off as much of our dirt from us as we think is convenient, to make us somewhat orderly and handsome in his sight.25 Such never knew what these words meant, 'Begin at Jerusalem.' Yea, such in their hearts have compared the Father and his Son to niggardly rich men, whose money comes from them like drops of blood. True, say such, God has mercy, but he is loath to part with it; you must please him well, if you get any from him; he is not so free as many suppose, nor is he so willing to save as some pretended gospellers imagine. But I ask such, if the Father and Son be not unspeakably free to show mercy, why was this clause put into our commission to preach the gospel? Yea, why did he say, 'Begin at Jerusalem': for when men, through the weakness of their wits, have attempted to show other reasons why they would have the first proffer of mercy; yet I can prove, by many undeniable reasons, that they of Jerusalem, to whom the apostles made the first offer, according as they were commanded, were the biggest sinners that ever did breathe upon the face of God's earth (set the unpardonable sin aside); upon which [fact] my doctrine stands like a rock, that Jesus the Son of God would have mercy, in the first place, offered to the biggest sinners. And if this doth not show the heart of the Father and the Son to be infinitely free in bestowing forgiveness of sins, I confess myself mistaken.
Neither is there, set this aside, another argument like it, to show us the willingness of Christ to save sinners; for, as was said before, all the rest of the signs of Christ's mercifulness might have been limited to sinners that are so and so qualified; but when he says, 'Begin at Jerusalem,' the line is stretched out to the utmost; no man can imagine beyond it; and it is folly here to pinch and spare, to narrow, and seek to bring it within scanty bounds; for he plainly saith, 'Begin at Jerusalem,' the biggest sinner is the biggest sinner; the biggest is the Jerusalem sinner.
It is true, he saith, that repentance and remission of sins must go together, but yet remission is sent to the chief, the Jerusalem sinner; nor doth repentance lessen at all the Jerusalem sinner's crimes; it diminisheth none of his sins, nor causes that there should be so much as half an one the fewer; it only puts a stop to the Jerusalem sinner's course, and makes him willing to be saved freely by grace; and for time to come to be governed by that blessed word that has brought the tidings of good things to him. Besides, no man shows himself willing to be saved that repenteth not of his deeds; for he that goes on still in his trespasses, declares that he is resolved to pursue his own damnation further.
Learn then to judge of the largeness of God's heart, and of the heart of his Son Jesus Christ, by the Word; judge not thereof by feeling, nor by the reports of thy conscience; conscience is ofttimes here befooled, and made to go quite beside the Word. It was judging without the Word that made David say, I am cast off from God's eyes, and 'shall perish one day by the hand of Saul' (Psa 31:22; 1 Sam 27:1). The Word had told him another thing; namely, that he should be king in his stead. Our text says also, that Jesus Christ bids preachers, in their preaching repentance and remission of sins, begin first at Jerusalem; thereby declaring most truly the infinite largeness of the merciful heart of God and his Son, to the sinful children of men. Judge thou, I say, therefore, of the goodness of the heart of God and his Son, by this text, and by others of the same import; so shalt thou not dishonour the grace of God, nor needlessly fright thyself, nor give away thy faith, nor gratify the devil, nor lose the benefit of God's Word. I speak now to weak believers.
Second, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, to the Jerusalem sinners? Then, by this also, you must learn to judge of the sufficiency of the merits of Christ; not that the merits of Christ can be comprehended, for that they are beyond the conceptions of the whole world, being called 'the unsearchable riches of Christ'; but yet they may be apprehended to a considerable degree. Now, the way to apprehend them most, is, to consider what offers, after his resurrection, he makes of his grace to sinners; for to be sure he will not offer beyond the virtue of his merits; because, as grace is the cause of his merits, so his merits are the basis and bounds upon and by which his grace stands good, and is let out to sinners. Doth he then command that his mercy should be offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? It declares, that there is a sufficiency in his blood to save the biggest sinners. 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' And again, 'Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [this man's merits] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses' (Acts 13:38).
Observe, then, thy rule to make judgment of the sufficiency of the blessed merits of thy Saviour. If he had not been able to have reconciled the biggest sinners to his Father by his blood, he would not have sent to them, have sent to them in the first place, the doctrine of remission of sins; for remission of sins is through faith in his blood. We are justified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in the blood of Christ. Upon the square, as I may call it, of the worthiness of the blood of Christ, grace acts, and offers forgiveness of sin to men (Eph 1:7; 2:13,14; Col 1:20-22). Hence, therefore, we must gather, that the blood of Christ is of infinite value, for that he offereth mercy to the biggest of sinners. Nay, further, since he offereth mercy, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, considering also, that this first act of his is that which the world will take notice of, and expect it should be continued unto the end. Also it is a disparagement to a man that seeks his own glory in what he undertakes, to do that for a spurt, which he cannot continue and hold out in. This is our Lord's own argument, He began to build, saith he, but was not able to finish (Luke 14:30).
Shouldst thou hear a man say, I am resolved to be kind to the poor, and should begin with giving handfuls of guineas, you would conclude, that either he is wonderful rich, or must straiten his hand, or will soon be at the bottom of his riches. Why, this is the case: Christ, at his resurrection, gave it out that he would be good to the world; and first sends to the biggest sinners, with an intent to have mercy on them. Now, the biggest sinners cannot be saved but by abundance of grace; it is not a little that will save great sinners (Rom 5:17). And I say again, since the Lord Jesus mounts thus high at the first, and sends to the Jerusalem sinners, that they may come first to partake of his mercy, it follows, that either he has unsearchable riches of grace and worth in himself, or else he must straiten his hand, or his grace and merits will be spent before the world is at an end. But let it be believed, as surely as spoken, he is still as full as ever. He is not a jot the poorer for all the forgiveness tha the has given away to great sinners. Also he is still as free as at first; for he never yet called back this word, Begin at the Jerusalem sinners. And, as I said, since his grace is extended according to the worth of his merits. I conclude, that there is the same virtue in his merits to save now, as there was at the very beginning, Oh! the riches of the grace of Christ! Oh! the riches of the blood of Christ!
Third, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners? Then here is encouragement for you that think, for wicked hearts and lives, you have not your fellows in the world, yet to come to him.
There is a people that therefore fear lest they should be rejected of Jesus Christ, because of the greatness of their sins; when, as you see here, such are sent to, sent to by Jesus Christ, to come to him for mercy: 'Begin at Jerusalem.' Never did one thing answer another more fitly in this world, than this text fitteth such a kind of sinners. As face answereth face in a glass, so this text answereth the necessities of such sinners. What can a man say more, but that he stands in the rank of the biggest sinners? let him stretch himself whither he can, and think of himself to the utmost, he can but conclude himself to be one of the biggest sinners. And what then? Why, the text meets him in the very face, and saith, Christ offereth mercy to the biggest sinners, to the very Jerusalem sinners. What more can be objected? Nay, he doth not only offer to such his mercy, but to them it is commanded to be offered in the first place: 'Begin at Jerusalem.' 'Preach repentance and remission of sins among all nations: beginning at Jerusalem.' Is not here encouragement for those that think, for wicked hearts and lives, they have not their fellows in the world?
Objection. But I have a heart as hard as a rock.
Answer. Well, but this doth but prove thee a biggest sinner.
Objection. But my heart continually frets against the Lord.
Answer. Well, this doth but prove thee a biggest sinner.
Objection. But I have been desperate in sinful courses.
Answer. Well, stand thou with the number of the biggest sinners.
Objection. But my gray head is found in the way of wickedness.
Answer. Well, thou art in the rank of the biggest sinners.
Objection. But I have not only a base heart, but I have lived a debauched life.
Answer. Stand thou also among those that are called the biggest sinners. And what then? Why, the text swoops you all; you cannot object yourselves beyond the text. It has a particular message to the biggest sinners. I say, it swoops you all.26
Objection. But I am a reprobate.
Answer. Now thou talkest like a fool, and meddlest with what thou understandest not: no sin, but the sin of final impenitence, can prove a man a reprobate; and I am sure thou hast not arrived as yet unto that; therefore thou understandest not what thou sayest, and makest groundless conclusions against thyself. Say thou art a sinner, and I will hold with thee; say thou art a great sinner, and I will say so too; yea, say thou art one of the biggest sinners, and spare not; for the text yet is beyond thee, is yet betwixt hell and thee; 'Begin at Jerusalem' has yet a smile upon thee; and thou talkest as if thou wast a reprobate, and that the greatness of thy sins do prove thee so to be, when yet they of Jerusalem were not such, whose sins, I dare say, were such, both for bigness and heinousness, as thou art not capable of committing beyond them; unless now, after thou hast received conviction that the Lord Jesus is the only Saviour of the world, thou shouldst wickedly and despitefully turn thyself from him, and conclude he is not to be trusted to for life, and so crucify him for a cheat afresh. This, I must confess, will bring a man under the black rod, and set him in danger of eternal damnation (Heb 6:7,8; 10:8,9). This is trampling under foot the Son of God, and counting his blood an unholy thing. This did they of Jerusalem; but they did it ignorantly in unbelief, and so were yet capable of mercy; but to do this against professed light, and to stand to it, puts a man beyond the text indeed (Acts 3:14-17; 1 Tim 1:13).
But I say, what is this to him that would fain be saved by Christ? His sins did, as to greatness, never yet reach to the nature of the sins that the sinners intended by the text had made themselves guilty of. He that would be saved by Christ, has an honourable esteem of him; but they of Jerusalem preferred a murderer before him; and as for him, they cried, Away, away with him, it is not fit that he should live. Perhaps thou wilt object, That thyself hast a thousand times preferred a stinking lust before him: I answer, Be it so; it is but what is common to men to do; nor doth the Lord Jesus make such a foolish life a bar to thee, to forbid thy coming to him, or a bond to his grace, that it might be kept from thee; but admits of thy repentance, and offereth himself unto thee freely, as thou standest among the Jerusalem sinners.
Take therefore encouragement, man; mercy is, by the text, held forth to the biggest sinners; yea, put thyself into the number of the worst, by reckoning that thou mayest be one of the first, and mayest not be put off till the biggest sinners are served; for the biggest sinners are first invited; consequently, if they come, they are like to be the first that shall be served. It was so with Jerusalem; Jerusalem sinners were they that were first invited, and those of them that came first—and there came three thousand of them the first day they were invited; how many came afterwards none can tell—they were first served.
Put in thy name, man, among the biggest, lest thou art made to wait till they are served. You have some men that think themselves very cunning, because they put up their names in their prayers among them that feign it, saying, God, I thank thee I am not so bad as the worst. But believe it, if they be saved at all, they shall be saved in the last place. The first in their own eyes shall be served last; and the last or worst shall be first. The text insinuates it, 'Begin at Jerusalem'; and reason backs it, for they have most need. Behold ye, therefore, how God's ways are above ours; we are for serving the worst last, God is for serving the worst first. The man at the pool, that to my thinking was longest in his disease, and most helpless as to his cure, was first healed; yea, he only was healed; for we read that Christ healed him, but we read not then that he healed one more there! (John 5:1-10). Wherefore, if thou wouldst soonest be served, put in thy name among the very worst of sinners. Say, when thou art upon thy knees, Lord, here is a Jerusalem sinner! a sinner of the biggest size! one whose burden is of the greatest bulk and heaviest weight! one that cannot stand long without sinking into hell, without thy supporting hand! 'Be not thou far from me, O Lord! O my strength, haste thee to help me!' (Psa 22:19).
I say, put in thy name with Magdalene, with Manasseh, that thou mayest fare as the Magdalene and the Manasseh sinners do. The man in the gospel made the desperate condition of his child an argument with Christ to haste his cure: 'Sire, come down,' saith he, 'ere my child die' (John 4:49), and Christ regarded his haste, saying, 'Go thy way; thy son liveth' (verse 50). Haste requires haste. David was for speed; 'Deliver me speedily'; 'Hear me speedily'; 'Answer me speedily' (Psa 31:2; 69:17; 102:2). But why speedily? I am in 'the net'; 'I am in trouble'; 'My days are consumed like smoke' (Psa 31:4; 69:17; 102:3). Deep calleth unto deep, necessity calls for help; great necessity for present help. Wherefore, I say, be ruled by me in this matter; feign not thyself another man, if thou hast been a filthy sinner, but go in thy colours to Jesus Christ, and put thyself among the most vile, and let him alone to 'put thee among the children' (Jer 3:19). Confess all that thou knowest of thyself; I know thou wilt find it hard work to do thus: especially if thy mind be legal; but do it, lest thou stay and be deferred with the little sinners, until the great ones have had their alms. What do you think David intended when he said, his wounds stunk and were corrupted, but to hasten God to have mercy upon him, and not to defer his cure? 'Lord,' says he, 'I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.' 'I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart' (Psa 38:3-8). David knew what he did by all this; he knew that his making the worst of his case, was the way to speedy help, and that a feigning and dissembling the matter with God, was the next way to a demur as to his forgiveness.
I have one thing more to offer for thy encouragement, who deemest thyself one of the biggest sinners; and that is, thou art as it were called by thy name, in the first place, to come in for mercy. Thou man of Jerusalem, hearken to thy call; men do so in courts of judicature, and presently cry out, 'Here, Sire'; and then they shoulder and crowd, and say, 'Pray give way, I am called into the court.' Why, this is thy case, thou great, thou Jerusalem sinner; be of good cheer, he calleth thee (Mark 10:46-49). Why sittest thou still? arise: why standest thou still? come, man, thy call should give thee authority to come. 'Begin at Jerusalem,' is thy call and authority to come; wherefore up and shoulder it, man; say, 'Stand away, devil, Christ calls me; stand away unbelief, Christ calls me; stand away, all ye my discouraging apprehensions, for my Saviour calls me to him to receive of his mercy.' Men will do thus, as I said, in courts below; and why shouldst not thou approach thus to the court above? The Jerusalem sinner is first in thought, first in commission, first in the record of names; and therefore should give attendance, with the expectation that he is first to receive mercy of God.
Is not this an encouragement to the biggest sinners to make their application to Christ for mercy? 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,' doth also confirm this thing; that is, that the biggest sinner, and he that has the biggest burden, is he who is first invited. Christ pointeth over the heads of thousands, as he sits on the throne of grace, directly to such a man; and says, 'Bring in hither the maimed, the halt, and the blind; let the Jerusalem sinner that stands there behind come to me.' Wherefore, since Christ says, 'Come,' to thee, let the angels make a lane, and let all men give place, that the Jerusalem sinner may come to Jesus Christ for mercy.
Fourth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then come, thou profane wretch, and let me a little enter into an argument with thee. Why wilt thou not come to Jesus Christ, since thou art a Jerusalem sinner? How canst thou find in thy heart to set thyself against grace, against such grace as offereth mercy to thee? What spirit possesseth thee, and holds thee back from a sincere closure with thy Saviour? Behold, God groaningly complains of thee, saying, 'But Israel would none of me.' 'When I called, none did answer' (Psa 81:11; Isa 66:4).
Shall God enter this complaint against thee? Why dost thou put him off? Why dost thou stop thine ear? Canst thou defend thyself? When thou art called to an account for thy neglects of so great salvation, what canst thou answer? or dost thou think that thou shalt escape the judgment? (Heb 2:3). No more such Christs! There will be no more such Christs, sinner! Oh, put not the day, the day of grace, away from thee! if it be once gone, it will never come again, sinner.
But what is it that has got thy heart, and that keeps it from thy Saviour? 'Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?' (Psa 89:6). Hast thou, thinkest thou, found anything so good as Jesus Christ? Is there any among thy sins, thy companions, and foolish delights, that, like Christ, can help thee in the day of thy distress? Behold, the greatness of thy sins cannot hinder; let not the stubbornness of thy heart hinder thee, sinner.
Objection. I am ashamed.
Answer. Oh! don't be ashamed to be saved, sinner.
Objection. But my old companions will mock me.
Answer. Oh! don't be mocked out of eternal life, sinner.
Thy stubbornness affects, afflicts the heart of thy Saviour. Carest thou not for this? Of old, 'he beheld the city, and wept over it.' Canst thou hear this, and not be concerned? (Luke 19:41,42). Shall Christ weep to see thy soul going on to destruction, and will though sport thyself in that way? Yea, shall Christ, that can be eternally happy without thee, be more afflicted at the thoughts of the loss of thy soul, than thyself, who art certainly eternally miserable if thou neglectest to come to him. Those things that keep thee and thy Saviour, on thy part, asunder, are but bubbles; the least prick of an affliction will let out, as to thee, what now thou thinkest is worth the venture of heaven to enjoy.
Hast thou not reason? Canst thou not so much as once soberly think of thy dying hour, or of whither thy sinful life will drive thee then? Hast thou no conscience? or having one, is it rocked so fast asleep by sin, or made so weary with an unsuccessful calling upon thee, that it is laid down, and cares for thee no more? Poor man! thy state is to be lamented. Hast no judgment? Art not able to conclude, that to be saved is better than to burn in hell? and that eternal life with God's favour, is better than a temporal life in God's displeasure? Hast no affection but what is brutish? what, none at all? No affection for the God that made thee? What! none for his loving Son that has showed his love, and died for thee? Is not heaven worth thy affection? O poor man! which is strongest, thinkest thou, God or thee? If thou art not able to overcome him, thou art a fool for standing out against him (Matt 5:25,26). 'It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God' (Heb 10:29-31). He will gripe hard; his fist is stronger than a lion's paw; take heed of him, he will be angry if you despise his Son; and will you stand guilty in your trespasses, when he offereth you his grace and favour? (Exo 34:6,7).
Now we come to the text, 'Beginning at Jerusalem.' This text, though it be now one of the brightest stars that shineth in the Bible, because there is in it, as full, if not the fullest offer of grace that can be imagined, to the sons of men; yet, to them that shall perish from under this word, even this text will be to such one of the hottest coals in hell. This text, therefore, will save thee or sink thee: there is no shifting of it; if it saves thee, it will set thee high; if it sinks thee, it will set thee low.
But, I say, why so unconcerned? Hast no soul? or dost think thou mayest lose thy soul, and save thyself? Is it not pity, had it otherwise been the will of God, that ever thou wast made a man, for that thou settest so little by thy soul? Sinner, take the invitation; thou art called upon to come to Christ: nor art thou called upon but by order from the Son of God, though thou shouldst happen to come of the biggest sinners; for he has bid us offer mercy, as to all the world in general, so, in the first place, to the sinners of Jerusalem, or to the biggest sinners.
Fifth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then, this shows how unreasonable a thing it is for men to despair of mercy; for those that presume, I shall say something to them afterward.
I now speak to them that despair. There are four sorts of despair. There is the despair of devils; there is the despair of souls in hell; there is the despair that is grounded upon men's deficiency; and there is the despair that they are perplexed with that are willing to be saved, but are too strongly borne down with the burden of their sins.
The despair of devils, the damned's despair, and that despair that a man has of attaining of life because of his own deficiency, are all reasonable. Why should not devils and damned souls despair? yea, why should not man despair of getting to heaven by his own abilities? I, therefore, am concerned only with the fourth sort of despair, to wit, with the despair of those that would be saved, but are too strongly borne down with the burden of their sins. I say, therefore, to thee that art thus, And why despair? Thy despair, if it was reasonable, should flow from thee, because found in the land that is beyond the grave; or because thou certainly knowest that Christ will not, or cannot save thee.
But, for the first, thou art yet in the land of the living; and, for the second, thou hast ground to believe the quite contrary; Christ is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him; and if he were not willing, he would not have commanded that mercy, in the first place, should be offered to the biggest sinners. Besides, he hath said, 'And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely'; that is, with all my heart. What ground now is here for despair? If thou sayest, The number and burden of my sins; I answer, Nay; that is rather a ground for faith; because such an one, above all others, is invited by Christ to come unto him, yea, promised rest and forgiveness if they come (Matt 11:28). What ground then to despair? Verily, none at all. Thy despair, then, is a thing unreasonable, and without footing in the Word.
But I have no experience of God's love; God hath given me no comfort, or ground of hope, though I have waited upon him for it many a day. Thou hast e xperience of God's love, for that he has opened thine eyes to see thy sins: and for that he has given thee desires to be saved by Jesus Christ. For by thy sense of sin thou art made to see thy poverty of spirit, and that has laid under thee a sure ground to hope that heaven shall be thine hereafter.
Also thy desires to be saved by Christ, has put thee under another promise, so there is two to hold thee up in hope, though thy present burden be never so heavy (Matt 5:3,6). As for what thou sayest as to God's silence to thee, perhaps he has spoken to thee once or twice already, but thou hast not perceived it (Job 33:14,15). However, thou hast Christ crucified set forth before thine eyes in the Bible, and an invitation to come unto him, though thou be a Jerusalem sinner, though thou be a biggest sinner; and so no ground to despair. What if God will be silent to thee, is that ground of despair? Not at all, so long as there is a promise in the Bible, that God will in no wise cast away the coming sinner, and so long as he invites the Jerusalem sinner to come unto him (John 6:37).
Build not, therefore, despair upon these things; they are no sufficient foundation for it, such plenty of promises being in the Bible, and such a discovery of his mercy to great sinners of old; especially since we have withal a clause in the commission given to ministers to preach, that they should begin with the Jerusalem sinners in their offering of mercy to the world. Besides, God says, 'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles'; but, perhaps, it may be long first. I waited long, saith David, and did seek the Lord; and, at length, his cry was heard: wherefore he bids his soul wait on God, and says, For it is good so to do before thy saints (Psa 40:1; 62:5; 52:9).
And what if thou waitest upon God all thy days? Is it below thee? And what if God will cross his book, and blot out the handwriting that is against thee, and not let thee know it as yet? Is it fit to say unto God, Thou art hard-hearted? Despair not; thou hast no ground to despair, so long as thou livest in this world. 'Tis a sin to begin to despair before one sets his foot over the threshold of hell-gates. For them that are there, let them despair and spare not; but as for thee, thou hast no ground to do it. What! despair of bread in a land that is full of corn! despair of mercy when our God is full of mercy! despair of mercy, when God goes about, by his ministers, beseeching of sinners to be reconciled unto him! (2 Cor 5:18-20). Thou scrupulous fool, where canst thou find that God was ever false to his promise, or that he ever deceived the soul that ventured itself upon him? He often calls upon sinners to trust him, though they walk in darkness, and have no light (Isa 50:10). They have his promise and oath for their salvation, that flee for refuge to the hope set before them (Heb 6:17,18).
Despair! when we have a God of mercy, and a redeeming Christ alive! For shame, forbear; let them despair that dwell where there is no God, and that are confined to those chambers of death which can be reached by no redemption. A living man despair when he is chid for murmuring and complaining! (Lam 3:39). Oh! so long as we are where promises swarm, where mercy is proclaimed, where grace reigns, and where Jerusalem sinners are privileged with the first offer of mercy, it is a base thing to despair. Despair undervalues the promise, undervalues the invitation, undervalues the proffer of grace. Despair undervalues the ability of God the Father, and the redeeming blood of Christ his Son. Oh unreasonable despair! Despair makes man God's judge; it is a controller of the promise, a contradictor of Christ in his large offers of mercy: and one that undertakes to make unbelief the great manager of our reason and judgment, in determining about what God can and will do for sinners. Despair! It is the devil's fellow, the devil's master; yea, the chains with which he is captivated and held under darkness for ever: and to give way thereto in a land, in a state and time that flows with milk and honey, is an uncomely thing.
I would say to my soul, 'O my soul! this is not the place of despair; this is not the time to despair in; as long as mine eyes can find a promise in the Bible, as long as there is the least mention of grace, as long as there is a moment left me of breath or life in this world, so long will I wait or look for mercy, so long will I fight against unbelief and despair.' This is the way to honour God and Christ; this is the way to set the crown on the promise; this is the way to welcome the invitation and inviter; and this is the way to thrust thyself under the shelter and protection of the word of grace. Never despair so long as our text is alive, for that doth sound it out—that mercy by Christ is offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinner.
Despair is an unprofitable thing; it will make a man weary of waiting upon God (2 Kings 6:33). It will make a man forsake God, and seek his heaven in the good things of this world (Gen 4:13-18). It will make a man his own tormentor, and flounce and fling like 'a wild bull in a net' (Isa 51:20). Despair! it drives a man to the study of his own ruin, and brings him at last to be his own executioner (2 Sam 17:23; Matt 27:3-5).
Besides, I am persuaded also, that despair is the cause that there are so many that would fain be Atheists in the world. For, because, they have entertained a conceit that God will never be merciful to them, therefore they labour to persuade themselves that there is no God at all, as if their misbelief would kill God, or cause him to cease to be. A poor shift for an immortal soul, for a soul who liketh not to retain God in its knowledge! If this be the best that despair can do, let it go, man, and betake thyself to faith, to prayer, to wait for God, and to hope, in despite of ten thousand doubts. And for thy encouragement, take yet, as an addition to what has already been said, the following Scripture: 'The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy' (Psa 147:11). Whence note, They fear not God, that hope not in his mercy; also, God is angry with them that hope not in his mercy; for he only taketh pleasure in them that hope. 'He that believeth,' or 'hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true' (John 3:33). But he that receiveth it not, 'hath made him a liar,' and that is a very unworthy thing (1 John 5:10,11). 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly' multiply 'pardon' (Isa 55:7). Perhaps thou art weary of thy ways, but art not weary of thy thoughts; of thy unbelieving and despairing thoughts; now, God also would have thee cast away these thoughts, as such which he deserveth not at thy hands; for 'he will have mercy upon thee, and he will abundantly pardon.'
'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!' (Luke 24:25). Mark you, here, slowness to believe is a piece of folly. Ay! but sayest thou, I do believe some, and I believe what can make against me. Ay, but sinner, Christ Jesus here calls thee fool for not believing all. Believe all, and despair if thou canst! He that believes all, believes that text that saith, Christ would have mercy preached first to the Jerusalem sinners. He that believeth all, believeth all the promises and consolations of the Word; and the promises and consolations of the Word weigh heavier than do all the curses and threatenings of the law; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. Wherefore believe all, and mercy will, to thy conscience, weigh judgment down, and so minister comfort to thy soul. The Lord take the yoke from off thy jaws, since he has set meat before thee (Hosea 11:4). And help thee to remember that he is pleased, in the first place, to offer mercy to the biggest sinners.
Sixth, Since Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, let souls see that they lay right hold thereof, lest they, notwithstanding, indeed, come short thereof. Faith only knows how to deal with mercy; wherefore, put not in the place thereof presumption. I have observed, that, as there are herbs and flowers in our gardens, so there are their counterfeits in the field; only they are distinguished from the other by the name of wild ones. Why, there is faith, and wild faith; and wild faith is this presumption. I call it wild faith, because God never placed it in his garden—his church; 'tis only to be found in the field—the world. I also call it wild faith, because it only grows up and is nourished where other wild notions abound. Wherefore, take heed of this, and all may be well; for this presumptuousness is a very heinous thing in the eyes of God. 'The soul,' saith he, 'that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people' (Num 15:30).
The thoughts of this made David tremble, and pray that God would hold him back from presumptuous sins, and not suffer them to have dominion over him (Psa 19:13). Now, this presumption, then, puts itself in the place of faith, when it tampereth with the promise for life, while the soul is a stranger to repentance. Wherefore, you have in the text, to prevent doing thus, both repentance and remission of sins to be offered to Jerusalem; not remission without repentance, for all that repent not shall perish, let them presume on grace and the promise while they will (Luke 13:1-3).
Presumption, then, is that which severeth faith and repentance; concluding that the soul shall be saved by grace, though the man was never made sorry for his sins, nor the love of the heart turned therefrom. This is to be self-willed, as Peter has it; and this is a despising the Word of the Lord, for that has put repentance and faith together (Mark 1:15). And 'because he hath despised the Word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off: his iniquity shall be upon him' (Num 15:31). Let such, therefore, look to it who yet are, and abide, in their sins; for such, if they hope, as they are, to be saved, presume upon the grace of God.27 Wherefore, presumption and not hearkening to God's Word are put together (Deu 17:12).
Again, THEN men presume, when they are resolved to abide in their sins, and yet expect to be saved by God's grace through Christ. This is as much as to say, God liketh of sin as well as I do, and careth not how men live, if so be they lean upon his Son. Of this sort are they 'that build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity'; that 'judge for reward, and—teach for hire, and—divine for money, and lean upon the Lord' (Micah 3:10,11). This is doing things, with an high hand, against the Lord our God, and a taking him, as it were, at the catch.28 This is, as we say among men, to seek to put a trick upon God; as if he had not sufficiently fortified his proposals of grace, by his holy Word, against all such kind of fools as these. But look to it! Such will be found at the day of God, not among that great company of Jerusalem sinners that shall be saved by grace, but among those that have been the great abusers of the grace of God in the world. Those that say, Let us sin that grace may abound, and let us do evil that good may come, their damnation is just. And if so, they are a great way off of that salvation that is, by Jesus Christ, presented to the Jerusalem sinners.
I have, therefore, these things to propound to that Jerusalem sinner that would know, if he may be so bold [as] to venture himself upon this grace. 1. Dost thou see thy sins? 2. Art thou weary of them? 3. Wouldst thou, with all thy heart, be saved by Jesus Christ? I dare say no less; I dare say no more. But if it be truly thus with thee, how great soever thy sins have been, how bad soever thou feelest thy heart, how far soever thou art from thinking that God has mercy for thee, thou art the man, the Jerusalem sinner, that the Word of God has conquered, and to whom it offereth free remission of sins, by the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
When the jailor cried out, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' the answer was, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' He that sees his sins aright, is brought to his wit's end by them; and he that is so, is willing to part from them, and to be saved by the grace of God. If this be thy case, fear not, give no way to despair; thou presumest not, if thou believest to life everlasting in Jesus Christ; yea, Christ is prepared for such as thou art. Therefore, take good courage, and believe. The design of Satan is, to tell the presumptuous that their presuming on mercy is good; but to persuade the believer, that his believing is impudent, bold dealing with God. I never heard a presumptuous man, in my life, say that he was afraid that he presumed; but I have heard many an honest humble soul say, that they have been afraid that their faith has been presumption. Why should Satan molest those whose ways he knows will bring them to him? And who can think that he should be quiet, when men take the right course to escape his hellish snares? This, therefore, is the reason why the truly humbled is opposed, while the presumptuous goes on by wind and tide. The truly humble, Satan hates; but he laughs to see the foolery of the other.
Does thy hand and heart tremble? Upon thee the promise smiles. 'To this man will I look,' says God, 'even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word' (Isa 66:2). What, therefore, I have said of presumption, concerns not the humble in spirit at all. I therefore am for gathering up the stones, and for taking the stumbling-blocks out of the way of God's people; and forewarning of them, that they lay the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their faces; and [of those] that are for presuming upon God's mercy; and let them look to themselves (Eze 14:6-8).
Also, our text stands firm as ever it did, and our observation is still of force, that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners. So them, let none despair, let none presume; let none despair that are sorry for their sins, and would be saved by Jesus Christ; let none presume that abide in the liking of their sins, though they seem to know the exceeding grace of Christ; for though the door stands wide open for the reception of the penitent, yet it is fast29 enough barred and bolted against the presumptuous sinner. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sows, that he shall reap. It cannot be that God should be wheedled out of his mercy, or prevailed upon by lips of dissimulation; he knows them that trust on him, and that sincerely come to him, by Christ, for mercy (Nahum 1:7).
It is, then, not the abundance of sins committed, but the not coming heartily to God, by Christ, for mercy, that shuts men out of doors. And though their not coming heartily may be said to be but a sin, yet it is such a sin as causeth that all thy other sins abide upon thee unforgiven. God complains of this. 'They have not cried unto me with their heart—they return, but not to the most High.' They turned 'feignedly' (Jer 3:10; Hosea 7:14,16). Thus doing, his soul hates [them]; but the penitent, humble, broken-hearted sinner, be his transgressions red as scarlet, red like crimson, in number as the sand; though his transgressions cry to heaven against him for vengeance, and seem there to cry louder than do his prayers, or tears, or groans for mercy; yet he is safe. To this man God will look (Isa 1:18; 66:2).
Seventh, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then here is ground for those that, as to practice, have not been such, to come to him for mercy.
Although there is no sin little of itself, because it is a contradiction of the nature and majesty of God, yet we must admit of divers numbers, and, also, of aggravations. Two sins are not so many as three; nor are three that are done in ignorance so big as one that is done against light, against knowledge and conscience. Also, there is the child in sin, and a man in sin that has his hairs gray and his skin wrinkled for very age. And we must put a difference betwixt these sinners also; for can it be that a child of seven, or ten, or sixteen years old, should be such a sinner—a sinner so vile in the eyes of the law as he is who has walked according to the course of this world, forty, fifty, sixty, or seventy years? Now, the youth, this stripling, though he is a sinner, is but a little sinner, when compared with such. Now, I say, if there be room for the first sort, for those of the biggest size, certainly there is room for the lesser size. If there be a door wide enough for a giant to go in at, there is certainly room for a dwarf. If Christ Jesus has grace enough to save great sinners, he has surely grace enough to save little ones. If he can forgive five hundred pence, for certain he can forgive fifty (Luke 7:41,42).
But you said before, that the little sinners must stand by until the great ones have received their grace, and that is discouraging! I answer, there are two sorts of little sinners—such as are so, and such as feign themselves so. There are those that feign themselves so, that I intended there, and not those that are, indeed, comparatively so. Such as feign themselves so, may wait long enough before they obtain forgiveness.
But again, a sinner may be comparatively a little sinner, and sensibly a great one. There are, then, two sorts of greatness in sin—greatness by reason of number; greatness by reason of thoroughness of conviction of the horrible nature of sin. In this last sense, he that has but one sin, if such an one could be found, may, in his own eyes, find himself the biggest sinner in the world. Let this man or this child, therefore, put himself among the great sinners, and plead with God as great sinners do, and expect to be saved with the great sinners, and as soon and as heartily as they. Yea, a little sinner, that, comparatively, is truly so, if he shall graciously give way to conviction, and shall, in God's light, diligently weigh the horrible nature of his own sin, may yet sooner obtain forgiveness for them at the hands of the heavenly Father, than he that has ten times his sins, and so cause to cry ten times harder to God for mercy.
For the grievousness of the cry is a great thing with God; for if he will hear the widow, if she cries at all, how much more if she cries most grievously? (Exo 22:22,23). It is not the number, but the true sense of the abominable nature of sin, that makes the cry for pardon lamentable. 30 He, as I said, that has many sins, may not cry so loud in the ears of God as he that has far fewer; he, in our present sense, that is in his own eyes the biggest sinner, is he that soonest findeth mercy. The offer, then, is to the biggest sinner; to the biggest sinner first, and the mercy is first obtained by him that first confesseth himself to be such an one.
There are men that strive at the throne of grace for mercy, by pleading the greatness of their necessity. Now their plea, as to the prevalency of it, lieth not in their counting up of the number, but in the sense of the greatness of their sins, and in the vehemency of their cry for pardon. And it is observable, that though the birthright was Reuben's, and, for his foolishness, given to the sons of Joseph, yet Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the Messiah (1 Chron 5:1,2). There is a heavenly subtilty to be managed in this matter. 'Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.' The blessing belonged to Esau, but Jacob by his diligence made it his own (Gen 27:35). The offer is to the biggest sinner, to the biggest sinner first; but if he forbear to cry, the sinner that is a sinner less by far than he, both as to number and the nature of transgression, may get the blessing first, if he shall have grace to bestir himself well; for the loudest cry is heard furthest, and the most lamentable pierces soonest.
I therefore urge this head, not because I would have little sinners go and tell God that they are little sinners, thereby to think to obtain his mercy; for, verily, so they are never like to have it; for such words declare, that such an one hath no true sense at all of the nature of his sins. Sin, as I said, in the nature of it, is horrible, though it be but one single sin as to act; yea, though it be but a sinful thought; and so worthily calls for the damnation of the soul. The comparison, then, of little and great sinners, is to go for good sense among men. But to plead the fewness of thy sins, or the comparative harmlessness of their quantity before God, argueth no sound knowledge of the nature of thy sin, and so no true sense of the nature or need of mercy.
Little sinner! when therefore thou goest to God, though thou knowest in thy conscience that thou, as to acts, art no thief, no murderer, no whore, no liar, no false swearer, or the like, and in reason must needs understand that thus thou art not so profanely vile as others; yet when thou goest to God for mercy, know no man's sins but thine own, make mention of no man's sins but thine own. Also labour not to lessen thy own, but magnify and greaten them by all just circumstances, and be as if there was never a sinner in the world but thyself. Also cry out, as if thou wast but the only undone man; and that is the way to obtain God's mercy.
It is one of the comeliest sights in the world to see a little sinner commenting upon the greatness of his sins, multiplying and multiplying them to himself, till he makes them in his own eyes bigger and higher than he seeth any other man's sins to be in the world; and as base a thing it is to see a man do otherwise, and as basely will come on it (Luke 18:10-14). As, therefore, I said to the great sinner before, let him take heed lest he presume; I say now to the little sinner, let him take heed that he do not dissemble; for there is as great an aptness in the little sinner to dissemble, as there is in the great one. 'He that hideth his sins shall not prosper,'31 be he a sinner little or great (Prov 28:13).
Eighth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then this shows the true cause why Satan makes such head as he doth against him.
The Father and the Holy Spirit are well spoken of by all deluders and deceived persons; Christ only is the rock of offence. 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence' (Rom 9:33). Not that Satan careth for the Father or the Spirit more than he careth for the Son; but he can let men alone with their notions of the Father and the Spirit, for he knows they shall never enjoy the Father or the Spirit, if indeed they receive not the merits of the Son. 'He that hath the Son, hath life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not life,' however they may boast themselves of the Father and the Spirit (1 John 5:12). Again, 'Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son' (2 John 9). Christ, and Christ only, is he that can make us capable to enjoy God with life and joy to all eternity. Hence he calls himself the way to the Father, the true and living way (John 14:6). For we cannot come to the Father but by him (Heb 10:19,20). Satan knows this, therefore he hates him. Deluded persons are ignorant of this, and therefore, they are so led up and down by Satan by the nose as they are.
There are many things by which Satan has taken occasion to greaten his rage against Jesus Christ. As, first, His love to man, and then, the many expressions of that love. He hath taken man's nature upon him; he hath in that nature fulfilled the law to bring in righteousness for man; and hath spilt his blood for the reconciling of man to God; he hath broke the neck of death, put away sin, destroyed the works of the devil, and got into his own hands the keys of death; and all these are heinous things to Satan. He cannot abide Christ for this. Besides, He hath eternal life in himself, and that to bestow upon us; and we in all likelihood are to possess the very places from which the Satans by transgression fell, if not places more glorious. Wherefore he must needs be angry. And is it not a vexatious thing to him, that we should be admitted to the throne of grace by Christ, while he stands bound over in chains of darkness, to answer for his rebellions against God and his Son, at the terrible day of judgment. Yea, we poor dust and ashes must become his judges, and triumph over him for ever: and all this long32 of Jesus Christ; for he is the meritorious cause of all this.
Now though Satan seeks to be revenged for this, yet he knows it is in vain to attack the person of Christ; He [Christ] has overcome him; therefore he [Satan] tampers with a company of silly men; that he may vilify him by them. And they, bold fools as they are, will not spare to spit in his face. They will rail at his person, and deny the very being of it; they will rail at his blood, and deny the merit and worth of it. They will deny the very end why he accomplished the law, and by jiggs, and tricks, and quirks, which he helpeth them to, they set up fond names and images in his place, and give the glory of a Saviour to them. Thus Satan worketh under the name of Christ; and his ministers under the name of the ministers of righteousness.
And by his wiles and stratagems he undoes a world of men; but there is a seed, and they shall serve him, and it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation. These shall see their sins, and that Christ is the way to happiness. These shall venture themselves, both body and soul, upon his worthiness. All this Satan knows, and therefore his rage is kindled the more. Wherefore, according to his ability and allowance, he assaulteth, tempteth, abuseth, and stirs up what he can to be hurtful to these poor people, that he may, while his time shall last, make it as hard and difficult for them to go to eternal glory as he can. Ofttimes he abuses them with wrong apprehensions of God, and with wrong apprehensions of Christ. He also casts them into the mire, to the reproach of religion, the shame of their brethren, the derision of the world, and dishonour of God. He holds our hands while the world buffets us; he puts bear-skins upon us, and then sets the dogs at us. He bedaubeth us with his own foam, and then tempts us to believe that that bedaubing comes from ourselves.33
Oh! the rage and the roaring of this lion, and the hatred that he manifests against the Lord Jesus, and against them that are purchased with his blood! But yet, in the midst of all this, the Lord Jesus sends forth his herald to proclaim in the nations his love to the world, and to invite them to come in to him for life. Yea, his invitation is so large, that it offereth his mercy in the first place to the biggest sinners of every age, which augments the devil's rage the more. Wherefore, as I said before, fret he, fume he, the Lord Jesus will 'divide the spoil' with this great one; yea, he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 'because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors' (Isa 53:12).
Ninth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Let the tempted harp upon this string for their help and consolation.
The tempted, wherever he dwells, always thinks himself the biggest sinner, one most unworthy of eternal life. This is Satan's master argument; thou art a horrible sinner, a hypocrite, one that has a profane heart, and one that is an utter stranger to a work of grace. I say this is his maul, his club, 34 his masterpiece; he doth with this as some do with their most enchanting songs, sings them everywhere. I believe there are but few saints in the world that have not had this temptation sounding in their ears. But were they but aware, Satan by all this does but drive them to the gap out at which they should go, and so escape his roaring. Saith he, thou art a great sinner, a horrible sinner, a profane-hearted wretch, one that cannot be matched for a vile one in the country. And all this while Christ says to his ministers, offer mercy, in the first place, to the biggest sinners. So that this temptation drives thee directly into the arms of Jesus Christ.
Were therefore the tempted but aware, he might say, 'Ay, Satan, so I am, I am a sinner of the biggest size, and therefore have most need of Jesus Christ; yea, because I am such a wretch, therefore Jesus Christ calls me; yea, he calls me first; the first proffer of the gospel is to be made to the Jerusalem sinner; I am he, wherefore stand back, Satan; make a lane, my right is first to come to Jesus Christ.' This now would be like for like. This would foil the devil; this would make him say, I must not deal with this man thus; for then I put a sword into his hand to cut off my head.
And this is the meaning of Peter, when he saith, 'Resist him steadfast in the faith' (1 Peter 5:9). And of Paul, when he saith, 'Take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked' (Eph 6:16). Wherefore is it said, Begin at Jerusalem, if the Jerusalem sinner is not to have the benefit of it? And if I am to have the benefit of it, let me call it to mind when Satan haunts me with continual remembrance of my sins, of my Jerusalem sins. Satan and my conscience say I am the biggest sinner:—Christ offereth mercy, in the first place, to the biggest sinners! Nor is the manner of the offer other but such as suiteth with my mind. I am sorry for my sin; yea, sorry at my heart that ever sinful thought did enter, or find the least entertainment in my wicked mind: and might I obtain my wish, I would never more that my heart should be a place for ought but the grace, and spirit, and faith of the Lord Jesus. I speak not this to lessen my wickedness; I would not for all the world but be placed by mine own conscience in the very front of the biggest sinners, that I might be one of the first that are beckoned, by the gracious hand of Jesus the Saviour, to come to him for mercy.
Well, sinner, thou now speakest like a Christian; but say thus, in a strong spirit, in the hour of temptation, and then thou wilt, to thy commendation and comfort, quit thyself well. This improving of Christ, in dark hours, is the life, though the hardest part of our Christianity. We should neither stop at darkness nor at the raging of our lusts, but go on in a way of venturing, and casting the whole of our affairs for the next world at the foot of Jesus Christ. This is the way to make the darkness light, and also to allay the raging of corruption.
The first time the Passover was eaten was in the night; and when Israel took courage to go forward, though the sea stood in their way like a devouring gulf, and the host of the Egyptians follow them at the heels; yet the sea gives place, and their enemies were as still as a stone till they were gone over (Exo 12:8; 14:13,14,21,22; 15:16).
There is nothing like faith to help at a pinch; faith dissolves doubts as the sun drives away the mists. And that you may not be put out, know your time, as I said, of believing is always. There are times when some graces may be out of use, but there is no time wherein faith can be said to be so. Wherefore, faith must be always in exercise. Faith is the eye, is the mouth, is the hand, and one of these is of use all day long. Faith is to see, to receive, to work, or to eat; and a Christian should be seeing, or receiving, or working, or feeding all day long. Let it rain, let it blow, let it thunder, let it lighten, a Christian must still believe. At 'what time,' said the good man, 'I am afraid, I will trust in thee' (Psa 56:2,3).
Nor can we have a better encouragement to do this than is, by the text, set before us; even an open heart for a Jerusalem sinner. And if for a Jerusalem sinner to come, then for such an one when come. If for such an one to be saved, then for such an one that is saved. If for such an one to be pardoned his great transgressions, then for such an one who is pardoned these to come daily to Jesus Christ too, to be cleansed and set free from his common infirmities, and from the iniquities of his holy things. Therefore, let the poor sinner that would be saved labour for skill to make the best improvement of the grace of Christ to help him against the temptations of the devil and his sins.
Tenth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Let those men consider this that have, or may, in a day of trial, spoken or done what their profession or conscience told them they should not, and that have the guilt and burden thereof upon their consciences.
Whether a thing be wrong or right, guilt may pursue him that doth contrary to his conscience. But suppose a man should deny his God, or his Christ, or relinquish a good profession, and be under the real guilt thereof, shall he, therefore, conclude he is gone for ever? Let him come again with Peter's tears, and no doubt but he shall obtain Peter's forgiveness; for the text includes the biggest sinners. And it is observable, that before this clause was put into this commission, Peter was pardoned his horrible revolt from his Master. He that revolteth in the day of trial, if he is not shot quite dead upon the place, but is sensible of his wound, and calls out for a chirurgeon, shall find his Lord at hand to pour wine and oil into his wounds, that he may again be healed, and to encourage him to think that there may be mercy for him; besides what we find recorded of Peter, you read in the Acts, some were, through the violence of their trials, compelled to blaspheme, and yet are called saints (Acts 26:9-11).
Hence you have a promise or two that speak concerning such kind of men, to encourage us to think that, at least, some of them shall come back to the Lord their God. 'Shall they fall,' saith he, 'and not arise? Shall he turn away, and not return?' (Jer 8:4). 'and in that day will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted. And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation; and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion—for ever.' What we are to understand by her that halteth, is best expressed by the prophet Elijah (Micah 4:6,7; Zeph 3:19; 1 Kings 18:21).
I will conclude, then, that for them that have halted, or may halt, the Lord has mercy in the bank,35 and is willing to accept them if they return to him again. Perhaps they may never be after that of any great esteem in the house of God, but if the Lord will admit them to favour and forgiveness—O exceeding and undeserved mercy! (See Ezekiel 44:10-14). Thou, then, that mayest be the man, remember this, that there is mercy also for thee. Return, therefore, to God, and to his Son, who hath yet in store for thee, and who will do thee good.
But, perhaps, thou wilt say, He doth not save all revolters, and, therefore, perhaps not me. Answer. Art thou returning to God? If thou art returning, thou art the man; 'Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings' (Jer 3:22).
Some, as I said, that revolt, are shot dead upon the place; and for them, who can help them? But for them that cry out of their wounds it is a sign that they are yet alive, and, if they use the means in time, doubtless they may be healed.
Christ Jesus has bags of mercy that were never yet broken up or unsealed. Hence it is said, he has goodness laid up; things reserved in heaven for his. And if he breaks up one of these bags, who can tell what he can do? Hence his love is said to be such as passeth knowledge, and that his riches are unsearchable. He has, nobody knows what; for nobody knows who! He has by him, in store, for such as seem, in the view of all men, to be gone beyond recovery. For this, the text is plain. What man or angel could have thought that the Jerusalem sinners had been yet on this side of an impossibility of enjoying life and mercy? Hadst thou seen their actions, and what horrible things they did to the Son of God; yea, how stoutly they backed what they did with resolves and endeavours to persevere, when they had killed his person, against his name and doctrine; and that there was not found among them all that while, as we read of, the least remorse or regret for these their doings; couldest though have imagined that mercy would ever have took hold of them, at least so soon! Nay, that they should, of all the world, be counted those only meet to have it offered to them in the very first place! For so my text commands, saying, Preach repentance and remission of sins among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
I tell you the thing is a wonder, and must for ever stand for a wonder among the sons of men. It stands, also, for an everlasting invitation and allurement to the biggest sinners to come to Christ for mercy. Now since, in the opinion of all men, the revolter is such an one; if he has, as I said before, any life in him, let him take encouragement to come again, that he may live by Christ.
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What: Researchers from the University of Kent are conducting a study of digital tools for online performance. Selected participants will rehearse and perform two separate 30 minute longform improv shows for an online audience using various digital tools provided by the study. The study will take place over two weeks and involve two 90 minute training sessions with a specialist, followed by two 30 minute improvised performances. Participants will rehearse and perform remotely, broadcasting from home. Performances will be streamed live for an invited audience.
Selection Criteria: We are looking for European based improv duo teams who have been performing together for one year or longer. Duo teams should be comfortable performing in English. Participants will ideally have access to a computer with at least a 13” display, a webcam , microphone, and high speed internet connection. Participants with access to greenscreen are preferred but not required. Team members must be over the age of 18.
Compensation: Participants will each receive a high definition copy of their performances. Participants will also receive specialized training in a new kind of real-time cinematic performance experience and be guided on how they can collaborate more effectively during social isolation.
Dates: The study will run in two week sessions between May 18th- June 18th
Registration: To register your interest in the study please follow the link below to fill out a short survey. A researcher will be contact with you within 48 hours to discuss participation. For general questions about the study you can get in touch by contacting us through this website.
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School Tuition Organization Tax Credit
- Tax-Credit Scholarship
- Enacted 2006
- Launched 2006
Iowa offers tax credits to donors supporting school tuition organizations (STOs), nonprofits that provide private school scholarships to students in need. The program helps Iowa students from low- and middle-income households afford the schooling options that best fit their needs. Learn more about the program’s details on this page, including eligibility, funding, regulations and more.
We do not administer this program.
Participating Students (2020-21)
of Families with Children Income-eligible Statewide
Scholarship Organizations (2020–21)
Participating Schools (2020–21)
Average Scholarship Value (2020-21)
Value as a Percentage of Public School Per-student Spending
Iowa’s School Tuition Organization Tax Credit Participation
STOs determine scholarship amounts, which are capped at a participating student’s tuition figure. A maximum of $20 million in tax-credit funding for scholarships will be available in 2022.
Children are eligible to receive scholarships if their family income does not exceed 400 percent of federal poverty guidelines ($111,000 for a family of four in 2021–22).
EdChoice Expert Feedback
Iowa’s tax-credit scholarship program helps more than twelve thousand students access schools that are the right fit for them, but policymakers could do more to expand educational opportunity.
Eligibility for the scholarships is limited to 400 percent of the federal poverty line ($111,000 for a family of four in 2021–22). Nearly 70percent of Iowa students are eligible for a scholarship though less than 10 percent of students statewide actually use a scholarship. (Additionally, Iowa families are eligible for a very modest tax credit for tuition and textbooks.)
The average scholarship size is only about $1,400, which is only about 12 percent of the average expenditure per student at Iowa’s district schools. Tax credits are worth 75 percent of the value of the contributions to scholarship organizations. Only $20 million in tax credits are available annually, which is equivalent to just 0.6 percent of Iowa’s total K–12 revenue.
In order to expand access to educational choice, Iowa policymakers should dramatically increase the available tax credits, increase the credit value to 100 percent, and expand eligibility to all students (prioritizing scholarships based on need). The program could also be converted into an education savings account to ensure that all students have access to the education that’s the right fit for them, whether private school or a customized course of education.
Iowa’s scholarship program avoids unnecessary and counterproductive regulations.
Rules and Regulations
Rules and Regulations
- Income Limit: 400 percent x Poverty
- Prior Year Public School Requirement: None
- Geographic Limit: Statewide
- Enrollment Cap: None
- Scholarship Cap: Full Tuition
- Testing Mandates: None
- Credit Value: 75 percent
- Per Donor Credit Cap: None
- Total Tax Credit Cap: $20 million
- Use at least 90 percent of contributions for scholarships
- Make scholarships available for more than one school
- Annual review of financial statements by a public accounting firm
- Submit data to the state on accepted contributions, grants awarded and participating schools
No legal challenges have been filed against the program.
School Tuition Organization Tax Credit State Groups
That Support School Choice
Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education (Iowa ACE) is the voice for school choice in the state of Iowa. They are a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to expanding school choice options in Iowa for the benefit of Iowa’s children.
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Quigley, Charles Henry (Charles)
No. 25212, 14th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
Died of disease on Tuesday 18 March 1930 (aged 51)
Newtownards and District War Memorial
The name Charles Quigley is listed on Newtownards and District War Memorial and in the booklet produced for the Unveiling and Dedication Ceremony held on Saturday 26 May 1934 he is described as a Private in the Highland Light Infantry. The organising committee of the day decided to include the names of ex-servicemen who died up to that date from what they considered to be war related causes, whether as a result of wounds or disease.
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War Charles Henry Quigley worked as a labourer. He and Maria Vallely were married on 3 March 1896 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast and they had no children. Charles Henry Quigley, aged 20, was a son of Charles Quigley; Maria Vallely, aged 19, was a daughter of Thomas Vallely.
Maria Quigley worked as a spinner in a ropeworks and in 1901 she was living in a boarding-house in Dee Street, Belfast. For a time, Charles and Maria Quigley lived at 88 Movilla Street, Newtownards.
Charles Henry Quigley enlisted on 11 November 1915 and in his attestation papers it was noted that he was 37 years of age. On 17 November 1915, he joined the 14th Battalion Highland Light Infantry and on 16 December 1915 he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion. After serving for 224 days he was discharged from the Army at Hamilton on 22 June 1916 when it was determined that he was no longer fit for war service because of ‘inflammation of the dura mater’. It was noted that this illness had commenced with pains in his shoulders about two years previously and that his condition had steadily worsened. It was further determined that his disability was permanent and it was ‘not the result of nor aggravated by service’. His application for a war pension was finally turned down in April 1919 by a Pensions Appeal Tribunal. When he was discharged from the Army his intended place of residence was 126 East Street, Newtownards.
Charles Henry Quigley was 51 when he died of locomotor ataxia on Tuesday 18 March 1930 at the family home, 11 George’s Street, Newtownards. His wife Maria was present when he died and she made her mark on his death certificate.
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A nursing home has built a replica of a 1950s main street within its grounds to provide residents with an opportunity to rekindle memories and take part in activities and sensations that they experienced in their younger years.
The ‘main street’ is part of various sensory experiences that staff at Robert Harvey House, in Birmingham in the United Kingdom, have provided to residents to stimulate the senses and spark memories.
As well as the ‘main street’, music from the 1950s is played inside the home, and the residents can interact with animals, including a goat, parrots, guinea pigs, and ducks.
The main street, which is called ‘Sensory Street’, contains an old-fashioned lolly shop, a petrol pump, a post office, and a tea shop complete with Union Jack bunting across the front.
Residents can go inside the shops, and use the spaces as they would have in the past.
The BBC have made a short film about the facility, where more than half of the residents are living with dementia.
The idea for the main street came from a staff member’s trip to the Netherlands, where they saw a similar concept.
Anthea Reid, the manager of Robert Harvey House, said in the video that even when the weather’s bad, residents like to go out onto the street.
“Even if we haven’t got the glorious day like today, well wrap them up in a blanket, bring them out, take them out in the tea room, put the heating on, and try to make the day special,” she said.
Viv, whose mother Audrey has been a resident at the home for more than two years, said just being able to go to the butcher reminds her mother of happy times in the past.
“My mum was just saying about the butcher shop, she can’t remember the last time she saw a butcher. So just thinking about those things is really positive – how she felt when she was younger, the places she visited when she was younger.”
Caroline Cooban is the chief executive of the Broadening Choices for Older People charity, which runs the facility.
In the BBC video, she said, “If you have advanced dementia you may not necessarily recall what’s happening.
“But in that moment, if there’s a connection, a smile, a laugh, something that improves that day, that’s the most important thing.”
According to Dementia Australia, reminiscence therapy involves someone living with dementia reviewing past events in an experience that can be very positive and rewarding.
Maree McCabe, CEO of Dementia Australia told HelloCare, “The benefits of reminiscence therapy for people living with dementia, is that it brings back beautiful memories.
“It reminds them of the people that they were and that they still are.
“Reminiscence therapy allows them to reconnect with family, loved ones, pets and events that shaped who they are.”
Even though the person with dementia may not be able to respond verbally to what is happening around them, reflecting on their passt can still give them pleasure.
Remembering can also provide a distraction if someone living with dementia becomes anxious, agitated or upset.
Remembering the past events can provide a sense of peace and happiness, but it can also stir up painful or sad memories. When using reminiscence, it’s important to be alert to the person’s reactions.
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According to a general social survey taken between 1999 and 2014 in which respondents stated how many times per year they were having sex, the average number of sexual encounters in a year have been going down over time. But as urologist and sex educator Dr. Rena Malik explains in a new video on her YouTube channel, it’s not quite as simple as just saying that people are having less sex.
“Specifically what they found was that the people who were decreasing the most were people in their midlife who had school-age children,” says Malik. “And that makes sense, that you’ve got children to take care of, you’re working, and it can be exhausting to manage your household and also make time for intimacy for some people.” She goes on to acknowledge that some people are having children later in life than generally used to be the case, meaning that by the time those children are self-sufficient, the parents may be at a point where their sex drive is declining for age-related reasons.
Other factors to consider in this study include some people not having long-term partners, and the people who do have long-term partners still not necessarily having sex. Malik speculates that this could be, in part, due to a cultural and technological shift since the year 1999: there are simply more entertainment options out there now than there were 20 years ago. “Also, there has been a decline in happiness and rise in depression,” she adds.
Interestingly, while studies in other countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have also found that frequency of sex seems to be decreasing, people also appear to be broadening their “sexual repertoire’ with sex toys and masturbation to feel fulfilled without the need for a sexual partner.
And it’s not just adults. More recent research shows that a rising number of teenagers are not engaging in any kind of sexual activity whatsoever. This could be in part due to the ease of access to sexual content online, as well as an evolving view of sexuality and gender among younger people (for instance, it is less anomalous now for somebody to identify as asexual).
Malik notes that there is also a much keener awareness these days of the consequences of sex, such as unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as the emotional and psychological impact it can have. And finally, practically speaking, there are economic concerns: fewer people are able to afford a place of their own, and are cohabiting with their parents, families, or roommates for longer.
“The big thing here to think about is, does less sex mean that they’re dissatisfied? Not necessarily,” says Malik. “Yes, they may be having less sex. Is that translating to lower birth rates, or having an underpopulation? That’s yet to be seen.”
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
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The trace records for 108 days tell the story of a pilgrimage disrupted, unfold one's deep desire to become a monk, and present a confused life without any direction.
Kuan Yuan quit his job without telling his mother. In a temple located in Sichuan, he got his robe ready and was determined to become a monk. During the year, various dilemmas have arisen in the process of his self-realization, such as the conversion of his friend to Buddhism, the death of his beloved family, the challenges in the pilgrimage, and the decrease of his master. Under a dual pressure from both the ideal life and the reality life, he gradually fell into confusion and lost his way.
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|Area Total||30,528 sq km|
|Climate||temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy|
|Natural Resources||construction materials, silica sand, carbonates, arable land|
|Imports||Netherlands 17.3%, Germany 13.8%, France 9.5%, US 7.1%, UK 4.9%, Ireland 4.2%, China 4.1% (2017) – raw materials, machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products|
|Government||federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy|
|Population||11.6 million (July 2018 est.)|
|Ethnicity||Belgian 75.2%, Italian 4.1%, Moroccan 3.7%, French 2.4%, Turkish 2%, Dutch 2%, other 10.6% (2012 est.)|
|Language||Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%|
|Exports||GGermany 16.6%, France 14.9%, Netherlands 12%, UK 8.4%, Italy 4.9%, US 4.8% (2017) – chemicals, machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs|
News about Belgium
- ‘The new normal’: how Europe is being hit by a climate-driven drought crisisby Jon Henley and Guardian correspondents (Belgium | The Guardian) on August 8, 2022
Water shortages across the continent, from France through Italy, Spain and beyond, are creating a critical situationEurope’s worst ever drought in picturesEurope’s most severe drought in decades is hitting homes, factories, farmers and freight across the continent, as experts warn drier winters and searing summers fuelled by global heating mean water […]
- Monkeypox threat forces EU to rip up vaccine rules to buy more, fasterby Helen Collis, Carlo Martuscelli (Belgium – POLITICO) on August 3, 2022
Health emergencies authority isn't agile enough, according to companies and countries.
- Thousands of racing pigeons go missing in French stormby Jennifer Rankin in Brussels (Belgium | The Guardian) on August 3, 2022
Belgian pigeon fanciers say birds ‘didn’t have a chance’ after contest went wrong in NarbonneBelgian pigeon fanciers are in uproar after thousands of their birds went missing when they were released into stormy weather in a competition that went wrong.The birds were let out in Narbonne in southern France at the start of a race back to their lofts in […]
- Belgium’s prisoner swap deal will only encourage Iranian terrorismby Cameron Khansarinia, Kaveh Shahrooz (Belgium – POLITICO) on August 1, 2022
Brussels is paving the way for more Europeans to be taken hostage — we know because we’ve seen it happen before.
- Making sense of the senseless: Ukrainian war-art exhibition arrives in Brusselsby Jennifer Rankin in Brussels (Belgium | The Guardian) on July 31, 2022
The Captured House, part of a Ukrainian diplomacy drive, tours works created since 24 FebruaryRussia-Ukraine war: latest updatesTraditional Ukrainian embroidery featuring guns and military helicopters; a graffitied portrait of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin; photographs of smartly dressed school leavers standing in the ruins of a shelled building in […]
- Daughter of imprisoned Rwandan dissident: Governments must be ‘accountable’ for spyware useby Antoaneta Roussi (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 28, 2022
Carine Kanimba, daughter of Paul Rusesabagina of 'Hotel Rwanda' fame, finds herself a surveillance target as she fights for her father's release.
- Belgian foreign minister’s old trip to Crimea causes bad blood between Kyiv and Brusselsby Camille Gijs (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 28, 2022
The former journalist used a Russian visa to get to Crimea, therefore breaching Ukrainian law.
- The city that pioneered Europe’s car-free futureby Aitor Hernández-Morales (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 27, 2022
Pontevedra banned cars decades before most cities started to think about reclaiming streets for pedestrians.
- Small victories: Ukraine gets closer to Europe (Brussels’ Mini-Europe, that is)by Wilhelmine Preussen (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 26, 2022
Ukraine makes its way to tourist attraction in Belgian capital.
- Europe’s not ready for a hotter worldby Karl Mathiesen, Zia Weise, Pieter Haeck (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 24, 2022
The Continent has a lot of work to do to heat-proof its cities, infrastructure — and mentality.
- Belgium reaches tentative deal with Engie on extending nuclear reactorsby Camille Gijs (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 22, 2022
War in Ukraine prompts government to change course on energy.
- Heat wave — Energy vs. climate — Crypto spotlightby Cristina Gonzalez (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 21, 2022
We dive into the politics of this week’s hot topic — Europe’s response to a devastating heat wave and how that impacts current energy troubles. We also look into a debate over crypto currencies and how they should be regulated across the EU. POLITICO’s Bjarke Smith-Meyer hosts this week’s episode, which kicks off with a
- Belgian king prepares to hand his daughter the curse of the crownby Barbara Moens (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 21, 2022
King Philippe has shielded his children from the dark side of royalty. But there's one child he won't be able to protect.
- Belgian parliament approves prisoner swap treaty with Iranby Camille Gijs (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 20, 2022
Critics fear the deal will pave the way for the release of a convicted terrorist to Iran.
- Europe’s 5 coldest placesby Luanna Muniz, Wilhelmine Preussen (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 19, 2022
It's hot. Really hot. Where should you escape to?
- Why is it so effing hot? Europe’s heat wave explainedby Victor Jack, Karl Mathiesen (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 18, 2022
Temperatures are soaring above 40C across Europe.
- Nephew of jailed Hotel Rwanda dissident hacked by NSO spywareby Stephanie Kirchgaessner and Diane Taylor (Belgium | The Guardian) on July 18, 2022
Latest findings suggest Rwandan government has deployed surveillance campaign against relatives of Paul RusesabaginaThe mobile phone of a Belgian citizen who is the nephew of Paul Rusesabagina, a jailed critic of the Rwandan government made famous by his portrayal in Hotel Rwanda, was hacked nearly a dozen times in 2020 using Israeli-made surveillance […]
- German gas squeeze will last two winters, regulator saysby Eddy Wax (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 17, 2022
Klaus Müller urges people not to panic.
- ‘I mean you no harm’: From troubled teen to neo-Nazi foot soldierby Bryan Bender, Alexander Nabert, Christina Brause (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 17, 2022
How a global white supremacist movement is recruiting American teenagers.
- Firefighters in shorts! Brussels braces for heat waveby Luanna Muniz (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 15, 2022
The city is set to activate its extreme heat plan next week.
- The Uber files: how the leak prompted outrage across the worldby Rob Davies (Belgium | The Guardian) on July 15, 2022
From Europe to India and the US, the revelations have fuelled anger from across the spectrum, from the drivers to politiciansWhat are the Uber files?Uber broke laws, duped police and secretly lobbied governmentsThe worldwide scale of the Uber files – in numbersThe release of the Uber files has prompted a frenzy of reaction around the world, piling […]
- Europe’s heat wave — in chartsby Giovanna Coi, James Randerson (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 15, 2022
Intense heat in Southern Europe is due to move north and east over the weekend.
- Former journalist replaces Sophie Wilmès as Belgian foreign ministerby Camille Gijs (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 15, 2022
Hadja Lahbib's appointment came as a surprise given that she has virtually no political experience.
- Europe’s last summer before the Russian winterby Eddy Wax, Victor Jack, Paola Tamma (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 15, 2022
As food and fuel crises start to pinch, governments will come under pressure from poorer, hungrier, colder voters.
- Summer travel chaos — Combustion engines’ end — Wizz Air CEOby Cristina Gonzalez, Joshua Posaner (Belgium – POLITICO) on July 14, 2022
Our POLITICO mobility team takes over this episode — unpacking the issues facing the travel industry this summer and what European policymakers can do to address them. Joshua Posaner, POLITICO’s senior policy reporter based in Berlin, talks to Chief Europe Correspondent Matt Karnitschnig about the EU’s aim to phase out the combustion engine by 2035
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CBSE Class 12th Term 1 Results 2022: The Central Board of Secondary Education is set to release the CBSE Class 12th Term 1 Results 2022 this week on its official website cbseresults.nic.in. The CBSE may release the results offline just like it did in the case of the Class 10 results last week.
Students would be able to collect their mark sheets from their respective schools.
More than 3.6 million students had appeared for Class 10 and Class 12 Semester 1 exam in November-December last year. The board had released the results for Class 10 last week.
Follow these steps to access your results after they are released
- Visit the official website of the CBSE at cbseresults.nic.in
- Click ‘Central Board Term-1 Result 2022
- This will take you to a new page
- Submit your Roll Number, School Number and Date Of Birth
- Your results will appear
- Take the printout and save the page for future references
The apex board of education in India, CBSE has a pan India jurisdiction and also a global presence with nearly 141 affiliated schools across 21 countries. The board grants affiliation to schools up to higher secondary level and develops common curriculum keeping nationwide requirements in focus. The CBSE was given its present name ‘Central Board of Secondary Education’ in the year 1952. The Board was reconstituted in the year 1962 when its jurisdiction was extended.
Functions Of The Board
To make necessary arrangements for smooth conduct of public examination at school level. At present, the Board conducts public examinations at Middle, Matriculation and Senior Secondary Level.
To prescribe the curriculum, courses of studies and text books for school education. The Board has a full- fledged academic wing, having subject experts in all the major subjects. The main responsibility of this wing is to prepare and revise the syllabuses regularly and then prepare text books accordingly.
To arrange for the preparations, compilation, improvement, publication, printing and sale of text books.
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22 October 2019 | Stockholm
Arno Meerman (UIIN and S2BMRC), Balzhan Orazbayeva (S2BMRC) and a/Prof. Todd Davey (IMT-BS and former S2BMRC) were invited to host the Future Universities Workshop at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, on the 22nd of October. The facilitators worked with an innovative group of Swedish knowledge transfer professionals at one of Sweden's most prestigious universities.
The aim of the creative workshop was to share knowledge and collectively analyse the current situation of the HEIs to then (re-) design and co-create a vision of the future university, highlighting its potential roles and functions. A number of concepts emerged during the workshop including the notion of open education with students as knowledge surfers and educators like personal (education) trainers facilitating and coaching students through challenge-driven projects.
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- Created by Andrew Williams
- English [Auto-generated]
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What you'll learn
- Why Elementor is a great option as a page builder and as a theme creator.
- The differences between the free & Pro versions of Elementor.
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- How to use Elementor as a page builder.
- How to create a use (and re-use) templates.
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If you use WordPress, this course takes you beyond the basics and teaches you skills essential to all WordPress users.
Learn affiliate marketing. Watch over my shoulder as I build a real, high quality affiliate site from scratch.
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As of late, bachelorette events are completed in style. You can surprise your friends by hiring a stretch limo and instruct your chauffeur to take everybody for a pleasant trip on the town whilst you can all have an amazing night and night. If one in every of your distinguished friends go to your company, you’ll be able to provide him/her essentially the most luxurious and comfy trip from and to the airport simply by calling a limo firm. The chauffeur will meet and greet your guest and assist in transporting him/her and the luggage.
Shipping freight is finest left to the specialists. These agencies or corporations will even have appropriate packing for all types of articles even for delicate issues, paintings, antiques and many others. Any cargo large or small is definitely transported securely. A lot of the freight transportation agencies have the most recent software program and monitoring devices that be certain that the bundle standing is obtainable in actual time to the customer. Giant freight delivery corporations have relevant insurances in place to protect the shopper’s pursuits. From design samples or swatches to large containers, all the pieces is well taken care of with a reputed transportation firm. Options for these are additionally many because the industry has many freight delivery businesses because of the massive number of companies transport by freight forwarders.
Part one: What is a wheelchair accessible van?
Ocean carriers. International transport by sea remains the most effective ways to move massive shipments that aren’t time sensitive, the drastic reduction in cost compared to quicker transport by air makes many firms plan ahead and schedule common shipments by sea to avoid paying heavy premiums charged by airlines. The power to ship grossly oversized freight and to safe climate controlled cargo space when needed are two extra explanation why overseas delivery is becoming more popular, Nonetheless, the time concerned in worldwide transport by sea discourages many firms who need faster transport options and can opt for air over sea.
The bus isn’t just for massive city dwellers anymore. In these difficult financial occasions, increasingly individuals are discovering themselves taking public transportation in order to save money in fuel, time spent driving in congested highway traffic or each. With this improve in numbers also comes a shift in the types of people who find themselves turning into extra apt to ride the bus on daily basis relatively than driving their own car. Now not is public transportation only for men and women working the early morning shift or those wearing enterprise suits, speaking on cell phones and carrying massive cups of espresso. The bus is now for everyone, infants included.
– Freight brokers. What’s the holdup? It is not free.
Whereas there are plenty of adults or individuals over the age of 18 who use the textual content messaging capability on their cell telephones, the principle demographic for individuals who abuse the textual content messaging whereas driving are those who fall in between the ages of 16 and 25 years of age. That is much more harmful because the very people who are textual content messaging whereas driving are those who have the least expertise driving. The last thing that anyone ought to be doing when they are driving is utilizing their mobile in any capability. In fact, when you’re driving, you must turn your cell to silent or turn it off all together and store it out of sight so that you are not tempted to have a look at or use it.
Many 3PL’s have TMS techniques that may offer you all the information you could higher handle your transportation costs. 3PL’s embody this as part of their service. At my company, not solely do we’ve a TMS system for our clients, but it’s additionally web based mostly, so there isn’t any set up required by our clients. We also make use of a group of workers programmers to customise our system to collect and display data in any approach our prospects wish to see it.
You can typically find particulars about such charities on the web and it could be one thing chances are you’ll wish to look into if you’re able to assist a charity. Positive it is, and when you couple that with capitalism, I think what you’ll find is there is a built-in redundancy within the transportation system within the United States of America.
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Household cleaners we use to sanitize, degrease, whiten and wash can also harm water. The “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)” – Phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia are common ingredients in cleansers.
Phosphorus composes 30 to 40 percent of dishwasher detergents. Ammonia is included in products for degreasing, sanitizing and removing allergens. Nitrogen is found in glass cleaners, surface cleaning products, and floor cleaners.
Nitrogen, phosphorus and ammonia cannot be removed by waste treatment processes. Instead they enter waterways, build up and cause accelerated and excessive growth of some types of plant life including algae. The dense vegetation clogs waterways, crowds out animal life and other marine plants.
The large amount of plant material also depletes oxygen in the water as it decays. The lack of oxygen in water suffocates freshwater marine life, further degrading the water with decay.
Choose, or make, cleansers free of VOCs. So when you clean your home, your water stays clean too.
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| 0.93454
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|
The White House is considering making the argument that President Trump has not officially been impeached, given that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not transmitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate, two sources involved in the president's impeachment defense told CBS News.
The House voted to impeach Mr. Trump on two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — on Wednesday. However, Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that the House would wait to deliver the articles until the Senate had laid out the rules for the trial.
"When we see the process that's set forth in the Senate, then we'll know the number of managers we'll have to move forward, and who we would choose," the California Democrat said. The House must vote on a resolution designating impeachment managers to prosecute the case against Mr. Trump in the Senate before delivering the articles.
The White House is considering making the case that Mr. Trump has not been impeached based on an opinion piece by Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman on Bloomberg's opinion page Thursday. Feldman was one of the legal experts called by Democrats to testify before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month and has advocated for Mr. Trump's impeachment and removal from office.
"Impeachment as contemplated by the Constitution does not consist merely of the vote by the House, but of the process of sending the articles to the Senate for trial," Feldman wrote in Bloomberg. "Both parts are necessary to make an impeachment under the Constitution: The House must actually send the articles and send managers to the Senate to prosecute the impeachment. And the Senate must actually hold a trial."
"If the House does not communicate its impeachment to the Senate, it hasn't actually impeached the president. If the articles are not transmitted, Trump could legitimately say that he wasn't truly impeached at all," Feldman wrote.
However, Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe wrote on Twitter that he disagreed with Feldman's analysis, saying that "under Art. I, Sec. 2, Clause 5, he was impeached on Dec 18, 2019. He will forever remain impeached. Period." That portion of the Constitution says that the House of Representatives "shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."
The sources told CBS News that the White House views Pelosi's delay as "a Christmas gift." They plan to use the delay to argue that the Democrats have so little faith in their own case for impeachment, they are too scared to trigger a trial they know they will lose. The two sources also say that the president, while "angry" about what he views as an unfair process, is actually in a "very good mood," and feels confident he can win the messaging war via Twitter while lawmakers are back home for the holidays.
A senior White House official said the White House might pursue that line of messaging, but the White House is also in a "wait and see" attitude over the Christmas holiday. Right now, the official said they preferred to focus on "happy" messaging, not "flogging" impeachment messaging over the holidays.
Republicans in Congress are already making this argument. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor Thursday that Pelosi's decision to withhold the articles from the Senate shows Democrats "may be too afraid to even transmit their shoddy work product to the Senate." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy echoed those comments: "She's admitting defeat by not sending them. By refusing to send impeachment over, she knows its outcome is not good."
Pelosi and Democrats in the House and Senate are trying to pressure the Senate to call for more documents and for witnesses who did not testify in the House impeachment proceedings because the White House prevented them from appearing.
"I told leader McConnell that we would not support any trial without witnesses or documents," House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday.
Mr. Trump's legislative director told CBS News that Mr. Trump is "baffled" by the possibility that Pelosi might withhold articles of impeachment from the Senate for an extended period of time.
"I think the president is completely baffled at the theory that Nancy Pelosi appears to have that somehow holding back impeachment articles will leverage some sort of specific behavior out of the Senate," Eric Ueland told CBS News chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett in an interview for "The Takeout" podcast.
Ueland suggested that holding the articles could be "constitutionally questionable." He also said it would be "extraordinarily unprecedented" if articles were to be withheld in order to force a legislative outcome.
In a rare interview that will air Sunday, the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, told "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan that her father was, which she called "the first purely partisan impeachment."
Still, Ueland and White House counsel Pat Cipollone were offered the opportunity to tour the Senate floor, which would serve as a courtroom, and check out the support spaces behind the scenes. They also have the chance to be introduced to people who are there every day when the Senate is in session, and would be for any Senate trial.
— Paula Reid and Kathryn Watson contributed reporting
for more features.
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- Unit Commander: Sergeant Abraham Simpson (Homer Simpson's father)
Burns was always the unit's troublemaker. The Hellfish got stuck with Burns because he obstructed a probe from J. Edgar Hoover, thus resulting in his demotion. He faked his own death several times and even ruined Simpson's chance to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
At one point, near the end of the war, the unit stormed a German castle. While searching through it, Private Burns found a collection of stolen paintings. While discussing what they should do with them, Burns mentions the idea of tontine. The unit agrees for their own personal reasons (Gumble wanting to buy his way into high society, Abe not wanting to end up "in one of them old folk's homes"). Everyone signs and shakes on this prospect.
Ox was the first member to die because of a hernia he got while taking the crate with the paintings out of the castle. Five more were killed in a parade float accident in 1979. After Asa Phelps died, only Burns and Simpson remained. Later, Simpson gave Burns a dishonorable discharge from the Hellfish for trying to kill him, and kept the paintings until the U.S. State Department took them away and returned them to their rightful owner, Baron von Wörtzenburger.
- In heaven, a tombstone has the words "Flying Hellfish" written on it, written over it is "Flying HeavenFish".
- Episode – "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish""
- Episode – "The Regina Monologues"
- Episode – "The Man from G.R.A.M.P.A."
- Comic story – War Is Smelly!
- Comic story – The Curious Case of Hans Moleman
- Comic story – Mission Imp-possible!
- Video game – The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield (list is seen)
- Video game – The Simpsons: Hit & Run (jeep)
- Video game – The Simpsons Game
- Video game – The Simpsons: Tapped Out
Flying Hellfish members
|Charles Montgomery Burns • Arnie Gumble • Milton "Oxford" Haas • Griff McDonald • Asa Phelps • Sheldon Skinner • Abraham Simpson • Etch Westgrin • Iggy Wiggum|
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All accepted abstracts and papers will be included in the 2015 ICETA Conference Proceedings with ISSN number. Authors of selected full-length papers will be given the opportunity to revise their papers for possible inclusion in several indexed journals. Currently, ICETA 2015 collaborates with International Review of Basic and Applied Sciences, The International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, Science Research, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Applications, International Journal of Intelligent Information Systems, International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, Science Journal of Chemistry, and European Journal of Biophysics to publish special issues. Authors of recommended full-length papers will be given the full consideration for publication in the above journals according to the guidelines for publication and editorial decision as specified in these journals.
SCI JOURNAL Special Issue
Theme: Lightweight and Energy-Efficient Security Solutions for Mobile Computing Devices
Click on the web page http://digital-library.theiet.org/files/IET_IFS_SI_CFP.pdf to see more information.
Nele Mentens, email@example.com
Damien Sauveron, firstname.lastname@example.org
José María Sierra Cámara, email@example.com
Shiuh-Jeng WANG, firstname.lastname@example.org
Isaac Woungang, email@example.com
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Everything to know about controlling Legionella risk in a rental property.
Landlords and full-management letting agents throughout the UK owe their tenants a duty of care in respect of health and safety. One key element of this duty is to control the risk from hazardous biological agents such as Legionella. This article explains this duty and how a property manager can remain compliant with the relevant laws.
Legislate is a contracting platform where landlords and letting agencies can create legally valid agreements. Our tenancy agreements take Legionella risks and HSE regulations into account. View our tutorials or sign up today!
What is Legionella?
Legionella is a bacteria that is found in man-made water systems. When inhaled, it can cause a potentially fatal pneumonia like illness known as Legionnaires' disease. Some hundreds of people are diagnosed with legionellosis in the UK every year.
What properties are at risk of Legionella?
All man-made hot and cold water systems are environments where Legionella can grow, but certain features make a particular property especially susceptible to the bacteria. These features are:
- Cold water storage and older water systems, where water is stored and recirculated through the system before it is used.
- Communal water systems which serve multiple properties e.g. a shared fountain.
- Open water tanks, which are common in older buildings, since water is likely to be left to stagnant.
- Properties that are left vacant for significant periods of time. This is concerning given the properties that have been empty for a long time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Water droplets, spray or mist which is dispersed into the air through showers, hot tubs, hose sprinklers, dishwashers, washing machines, whirlpool baths etc.
- Water temperatures between 20°C and 45°C, which is the range where the bacteria thrives.
- Water that contains (or is in contact with) deposits such as rust, scale, sludge, slime and biofilm. These deposits provide nutrients for the Legionella bacteria to feed on.
It should be noted that properties with small water systems where daily water usage is enough to turn over the entire system are generally considered low risk. The same is true for properties where cold water comes directly from the mains water supply rather than a water tank, properties where toilets and sinks are the only outlets, and where hot water comes from instantaneous water heaters such as combination boilers or electric showers.
What are a letting agent or landlord's responsibilities?
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 and the L8 Approved Code of Practise: Legionnaires’ Disease set down the legal responsibilities of people who control residential properties in respect of Legionella. Below is an overview of the legal framework which must be followed in order to control the risk of Legionella in water systems and water storage tanks.
CONDUCT A LEGIONELLA RISK ASSESSMENT
This is a simple assessment of the potential risk from exposure to Legionella in domestic properties which can be carried out by any competent person such as the landlord themselves. The assessor needs to inspect all man-made water systems and equipment in a property for potential hazards, in order to determine whether or not the system is likely to create a risk from Legionella exposure. The assessor should identify which tenants are at risk, and depending on factors such as age and lifestyle, identify how they are at risk. For example, smokers or people with respiratory problems will be considered higher risk. Taking this into account, the assessor should then evaluate the level of risk associated with each identified hazard.
RECORD FINDINGS OF THE RISK ASSESSMENT
While it’s not a legal requirement to keep written records of the findings of the Legionella risk assessment, it is a sensible thing for a landlord to do. The record must include the details (name and position) of the assessor and any significant findings of the assessment. The state and condition of the water systems should be noted down, along with the frequency with which they are used. If any Legionella risks have been discovered, information should be included on what the adequate control measures are and when they shall be implemented. Moreover, if there have been previous inspections of the water systems, then the date they were carried out should be recorded, as well as any controls which were implemented as a result of that inspection.
IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE CONTROL MEASURES
The landlord must remove the sources of potential risk or implement appropriate control measures to reduce the risk level. If the risk level was found to be low, then simple measures will ensure that it stays low. Control measures must be proportionate and adequate, and may include the following:
- Avoid debris getting into the water system by fitting water tanks with tight seals and keeping boilers in good working order.
- Clean, descale and disinfect shower heads at least every 6 months.
- Flush out the system before letting the property.
- Keep hot water in the system hot and cold water in the system cold.
- Keep taps clear of limescale and mould, which can feed the bacteria.
- Remove any faulty or redundant pipework.
- Run showers and taps which are not used regularly for at least 2 minutes every week, while staying out of the way during this time.
- Set the hot water cylinder (calorifier) to 60°C where the Legionella bacteria is killed.
- When a property has been or will be empty for a while, to prevent outbreaks:
- run outlets at least once a week in order to flush the system so water does not stagnate;
- drain the property’s plumbing system.
CONTINUOUSLY MANAGE THE RISKS
It is important for a landlord to keep on controlling the risks because if a tenant were to contract Legionnaires’ disease from the water system, the landlord would be liable to prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and a fine of up to £20,000. The landlord would need to go to court and attempt to prove that they did indeed satisfy their legal duty to assess and control the risk of Legionella in that rental property.
PERIODICALLY REVIEW AND UPDATE RISK ASSESSMENT
It is recommended that Legionella risk assessments are conducted every 2 years or at the start of a new tenancy. During a tenancy, it is important to periodically review the assessment especially when there are significant changes to the property's water system. Checks can be made when the landlord/agent is visiting the property for routine maintenance or gas safety checks.
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Do tenants have any Legionella responsibilities?
Since tenants are the ones who interact daily with a property’s water system, they have their part to play in mitigating the risk of Legionella exposure. The following is a list of measures that tenants should be advised to take during the course of their tenancy:
- Clean and disinfect shower heads regularly.
- Descale taps and shower-heads regularly if the property is in a hard water area.
- Flush through any water systems if the property is left unoccupied for a while.
- Not interrupt any control measures that have been put in place.
- Not tamper with controlled temperature settings e.g. that of the calorifier.
- Tell the landlord if the hot water is not being heated properly.
- Tell the landlord of any problems with the water system e.g. leaks, pipeline corrosion.
- Tell the landlord if the tenant will be leaving the property empty for a while.
How to create a tenancy agreement which clearly states the property's legionella testing requirements
Legislate is a contracting platform where landlords and letting agencies can create legally valid agreements. Its tenancy agreements take Legionella risks and regulations into account. Book a demo of Legislate, sign up or receive an invite from an existing member.
For reminders on what you need to be checking in your rental properties, you can sign up for updates by joining our newsletter.
The opinions on this page are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice on which you should rely.
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There have been few assessments of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education programmes in sub-Saharan Africa from the students' and educators' perspective. This study examined students' opinions on an SRH programme in northern Ghana and explored the facilitators and barriers for educators regarding the implementation of the programme. The sample comprised 147 students and 3 educators. Questionnaires were used to collect data from students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with educators. According to the students, the SRH programme was both important and interesting. Their expectations were moderately well met. They agreed that the main objectives of the programme and most of the objectives regarding the family planning' sessions had been achieved. Significant differences were found for school type, age and religion, but not for gender. For the educators, important facilitators were a clear manual, the presence of foreign volunteers working as educators, the increased influence of new media, students' eagerness to learn, and the feeling that the SRH programme really benefited students' lives. Important barriers were traditional and cultural influences, lack of funding and poor scheduling of the programme within the schools. The paper concludes by offering recommendations regarding the implementation of future SRH programmes in Ghana.
- sexual and reproductive health
- sex education
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Conference paper Open Access
Rämä, Miika; Pursiheimo, Esa; Sokka, Laura; Klobut, Krzysztof
INDIGO project focuses on the means for evaluating the performance, benefits and potential of District Cooling (DC) systems. The newly developed tool supports the optimal design of new DC systems, the assessment of existing DC systems’ potential for performance/efficiency improvement and the comparison with building specific cooling systems. Life cycle analysis (LCA) framework is used for economic feasibility and climate impact assessment. The main input parameters are cooling demand, cooling production, distribution network characteristics and available resources. As an output, the tool yields primary energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and costs of the system. The defined potential district cooling system can be compared with building and space specific cooling systems delivering the same cooling service. The results are reported as a diverse set of key performance indicators (KPIs).
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The AP1000 is the next generation design being developed by Westinghouse, a subsidiary of Toshiba. Westinghouse constructs the AP1000 projects in partnership with Chicago Bridge and Iron (CB&I), probably the world's most experienced builder of large power stations.
The AP1000 is a 1.1 GW plant using a design based on a much smaller power station developed by Westinghouse 20 years ago. One important fact is that no stations using the original design were ever built. However, the advantages of the AP1000 are said to include a relatively simple design, a high level of passive safety and modular construction.
Modular construction means that components can be manufactured elsewhere and then shipped to the power station site. However US sites have had 5,000 workers on site at the same time, posing the some of the same huge management challenges that were experienced at the Finnish EPR site.
Four AP1000 reactors are in construction in the US and four in China. The US plants are at two separate sites in the state of Georgia ('Plant Vogtle', two AP1000s) and South Carolina ('Summer', two AP1000s).
I focus here on the experience in Georgia, but note that similar three-year delays have also happened at Summer in South Carolina, where serious cost overruns have also taken place.
Plant Vogtle - construction times more than doubled
Vogtle 3 and 4 are being built in the same complex as two earlier nuclear power stations. After delays in final design approval, they were finally licenced in February 2012. Near-concurrent construction of the two plants started in May 2013 with completion of the first planned for April 2016.
Original estimates for the total price to the utilities buying the power stations were about US$14bn (about £9.5bn). The price to be paid was essentially fixed, meaning that most of the construction risk is borne by Westinghouse and CB&I.
The most recent announcement of construction delays came in February 2015 when the station's eventual 45% owner (Georgia Power) told the state regulator that the partnership building the station had recently estimated that the eventual completion date for Vogtle 3 would be June 2019. Vogtle 4 would be finished in June 2020.
The expected delay for Vogtle 3 is now 39 months, more than doubling the initially expected construction time. The project is not yet half complete.
Costs are rising
Although the contract price has not risen significantly because it is largely fixed, the cost to electricity customers in the state of Georgia has increased. This is because the utilities that will eventually own the two new stations have been granted electricity price increases by the state regulator to cover the higher financing costs of Vogtle 3 and 4.
The utilities have been paying for individual elements of the two new plants as they are completed. The long delays mean that the interest costs are higher than expected and the regulator has already granted rate increases to compensate the eventual owners.
People in Georgia are already paying a supplement of 6% of their bills to finance the new nuclear station − Indeed Friends of the Earth US suggests that as much as 11% of their electricity bills may be supporting the project.1
Although the deal was a fixed price contract, the company buying the largest share of the finished plants is in legal battles over extra costs that the contractors claim that the purchasers should bear.
We can reasonably expect that the cost to construct the stations has also increased. However industry estimates of the eventual final cost to the contractors are vague and imprecise. They currently seem to be around US$18bn (~£12bn). This seems low to me, given that the total project is now expected to take more than twice as long as originally expected.
CB&I says that Westinghouse will eventually pay most of the overrun costs but we can safely presume that this issue will also end up in court.
Georgia Power is losing faith in its contractors
Until recently the main buyer, Georgia Power, was reasonably content with the progress of the construction. However its 2015 submissions to the Georgia regulator have become increasingly concerned in response to the latest estimates of delay.
Note that Georgia Power has a difficult line to steer: it cannot be too critical of the contractors because otherwise the regulator that oversees it and grants its rate increases will question why it agreed to build the first new nuclear plant in the US for several decades in the first place!
Most recently, the company's May 2015 testimony2 prepared for a hearing has been openly critical of the contractors Westinghouse and CB&I:
"In general, the Company, like the other Owners, has been disappointed with the Contractor's performance under the revised IPS (project plan). The Contractor has missed several key milestones since the publication of the revised IPS in January 2015, including several milestones relating to critical-path or near-critical-path activities such as the assembly of CA01 (part of the central reactor), the delivery of shield building panels, and work on concrete outside containment.
"The Contractor has also encountered difficulties in ensuring that new vendors produce high-quality, compliant components per the IPS projections." (p.15)
Georgia Power is now indicating that it has little faith in the contractor's ability to keep to the new delayed timetable.2
"The Contractor's schedule performance on critical path work such as concrete placements to start shield building installation and inside containment installation are challenges to the Contractor's ability to adhere to the revised IPS.
"The Contractor must continue to improve its schedule performance, maintain these improvements, and successfully resolve RCPs / squib valves / CMTs (components with severe quality or delivery problems) in order to complete the Facility by the currently projected substantial completion dates." (p.15)
China's AP1000s - a three year construction delay
Cost data from the Chinese construction projects is difficult to find. But they have also experienced significant construction difficulties. Building at Sanmen began construction in August 2009 and was originally expected to be finished by August 2013.
As with Vogtle, construction was said to be on schedule a year into the project and even in March 2012 completion was still officially planned for 2013. Recent updates suggests that completion will actually take place in 2016, also a three year delay.
The design used in China is simpler than that used in the US, and it may well be possible for Chinese constructors to build much more quickly and cheaply. However the modifications are unlikely to be acceptable to Western regulators. For example, the power stations are not designed to survive a direct hit from an airliner, a US requirement.
The questions in the minds of all concerned are surely these:
- How many of the problems at Vogtle, Summer and elsewhere are inherent to the construction of a large third generation nuclear power station?
- And how many simply arise because these are 'first of a kind' projects?
- Will new nuclear projects around the world avoid the major problems that have affected the first eight AP1000s because the construction companies have learnt how to build these huge projects more efficiently?
- Or is a safe third generation nuclear power station beyond the capacity of even the most experienced contractors to build to a tight timetable and at a predictable cost?
I'm afraid I don't think the answer is at all clear.
Chris Goodall is an expert on energy, environment and climate change. He blogs at Carbon Commentary (www.carboncommentary.com).
Abridged from The Ecologist, 17 July 2015, www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/Blogs/2952108/moorsides_ap1000_n...
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Table of Contents
What Affects Rolex Prices?
Taxes can greatly affect Rolex prices to that list.
For example, value-added tax (VAT) adds tax at every point at which an item such as a Rolex gains value (i.e., the raw materials are acquired, where it’s made, where it’s sold, etc.)
The US does not utilize a VAT tax system, but most European countries do.
On the other hand, the combination of being able to buy tax-free and get VAT refunds is a huge factor in making Rolexes cheaper in certain European countries.
However, not everyone can claim VAT refunds; notably, from the start of 2021 onward, post-Brexit, the VAT Retail Export Scheme, which provided these refunds, has ended in the UK.
This may make it much more expensive for UK buyers to buy Rolexes (and other luxury products) in the EU.
Other key factors for finding Rolexes at cheaper prices include:
- Currency exchange rates
- Import taxes in your country for foreign goods, which may wipe out some savings, such as VAT
- How in demand they are
- If you can haggle for the price, a practice not common in the US or UK but much more common in some cities such as Florence and Hong Kong, and regions such as Asia and Latin America
Top 10 Countries to Buy Rolexes
Consider an over/under of a few hundred dollars in calculating the price range for:
- Canada: You may not think of Canada as a haven for cheap luxury watches.
Still, at around $7550 (albeit without tax), Canadian Rolexes are the cheapest on our list.
- Singapore: On the one hand, high demand, a huge selection, and exchange rates may benefit you.
But, the average of $8400 isn’t as cheap as it used to be.
- China (Hong Kong): Initial prices are high at nearly $10,000 with a stiff 16% tax.
However, if you know how to haggle and find the right Hong Kong shop, you could find a bargain.
- Australia: The tax rate isn’t too bad at 10%. Add that to the already-low average of $7700, and you’re in business.
- South Africa: Yes, the tax rate is 15%, but that’s still doable.
At $7900, prices are shockingly affordable.
- Japan: Part of this is perspective, as prices can still top $15,000.
Still, many Japanese dealers offer good tax-free prices.
- United Kingdom: VAT refunds are expiring, sure, but home prices aren’t “bad.”
At around $8770, UK Rolexes aren’t “cheap,” but are more affordable than you might think.
- United States: Be careful buying US Rolexes.
While they may “only” cost just shy of $9000, that doesn’t include tax, which can vary wildly from state to state.
- Brazil: As a nation in serious socio-economic turmoil, everything’s in flux here.
Still, with an average price of $8770 and a much weaker currency than before, Rolexes may be cheaper in Rio.
- Eastern Europe: This is not a single country, obviously, and it’s hard to find a concrete price range, but Eastern Europe as a whole and countries such as Romania, Greece, and Poland have a strong reputation online for offering cheap Rolexes.
As long as you guarantee their authenticity, Rolexes in Krakow and Athens are likely cheaper than their London or Paris timekeeping counterparts.
As long as you know where to shop and what deals, currencies, and taxes work to your advantage, you can still bargain hunt effectively for Rolexes worldwide.
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God beyond all understanding, origin and end of all that exists, aid me now in my search in You, and for You. Guide me home. Amen.
Problem: It occurs to me that I do not have the same sense of Christ’s presence in me, to me, as I did or thought I did in years past. My quest for God has been far more focused on the movement of consciousness into the divine unknown than a reflection of God incarnate. In usual terms, my way has been more apophatic than cataphatic, although these two modes are inseparable: the way into God without images, and the way into God through images. Christ is the unsurpassable Image of the unseen God. The desire to move from the seen to the unseen, from God as revealed to God “beyond all telling” has long been at work in me. Had it not been, why would I have entered a monastery to “seek God,” the Benedictine way?
As a young man, I prayed, invited Jesus Christ into my soul, and I believe that He entered. The experiences in the early days were intense, fresh, ever-different, and truly life-changing. What has happened to these? The ways that I have experienced divine Presence-Absence have surely changed over time. At this time I will not try to recount some of these experiences for at least two reasons: I have done so before; and I do not think that writing about them is truly beneficial. God has unique ways at working on and in each person, and I do not want to give any impression that His ways with me are normative, or to be expected. What I can say is that over time, these modes of experience have changed considerably. It seems clear to me that God knows what we need, when we need it, in order to draw us into a more authentic life in Him and with Him As Cardinal Newman wrote, “God knows what He is about.” Indeed, He does. We often do not. We grope in darkness—a darkness that is or can be so deep that we often overlook divine workings in us, to us, for us, around us. How blind we often are. How blind am I? “What would you have me do for you,” Jesus asked. “LORD, that I may see again.”
I have been blind to divine workings. What we call “Christ,” or what I call Christ in my consciousness, is not gone or lost at all. God works on me as He wills, as He knows best. As an example, for several years—and perhaps still—I have been strongly drawn to the quite undeveloped Oregon coast to gaze upon the ocean, which for me is an extremely powerful, visible image of the unseen God. I utterly love the Ocean, because it overwhelms me. No one can master the Ocean. “It” (if we dare call the Ocean an “it”) draws one away from self into unknowing, into a realm far greater than anything one can know, understand, grasp. And so I have been drawn back to the Ocean time and again in my life, including in recent years.
When I was suddenly expelled from my home and priestly ministry in Kalispell, Montana, in 1995 (after working there only six months), I experienced God’s healing love through the compassion, kindness, and practical wisdom of Fr. Steve, who at the time was serving as a priest in the Bitterroot. Having felt spiritually abused by the local bishop (who acted harshly on a number of us), I needed to experience God’s love through the personal, brotherly care of an elderly priest. I was Christed through this one man at the time, because that is what I needed to undue the damage done by the uncharitable, heavy-handed bishop and some of his clergy. Again, “God knows what He is doing.” I am thankful for my experiences in Kalispell, and fully trust that the LORD who led me there never abandoned me at all. Not only did I experience Christ’s healing love through a brother priest; even more importantly, perhaps, in the long run, having been thrown out of my home in western Montana, I was led to a very important insight: I have no permanent or lasting home anywhere in this world, so being removed is secondary. Rather, my one home is in God beyond this world. As I suddenly realized, “I have no home but God,” and “God is my home forever.” That is what matters. The all-wise, all-good God brought much good to me out of human evil and foolishness (including my own): I realized that no matter where I am, God is in me, with me, for me, and “my dwelling place forever.” That insight makes a huge difference, especially as so many persons are afraid of change in their lives, afraid of being “thrown out,” or losing their family and friends, and so on. In the wise words of Fr. Steve, “When you are thrown out, just shake the dust off your feet and say, `I’ve been thrown out of better bars.’” Indeed, I have. My home is in God, and only temporarily and for a little while do I live here.
Some friends were surprised when I recently moved from Great Falls to the little town of Sheridan, in the south-western part of beautiful Montana, near Virginia City. I was a little surprised that I had the courage to return to live in the diocese from which I had been ejected by a bishop. But he is long gone, and I am retired—and not as a diocesan priest. Rather, I remain a monk of St. Anselm’s Abbey, and am free from the machinations of diocesan politics which seem to me both endless and uninteresting. Men will be men, and the scramble for status and power is ever at work in human hearts; one must constantly seek to guard against seeking power, status, or wealth. These pursuits are the ways of the world, not the way of Christ. If you doubt this, examine the life and writings of St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi, or St. Teresa of Avila. These giants among human beings knew well what is truly worth seeking, and what is worth letting go. God alone is truly worth seeking “with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul.”
And so I came to Sheridan, where I now live. The loss of closeness to friends and former parishioners affected me, and still does. Some of us are still in fairly frequent contact, thanks to the wonders of “modern communication,” including the cell phone and the internet. These really are very useful tools for “building community,” for “keeping in touch” with friends and loved ones, as well all know.
Still, I must deal with a problem. As a single man (and a monk), I have long noticed that I make few if any friends except through my duties as a parish priest. A priest makes his home in and with his parishioners. They become highly important to his personal, social, spiritual life If they do not invest themselves in their parishioners, what is the priest doing among them? A parish priest gives himself in love to his parishioners, as they need it for their growth in Christ. Well, once I retired, I lost that ever-present, ever-demanding way of befriending people. Most of my former parishioners were quickly out of my life. A few have kept up our bonds. As another wise and good parish priest, Fr. Lou, said to me, “Paul, once you retire, most of your parishioners will forget you. Even ones you thought were close friends. It stops when you retire.” He was right. A few friends remain, but far more disappeared from my life. In reality, I retired and was removed from their lives. And so I am virtually alone.
Hence, when I moved to Sheridan, I came without friends, and without my avenue to make friends: active priestly ministry. Fortunately, I have two former parishioner-friends in the area from my short stay in Kalispell, Steve and Carol; otherwise, I came to an area knowing virtually no one. Soon Steve and Carol and I began a form of priestly ministry by setting up and sharing in an adult faith class, in which we listen to one another and communicate our lives in Christ Over time, I may be open to doing a little pastoral work in parishes, but that remains to be seen; I resist getting swallowed up in diocesan politics in any way. To use the cliché, “Been there, done that.” My remaining time on earth is too short to waste with petty jealousies, rivalries, liturgical squabbles, doctrinal modes of existence, and so on. Thanks be to God, I am a free man: free to seek God in love and in truth. Well, I’m free to a degree; everyone has his or her baggage that weighs one down. Part of my baggage is the need for genuine friendship; it is difficult to find, and surely so for a homeless wanderer in this passing world
And so I remain a Benedictine monk, one called to “seek God” either in community, or in solitude, or in a balanced life doing both. Now is the time, it seems, for me to seek God in solitude and peace as foremost in my life. I will still have some contact with former parishioners, but above all, I must keep learning to “be alone with the Alone,” and to find my center and my joy in God, beyond knowing, in searching love. To this end, I know of several foremost activities for me:
to pray as I am able to do so;
to study—seeking God through the writings of philosophers, prophets, saints, and others;
to write to assist myself and others on the journey of the soul into God.
Finally, I am no hermit, nor was I meant to be. I need and value good friends in Christ. Love is the way by which one becomes one with God. There is no other way. My present task is to find a workable balance between seeking God alone and sharing Christ with others Getting this balance right is my foremost task now.
—Wm. Paul McKane, OSB
14 January 2020
All of my writing, like my life, is experimental. I am ever on a journey. We all are—through space-time into God. That is the nature of life. Whether I write below is more prose or poetry, I do not know, nor shall I plan. It may be formless, as fits the subject, the problem with which my soul now wrestles: the movement into the void.
My heart is a void. I would say a “vast void,” a large emptiness, but it may be a small void, but it is empty. When everything is dark and unseen, it may appear infinite, even if very small indeed. I am a little man, not great-souled, not significant, nearly fully unknown to the dying crowds—and that is the way I want it. Fame or attention would defeat the kind of life to which I feel and am drawn. But this also is true: every human soul borders on God, is in God, and God is boundless. Hence, in reality, the soul is boundless in God. Vast indeed is the human psyche, and how mistaken are those who treat the mind or soul as if it were a bounded, limited “thing.” Truly to know any human being well, one must also know God, who is the bonded partner with a human being. More on this issue at another time.
Now I seek to enter into the void of my heart, the wasteland of my soul, if I may say so. There is no way I could survive as a hermit or in strict isolation. Why not? Because I intensely need human companionship, communion heart with heart, mind with mind in God. Although a loner in the sense of avoiding crowds, social activities, parties, committees, and other things that have no attraction to me. I am not a loner in the sense of being a man who could spend three weeks in strict solitude, and be happy doing it. When a friend recently shared some issues in his heart with me, I said, “Now I feel on cloud nine.” What did I mean? I feel communion—a most delightful communion—when friend opens up to friend.
As a child, I was on a number of occasions punished by being placed in complete isolation from any human being. No one would or could speak with me. My father apparently knew how much I loved being with people and communicating. So when he considered it right or just to punish me, he did it in two ways, usually combined: he would hit me with his hand or with a flat garden hose; and then he would isolate me in a corner, or in a car with no one speaking to me, or in the basement, or in a room by myself. On happier occasions I was isolated without being hit first, but often these two forms of punishment were combined. Forced to sit alone, and feeling rejected and shunned, I wept. Even when I stopped crying as I aged, I wept inside. Now some of these tears flow out: years of pain held in.
This isolation may or may not still affect me, but I think that it does. If someone wants to punish me or “teach me a lesson” as my father would say, he or she can do so by refusing to speak with me, for us not to listen to each other, to be together. Isolate me and I feel as though I am in hell. That is a part of the void in me, and part of the personal “baggage” I must carry, day in, day out. It is part of me.
I am embarrassingly needy of human communion. The very threat (not intended as a threat, but felt as one) that my monastic superiors would require me to take vows as a hermit wrecked havoc in my life. It scared the dickens out of me. Ask my friend, Sandra, who witnessed what I went through several years ago when superiors were planning for me to become a hermit. Or ask Fr. Lou, my one priest friend in the Diocese of Great Falls, who said to me on several occasions, “Paul, you are not a hermit.” No one who truly knows me could think that I could be happy living alone and in isolation from human beings—especially from having a few truly close friends. And if one is so needy of real friendship, why deceive oneself with the name of “hermit.” It is unlikely enough calling me “a monk.” As I was told in my monastery, “We do not have a charism for friendship here.” It was evident that I needed close friendship, and several monks let me know that, as far as they were concerned, that need or “charism” excluded me from being a genuine Benedictine monk. Note well: I do not live in the monastery to which I took solemn vows. I simply “do not fit in,” to use the words so often applied to be at St. Anselm’s. And rightly so. I do not fit into the tight boundaries and conformities of Benedictine life.
Out of the utter blackness in me, the void that is painful and ever-present, I know with everything in me that I need one or a few truly good, reliable friends in life. With close friendship, I feel that I am able to be the man God wants me to be. Without a good friend or two on life’s journey, heaven would feel to me like hell. All of the friends I made in childhood were stripped away after a few months, as I attended some eighteen schools in eleven states before graduating from high school. Where were my friends? Gone. I had my family members, with whom I was often caught up in strife and conflict. Such was my life. How, I ask, could such a wounded human soul be expected to thrive and be happy as a hermit? (Or perhaps as a monk in community, for that matter.) What were these monastic authorities thinking? “Father, forgive us, for we do not know what we do.” If someone truly wants to make me suffer greatly, then put me in strict isolation—or throw me into “a cell,” as monks call their rooms.
It is not that I cannot be at peace alone. Well, perhaps I cannot be. With the trust that I have one or two good, reliable friends, I am not lonely when alone, because by love they dwell in my heart, in consciousness. When I pray, they are with me. When I read, they are with me. Without real human friends, I would not want to exist. Life in isolation would not be worth living. I utterly disagree with Jean-Paul Sartre, the French intellectual “existenialist,” who said, “Hell is my neighbor.” For me, hell is myself in utter isolation.
One can say, “But if you really believed in God, that would be sufficient.” Perhaps for Fr. Daniel Kirk, OSB, who was a wholesome and holy man. He had the benefit of a close loving family in childhood, and was not jerked around from place to place. But not for Paul McKane, who is neither wholesome nor holy, but in many ways, full of holes. These holes, these moth holes, eat up the fabric of my soul and character. That is just the way I am, whether I or others like it or not. I cannot be what I am not. “We all have our crosses to bear,” and “I am my own cross.” That much I know, and if you know me, you know how I can be a cross to you. Forgive me, friend.
I feel the draw to move by faith alone into the void, into what I often call “the divine abyss.” But it seems clear to me that I have one precondition for making this journey: I need to carry one or two dear friends in my heart, in consciousness, trusting that I am accepted and loved for who I am, and not because of some title or role, such as “priest,” or “monk,” or “man of God.” I am simply a wounded human being seeking peace and happiness with others in God.
Is it enough that Christ loves me? I think that for a while after my conversion to Christ, yes, that sufficed—or did it? I was horribly lonely and often did not want to exist when I was an undergraduate (ages 18-21). Once I was converted to Christ (age 20, I believe), I felt an intense sense of his presence in me and with me. Still, I needed human friendship. Yes, Christ; but also, a good friend.
“A friend is someone you don’t go to bed with,” as my former fiancée, Judy, would quote from her English professor. A friend is someone who stands with and for each other, accepting one another “warts and all.” A friend as friend does not seek sexual union, but spiritual union, a “meeting of the minds,” and attunement of the hearts. Or so I believe. A self-enclosed, secretive soul cannot truly befriend another human being. Or God.
I am willing to descend into the divine abyss in prayer—“truly to seek God,” in St. Benedict’s words—if and only if I am assured that I have a friend who may drag me out of the cave if I descend too far, for too long. If for a few days, Willy Boy is totally silent, someone better check on me, because that is not my style. God will have me silently in death, and then I will speak only in silence, as does God. For now, words. If you hear nothing from me, ask, “Is that man still alive?” And so I write for you, whomsoever you are.
Now I need to take steps to enter into the divine abyss. Let’s see what happens.
Wm. Paul McKane, OSB
14 January 2020
I chose as a title for this meditation, “into the void,” referring to the movement of the human mind into that which we call “God.” Now I use the term “God” in the sense developed in St. Anselm’s superb meditation, the Proslogion, one man’s address to God in prayer. St. Anselm’s develops with mystical-intellectual skill his insight: “God is that than which nothing greater can be thought, and greater than can be thought.” That “greater than can be thought” is what I signify as “the divine abyss.” No mind except the divine Mind itself knows God as He truly is.
At this time in my life, however, I do not feel so strongly drawn to “seek God” in prayer, meditation, or descent into the divine abyss as I often have. Perhaps my thinking and attitude will change in a few weeks—who knows? At least today—and let’s take one day at a time, for that is all we have—I prefer to seek that which can console, heal, bless my wounded soul, than to journey into the unknown depths of God. As I explained in the two previous blogs in this series, I am strongly aware of having a real need for good human friendship. How I ever thought that I could survive and thrive in a monastery where “particular friendships” were discouraged and frowned upon, I do not know. And what is the Socratic watch-word, which makes eminent sense to me? “Know thyself.” Or more fully from Delphi: “Know thyself: that you are a human being and not a god.”
This human being is not now desirous of going naked into the divine abyss. I am not ready for God.As previously explained, within my consciousness there is such an intense awareness of being moth-eaten, if you will, and full of holes, that I have no interest or ability to “empty myself wholly,” and “be alone with the Alone.” Often have I praised and used Plotinus’ watchword, to be “alone with the Alone.” Yes, I see that as a desideratum, as a great good. But I am not now capable of being truly alone. In fact, at this time I challenge the notion of aloneness. How can any human being ever be truly and completely alone? Is it not a contradiction, a denial of who and what we are?
I have often heard mention by Catholics and others of “private prayer.” That phrase never appealed to me, or made sense to me. How can a human being be “wholly private”? If I go to God in prayer, all that I know and have loved in any way is with me. That is how consciousness, how human reality works. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Yes, I can “go into my room, shut the door, and pray to the Father in secret.” Of course I can utter thoughts in my heart without giving voice to them. As I write now, I am sitting alone in a house with my dogs, who are not pestering me (because I just fed them, and Labs are gluttons, after all). I am in solitude to a degree, but am I really alone? I do not know you who will read this—if indeed anyone ever will—but you, unknown, not even imagined, are with me to a degree. I am writing for myself, yes, to clarify thoughts; I am also writing for you, the unknown reader, if in any way I can assist you in your life, and in your desire for God. We are all dying soon, given the brevity of our lives; so let’s get our acts together, eh?
Who or what is with me right now, other than myself as I am writing, and you, the possible reader? Who else is with me? By faith I trust that God is present—HE WHO IS—the God of Moses and of Jesus Christ. In other words, I trust that the unseen Creator of all that exists in any way is present in me, with me, even for me. So I am not at all alone. On the divine Presence in the search—in one’s daily life—I shall write later. For there are others with me now. My dogs who share my house—Moses and Elijah—are with me, as I am surely conscious of their being in the house. Moses I see napping just fifteen feet in front of me; Elijah went off to the bedroom. I am not alone in the house, but sharing it with “POSSLQ’s. That is one of those silly bureaucratic terms I found on a census form many years ago. It means, Persons of other sex sharing living quarters.” For me it means: “Persons of other species sharing living quarters.”
Who or what else is with me now? My webmaster Sandra, because I am aware that if anyone reads these words, it will be she. And then some former parishioners, especially Betty, who may browse this website. Who else? My friend Steve (who probably does not read what I write), is heading off today to help give a 4-day retreat to men seeking a closer friendship with Christ. I promised to pray for Steve as he sings and presents a spiritual talk to the men. Others are present, more fleetingly. Several are present with me in memory from beyond death: Fr. Daniel, who was my spiritual father in the monastery (and remembering him leads me to the present Abbot, James); my dogs Zoe and Rummy who died—they all come in and out of consciousness. My parents return often to memory from “beyond the grave,” or at least from their lives in this world, having passed into or through death.
In short, I am not alone. "I” does not exist in isolation,. What one calls “I” is a part of a functioning Whole, a part of reality. “I” has no independent existence; the belief in such an existence is in truth an illusion. Anyone who thinks that he or she is or can be a fully isolated, independently existing being is deceiving themselves. I have no being except in relationship to the physical world, to its ultimate cause (thank you, Aristotle), and to all whom I have known and loved in my life. And to others I am not even mentioning—for example, the cows I observed yesterday gleaning in the stubble fields. (I thought, “How hungry they must be, getting so little to eat.”)
So I am not truly alone. What about that which I called “God” above, or “the divine Presence,” or “the divine Mind”? I use the symbols (terms) without really understanding them. Who knows what “God” actually means, who or what God might be? We simply take our guesses. But how little, how weak is our understanding, our intellects. Much of the time in our lives, we are groping in relative darkness, whether we acknowledge it and admit it or not.
What is the divine Presence? How might God be present right now?”
Before proceeding, I feel a kind of tug or itch in my mind. Someone or something needs attention, something comes weakly yet pressingly into consciousness. It is you, a friend. I need to keep suspending that awareness for now. There will be a time to attend to you, but it is not now. I chose to suspend, so let me live my resolve now. LORD, I surrender them to you—all of them, and myself as well—here and now. Be it done to all of us as You will. Takes us to yourself in your way, your time.
Yes, I can try to suspend awareness of you, but even if you died, how could I not recall you to mind, as long as I am able to recall? So please, just sit quietly over there, and let me proceed. I love you and will not forget you. I hope. If I forget you, I’ve probably lost my mind, or at least my memory. For now, however, please sit still and let me return to awareness of simple Presence. If I am able to do this at all…. Getting sleepy. I shall stand and walk about to wake up.
At this time, I am not ready or able to seek God’s Presence quietly in prayer. The loneliness, the emptiness in my soul is great enough to cause constant interior suffering. It is part of who I am as a human being.
Of all the many things I learned between 1981 and 1991 at St. Anselm’s Abbey, to which I belong in solemn vows, words read to us when I was a postulant may come most often to my mind. Abbot James read an account of a Trappist monk, who on his deathbed said mournfully, “I never knew anyone.” Consider those words, as I often do. In reality, I really know no one well (not even myself, really). How can a human being who does not know another, and have a strong sense of communion with a fellow human being, truly seek God in prayer? How can an empty heart reach out in genuine love towards God, as prayer requires? How can a human being without genuine, true communion with another being possibly commune with God? What would that be? It would be an illusion, I believe, although I could be wrong, as I so often am.
I say, on the contrary: the best and perhaps only true aid in seeking God’s friendship is to have a profound and lasting human friend. Aristotle teaches that such friendship is possible if and only if a human being befriends himself—and that, says the Philosopher, means that he loves his intellect, the divine within. Or such is my reading of Aristotle in Books VIII and IX, both on friendship, in his superb Nicomachean Ethics. What happens to those who barely know that they have an intellect, or what it might be? What do they have to befriend in themselves? Their desires? Their lusts? Their imaginations? Their “personalities”? Their bodies? What is truly lovable in a human being?
In sum, I am not ready to depart on an adventure into God, because I lack a genuine and lasting human friendship, and I have not properly befriended the divine in me—that is, the intellect, the divine within reason. So although I am not wholly alone, as explained above, my soul is a spiritual wasteland, a void, that is not truly ready or able to advance on what St. Bonaventure called “the journey of the mind [intellect] into God.” I need to examine the wasteland, the emptiness in my own soul.
—Wm. Paul McKane, OSB
16 January 2020
The previous blog led me to introduce several themes: that the “I” or oneself is never completely alone; that I experience within myself a real emptiness, a void caused by lack of enduring friendship; that Aristotle claims that true friendship is grounded on proper love of oneself, which means loving one’s highest or noetic self, the intellect, or the soul’s participation in the divine mind. I am seeking to understand my own soul before assuming that I am truly ready to “seek God” in the monastic sense. As things stand, I consider myself neither capable nor worthy of truly seeking God. But I can also add: That is true, but one must be careful. For the divine that a human being seeks is that which is sought as a response to being sought by God. The ever-present one who is experienced as “shining in” to consciousness is understood to be the divine Mind; and this divine Mind or Intellect shines into our minds whether one is worthy or ready or not. God is God and the light of our minds, whether we acknowledge his Presence or not.
In short: A man’s search for God is fundamentally a response to the experience of being sought by God. And the God who seeks is experienced as an undefinable Presence to the soul or consciousness. This claim is not meant to be “theological” or “doctrinal,” but experiential: it is grounded on concrete experiences presumably available to every human being precisely as human beings. What is required could be called “faith and love,” but for the present, I see it as obeying the Delphic inscription so beloved by Socrates: “Know thyself.” The self that is known is not a separate “I,” but consciousness participating in the Whole of reality, from the divine First Cause or Creator down to physical matter that lies all around us. We are partners in the mystery of being, not separate “egos;” this insight informed philosophy and all spiritual writers of whom I am aware from the most texts available into the 17th century, to the French philosopher Descartes, who begins with a radically separated self or ego, and then proceeds to “prove” the existence of the world outside of consciousness, and to “prove” the “existence of God.” In a more grounded, proper sense, not only does God not “exist,” but human being does not just “exist” (stand out in space-time), but participates through consciousness, through psyche or his soul, in the whole range of being, in all of reality in which we share by “body” and “soul.” This participatory experience will be explored subsequently. For the present, I return to the experience of the void within the soul.
I concretely experience in myself a deep vast void, an interior emptiness that is largely unknown and hence unloved by anyone—including myself, and such friends as I have. We shall explore this stressful or distressful reality, but also suspend from it at times. For the emptiness within is not the entire picture, nor the most important part, although at times it surfaces in personal trials and storms, and presents itself as all-important. Even in times of tension, one should do well to recall that the human soul is not only a wasteland, a void, as taught by so much of modern thinking since at least the seventeenth century (Descartes, Hobbes, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Sartre, and many others). In exploring the psyche or consciousness, one should not begin with oblivion: with forgetting the whole of which one is conscious (again, Descartes’ and modern thinking’s fundamental spiritual-philosophical mistake). Rather, the explorer must not forget, but remember what s/he has experienced throughout life. Hesiod (c 8th century BC) and Greek thinkers after him wrote of the importance of Mnemosyne, remembering, as a primary duty of the human soul. (Here I simply point out that in Greek myth, as in Hesiod, the Muses—modes of divine Presence that inspire human beings—are the offspring of Father Zeus and Mnemosyne, divine Remembering. I shall explore this fascinating insight at a later time. And I hope and trust that the Muses will inspire me to remember to do so, singing to me of the wonders of the gods in reality, if I be permitted to write mythically. (But then again, in our age of scientism and factualism, myth is often taken too literally. For examples, listen to how Christian and Muslim fundamentalists approach their myths.)
It should be helpful to bear in mind fundamental reality as experienced by everyone who refuses to forget what has been experienced. Regardless of whoever one is, however wounded or deformed by sufferings (whether inflicted by others or from one’s bad choices is not the issue) the truth of reality remains indestructibly: that which is usually called “God” is radically Present. And this “God” is radically present and available whether one likes or not, attends or not. God is present whether one lovingly responds, defiantly rebels, or blindly forgets. Divine Presence, the I AM, is the substrate, the ground, of all of reality, including human consciousness. In other words, what we call “God” is ever-present, always available, loving the unlovable, healing the wounded, lighting up the darkness of the human heart and mind. Whether you and I are present with and to God or not, the divine is present to and with us. To forget this truth is, as noted, the foremost spiritual-intellectual disease of modernity: the refusal to remember, and to apperceive, fundamental reality. It is as if a man placed his hands firmly over his eyes, and said to you, standing right in front of him: What do you mean you are there? I see nothing at all. And such is the fundamental spiritual response that is so characteristic of what is called “modernity,” from about the 1600’s to the present. The game has gotten old, and in its wake is death: death of the spirit; death in concentration camps; death in abortion clinics. We refuse to admit what everyone knows well enough: human being is by nature a partner in God.
Hence, I experience two realities simultaneously, or back-and-forth, and I understand this to be the human condition, to one extent or another: On the one hand, I am consciousness of a void within me, of being a spiritual wasteland, empty and unlovable in myself; but on the other hand, the living and all-good God is freely present in me and with me. The unlovable is loved by divine Love. It would be untrue and ungrateful to refuse to acknowledge and to accept the divine Lover. Rejecting God’s loving Presence leaves one empty in the void of emptiness—in other words, living in the hell of one’s own making, or at least of one’s own being. That is a road not worth taking.
The abyss of emptiness that I am (the “ego”); and the divine that is present in me and with me. Both and. Not either or.
A practical example of how the balance in consciousness may be forgotten: This past week we studied chapters 5-6 of St. Matthew’s Gospel, beginning with the antitheses: “It was said of old….but I say to you,” and continuing through the Our Father, the warnings about “not laying up treasures for yourselves on earth,” and to the injunction “not to worry about what you will eat…Do not be anxious about tomorrow,” and so on. These are majestic, magisterial teachings, in which Matthew’s Christ takes the place not only of Moses, but of Yahweh-God who spoke through Moses. After the class, I felt disturbed, thinking that I had not done a fair job. Carol and Steve said that it was “fine,” a nebulous word that usually means, “Just okay,” or “Not so good, really.” Well, it was not so good. The interpretations of Christ’s teachings were reasonably accurate, but there was a major problem: taken out of context, with all of that heavy-duty divine law, God’s mercy and love easily get overlooked. I should have reminded them of the beatitudes again, or assured them of God’s love. Why? Because it is not balanced to present Christ as the Law-Giver, without also presenting him as the one who bore the cross for us, and who says at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, “Behold, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age.” Unintentionally, I fell into the trap of the law-giving Christ, without balancing it with Christ the Suffering Servant, the bridge between us sinners and the all-good God. I spoke as a scriptural exegete (one of Matthew’s “scholars,” perhaps), and not as one in union with Christ. At least I sensed that something was wrong with my presentation. For how long have the Catholic faithful been presented with the Law-Christ, and not at the same time encouraged to take confidence in the Merciful One? If one hears only the Law, one becomes—or should become—painfully aware of one’s failures; that is a beneficial effect of “preaching the Law,” as Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt chapters 5-7). But to be true to reality, balance is ever necessary. I will correct the imbalance this coming week, lest I continue the injustice to those present.
So Christ’s law makes us aware—painfully aware—of our shortcomings, our failures; but Christ’s love makes us aware—gratefully aware—that even in our unlovability, Christ died for us, and loves us, and is present with us and for us. As the Apostle Paul writes, “Christ shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5). The Apostle is saying in his words the same thing I sketched out above: God loves the human being even in our radical unlovability, even in our sins, failures, blindnesses. God loves the unlovable; and agape-love means that one in Christ seeks to do the same: love the other even when s/he is far less than noble and good and lovable. Finally, I think that it is much less difficult to misrepresent Christ using the letters of the Apostle Paul than using St. Matthew’s Gospel, unless the whole Gospel is kept in mind as the parts are studied, and that is difficult to do. There is nothing wrong with Matthew’s Gospel as such; on the contrary, it masterfully presents Christ as Master, Teacher, God-with-us, and the Suffering Servant who died to return us to awareness that I AM with you.
In short, even in our unlovability, Christ loves us. Christ is, remember, a magnificent symbol of the Presence of God in and with human beings. Hence, even in our unlovability, God utterly loves us and is present to us, with us. That is his nature, and his joy. As Julian of Norwich reports Jesus on the cross telling her in his agony, “if I could suffer more, I would suffer more.” Infinite and undefeatable is the abyss of divine Love.
Gladly will I descend into the void that is myself if it induces me to trust more fully in the unwavering, undefeatable Presence of God as love, mercy, peace, truth—all good, all at once. I will not descend into the abyss that is my soul without exercising faith as conscious awareness and trust, because then I find myself imprisoned in the hell of my own unlovable self. In a word: Not for me. I much prefer to live in the light of God’s loving goodness than in the darkness of my own unlovability. The Apostle Paul wrote, “When I am weak [in myself], then I am strong [in Christ].” I say: When I am unlovable in myself, then I am utterly loved in and by Christ. That formulation is truer to reality than the one-sided preoccupation with human sin, or just with divine love (“God loves everybody…”) without realizing how unlovable in ourselves we are, yet utterly loved. Once again, the balance of truth must be kept in consciousness, less than fall into despair in oneself or presumption that “I’m really a just and good person, as I am.” The miracle and power of God’s love shows up more fully in light of our genuine need for God. The awareness of our need for God requires that we are aware of the emptiness and unlovability within our own souls. If we admit our spiritual emptiness in ourselves, what happens? “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God” (Mt 5). Blessed—supremely happy—are the ones who know how much, how deeply, they need divine mercy and love. Woe to those who are rich in themselves. As one man once proclaimed to me after refusing the sacrament of reconciliation before marriage, “I am a just man.” His poor wife, living with such a blind and self-satisfied man, which is another way of describing a fool.
And so into the abyss of my own soul I descend, not to remain there or to wallow in myself, but to become more aware of the awesome wonder of God’s loving, self-giving Presence. One must realize just how great is his need for God. If you want to become more aware of your need for God, consider how empty you are in yourself, how unlovable even you are apart from the divine Presence, which is sheer “grace.”
A prayer: Christ, light of my soul, illuminate me. You who are ever near, make me strongly aware of my need for you, and at the same time, give me firm trust in your eternal goodness and love even to me—that I am not only “a sinner,” but a badly wounded man from the battles and trials of life. I thank you, LORD, for my wounds, for my brokenness, because through interior suffering you teach me to draw on You, the divine healer, and to surrender myself ever more fully into your merciful, peaceful, indwelling Light. Amen.
—Wm. Paul McKane, OSB
17 January 2020
Having just written on the tension in the soul between the emptiness within oneself and divine Presence, I was about to report and examine a concrete experience of divine Presence when I was a young man. I shall postpone analyzing that experience until the next section, because I feel nudged from within to give the Muses their due. I titled this series of short blogs “On seeking God in solitude and friendship.” Evidently, I work and write in solitude, as I live alone; but I am never fully alone, as previously explained: through remembering, others are present to consciousness. I have mentioned and will subsequently develop in sections the divine Presence, the great gift of God to everyman. But I also feel that it is just to honor the Muses, which in my case are concrete persons that have and do inspire me. When it comes to those Muses still living on earth, I shall not name names out of respect for anonymity. But for those Muses who died, and who still affect my consciousness through remembering, I may mention names. I do not wish, however to present a list, but more simply to adumbrate, to hint at a few of the Muses singing in my soul these days.
Out of gratitude, the first Muse I must mention is Fr. Daniel Kirk, OSB, whom I called “the midwife of my soul’s rebirth” in a poem I wrote many years ago. Fr. Daniel died in 2008, shortly before my mother. I am not conscious of his presence in me or to me, except through remembering his words and actions. I still revere him as a true man of God, a genuinely saintly man. Through Fr. Daniel, I know well what holiness is, and what it is not. Often Catholics will label someone as “holy,” but if you ask them what is meant, they are not much better Euthyphro. A holy human being is open, flexible, attentive, gentle, kind, meek, utterly self-giving, self-forgetting, and profoundly aware of the Presence of God in them and to them. A truly holy man or woman does not insist on his or her ways (I Cor 13), however dressed up they are as “church rules” or “the law.” And a holy person is not religiously fixed or “dogmatic” at all, but moves through symbols into ongoing divine awareness. Hence, one who is growing in holiness, or holy, is truly tolerant of others’ spiritualities, knowing well that the Spirit has many ways of working. Holiness is so humble that one cannot insult a saint, however much one may try. The holy person absorbs evil from those of us who are far less holy, far more full of holes in our characters. Through the saintly Fr. Daniel, I received more good than I can ever express. I show my gratitude by seeking to put up with the weaknesses and failures of others as Fr. Daniel endured my flaws for so long. He is a true man of God, and although not married and with no children in the flesh, can truly be called “a manly man,” who was so utterly courageous, self-restrained, able to endure much suffering without any complaint. I do not mourn his death at all; he was in God as long as I knew him, and I have no reason to think that such a union perished with death. And so I thank God for Fr. Daniel in my life, and will ever sing his praises until I die. Here is to a true, humble, utterly reliable, saintly man of God: to you, my beloved Fr. Daniel, and to the Christ you carried so humbly.
One who also comes to mind may not be the most prominent Muse in my consciousness, but s/he sings fairly loudly and clearly these days. In reality, this Muse may well be a composite of several persons, fused into one in my mind (as in my recent efforts to write tanka). This Muse seems to have opened up my heart through kindness and acceptance, through agape. In all honesty I am intensely aware that it is the Risen Christ working in and through this particular Muse, as it was with Fr. Daniel. If we could be said to be friends, it is only because each of us lives in a faith-union with Christ. Otherwise, we have little or nothing in common, so friendship in the sense of shared common interests hardly seems possible. All that really matters between us is our personal free-responses to Christ; the rest is passing. This Muse may have quietly touched my heart in ways that I do not fully understand; I am ever a mystery to myself. Or it may be that several Muses together throw my little gold into the fire to encourage writing; I do not know. It is odd, but God has his skilled craftsmen, and his physicians. And surely the divine Master has ways of working on each soul, as that soul requires, in order to lift it into heaven—that is, into a living awareness of the Presence of the I AM in the soul. What has strongly contributed to any effect this Muse has on me is magnified by retirement, when I do not have to produce essays, lectures, written works for parishioners, or some eight homilies a week. The Spirit used the gift of time to help me write, I think, and may have allowed this amusing Muse to aid in the process through the most sacred mystery of divine agape.
Several other Muses still play in my spirit; although they have also died in the body, they live on through their writings, and in me through what I have absorbed from their written works over time. Foremost among these Muses are the Apostle Paul (whose name I was given in the monastery), the philosopher Plato, the philosopher-scholar Eric Voegelin (1901-1985), Willam Shakespeare (the foremost poet and dramatist in English), and many others. But at least these four must be mentioned by name. Only one of them did I meet in person—Eric Voegelin; our three-hour meeting on my twenty-fifth birthday remains a highly influential event in my spiritual-mental formation These thinkers inspire me daily. Until my mind no longer works in this life, I plan to draw on them for inspiration, insight, wisdom. And on those to whom they lead me, too. Wisdom is shared, and generously leads from mind to mind. The true lover of wisdom embraces wisdom in all forms presented to the mind. That is one reason I genuinely appreciate the Buddha, “the enlightened one.” Wisdom is known in her children.
One more Muse must be mentioned: the master musician. The very word “music” comes from “Muse” in Greek. The master musician, the composer who has had an enormous effect on my soul since I was eighteen, is Johann Sebastian Bach. And his name fittingly means “brook,” or a “stream.” Through Bach’s music, streams of divine music pour into me. As I have written elsewhere, my powerful conversion to Christ was largely prepared by the music of Bach. Often when I write, Bach sings in the background—whether on speakers or within my memory. Many have been led to Christ through the music of this foremost craftsman. If my spirit is down, listening to Bach nearly always restores joy and peace in my soul. He is a supreme Muse in my life. (How often I thank God for the German people and their highly skilled craftsmanship in so many arts and sciences.)
Having mentioned some particular Muses at work in me, it remains to consider how they actually operate on consciousness. “Say, what?” That means: I wish to understand how these Muses affect my thinking now, affect my soul. It is not enough to “name names,” and give short descriptions. I wonder: How is my consciousness move / affected by these Muses?
I do not consciously imitate any one of these Muses in any coherent way. Each human being is unique, and trying to imitate another in that person’s particulars seems foolish to me. I can no more be another Fr. Daniel Kirk, or in any way like him, than I could be like the Oracle at Delphi or the Virgin Mary, or like some rancher-cowboy with a guitar. We are too different in life experiences, in our temperaments, in our moral and intellectual characters. God respects and uses our differences—and does not seek to remold us in someone else’s image. It would not work anyway. Each one’s unique identity is a magnificent gift of the Creator, and needs to be discovered and improved within its particular characteristics and gifts. Imagine if the Apostle Paul had sought to spend his life in leather-working (tent-making), or had taken up his hand at sculpture. I doubt that anyone would remember his name. Christ grabbed him and used Paul with his unique, intensely emotional, lively personality, and active mind. The Apostle Paul was so much himself (“in Christ Jesus”) that a foremost Greek scholar could write that after Plato, it took nearly four hundred years for anyone writing in Greek to come across as truly, as personally, as alive as Plato in his writings; and that man was not a philosopher, but the Apostle Paul. His Greek is unmistakable, although he had disciples and partial imitators (possibly in the Letter to the Ephesians).
And through the Apostle Paul more change was wrought in history than through nearly anyone else. All political and military leaders pale in comparison to the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” Paul was the foremost carrier of the Risen Christ in the apostolic generation, and his letters written for particular occasions have in turn moved and inspired major spiritual outbursts to the present. Socrates had his Plato, and Jesus had his Paul. “I have been co-crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I (ego), but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith-union with the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2). Not much in human history compares with such words for their transformative effects.
I would add for a young person who talks naively and vaguely about wanting to “change the world” (mindlessly quoting Karl Marx): Do you want to “change the world” (as if one could do so)? Then change yourself by opening up your spirit to the Risen Christ, and allow him to work in you and through you, as did Francis of Assisi for one—and as did the hidden saints, such as Fr. Daniel Kirk. “Not I, but Christ in me.” Such is the essence of genuine Christian spirituality. Very simple: Not doctrines, rituals, or sacred books, but the Risen Christ in a human being who responds wholeheartedly. Or to state the same experience in more philosophical, less specific terms: what matters most is that a human being keeps responding to the divine Presence as he or she is moved to do. God has many ways of working on a human soul. (And the Muses are among these ways.)
“This above all,” as Shakespeare wrote, “unto thine own self be true.” The self to which one must be true is not one’s private ego, one’s particular and self-centered existence—as is promoted by contemporary American culture. (Listen to the singing of pop musicians, and you are very likely to hear ego sounding large.) Rather, one must be true to his unique gifts in God, to the person or “self” that God restores in union with Christ. One must spend himself / herself as generously as possible. These Muses of mine make me aware that the Spirit of the living God uses each of his instruments uniquely. Our task is to surrender ourselves to the divine Presence within, to discover our talents and gifts, and then to pour them out generously until death. The greater the death to our own ego, the more fully Christ can employ us for good.
When I sit to reflect, to pray, to write, these Muses of mine are often at work. Translation into more typical symbolic language: the holy Spirit—divine Presence in and to a human psyche—often brings to mind words from one of these persons who has profoundly affected us: one’s “Muses.” Usually I do not have to search for “the right words,” although there are times when thoughts must be polished. Generally, as I reflect, some insight, symbol, phrase from one of these or other Muses comes to mind, and “out jumps this calf.” I have often wondered about how and why words come into consciousness. The process is mysterious and fascinating. However the process works, some of the words from one of the Muses mentioned, or from other Muses of mine, come into consciousness, and the words flow. I cannot imagine my writing if I had never studied Plato, the Apostle Paul, Shakespeare, Voegelin, or others. They have become a part of me; while thinking, their words may take new life in me. Thank God, these foremost thinkers took the effort to write, to share their own experiences and thoughts in a form which could later influence other minds.
One’s task is to “stock the pond,” as I have often put it: Study closely the best thinkers and writers, and then in time, these writers will have an affect on one’s thinking, way of living, writing. A person immersed in popular culture will strongly reflect popular culture, however superficial and transient it is. Listen to the speech of many people, and you hear bits of entertainment swirling around, like pieces of tin foil blowing in the wind.
One must discover and study closely the best writers, the greatest works of art, the finest musical compositions, if he or she wishes to embody and reflect the best. When I asked Professor Voegelin, “What allowed you to accomplish so much philosophically?” he answered, “I read the right books, I guess.” I have long interpreted his response as richer than it appears. Yes, Voegelin “read the right books,” and after responding, he placed into my hands a copy of Edward Norden’s Agnostos Theos, The Unknown God (as referred to by the Apostle Paul speaking in Athens according to his disciple, the evangelist Luke.) But the “I guess” in Voegelin’s response—a very untypical phrase for him—hints at a deeper answer, in the same way that Socrates and Plato could imply far more than they stated. Voegelin dedicated each of the five volumes of his masterwork, Order and History, not “to the best books I read.” On the contrary, these well-labored books were dedicated “Coniugi Dilectissimae,” “to a most delightful union.” Voegelin used the Latin phrase that hinted at several meanings. Literally, “to a most delightful union” or marriage indicates that he dedicated his works to a personal Muse, to his beloved wife, Lissy. But there is another meaning, as is typical of mystic-philosophers such as Plato, Plotinus, and Voegelin. The “most delightful union” is what allowed Voegelin to accomplish so much in philosophy. And that union was with what he often referred to as “the divine,” or “divine Presence,” or simply as “Presence.” Voegelin’s union was with the Muse of Muses: the living God himself. He was intellectually too humble to say it so directly.
—Wm. Paul McKane
17 January 2020
The last section (#5) in this series on “Seeking God in Solitude and Friendship” referred to the German-Austrian-American scholar and philosopher, Eric Voegelin (1901-1985). I will share again several spiritual experiences I had while speaking with this man on 21 January 1976. With his permission, I visited him at his home off the campus of Stanford University where he lived in retirement from his years as a distinguished professor; he remained actively involved in philosophical research until his death on 19 January, 1985, at the age of eighty-four, respectable given his life as a scholar and as a man who enjoyed cigars. (On his deathbed, he dictated to his loyal secretary his last writing on God.) When I met Dr. Voegelin, he had just turned seventy-five, and appeared in good health. He was nicely over six-feet tall, not fat, and after years of being in America, still spoke with an unmistakable German accent. I was twenty-four at the time of our meeting, and working on my doctoral dissertation on “The Experiential Foundation of Christian Political Philosophy: The Case of the Apostle Paul.” Of all the materials on the Apostle that I had read, I found Voegelin’s chapter in his Ecumenic Age (1974), “The Pauline Vision of the Resurrected,” to be the most thought-provoking. I considered myself highly fortunate to have been granted so much time with this formidable thinker. Throughout the three-hour conversation, he gave me brief answers; the burden was entirely on me to ask the right questions. I have often thought about and mentioned his response to my question, “What is the Holy Spirit?” He immediately responded with a question, “What do you think is moving you to ask your questions?” That remains the best single insight into the working of the Holy Spirit in a person’s mind that I have ever received. And by asking his question—itself evidence of the Spirit by Voegelin’s own account—the philosopher validated my preferred approach to the things of God: not primarily religious practice, nor doctrine, nor rituals, but a genuine intellectual search for the God who moves one to seek. I owe to Professor Voegelin an enormous spiritual and intellectual debt which I can best repay by studying his voluminous writings, gaining from them, and sharing anything I learn with others.
Voegelin’s question-response to me validated the search for God using the intellect, open to the Holy Spirit. During the same conversation, I had what may be one of the most profound spiritual experiences of my life. Unlike other experiences with which I was familiar, this one did not directly occur in my consciousness, although my consciousness was involved more than I realized for some time. What I saw with my eyes is difficult to put into words. While he was speaking, I perceived a powerfully bright light that seemed to be in and through Voegelin’s head. He was radiant, and it appeared as though light came from his head. He was not “transfigured,” or at least not as far as I know. The way I understood the experience, and still do, is that his intellect was penetrated by the divine Intellect, which appeared to me as illumination. He was reflecting, or better, embodying the divine Presence. What I have only gradually realized is that my own mind was involved; I was not a passive observer. Rather, I recall those words of Jesus to his disciples, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, and the hears that hear what you hear.” I would say that by divine assistance, my mind was receptive to the experience of divine Presence illuminating Professor Voegelin. When I have read through various accounts of Voegelin by his students, I have not come across anyone who had this experience. My experience was genuine, and either others chose not to mention a similar experience (for whatever reasons), or did not have it. Although it may in some ways be risky to recount such experiences, I think that they bear retelling and sharing. In fact, as Voegelin told me, that is what the Apostle Paul would have done with his companions at night around a campfire: shared their experiences in Christ. In our culture, how many cheer loudly at a football or basketball game, and yet have never experienced a human being radiating the divine Mind, or would even care to hear about such an experience? Consider our choices. Even those who proclaim themselves to be “Christians” and can recount the story of Christ’s Transfiguration on the mountain probably would have no interest in such an experience as I had with Professor Voegelin. Why? I think that most people like their “religion” safely tucked away in a book they can carry, or in a church where they feel “comfortable.” Canned religiosity is all-too-common in our age; indeed, that has probably been true for centuries, given the state of Christianity today. Finally, I do not assume that Voegelin was an exceptionally “holy man” in the religious or even spiritual sense. But he may have been; he was surely charitable, cordial, and patient with me (I add that, although at first his powerful and direct responses seemed off-putting and made me squirm as if under a very bright light, I quickly realized that the problem was in me, not in him.) Whether Dr. Voegelin was supremely good or not, I do not know, nor do I need to know; what I do know is that he had a very powerful intellect that was profoundly open to divine Presence. That is what showed up in the man, as it shows up in page after page of his voluminous writings—at least “for those with eyes to see.”
I do not doubt the reality of my experience. I know what I saw, and I am aware of how it affected me. That was the first time I saw a human being penetrated by God, illuminating divine Presence, but it turned out not to be the only time. It is a surprising experience—peaceful, uplifting, and at the same time guiding. It shows the participant “the path of life.” I am far more likely to listen to, believe, and respect a human being in whom I have experienced divine Presence than in the kind of soul that is embittered, close-minded, self-enclosed, self-absorbed, or religiously doctrinal. No doubt many persons who encountered the Buddha or Jesus or Francis of Assisi, to name three well-known cases, had life-changing experiences in and through these spiritually intensely alive human beings. If I may say so, that is how God works in us and through us for each other.
Question: Is the divine selectively present, or always present in human beings? Is it possible that the divine is ever seeking to fill or flood human consciousness, but all-too-few cooperate? Voegelin often claimed in his writing that his experiences were not exceptional. It may be that some men and women are far more responsive to the divine Presence than others; and that the more one responds, the more powerfully present God becomes in that person. In this way, man’s will, human cooperation, is a necessary partner in the divine-human action, and human freedom is taken into account. If this is true, and I think it is, then we can maintain that God does not just haphazardly select a few “blessed souls” in whom to dwell. Rather, to anyone who listens, opens up, obeys, such extraordinary experiences show us what is possible by “faith working through love,” to use the Apostle Paul’s phrase. I will add, however, that there are indeed extraordinary modes of divine Presence, and of divine gifts. Moses is an exceptional human being in history, and to that I would add some of the great prophets, such as Jeremiah; the Hellenic philosophers; the Buddha; Confucius; the Apostle Paul; and most especially, Jesus of Nazareth. What they experienced can, to some extent, be replicated or perhaps more dimly experienced in other human beings. The divine opportunity—grace—is freely available; our task is to accept that grace, and to live it faithfully unto death.
The Apostle Paul, who knew much about extraordinary spiritual experiences, writes: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace [Presence] of God that was with me (I Cor 15:10). God’s favor and free Presence comes to many; a few work extraordinarily hard, employing the gifts given at every opportunity. Perhaps these are the ones in whom God’s Presence, his “glory” shines out most especially. When I consider such men as Plato, the Apostle Paul, Thomas Aquinas, William Shakespeare, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Eric Voegelin, their extraordinary efforts—their nearly super-human efforts in their respective fields of endeavor—stand out. It is not enough by any means to be “highly gifted” with divine gifts or human talents; one must spend his or her life tirelessly in using these gifts. And then God’s glory shines out: “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to you be the glory,” in the words of Psalm 115. We would all do well to reflect on the parable of the man who buried his one talent in the earth, believing that the Master (God) is harsh, and feared his punishment (Matthew ch 15). He squandered his life.
That I have sufficiently used divine gifts, I truly doubt. I have squandered opportunities to study, to learn, to write, to teach, to pray, to do charitable deeds. But I also trust God’s mercy, and know that he has compassion on those of us who labor under emotional, mental, or physical burdens, as so many do. Then again, it is astounding to see how some men and women have risen far above their various handicaps, and achieved much. So rather than offer excuses for my lack of dedicated work, I should now seek to apply myself better to using whatever gifts I may have. I am ever conscious that my time on earth is quickly running out. “Out, out, brief candle…”
University studies and teaching occupied my life from 1969 until I entered St. Anselm’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Washington, DC, in 1982. (I had been teaching at the Catholic University in DC before becoming Catholic.) After undergraduate studies at the University of Washington (1969-1972), I pursued a doctorate at Indiana University (1972-1974), but decided to leave after earning a Master’s Degree with my thesis, “The Gnostic Thought of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.” Professor Voegelin—to whom I sent a copy of the thesis when completed—called my “methodology of recourse to experience” “impeccable,” which to this day remains the highest honor I have received, for it came from the man I consider the greatest philosopher of my lifetime.
During the period of my life that I spent pursing doctoral studies and writing my dissertation in political philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara (1974-1979), I had the conversation with Professor Voegelin, noted above, as well as some other special spiritual experiences that in retrospect were preparing me to give my life to “seeking God” in the peace of a Benedictine monastery. At the time, I barely knew that Benedictines existed, or what or who they were, if I knew the name; indeed, I was not Catholic, but a Lutheran Christian.
One Sunday morning during our Lutheran church service, an extraordinary experience was granted. As usual after the sermon, the congregation rose and sang words from Psalm 51: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your holy spirit from me” (Ps 51:10-11). As I was singing the familiar response on this occasion, suddenly it occurred to my mind that when the psalmist (“David”) prayed these words, he had a sense of already being “in God’s presence” (or why would he have asked, “Cast me not away from thy presence”?) At the moment I realized this, I became intensely aware of God’s presence. I could barely remain standing, and sat promptly with the congregation when the singing ended. The experience took several forms. First, I felt that I was no longer singing “on my own,” but was being “sung through,” as if my voice was being used by the divine presence. It sounded like me, was my voice, but I was not the one “doing it,” or powering it; it came from the Presence, which I interpreted to be God. At the same time, I felt overwhelmed by the Presence, which felt as though it was both inside me, within my mind or conscious awareness, and at the same time, radiating out of me. It felt as though a powerful force field was in me and through me. (Later I surmised that such experiences lay behind painting “halos” around saints—artists were symbolizing the experience of divine Presence.) While caught up in the experience, suddenly I thought, “This is neat. I wonder if others know what is happening to me?” As that thought arose, the experience of direct presence faded; as I let go of the thought about what others may have thought and attended to the direct presence, it again intensified. (Later I interpreted this movement as the tension between my pride and simple divine grace.) I do not know how long the experience lasted in external time, but perhaps one or two minutes. Within the experience, it was “forever,” so intense was it. It was an intensely joyful, awake experience, I must add. I interpreted it to be an experience of eternity within bodily time; it was not a “temporal event” with a cause in space-time. After the intensely personal experience ended, “the word of the Lord” welled up from my depths, and into consciousness. It came right out of my “center,” or “spirit,” if I may put it that way. I did not hear any external sound, but my thought was being used by the divine speaker, just as my voice had previously been used. I never forgot the words I heard: “Your life work is to have such experiences and to seek to understand them.” The language was English, the “voice” was my own, the words chosen reflected my own intellectual formation and consciousness, but the source and authority within them was unmistakably from what we call “God,” or “the LORD.” This would not be the only time in my life that “the word of the LORD came to me,” using the prophet Jeremiah’s favorite phrase. When you hear such a word or utterance, you will know it. The authority and source are self-validating. It would take a serpent to ask, “Did God really say…” (Genesis 2).
In prayer, meditation, study, preaching, and in such writings as I am now doing, I have sought to understand the experiences granted. My ignorance and perhaps pride leave me unworthy of adequate understanding; but God knows the truth of what happened (as the Apostle Paul wrote concerning his “ékstasis” or being taken out of the body, recounted in II Corinthians chapter 12). I should add that in preaching Christ during my years of active priestly ministry, I drew on such experiences to help me understand Christ and his teaching, although I usually avoided referring directly to such experiences in homilies (although I made a few references in adult faith classes, and in writings over the years). The New Testament Gospels and letters are replete with similar and more astonishing spiritual experiences (and most notably, perhaps, Paul’s vision of the Resurrected Christ), which make no sense and are usually overlooked or treated in a literalistic way by those who have not in some genuine ways “tasted.” Such experiences have gradually purged me from being a “doctrinal Christian,” or from being overly attached to liturgy, ritual, Sacraments, “the Bible,” or “church authorities” (as if they are God on earth). What matters most is that human beings encounter the living God, and share their loving responses with others through charity. Again quoting the Apostle Paul, “the only thing that counts is faith working through love [agape]” (Gal 5:6). Loving trust in God working through love—charity for “one’s neighbor” is what matters. The rest is relatively insignificant, and yet so many make so much of these things. Frankly, it has been disturbing to see what has happened within organized Christianity, and how often the priests and supposed “ministers of the word” seem not to understand what they are supposed to be doing. Again, they should heed the Apostle: “My little children, with whom I am in travail, until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).
As previously noted, in my search to respond to God I entered a Benedictine monastery in 1982, and was clothed as a monk, and given the name “Paul” by my Abbot. Out of a desire to serve others in need, and frankly a willingness to die in battle (there was much talk about “body bags” as we first faced Saddam Hussein), I entered the U.S. Navy to serve as a chaplain during the First Gulf War (1991). The war ended quickly, I was sent to Okinawa, Japan, with our Marines, and then continued to serve in active priestly ministry until retirement in 2018. I remain a monk of St. Anselm’s Abbey, but am, fortunately for them and for me, permitted to live and work “outside the walls.” And so I live and write in my beloved home state of Montana.
As previously noted, I have little doubt that I have not adequately lived up to the divine assignment—have not avidly sought to understand the experiences granted. When a man or woman fully surrenders to the grace granted, s/he produces the kinds of writings we see in Plato, Aristotle, St. Paul, the Gospel writers, Plotinus, St. Augustine, St. Anselm, St. Thomas Aquinas, Kierkegaard, and Voegelin, not to mention the active saintly lives (and contemplative writings) of St. Francis and St. Claire, of Meister Eckhardt, of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, and so on. Their divinely-granted experiences (“graces”) were not squandered, although I suspect that each of them would humbly say that they had not done all that they could have done in response to God’s action in them and for them. The worthy response to divine action is nothing less than total self-giving back in love. It is endless.
By way of conclusion to this six-part essay or blog, I raise a question: Where do I go from here? I still feel inclined to write, to seek to understand divine workings in human beings. For reasons I may not altogether grasp at this time, my preference is to write poems or short imaginary works of literature, rather than continue writing in essay mode (as offered here). Only by writing will I see what emerges.
—Wm. Paul McKane, OSB
18 January 2020
How do you seek God? Or, do you seek God? Are you content that you have attained a full and satisfactory understanding of who or what God might be? Has your journey come to its end? Is there nothing that you sense awaits you beyond your present understanding and degree of happiness? Again, are you seeking God? If so, how do you seek?
Here I shall give a brief summary statement of ways in which I seek God. Knowing me to the extent that I do, I will overlook some significant ways in which I seek and respond to the divine presence.
The ways I seek are many, a truth that makes me uneasy with static ways of seeking-responding, such as living in a monastery. For there, monks are engaged regularly and faithfully in chanting or reciting the divine office, celebrating the Eucharist together daily, each one having some manual or clerical work to do for the good of the community, many have positions teaching or working outside of the monastery, and so on. In short, there are good reasons why, although I am a Benedictine monk in solemn vows, I cannot live in peace within the structures of Benedictine monasticism. Each one of us has unique ways of living out our faith, of loving God and of neighbor, and of trying to respond more faithfully to what we call “God” in the search for truth, for happiness, for wholeness. I am genuinely thankful for the various ways of seeking God that have developed and evolved in my life. At the same time, I wish to be true to myself by exploring the paths that have developed, and not rejecting some ways out of hand, or limiting myself to one or two of these ways. Is it possible that I could live in a vowed community and be reasonably happy? Perhaps so, but at present, this is not a risk that either my Benedictine community nor I am willing to take. Returning to the structures of monastic life could arouse in me considerable anxiety, a problem that made living in our monastery so difficult for me, and hence for others who had to live with me. “This above all, unto thine self be true.” I felt imprisoned in such a static, structured life, and at this time I cannot entertain doing that to myself.
How do I seek God now, and what ways may have weakened over the years? I rarely now seek God through praying the divine office. After years of trying to pray the liturgy of the hours while living outside the monastery (as a Navy chaplain, then as a parish priest), I found that it did not seem to work for me. Recitation of the divine office seems well suited to communal life, and not to individual spirituality—despite being “required” of clerics in the Catholic Church living and praying on their own. On the other hand, what has developed in my practice of structured prayer often has included the psalms of the Hebrew Bible as well as Scriptural readings, but not in the form of the Liturgy of the Hours (the divine office). Rather, years ago I found in me a strong preference for reading / praying the Psalms through in order, in different translations, and occasionally with recourse to the Hebrew (which I can barely read, but can discover key language symbols), or even by studying the Greek text of the Septuagint. Rarely have I read the Psalms in Jerome’s Latin. More often I have read / prayed some psalms in German. Far more often, I have employed the Jewish translation of their own Scriptures (in the Tanakh), a translation that I have found fresh and meaningful. Otherwise, I often study either the Revised Standard translation (with the King James underlying it), or the Grail Psalter, from which we sang for years at St. Anselm’s Abbey; apparently, our community has employed at least one other translation since I departed in 1991 to serve as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy. Since retiring from active ministry in 2018, I have not had as frequent recourse to the Psalms as I did for years, but it may well be time to return to reading / praying them through in the order in which they were placed in the Hebrew Bible. This study should make a good Lenten practice for me this year. The psalms are poems, and I often have preferred to read thoughtfully a wider-range of poetry than just what is found in the Hebrew bible (the “Old Testament,” as Christians style it)
For years I put considerable effort and time into learning to sit quiet and still in the Presence of God. Especially influential on me was the way taught in the Cloud of Unknowing. I supplemented this method of patient love with studying and practicing Zazen (sitting meditation) as developed in the Buddhist tradition. Presently I go through periods of daily practice, and then slough off for a while, although I still feel drawn to return to the regular practice of daily “sitting,” as I prefer to call it. Seeking to attune oneself to the unseen, unfelt divine Presence is, I believe, one of the two foundational spiritual exercises of my life. The other is seeking God through charity—self-giving love—as I sought to do while serving in active priestly ministry, and now do more through writing than in any other way. In short, two of my most important and recurring modes of praying are sitting with the LORD in silence, and in active deeds of lovingkindness, in which one seeks to help form Christ in oneself and in others to whom one is “sent.”
To these two foundational modes of seeking God I should add one more, to which I have had frequent recourse since about the age of twenty: a close study of sacred texts. These texts have most often been from the Bible of Christianity (the “Old and New Testaments”), but since my high school years, I have not been adverse, by any means, to employing other sacred writings in order to think about, to meditate on, the reality of God and His ways in and among human beings. Often I read passages from the New Testament (especially from the Letters of the Apostle Paul and from the canonical Gospels) both in the original Greek text and in a good English translation, sometimes with notes, more often just by studying the Greek. My sense of communion with the writer of the sacred text has often been strong; if it were not, I doubt that I would return to these texts again and again. Now the particular author of the text—the Apostle Paul, the evangelists John and Luke, for examples—one seeks to commune with the Resurrected Christ and with the unknown God beyond all “revelation.” For example, when the Apostle Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2), these words are intensely and personally real to me. They express past and present experiences, and point the way to live Christ more faithfully: dying to self. Other sacred texts have come from a wide range of traditions—Lao-Tse, the Buddhist movements, ancient Hindu texts (for years the Bhagavad Gita, but increasingly the Upanishads), and of course writings by Christian spiritual masters—which are not called “sacred texts” in the Catholic tradition, but which often have the same effects in one’s soul as studying Scripture closely: a sense of union with God. (Note: this sense is never perfect, never complete, but at best a movement into divine presence.)
There are two other ways of seeking God that are extremely important in my life, and have been since at least since age twenty or so: studying philosophical texts (or other intellectually solid writings), and through the exercise of writing. For me to be happy and in peace, I must study; and long have I known that writing is a part of studying, because it focuses my mind and helps me to clarify my thinking. Furthermore, I have often shared the fruits of studying through teaching. Now that I am retired, with only one adult faith class meeting weekly, I have more time to write, and hope that something written will be of value to someone else’s spiritual journey. To what philosophical (or foundational texts) am I most drawn? Again, my present continues my life over the past five decades or so, and I find myself studying the minds that have so influenced me (not necessarily in this order): the Greek pre-Socratic philosophers; Plato; Aristotle; Plotinus; St. Augustine; St. Anselm; St. Thomas Aquinas; Shakespeare; Hegel; Nietzsche; Eric Voegelin. There are numerous others who at times have had a vast impact on my thinking. I also cherish the study of Greek tragedy and of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets (the greatest poet and dramatist in our language). At times I read poetry, in part for its relative brevity compared to other forms of literature, but I am not averse to reading stories as well.
Other than the New Testament spiritualists and Plato, the German-Austrian-American scholar-philosopher Eric Voegelin has had the most influence on my mental development over the years. The Platonic dialogue that has most formed my life is the Republic (Politeia). The French thinker, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (not a noble character by any means), said that the Republic is the greatest work on education ever written. I think that studying the Republic closely is the probably the greatest text for spiritual-intellectual education. To study the Republic is to undergo with the characters in the dialogue (notably Socrates) the ascent of the soul from the cave of a cultural and personal wasteland into the bright light of the God that is beyond all understanding. Of all the individual texts I have ever read, I would place only the Gospel of John in the same category as the Republic for spiritual formation, and the Republic is more of an intellectual formation as well. Studying Plato closely teaches one to question, to think, to gain insights into reality. In my opinion, there is no single writer in documented history to compare with the achievements of Plato. I feel drawn to study the two main dialogues on love again soon: the Phaedrus and the Symposium; these are the most profound and moving texts I know written on love.
It remains to mention other ways that I seek God, but first I should clarify the expression, “seek God.” In seeking God, one is primarily responding to the divine pulling or drawing one to seek. One is not searching in a meaningless void; on the contrary, before one calls, God as it work in the soul. A human being seeks the One already prevent and active in one’s psyche and in the world of which one is a part with body, mind, spirit. Hence, one should think of the two activities together: response and seeking. The search for God is not done in a Nietzschean void (a product of his imagination after rejecting God), but in a reality that is, in the words of ancient writers, “full of gods” or God. The divine penetrates reality, and all that exists in any way does so only by participating in the underlying “ground of being,” which we traditionally call “God.” In short, the search for God is primarily a mode of responding to God. In personal language, I seek God because God moves me to seek. Christ himself says, “Seek and you shall find.” And the more one seeks, the more one finds that the LORD, ever present in and with the soul, is the one who begins the search, guides the search, and fulfills the search. “Have I been with you so long, Philip, and yet you do not know me,” Jesus asks Philip (John 14). My response: You, Christ Jesus, are indeed “the way, the truth, and the life.” And long before I ever call on you, seek you, pray to you in any way, You are here with me. In St Augustine’s moving words that we should know are all too true, “You were with me, but I was not with you.” To which I hasten to add: LORD God, let’s make the best of my remaining years on earth, that I may find You in seeking you, and love you in finding you, to paraphrase the great St. Anselm.
This account of ways I seek God is highly incomplete. I must at least mention various other activities in which I regularly engage in my response-search for God.
First, listening to music, and occasionally studying it, is enormously important in my life. For several years in the monastery, I tried to be a “good monk” and avoid listening to music (as I avoided television and entertainment). I found it depressing in my psyche, and not at all spiritually valuable, to refrain from listening to good music. As one knows who reads my writings, I regularly listen to a wide-range of composers, but return again and again to a few. Without a doubt, the one composer who is most a companion of mine in my response-search for God is Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Bach composed music in many forms, many structures, but always with consummate compositional skills, with his powerful intellect, and with a profound faith in Jesus Christ that comes through the music—“for those who have ears to hear.” If I had only one musician to hear for the rest of my life, it would most surely be J. S. Bach. He is truly a spiritual friend of mine to the highest degree. To Bach I would add—always further down the line than the Meister Bach himself, would at least include the following (in chronological order): Thomas Tallis (1505-1585), Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672), Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1757), Josef Haydn (1732-1809), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), Franz Schubert (1797-1828). I should at least mention such composers such as Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, Antonin Dvorak (the healthiest soul of this group), as well as more contemporary composers from various periods and countries.
How is listening attentively to good music a spiritual exercise, part of one’s response to God seeking him or her? In the case of men especially living before the effects of the Enlightenment and secularization, such as Tallis, Schütz, and J. S. Bach (there are many fine Bach composers, so we use his initials), the texts to which they set music for singing were often avowedly and unashamedly religious. With the main exception of setting the Catholic Mass to music (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert), under the intellectual-spiritual destruction of secular processes in western culture, the great musicians generally did not spend much time setting spiritual texts. There is a place for secular music—whether Wagner among serious composers, or some musicians writing for a mass audience in our lifetimes—but one should indulge in it sparingly, I believe. If one eats only French fries and potato chips, we all know the likely result. But if one attentively listens to great composers who were grounded in the divine through faith and love, one will be nourished whether the music is composed to texts or not. Many compositions by Bach are not set to words, but in listening, one may become aware of God, or experience peace of heart, or feel energized and inspired by beauty and order (through musical structure). Good music immerses the active listener in beauty and in divine order, and such an activity is refreshing and formative
I must add to this account of ways of seeking God: taking walks in nature, usually with my dogs; viewing the night sky in wonder and gratitude for existing; being with my dogs, given their good characters and friendliness; small prayers from the heart, often of thanksgiving or praise, sometimes of petition; and friendship—spending time with friends. And for me, photography, I hobby I have had for years.
On friendship I have written previously. For the present purpose, let this suffice: Several times I was sharply criticized in my monastery for wanting to have one or several close friends. As several monks told me, “We do not have a charism for friendship in this monastery,” and more generally, one not infrequently heard warnings against having “particular friendships.” As I would say, “Friendships are only particular,” meaning one actual human being loves and cares for another human being, with mutual affection and good will. There has been in monasteries, and in Catholic religious and priestly life in general, a centuries-old attack on “particular friendships.” What was encouraged was for the monk or priest to “cast yourself solely on God,” and not rely on human friendship. In my opinion, this was a non-human (or rather, anti-human) and destructive spirituality, based in part on a fear of sex in any form—probably part of the influence of Gnosticism on early Christian experience (and even to the present, in various forms). It was an unhealthy and even perverse teaching, and although now openly criticized by many, it still has its defenders among Catholic writers. Aristotle had much more common sense than one finds among such Catholic writers. As Aristotle wrote, in effect: “No one would want to live with all of the good things in life, but not have close friends.” My heart says: “You’re right on target, as usual, Aristotle!” The attempt to live without close friends causes spiritual isolation, depression, morbidity, lack of energy, a life of self-absorption, and so on. And there was no lack of such lives in our monastery. Life without good friendships is not worth living. And as I had to insist recently, when pushed by my superiors to become a hermit: I am not in any way suited to be a hermit. I need good human companionship in this world.
In my case, not only my life in the monastery, but my demanding duties in active priestly ministry often cost me the opportunity to build good friendships. Not only was the work load demanding, but often I was moved around by bishops so frequently that friendships being built were quickly damaged or ended. That was indeed harmful to me, and I can only thank God that in my few remaining years I can “put down roots” and build some good friendships, although as Aristotle also explains, the elderly do not make friends easily. Nor do those of us who are “single,” living in locations in which nearly everyone is married, or at least has a family (as in my small-town area of Montana). Friendships for those like myself are difficult to build, but essential for happiness. I have no doubt that God wills our happiness, and that to be happy one must have true, good, and long-term friendships. A very challenging task for me.
In my present understanding, and from the perspective of one’s spiritual life: A friend is one with whom one can truly be himself, herself; and a friend is someone in whom you find the presence of God for you. A friend presents God to a friend; and when this presenting of God to one another is mutual, and done willingly, there is spiritual and true friendship. This simple statement should suffice for the present. I add only this: given my view of a friend presenting God, one should immediately understand why I found the monastic and Catholic spirituality of friendless existence as foolish and destructive of human life. In the words of Genesis, “It is not good for man to be alone.” If one does not have a good and suitable spouse, one must have a true friend or two so as not to be isolated and alone, forced into an abyss of isolation and loneliness.
In all of my years of serving as a parish priest (1991-2018), I never made a single close friend among Catholic clergy; I made a few superficial friends, but genuine sharing of heart and mind was not part of the casual clerical “friendships.” The exception would be Fr. Steve in Stevensville; but I was not serving as a parish priest at the time, having been thrown out of the diocese by a heavy-handed, belligerent, and imprudent bishop. The diocesan clergy with whom I served admittedly saw me as “an outsider,” not as one of themselves—in western Montana, in Iowa, in South Dakota, and in eastern Montana. Had it not been for some good friendships with parishioners, I never could have endured the isolation of serving as a parish priest. Thank God I am now free of such church structures. It would be detrimental to my spiritual and mental health to return to a monastery, or to serve again in parishes, an issue that may deserve closer examination with coming months. I seek God by being free of Catholic structures (religious life, diocesan priesthood). Diocesan priests usually have their own families and fellow diocesan priests for friendship and support. Consider this: From many years of service, I do not even receive $1 a month for living expenses, so much was I appreciated by the institutional church. For turning in a priest for grand theft—embezzlement—the priest personnel board, I was told, unanimously voted to give me no benefits. In short, from my experience, diocesan clergy do not extend the hand of friendship to “outsiders,”—or to those with whom they disagree on various religious matters: not in Iowa, in South Dakota, nor in Montana. I concur with what one priest serving outside of his diocese said to me years ago: “It’s been a hell of a ride.” There is a large dose of a denial of reality in Catholic religious life (especially among men religious) and in the Catholic hierarchy. Again, this problem needs fuller treatment elsewhere. In sum, I note: I seek God in part by staying away from living within the structures of the Catholic Church in particular, but away from organized “religion” in general. “Know thyself.”
How do I seek God? How do I respond to God? I remain a Benedictine monk living outside of what felt to me like a mental-spiritual prison; and I remain a Catholic priest, grateful to have virtually nothing to do with diocesan clergy. I am not outside the Church, as I still count myself as a Christian in communion with other Catholic Christians. Nor do I seek isolation from them. I especially need the fellowship of friends in Christ—something that takes years to establish. This reality has been difficult to live because of the frequency of moves in my life. Just since leaving the monastery to serve as a priest on active duty (Navy and dioceses), I have lived in some 15-20 “permanent residences,” with all but one of these moves caused by the decisions of local bishops or (for several years) Navy chaplains. These frequent upheavals have cost me personally and spiritually. I feel a real need to put down roots now; still I find it very difficult to make good friends as a single man living among married folks in a small community. Hence, most of my search for God must take place alone and in a fairly painful degree of isolation from human community. I must endure this isolation as well as I can—a burden lightened, but not removed, by faith in God. I was not temperamentally designed for this kind of isolation, nor are many human beings.
In good conscience I wish to add this opinion: I would not recommend monastic life or that of a diocesan priest to anyone who intends to live a noble and balanced life. These ways of life encourage immaturity, irresponsibility, sexually “acting out,” theft, deceit, serious mental problems, and hypocrisy hidden by clerical garb and titles of respect. Or so it seems to me after some forty years of observation. Few are the men who can bear well these “vocations.” Again quoting Aristotle, “Outside of the polis (human community), man is either a beast or a god.” A good marriage is the foundation of good human community, and of personal happiness.
LORD God Almighty, You are the Beginning and the End, that from which all comes forth, and that to which all returns. God of all creation, God of every creature, you alone are all-beautiful, all-good, all-wise. To You I offer all that I am, all that I have. Guide me home by your life-renewing Spirit.
LORD Jesus, I need your friendship. I feel isolated and alone in SW Montana, a beautiful area, but one where I am not making friends. Truly, LORD, you alone are my home. Nothing else works well for me—not even friendship, which has proved ephemeral, or remote in space-time. Give me peace, LORD, in which to see the truth, and how to live today. I have been isolated and lonely since retiring from active ministry. A retired priest loses his community and way of life. LORD, have mercy on a human being in need.
Lord, what can we do? Can you befriend me in a way that really helps psychologically? Reach into my empty heart, as only you can do. Keep me still. Help me surrender now to your loving presence. Please Jesus, bridge the gap I feel that it is so wide, but for you—it is nothing, as you are present as God.
—Wm. P. McKane
25 January 2020 The Conversion of the Apostle Paul
Note: In the following section, I shall attempt a response-search for God. It will be limited in length and scope
As I begin, LORD, I call upon the beginning of all that exists. You are far too vast, too deep for my little mind to comprehend. What I ask is more modest: not to understand you, and surely not to comprehend you, but for you to allow some light of your intellect to radiate into my mind. Without your divine assistance, there is no way I would attempt to seek you out. Unless you are already within me—albeit in ways unknown or not clearly understood now—how could I possibly seek you? On the contrary, you are radically present as you revealed to Moses at the bush: ehyeh asher ehyeh—I AM WHO AM. I know that I “cannot see your face,” for you have no body, and cannot be seen by bodily organs. My intellect and love must detect your presence, as you are sheer intellect and love, at once and together, if I understand St. Thomas.
I call on you out of my depths, out of what feels like an empty heart. Although not truly alone I often feel lonely in the world, an experience within my soul since early childhood. Can you, LORD, ease the pain, can you enter into the abyss of my heart? If you cannot do so, who could? Or does this abyss belong to our common human nature, and last until death? I have learned that trying to have close friendships ease the pain of isolation in the soul is like putting a bandaid over the Grand Canyon. Our human loves are far too small for the abyss in each of our hearts—a seemingly infinite void at the center of our being—which drives us to you alone, it seems. Can you descend into this void, this abyss? Or is it perhaps wrong to ask you descend into the hell of one’s heart? Or are you already here, and I’m not acknowledging your presence? If I trust that you are present in this wasteland within my soul, will it ease the psychic pain? Surely you are here, for you penetrate and fill all things. I do not feel you, or sense your goodness. But I do not have to keep staring into the abyss, either!
I have not done well, LORD, on loving those you have given me to love. I am bothered by my shortcomings. My loves, our friendships, have fallen far short of you. You overcome our human weaknesses and failures, for you are the supreme Good. Help us to cooperate with your grace that liberates from selfishness.
How much easier and more joyful it was to write about you in nature, in the planet Venus, in the kindness of a close friend I use to have. How difficult to write to you, about you, out of such a sense of desolation, out of the depths of my inner emptiness. There may be a reason for this, and I need to discover it. Aristotle says that friendship for another is grounded on friendship with ourselves; what in me, other than you, Lord God, is worth befriending? You are what is good, and true, and beautiful in me. The rest is so wounded, so pus-infected, that it shrinks before your light. If it were not for you in me, LORD God, I may well have ended my life decades ago, or been in a mental hospital, or been forced to live on mind-altering drugs. The mental anguish in myself by myself has been too great to carry gracefully; or I carry this emptiness and pain only by the help of your grace—your free and loving presence. You truly do lighten one’s burdens, as we call on you. You are my sanity!
Dear LORD, I ask you to stir up the gifts of your Spirit in me, and above all faith, hope, and charity. Faith, that I may utterly trust in your loving and merciful Presence in me. Hope, that I will in your time (presumably beyond death) attain to full union with you in love. And charity or love, that I may truly love all whom you’ve given me to love by letting you love them through me. And love, too, that I will seek you unendingly, regardless of the cost, and attain that most desired oneness.
You are present; you are Presence itself. I would not be spending time sitting here seeking you in prayer if you were not with me already, and moving me to search out your abode. No one can call on you, or turn to you, unless you are at work in them. It would be impossible to do so. Lord, I know not to look off far, nor to look at abysmal myself, but to be attentive to your free movements in the Spirit. You move by not moving, you stir us up without stirring yourself. You baffle me. Why it is, LORD, that I see so much beauty in your world, but do not appreciate you as Beauty Itself? Why do I see so much goodness, but not acknowledge the source of all that is good? Why do I love truth, and yet often not realize that you are eternal truth itself? “O slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”
Lord my God, Christ himself, move me to ask the right questions. I know which question immediately comes to mind, the great question of my life: Who are you, LORD? What are you? I love these questions, because they focus my attention on you alone, you in yourself. And I sense that I know, to an extent before I ask, or why would I bother asking? Surely I trust that you are supremely good, or why would I be curled up with you now as I think, write, pray? Who are you, that you should come to me? How merciful of you to stir up this little creature. How merciful for you to be patient with me despite my selfishness. (And Lord, tears begin to come, as you know, when I call to mind someone whom I have hurt by my selfishness, by wanting more than that one can or wishes to give. I am truly sorry, LORD, and I ask you to help me crucify my desires and needs, and let you love him through me.) And when I speak with you, LORD, I believe that all whom you have given me to love are in some ways with me, whether they are alive on earth, or died, and now abide solely in you. What I do, I do for all whom you have given me to love, as well as for myself. We really are in this together, and not as alone as I often imagine.
You console me now, and encourage me, through Bach’s Great G-minor Fugue, which I hear playing, performed by Karl Richter. (Ah, these talented Germans!) It does not ruin my prayer to listen, but lifts my spirits. Such a man of God was Bach, so trusting in you, our Lord Jesus. And Lord, you know what I’ve told you: Bach’s Jesus is my Jesus, too. Our conception of you seems to be profoundly similar: real, intense, personal, joyful. You are intensely real to both Bach and me. Of course he’s in my heart and mind forever, because the divine Bach, the Brook of God, is forever in you. How many souls he has led to you, strengthened in you, converted to you. No wonder Bach has been called “the fifth evangelist,” because of his praise for you, Lord Jesus Christ, and for his most generous service of your people. All praise indeed to you for giving such gifts to men, and giving them the energy, drive, and intellect to use these gifts so astonishingly well to your glory! Thank you for my dear friend, Bach, Lord. Herr Bach, who worked harder than them all, and used your wonderful gifts to bring us to God. What a model of true Christian life you are, Johann Sebastian Bach!
A significant break-through for me
LORD, I will not seek you out in the abyss of my heart. This is a break-through for me, LORD, and I credit you with showing me. As you said through the anonymous prophet we call “Second Isaiah,” “I did not say, seek me out in an empty waste” (Is 45:19). And what an empty waste is my heart, or at least a large part of it, without seen boundaries. According to the priests who wrote the great Creation poem of Genesis 1, before God said, “Let there be light!,” the world was “tohu wabohu,” waste and void—empty, meaningless, a realm of confusion. So is the abyss in the heart, and although I shall acknowledge it, no longer do I think it prudent to seek God in such a wasteland. It will survive until death, and then “death will be no more,” and “God will be all in all”—and that includes taking over the Big Wasteland within. I will seek God in whatever has been formed and structured by God, the God of creation. As for the abyss in the human heart, let it be what it is: an empty waste. Again, to remind my all-too-empty-head, “I did not say, seek me out in an empty waste.” OK, LORD, let’s get to work! And I can go back to marveling at your beauty revealed in the planet Venus-Aphrodite, goddess in the night sky, goddess of love and beauty. This mode of searching for you, adoring your presence, brings me joy and energy; the descent into the abyss within my heart makes me depressed and sorrowful. Therefore, look up, little man, and be in awe at the works of your Creator!
Reflection: If I understood an important point Eric Voegelin makes in his final volume, In Search of Order, the divine Presence is known only through structures in reality, through what is formed (and not sheer waste). Voegelin reflected much on knowing you, LORD, through structures in the mind, in consciousness, and he sought to explore these structures common to us all: intellect, reasoning power, anamnesis (recollection), intentionality and luminosity of consciousness. This is probably all beyond me, and I prefer to work with what is familiar to me—or to what I can discover through diligent and focused study; but that awaits. I’m more eager to read again Plato’s two great dialogues on Love (éros): the Symposium and the Phaedrus.
In what structures in consciousness is God present to me now? Where are you LORD? In memory, for one. I recall the reality of God by remembering. In reason or intellect, and intentionality, as I direct my thoughts towards the divine Present. Surely you are helping me understand now, LORD, as I realize not to seek for you in the abyss within the soul, but in your creative activities all around and within You are not directly present in feelings, although my feelings can respond as I sense your presence by faith. And indeed, feelings do respond, as I have felt intensely during some experiences of your presence: peace and unspeakable joy. You are present right now as I hear Bach’s chorale, “Jesu, joy of man’s desiring,” which is so highly structured, and hence an imitation of your creation. (Every real work of art is an imitation of Creation, a little world (cosmion) of its own, as I realized years ago.) And are you not known in our genuine questions, provoked by the Spirit?
One final request, LORD. You have given me some human beings to love. I ask that I would keep my self out of the way, and let you love them through me. By myself I get too attached, too desirous. I get so entranced by beauty, superficial fellow that I am! Letting you love them will through my words and actions will offer them a much purer stream of love than my ego could ever do. Amen.
To you alone, LORD,
I give all I have and am;
With you alone, LORD,
I shall arise to seek you
More diligently. Amen.
Hear Herr Bach! The melody of the chorale is now very widely known: “Jesu, joy of man’s desiring.”
Jesus bleibet meine Freude, Jesus remains my joy,
Meines Herzens Trost und Saft, My heart’s comfort and sap;
Jesus wehret allem Leide, Jesus guards from all suffering,
Er ist meines Lebens Kraft, He is my Life’s strength,
Meiner Augen Lust und Sonne, My eyes’ delight and sun,
Meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne; My soul’s treasure and bliss;
Darum laß ich Jesum nicht Therefore I will not let Jesus
Aus dem Herzen und Gesicht. Out of my heart and sight.
—Wm. P. McKane
25 January 2020
I do not intend to try to explore what I’ve termed “the abyss within me,” or “the void,” in order to search for God there. Not engaging in such activity was the insight that dawned while writing the prayer-meditation of section #8 above. The best one can do is not deny the reality in oneself of this void, but not wander into it, either. For years I thought that I had to descend into the void, at least at times, to search for God; the void attracted my attention. Then I recently read in Voegelin the assertion that the divine Presence is known only through structures—an insight which I shall search out again, and more fully integrate for spiritual growth. Hence, I do not intend to imaginatively place my consciousness within the void, then seek for God there. What I write in this section, rather, is to ask a question: What is this void or abyss that I and others have long felt, and that one occasionally hears mentioned?
An acquaintance in Montana told me that on a spiritual retreat recently, someone (perhaps a Catholic priest) mentioned that each person has “a little hole” in them, where they try to stuff things such as a new car or a lover, but in reality the hole can only be occupied by God—or words to that effect. My immediate response was: “A little hole? It’s a gaping abyss!” And I still hold with my claim. I find it superficial to assert that human beings have “a little hole” within their soul, which means, as he applied it, a little need for God—which only God can fill. On the contrary, boundaries of this “hole” are not consciously known; hence, I term it an “abyss,” or “the void.” The reason only God can be the answer to the abyss in the human heart is that only God is unbounded, infinite; and this abyss is not a finite hole, which anything really could fill, but a region which either has no boundaries, or at least borders on the infinite, on God, and so is unknown. There is no “little hole” within someone’s heart; it is unlimited.
I will put the matter differently. The void or abyss is an infinitely vast longing, that nothing in the entire cosmos (universe) can possibly fill or satisfy, but only that which is itself infinite, unbounded: and that is what traditionally is called “God.” In other words, this emptiness in the human being is so vast, so seemingly measureless, that only the Creator himself can satisfy it. That this void is indeed felt as a longing, an enormous longing for the infinite, the unbounded, virtually anyone except more superficial adults realizes. By no means is it a problem unique to me, or to you.
When two persons originally fall in love, they often assume that the other can fill that wasteland, that void, that intense longing for the infinite; but then in time, they feel disappointed with the other, once they must face reality that no human being, and no other being or being-thing can possibly fill what is essentially unfillable except by the In-finite, the non-finite. No spouse can fill one’s emptiness. No new car, vacation, experience. Fulfillment comes only from the non-being that is traditionally referred to as “God.” Indeed, how would one know that a person or thing or any given experience is not in itself “God,” except by comparison? One compares to this infinite void whatever presents itself (spouse, friend, car, whatever) as desirable. And what is discovered? The human being who is not superficial or spiritually blind compares that other, that being or experience, to the void within, and quickly realizes: this person, this experience of joy, this cruise I’ll take, or this island I’m buying cannot and will not fill the void. It is impossible for a finite being-thing to fill the vastness to which the human being is open, or on which our conscious mind and feelings border. And yet, most human beings live trying to find that “someone” or “something” to fill the void. It cannot work—any more than a bucket full of water could fill an empty ocean, or air released from a balloon could fill the vast starry heavens of space. In a sense, it is comical to think that many live trying to stuff some finite being-thing into this void; but it is also tragic, because it cannot turn out well, it cannot produce happiness or peace. Nothing can or will satisfy this infinite human longing.
This problem of things or experiences to fill the infinite abyss in the heart characterizes humanity, and certainly has been visible in the American culture with our obsessions with power, success, wealth, getting “stuff,” having “experiences,” and the like. As a people in history, Americans are spiritually immature, and our entire subset of western civilization can be seen as an attempt to fill the wasteland within with things, wealth, affairs, entertainment, drugs, and so on. Let’s be honest: Americans do not like to grow up, but always want to find that “something” or “someone” to satisfy our humanly infinite longings. And it does not work, cannot work. Accepting reality is a major step forward to spiritual growth.
God alone can satisfy—but not within the limitations of present existence—the human heart, which opens up to the infinite, which is conscious of the abyss. I repeat this point because it is so important to keep in mind: Not even God can or will satisfy the human being’s infinite longings in present existence. Apparently, it is contrary to nature or reality, impossible, and would end the human search for fulfillment beyond death. What one calls “God” cannot fill this void because God as experienced is always a limited experience for the human being. No single divine event completes the human being, but rather leaves him or her wanting more. Consider, as an example, the Apostle Paul’s extraordinary vision of the Resurrected Christ. Paul did not write, “Now I am fulfilled, now I am satisfied; I have seen the LORD!” On the contrary, the Apostle writes: “I have not attained; rather, forgetting what lies behind, I press on to what lies ahead…” (Phil 3). He knew well that he had just tasted the Infinite God, and had by no means a final, ultimate fulfillment.
I’ve known a number of rather naive folks (spiritually immature) who have experienced love, or God’s peace, or a vision, and thought that “that is it,” that now they are fulfilled. “Hey! I’ve arrived!” I say: “Not so fast, sweet-heart. You are misinterpreting reality. It does not work that way.” And it does not work that way, because the abyss is too vast even for the best gifts that God can present in this life. If a single experience or “faith in God” could satisfy the heart, who would ever welcome death when it comes? Death would be seen only as destruction, and not as a means for fulfilling the infinite longing of the heart for completion. Death is the door into infinite happiness, infinite completion—death and only death. In other words, nothing, no one, can complete a human being in present existence—not even God’s presence in and to a person. There is no ultimate satisfaction of the human heart’s longing in present existence. And that reality feeds the longing and hope for death as release from finitude, and emergence into that which alone can complete or satisfy; and that is what is called “God,” or “union with the One,” and so on.
Hence, one of the salient characteristics of present existence—of human life in this world—is its essential incompleteness. Based on the proceeding analysis, we can say that human existence is essentially incomplete and unfulfillable in life, and that this truth opens one up to the possibility that there is fulfillment, but only through / beyond death. Death is the only hope that one can be completely fulfilled. That union with God for which peoples of various religious faiths are taught to long is itself possible only beyond physical death, beyond extinction of all of one’s present existence. This suggests that if a human being wishes or desires to keep his or her own finite soul beyond death, then he or she would remain essentially incomplete, unfulfilled. As long as one clings to finitude, to oneself or another, in any way, completion does not occur. To be fulfilled, the human being must surrender everything it has and is into the infinite abyss of divine love. Then and only then is fulfillment found.
“The greater the death, the greater the life.” Only complete death to all that one is, has, and knows can allow “God to be all in all.” On this we shall ponder in another meditation.
Void of nothingness within,
Most profound longing
That the human heart can know,
Desire for the infinite--
Nothing in this life:
No divine experience,
No peace and joy forever,
No perfect spouse or lover--
Nothing can fulfill
The abyss that’s yours within;
No, not even God
Within present existence
Can fully satisfy you.
Only through full death,
Complete extinction of all
You are, all you have,
Removal of all you love,
End of your own existence
Can fulfillment come:
Finite yields to infinite,
God is all in all,
Nothing limited remains,
Creator and creature oned.
—26 January 2020
Spirit of divine Love, bring back to my mind and heart
The memory of my love for my father,
Now deceased, beyond the agonies of time.
Carry my soul, Spirit, back in time—ever present in you--
When I was a small child in a small town
In the Dutch country of Pennsylvania,
with cows and sheep and horses in the beautiful fields--
On the beautiful rolling hills with those earthen smells.
He was a family doctor, a general practitioner, and husband,
The father of the three of us, all who loved him.
To my father I now speak through the Spirit, remembering:
Daddy, I utterly adore you, and am not ashamed to tell you.
I think the world of you, Daddy.
In my own little-boy way, I worship you.
For You and Mommy are everything to me in my world--
You are my world, about all I know, with Jeanie and Sandy.
You are more than a hero to me, you’re a great hero.
You are all good, and gentle, and kind, and very smart.
And when you play with me, I feel sheer delight.
When you laugh with me, and tease me, I feel so good, so proud,
Merry and light is my heart. Joy is all I know.
When you draw near to me, Daddy, I feel safe.
When you correct me, I want to obey and please you.
And when I’ve done wrong, I still feel your love for me.
I hear you whistle, and my heart flies like a bird.
When I am hurt, you bind up my cuts and scratches,
And give me vitamins to make me strong.
And hoagies, sauerkraut, spaghetti, meatballs.
And best of all, fried chicken and beets,
With a bib so I won’t make so much of a mess.
I am growing up, Daddy, with the help of your love.
You will be very proud of me one day, I know.
By your love, I will become a good man, just like you.
Because of your love, I will be strengthened for life’s hardships.
When I kiss your stubbled cheek, I feel safe at home.
When we play rumpty-dump in bed, and you tickle me,
I squeal with sheer delight, feeling so utterly loved.
Is it any wonder I sing in my sleep, as you told me?
You call me “Willy,” and “Wormy,” names I love.
You have made me a very happy little boy,
And I love you more than words can ever say.
Now the Spirit of divine love brings me back into the present,
And lets me feel from where I am now:
If I cry, thinking about you, Daddy,
These are tears of gratitude mixed with pains released.
The years are past, and you are utterly gone from this world,
But not from our hearts and minds—with your children, you abide.
We remember, and we love, each in his / her own way.
I see so much of you in me now, Daddy,
That I can truly say: My father lives in me, and I’m very thankful for it.
My goodness, I am so like you in many ways, especially in mind.
Thank you all for that you gave me, and keep giving me;
All for all that you mean to me.
My most beloved father, I will love you until I die, I promise you.
“You have restored the joy of my youth.”
06 Jan 2020 Traditional day of Epiphany
Click on the above Poetry and Tanka tabs to read a variety of styles of poetry.
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A study looks at the impact of having both hearing and vision impairment on the chances of developing dementia.
Researchers have linked hearing impairment and vision impairment individually to an increased chance of developing dementia. However, a new study finds that an individual’s chances of developing dementia are significantly higher when they have both conditions.
The risk of developing dementia increases by 86% for individuals who have both hearing and visual impairment.
“Evaluation of vision and hearing in older adults may predict who will develop dementia and Alzheimer’s. This has important implications for identifying potential participants in prevention trials for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as whether treatments for vision and hearing loss can modify risk for dementia.”
– Study lead author Phillip H. Hwang, University of Washington
The research, “Dual sensory impairment in older adults and risk of dementia from the GEM Study,” appears in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.
According to the study, some 33% of people aged 70 and older experience hearing loss, and vision loss affects about 18% of people in this age group. Since these conditions worsen with age, researchers think that a correlation exists between the advance of these conditions and the loss of a person’s functionality and mortality.
Previous research found a less obvious connection between hearing or visual loss and the onset of dementia.
The two leading theories indicate that either these specific impairments result from similar physical processes that cause dementia, or that hearing and visual loss lead to an increasing sense of social isolation, depression, and physical inactivity, each of which may lead to dementia.
The new study looks at the impact of having both conditions together. It refers to this combination as “dual sensory impairment.” According to the study:
“Although most prior studies have focused on impairments in hearing and vision individually, the impact of having combined hearing and visual impairment, or dual sensory impairment (DSI), on dementia risk is unclear.”
To investigate the impact of DSI on developing dementia, the researchers analyzed data collected by the Gingko Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study, a double‐blind randomized‐controlled trial investigating the value of Ginkgo biloba for preventing dementia in older people.
The GEM study involved adults aged 75 or older who, at the outset of the study, had normal cognitive function, or at most, mild dementia. The researchers studied the participants for 8 years.
In addition to collecting self-reported data regarding the individuals’ hearing and vision, follow-up examinations of participants assessed the development of dementia.
The final data set that Hwang and his colleagues studied consisted of 2,051 individuals. Of these, 1,480 people had neither hearing nor visual loss. 14.9% reported visual impairment, and 7.8% reported hearing loss. Just 5.1%, or 104 individuals, had DSI.
Compared to participants who did not have hearing or visual loss, those reporting DSI were more likely to be male, have other comorbidities, and describe themselves as smokers and drinkers.
The GEM study’s follow-up examinations revealed the following likelihoods of developing dementia:
- 14.3% of those without any reported hearing or vision loss developed dementia.
- 16.9% of those reporting a single impairment developed dementia.
- 28.8% of those with DSI developed dementia.
People with both hearing and visual loss were nearly twice as likely to develop dementia as those without such impairments.
However, according to the results, the increased risk of dementia for an individual with DSI is only somewhat related to the severity of hearing and visual impairment.
While those classified as having a high level of DSI are at the greatest risk of developing dementia, those with lower DSI levels also have a significantly higher risk of dementia.
The researchers analyzed the link between DSI and three types of dementia: all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s-related dementia, and vascular dementia.
The chances of acquiring Alzheimer’s’-related dementia are even higher. The study indicated that people with DSI are 112% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those without any impairment.
Hwang and his colleagues found no association between DSI and vascular dementia.
The study’s conclusions suggest that doing more to mitigate hearing and visual loss in older people may be a way to hold off or thwart the onset of dementia.
The authors conclude, “Further research is needed to characterize the exact role of sensory impairments and whether treatments that improve sensory function, such as surgery or sensory aids, devices, and prostheses, can modify this risk.”
The study’s authors add that shifts toward an older general population make addressing the prevalence of dementia in the elderly more urgent.
They write: “Because the public health burden of dementia will increase over the next three decades, evaluation of vision and hearing function in older adults may help identify patients at elevated risk of developing dementia.”
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Alstom and J-TREC sign a partnership to develop the light rail transit and tramways in Japan
Posted: 19 June 2013 | Alstom | No comments yet
Alstom and J-TREC signed a Memorandum of Understanding…
Alstom and Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-TREC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly assess the light rail transit and tramway markets. This agreement will lead both companies to jointly contribute to the modernisation of existing tramway lines and the development of new lines in Japan. The study is expected to be completed within a year.
The MOU between Alstom and J-TREC is a first for both companies and is prompted by the on-going Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement discussions held between the Japanese government and the European Union.
The study will first focus on the existing LRT and tramway systems in place. Most of them have been in operation for over 30 years. In the event that the study indicates suitable possibilities, J-TREC and Alstom will work together to address the Japanese standards and localisation of the tram. Both partners are keen to explore the LRT and tram markets together and identify possible opportunities for Alstom’s state-of-the-art Citadis trams in Japan.
“We are pleased to be selected by J-TREC and thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside J-TREC in supporting Japan’s urban mobility projects,” said Kuniki Nakamori, Country President and Chairman of Alstom K.K, Japan.
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The latest survey of research institute Charta Politika Indonesia indicates that only three Indonesian political parties can rely on enough popular support to win the legislative election that will be held on 9 April 2014. These three parties are PDI Perjuangan (PDI-P), Golkar and Gerindra. Other parties will not have a chance to win the election based on the survey that was conducted in March 2014. Results of the March survey confirmed that these three parties' popularity grew markedly from the institute's December 2013 survey.
The PDI-P, led by Megawati Sukarnoputri, saw its popularity rise from 15.8 percent of the respondents' votes in December 2013 to 21.2 percent in March 2014. Two weeks ago, Megawati Sukarnoputri declared that Joko Widodo (popularly known as Jokowi) is the party's presidential candidate for Indonesia's July 2014 presidential election. Jokowi, currently Governor of Jakarta, enjoys high popularity in Indonesia.
Golkar, which used to be the political vehicle of Suharto, also gained popularity compared to the December 2013 survey. Based on the March 2014 survey, 16.4 percent of respondents will vote for Golkar (up from 12.6 percent in December). Although Golkar remains one of the largest political parties in Indonesia (due to its well development infrastructure across Indonesia), its nomination of current Chairman Aburizal Bakrie as the party's presidential candidate is highly controversial. Bakrie is one of the richest Indonesian businessmen and several of his companies have been linked to corruption cases and other scandals (for example the Sidoarjo mud flow).
The third party, Gerindra, is the youngest of the big three (founded in 2008). The party is the political vehicle of Prabowo Subianto, former special forces commander and former son-in-law of Suharto. In the 2009 legislative election the party won 4.5 percent of the vote. Based on the March 2014 survey of Charta Politika Indonesia, it should win 12 percent of the vote in the 2014 election (up from 7.8 percent in the December survey). Subianto fosters ambition to become the next president of Indonesia. However, he has been linked to human rights abuses in the late 1990s against Indonesian students who called for the resignation of Suharto. Despite these human rights abuses as well as his proximity to the highly corrupt Suharto government, he enjoys popularity as presidential candidate because he is regarded as a strong leader. Many Indonesians feel that Indonesia today lacks a strong leader who can push for higher economic growth and curtail corruption.
The survey also confirms that the popularity of incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party has declined dramatically due to several corruption cases that emerged within the party in recent years.
It is worth noting that the three parties (PDI-P, Golkar and Gerindra) all support the principals of democracy and pluralism (thus do not aim for a stricter form of Islam).
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With just under nine months until the United States presidential election, the Trump administration is pushing ahead with last-ditch efforts to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and it seems not even a National Monument can stand in its way.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contractors have recently been instructed to blast through Monument Hill in the southernmost section of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, a 500-square-mile park on the southern Arizona border that had been designated a United States National Monument and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, to erect another portion of the barrier. Indigenous and environmental activists have actively protested on the site since November of last year, informing the administration that the site is not only a valuable ecological site, but also one of spiritual and cultural importance to the Tohono O’odham Nation, a Native American people of the Sonoran Desert.
Despite the fact that large swaths of the park have yet to be documented for uncharted ancient archaeological sites and animal habitats, demolition across the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument will continue unabated throughout the next month. Raúl Grijalva, the U.S. Representative for Arizona’s 3rd congressional district, has stated that while the government has hired an environmental monitor, he believes little attention will be paid to preserving sites sacred to the Tohono O’odham Nation. “How would we feel,” Grijalva argued in a video posted to Twitter, “if a foreign nation came into the United States and began to dig up Arlington National Cemetery? Or if they began to desecrate cemeteries across the country?” He then committed to visiting with members of the O’odham Nation and others invested in the site to assess the damage that has already taken place.
Trump is bulldozing through Native American sacred sites and burial grounds to build his disastrous border wall.
— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) January 18, 2020
The DHS has already uprooted several saguaro cacti to make way for a makeshift roadway to be used for construction vehicles and drained water from a desert aquifer below the terrain to mix the concrete necessary for the 30-foot-tall barrier planned for the site. If the wall is completed, its floodlights and divisive siting will interrupt the migration of several native animal species.
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日韓インキュベーション･センターの役割とベンチャー企業活性化に関する一考察 : KIPA KOREA、JAPANの事例を中心に
- Other Title
- ニッカン インキュベーション センター ノ ヤクワリ ト ベンチャー キギョウ カッセイカ ニ カンスル イチ コウサツ KIPA KOREA JAPAN ノ ジレイ オ チュウシン ニ
- The Role of the Incubation Center and Vitalization of Venture Companies in Japan and South Korea : Focus on KIPA KOREA, JAPAN
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Numerous countries have established and promote business incubation centers to revitalize central and local economies, to increase employment, and to nurture high-tech industries such as bio-industry, NANO-technology industry, or information technology industry. The purpose of this study is to suggest ways to improve business incubation centers through analyzing their roles and the vitalizations of venture companies in Japan and South Korea. In 2004, a special project, "High-Tech Start Up projects in Japan and Korea" was organized. It analyzed the process of venturing from a technology, which was nurtured in a university lab to a business model in Japan and Korea. This study was based on the results of the special project's report, which included the following: 1) Definition of business incubation, 2) the role of a business incubation center, and 3) a case study of a Korean business incubation center. This case study provides empirical analysis of the present status of a Korean incubation center that has an overseas branch in Japan, and suggests methods to promote incubation centers and to over come related problems in South Korea and Japan.
- 広島国際研究 = Hiroshima Journal of International Studies
広島国際研究 = Hiroshima Journal of International Studies 11 79-92, 2005
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Northern Kyrgyz Geological Expedition (NKGE)
The Expedition performs complex geological studies for the development of the mineral resource base to ensure maximum provision for the economy of the republic with reserves of solid commercial minerals. Working in this direction, NKGE conducted geological surveys at the scale of 1:50000, prospecting and assessment for essential commercial minerals minerals by collecting the necessary geological information within Talas, Chui, Issyk-Kul and Naryn oblasts, with SKGE operating within Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad oblasts of the Kyrgyz Republic and thereby preparing comprehensive materials for attracting investment into exploration and mining industry of the country, encouraging domestic and foreign enterprises, companies and banking institutions.
The Expedition is sufficiently furnished with exploration equipment, which allows to carry out exploration, road construction and other types of operations.
In recent years all over the country the expeditions conducted prospecting and revisions for the platinum group metals and tantalum-niobium mineralization. A revision of non-metallic raw materials was carried out in Chui basin.
The focus has been made on finding new types of non-conventional non-metallic raw materials for the production of jewellery, high-purity natural silica, high voltage electroceramics, abrasives etc.
NKGE solves many pressing social issues affecting the interests of the wider population of Kyrgyzstan. Over the recent years 25 small-scale coal deposits have been explored in remote areas of the country, where coal mining is being carried out by local companies.
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Thorchain(RUNE) is a cross-chain liquidity protocol which allows you to swap assets across chains without any intermediaries or custodians in a decentralized environment.
Thorswap is the first cross-chain liquidity platform which allows users to perform native swaps between different chains.
If you want to learn more about how THORChain works, read my earlier post.
Haven Protocol is a Defi ecosystem for private assets which allows users to transfer and exchange assets in a decentralized environment.A fork of Monero(XMR) , Haven renders it transactions to be untraceable by implementing Ring Signatures and uses Proof-of-Work(PoW) as it's consensus algorithm.
Haven aims to serve as an "off-shore bank " for users allowing them to store their assets which cannot be traced.
XHV is the native asset of the Haven Protocol. XHV is used to pay transaction fees , mint synthetic assets and pay rewards to miners.
Haven Protocol xAssets
xAssets are synthetic tokens on Haven which reflect the price action of real-world assets. These assets are not backed by anything and the prices are obtained by decentralized oracles such as Chainlink and Band Protocol which makes it more decentralized and trustless.
xAssets which are currently supported:
As the network expands , more synthetic assets will be supported. Users will be able to choose between a variety of cryptocurrencies , stocks and commodities to put their money in.
xUSD - Algorithmic Stablecoin
XUSD is a synthetic asset which is pegged to the US Dollar.It is the main xAsset of the Haven ecosystem. Users can mint xUSD by burning the dollar equivalent of XHV. xUSD can then be used to get other xAssets.
This burning mechanism is what gives xUSD value even though it's not backed by anything.
Haven x Thorchain - A new era for private assets
Users had to rely on Centralized Exchanges and other swapping services in order to move their assets across chains until THORChain launched the MultiChain Chaosnet(MCCN) in April. This allowed users to swap native assets without any intermediary or custodian thus removing counterparty risk.
Haven being a protocol focused on privacy, it becomes necessary for a decentralized , trustless way for money to get into the ecosystem. THORChain enables this , allowing users to swap native BTC or ETH or any of the assets supported. The upcoming integration of Haven into the THORChain ecosystem will bring more liquidity to private xAssets and also an easier and decentralized path for new users to get into the Haven ecosystem. It will also make it easier for users to access all the stablecoins that Haven has to offer.
Taking CEXes out of the equation , this integration will bring a new era for private assets which wasn't possible before ,giving users the freedom to seamlessly move money into/out from an ecosystem ensuring security and anonymity.
The Future is multi-chain.
Join the community.
THORSwap Discord: https://discord.gg/uVuBNtJUTr
Haven Discord: https://discord.gg/8KJCBEgk8r
Edit: I'm very pleased to let you know that this article is now posted on the Official Community Page of Haven Protocol.(link below)
If you liked my article , make sure you tip me :)
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India's first greenfield ind city Dholera ready to take off
9th Jan 2019 | Source by https://www.business-standard.com/
India's first greenfield industrial city at Dholera in Gujarat is ready to take off, with basic infrastructural facilities for its first phase of development are set to be completed by this September, according to officials.
Dholera, which is a project conceived under the then Chief minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being developed from the scratch as a smart city, where the government will build robust infrastructure for industrial development in this saline region near the Gulf of Khambhat.
"Basic infrastructure for the the Dholera Special Investment Region, initiation area of 22.5 kms will be ready by September 2019," CEO of Dholera Special Investment Region Development Authority (DSIRDA) Jai Prakash Shivhare told reporters Sunday.
"Many countries, especially China, are developing new cities. India has developed many green field cities," he said, adding that Dholera is the first greenfield industrial city that is being developed in the country. "Dholera is now ready to take off," he said.
The Centre has provided grant of Rs 3000 crore for the development of smart infrastructure at this new industrial city, out of which the DSIRDA has awarded contract works worth Rs 2800 crore for developing infrastructure before the arrival of industry at the site.
The city will get storm water drains, waste water discharge, underground ducts, electricity and water supply, wide roads and good connectivity.
Dholera will be connected to Ahmedabad by the expressway and a Metro line which will reduce the travel time, he said, adding that the Centre has already issued tenders for the expressway between Ahmedabad and the proposed industrial city, located around 100 kms from Ahmedabad.
An international airport will also come up in the vicinity of Dholera city, the CEO said.
When asked about the response of industries, Shivhare said authorities are holding discussions with various industrial houses for setting up plants in Dholera.
He said some announcement can be expected during the Vibrant Gujarat 2019 summit beginning January 18.
"This is largely a saline land, and converting it into an industrial city is the best way for development and ensuring jobs for the people of the region," he said.
We are planning to have an egalitarian city here, he said.
"The city will have 11 per cent of open green area which will be the largest in the country, 10 per cent of the area earmarked for residential purposes will be reserved for housing for the economically weaker sections (EWS). The tap water will be drinkable," Shivhare said.
DSIRDA officials said they will start developing other phases in Dholera with a total area of 400 sq kms, once the first phase one is completed.
"Dholera taluka in Ahmedabad district is very saline area due to its proximity to sea. Farmers get very low yield for their crops," officials added.
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Students from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland are exempt from student visa requirements. To enter Czechia, EU students only need a valid passport or national ID card. Holders of a long-term residence permit or a long-term visa for the study purpose issued by a different EU member state may also remain in Czechia without needing a visa, but only up to 1 year. This visa-free stay only applies to participants of exchange programs (e.g. Erasmus) and their permit/visa has to bear a note "student" and the name of the exchange program.
Students from countries outside the EU are required to obtain a visa or a residence permit. Czech visa is issued by the Czech embassy or consulate in your home country where you can also get more information. Please note that the whole procedure can take up to 60 days, so it is recommended to apply for the visa well in advance. Check the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic for the latest information on visa/permit requirements.
COVID-19: In connection with the pandemic of COVID-19, new rules for entering the territory of Czechia and quarantine measures have been introduced by the Czech Ministry of Health. Updated information is available on the website of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health.
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Increasingly alarmed at foreign hacking, DOD and intelligence officials are racing to educate the military and defense contractors.
The Pentagon is warning the military and its contractors not to use software it deems to have Russian and Chinese connections, according to the U.S. Defense Department’s acquisition chief.
Officials have begun circulating a “Do Not Buy” list of software that does not meet “national security standards,” Ellen Lord, defense undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, said Friday.
“We had specific issues … that caused us to focus on this,” Lord told reporters at the Pentagon.
“What we are doing is making sure that we do not buy software that’s Russian or Chinese provenance,” she said. “Quite often that’s difficult to tell at at first glance because of holding companies.”
The Pentagon started compiling the list about six months ago. Suspicious companies are put on a list that is circulated to the military’s software buyers. Now the Pentagon is working with the three major defense industry trade associations — the Aerospace industries Association, National Defense Industrial Association and Professional Services Council — to alert contractors small and large.
“It’s a huge education process,” Lord said.
Lord said defense officials have also been working with the intelligence community to identify “certain companies that do not operate in a way consistent with what we have for defense standard.” Asked if programs and weapons were compromised by foreign software, Lord said, “These are more widespread issues. I don’t think we’re focused on one particular system.”
The IC has grown increasingly concerned about foreign entities compromising U.S. software. This compromising activity can take several forms, as described by a new report from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, an unclassified version of which was released on Thursday. For example, Chinese businesses have been eagerly investing in American startups that work in artificial intelligence.
The report also notes that U.S. companies that want to sell software abroad are often required to allow foreign intelligence services to examine their source code. This may allow the foreign governments to discover vulnerabilities that can be exploited later on. “Recent Chinese laws—including laws on national security and cybersecurity—provide Beijing a legal basis to compel technology companies operating in China to cooperate with Chinese security services,” notes the new report.
Russia has similar laws. Last June, Reuters reported that IBM, Cisco, and Germany’s SAP had allowed the FSB, a Russian intelligence service, to examine key source code in various software products. In October, Reuters said the scrutiny had been extended to an HP Enterprise product called ArcSight, described as a “cybersecurity nerve center for much of the U.S. military, alerting analysts when it detects that computer systems may have come under attack.”
“If a U.S.-based company wants to go into China and facilitate and enlarge their business from a global perspective, they have to hand over source code and when they get online, they’re working with not only that company in China, but what — the PLA and the MSS, right?,” said William Evanina, who directs the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.
“So it’s an unfair playing advantage, and the metaphor I would use is: could you imagine if a company coming to do business in the U.S. had to deal with not only our government, but CIA, NSA, the Department of Commerce, Treasury, as well as maybe some U.S.-based oligarchs, right? It’s just foreign to us, but that’s part of the understanding that we need to have, the understanding that when they globalize their goods and services, that we’re at an unfair advantage in those countries,” Evanina said.
Last October, a Pentagon spokesperson told Defense One that there was no specific prohibition to prevent the department from buying software that the Russian intelligence service had looked through.
Said Lord, “It really speaks to cybersecurity writ large…It’s one of our greatest concerns right now. This is a challenge for us in terms of how to deal with the industrial base, particularly small companies that don’t always have the resources. It’s more making sure we have secure systems overall for our data and information.”
The Pentagon has made several moves in recent years to make sure defense firms have adequate cyber defenses for not only themselves, but all suppliers. All supplies, large and small, were supposed meet new, more stringent standards by last January. But after contractors said they would not be able to meet those guidelines, the Pentagon instead required them to submit a plan to meet those benchmarks by January.
“There is an expectation that standards will be met within industry and up to this point in time there’s has really been self reporting, saying ‘Here is my process and here is how we’re complying and here are issues we have,’” Lord said Friday.
In response, the Pentagon has “softened some of our requirements,” Lord said. “I don’t think we can continue to do that moving forward and in fact we’re probably going to have to increase some of those requirements.”
Last week at the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K., Lord’s deputy, Kevin Fahey, warned that the Pentagon could stop awarding contracts to companies if it deems their weapons and products are not cyber hardened.
Lord on Friday said the Pentagon will soon start “red-teaming” companies to “see how robust their systems are.”
“The reality of the world we live in means that cyber security is going to become more and more of a discriminator as we look at our industrial base,” she said.
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Microsoft has taken great pains over the years to try to kill VBA off. I’ve discussed some of the issues surrounding this effort in two previous posts: VBA and Office 2013 and VBA and Office 2013 (Part 2). Because of these efforts, a number of people have written to ask me about VBA and my book about it. The fact of the matter is that most of the examples in VBA for Dummies continue to work fine and VBA remains a viable development platform for applications. Microsoft’s efforts to move VBA developers to Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO) haven’t been as successful as Microsoft would like-mostly because most VBA developers have other careers and don’t want to learn how to use VSTO.
I do continue to provide updates for my book in the VBA for Dummies category of this blog. The latest such post discusses trigonometric calculations in VBA. As you find book issues, I’ll continue to address them in this blog. In addition, as time permits, I’ll discuss VBA issues in general and provide additional examples that relate to the content in my book. All I really need is your input at firstname.lastname@example.org to know what sorts of content you’d like to see. Your e-mails help me decide which issues are most important to you, so please do write when you see a particular need.
Of course, the biggest question about VBA is the one I haven’t answered yet. Some people have wondered whether VBA is still a viable language for new development. The fact that even Microsoft has provided updated macros for VBA should tell you something. If there were no interest in new development, you can be sure that Microsoft wouldn’t waste time in posting macros for Office 2013. In fact, a Google search shows 122,000 hits for sites that have updated their VBA information in the last year. That’s a lot of interest in a language that Microsoft has tried so hard to kill off.
I still see VBA as the language to use when you have any sort of Office automation need-VSTO is a better choice when you actually want to extend Office functionality or define new behaviors (work that full-fledged developers normally perform). It’s incredibly easy to use and most people can learn to use the basic features quite quickly. In fact, because it’s interpreted, VBA makes a great way for people to start learning basic programming principles. Plus you can take a number of courses to help further develop understanding of this subject (click here for an example of one such course).
The only caveat for today is to ensure that your code doesn’t have any compatibility issues, especially if you plan to use your VBA macros with Office 365. There is a lot of old code out there that might not work with newer versions of Office. With this in mind, Microsoft has created the Office Code Compatibility Inspector (OCCI). Make sure you download as use this tool to check your code.
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Patricia Kitcher, Ph.D.
Professorin der Philosophie, Mark van Doren Professor of Humanities
Columbia University, New York
Born in 1948 in New Haven, Conn., USA
Studied Philosophy at Wellesley College, Mass. and at Princeton University
Kants Theorie des moralischen SubjektsI hope to illuminate Kant's moral theory from two perspectives - that of moral psychology and that of the ideal moral world. Although commentators note the connection between the ideal moral world and the 'realm of ends' formulation of the categorical imperative, many tie the latter to Rawls's idea of choosing moral precepts from behind the veil of ignorance. By contrast, I believe that the notion of the ideal moral world undermines the classic Rawlsian thesis that, for Kant, the right is prior to the good. In my view, Kant holds that the right is right, because it leads to an ideal moral world, and that the ideal world is good, because within it all actions are right and autonomous. I also wish to focus on the ideal moral world to ask a question of considerable interest to contemporary philosophy. Is acting as if one lived in an ideal Kantian world, while knowing that one does not, morally better than actualism, deciding what to do on the basis of well-founded views about what others will do?
Building on the work of Henrich and Willaschek on the 'fact of reason', I will offer an account of Kant's argument that pure reason can be practical. While disagreeing with Allison that reason is 'absolutely spontaneous' in the theoretical sphere, I believe that a close study of the layers of consciousness that Kant took to be involved in judgments can clarify - by both similarity and contrast - the complex phenomenology of an agent's awareness of the moral law.
Kitcher, Patricia. "Kant's Argument for the Categorical Imperative." Noûs XXXVIII (December, 2004): 555-584.
Kitcher, Patricia. "What is a Maxim?" Philosophical Topics 31, 1 & 2 (Spring and Fall 2003). (Appeared April 2005.)
Kitcher, Patricia. "Kant's Philosophy of the Cognitive Mind." The Cambridge Companion to Kant and Modern Philosophy, edited by Paul Guyer, 169-202. Cambridge, Mass.: Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Einheit und Selbstbewusstsein bei Kants denkendem Subjekt
Kant is famous for taking the 'epistemological turn' in philosophy, for making epistemology (theory of knowledge) rather than metaphysics the central focus of philosophy. One project of the Critique of Pure Reason is to reveal alleged metaphysical theses as epistemological ones. Most famously, he argued that the thesis of determinism was no insight into the way reality must be, but an implicit assumption that cognizers must make if they are to acquire any knowledge at all. He was explicit on the true origin of metaphysical principles.
"Metaphysics is nothing other than a philosophy of the basic principles of our cognition". (AA 2: 283)
Roughly, Kant's predecessors thought that they could uncover metaphysical truths by looking at the necessary conditions for human knowledge; Kant thought that this method revealed only necessary conditions for knowledge.
The case of the thinking subject itself is interestingly different. After all, if predecessors discovered what cognizers must assume or presuppose in order to have cognition, then they discovered something about that subject himself. The question is whether they discovered only something about what cognitive subjects must believe, or also something about what cognitive subjects are or are like. Descartes thought he could show, merely by thinking about thinking, that the subject of thought was a simple (and immortal) substance; Leibniz thought that he could show that thinking subjects were immaterial. Kant's verdict on these efforts is mixed. He believed that his predecessors vastly over-estimated what they could learn about the properties of thinkers by considering the necessary conditions for thought or knowledge. On the other hand, for very non-Cartesian reasons, he believed that Descartes was right that thinking itself established the continuity (or unity through time) of cognitive subjects. He also supported Leibniz in an odd way. He argued that a proper analysis of knowledge revealed the necessity of a kind of consciousness that could not be understood in mechanistic terms.
My interest in these aspects of Kant's work is not just historical, but also systematic. Cognitive scientists have struggled with questions of mental unity and of consciousness. Kant's efforts to understand the necessary conditions for rational thinking may help to make these nebulous, but seemingly important, topics more precise.
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|Location:||Crazannes, département Charente-Maritime.|
|Light:||Incandescent Electric Light System|
|Address:||Maison des Pierreux, Crazannes, Tel: +33-546-918366.|
|As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.
The Maison des Pierreux (House of Stone) is a museum of history and local traditions connected with the quarrying of rock. It was created by the Foyer Rural initiative in an old stone house typical for the area. On two floors the original tools of the various trades which revolved around the quarrying are on display, cartwright, blacksmith, and stone mason. Documents and photographs give a good introduction into the daily live during the late 19th and early 20th century.
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Vol. 21 No. 2 (2022): Economic Education: Its past, present and future
Editors of this Issue
Jan Löfström, University of Turku, Finland
Birgit Weber, University of Cologne, Germany
This issue publishes five articles on economic education and two open calls articles. They cover a range of topics from conceptual debate to empirical analyses. The articles on economic education discuss following topics: the promise and outline of ‘powerful knowledge’ in economic education; the use of scientific economics terminology and its conversion into everyday-language in Swedish secondary level textbooks; the use and limitations of models in economic education; the changes and internal contradictions in economic education in Russia in the 21st century; and the diversity of didactic approaches in teaching globalisation. The two open call articles discuss an instrument for observing communicative quality in the Social Studies classroom; and the ethical problem of teachers obstructing transformational learning in exchanges between refugee-students and non-refugee students on questionable premises of ‘protecting’ the refugee-students.
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On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Acton Institute President Rev. Robert A. Sirico joins Senior Editor Christopher Bedford and Political Editor John Daniel Davidson to discuss the important role of Catholicism and religion in American governance. In addition to discussing the anti-Catholic bias against Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Sirico also discusses America’s cultural and moral erosion, and how it impacts a civil society.
“It’s not precisely correct to say that what the Democrats are against in Barrett is that she’s a Catholic. It’s that she’s a serious Catholic and that she’s a practicing Catholic,” Sirico said of the media attacks on Coney Barrett. “It’s anti-Western prejudice, anti- Christian, and anti-traditional.”
Christians should be wary of the “notion that government can be used to promote certain specific moral or political agendas.”
“We should, especially as Christians, be very sensitive to the use of state power to achieve especially religious and explicitly religious sense. There’s a lot that can be said about the use of law in terms of the natural law, but there’s always a limitation to the implementation of the natural law in civil law,” he said.
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To err is human. Folks tend to make errors in general and accept it like a method of life. So when you play on real tables and with champions too, you can take a break on the fact that they too will make errors. The winners maintain the pokerqq variable in your mind, however they too choose the unusual chances. You have the chance to win there. But how will you triumph contrary robots.
The master machines that are developed to play winner chess players are loaded with a million probabilities that they remember in less than a moment. It gets quite hard to overcome them. However, boxing is not based on fortune and excellent players have a excellent chance to show the dining table. At a game of fortune and skill for example poker, it’s difficult to beat robots or’bots’.
While playing internet poker, you do not see the players, merely identities. This has been capitalized upon. Many robots are devised to pay online poker along with you. Simply do not understand that while still playing. They are festooned with probabilities, big pot opportunities, reading of the game and other things. You may or may not realize if to fold or call, but these bots will make use of the likely idea and maybe not choose calls that are unnecessary. You find good cards in less then 1 / 2 of the raked hands. But you take your chances in more than 70 percent of match. This creates a huge perimeter of win-loss. These robots play when they have the cards, and also the kill you while still on the lake.
How to understand that robots are present?
Try considering the way in which a robot will play with the match. There will be professional signature involved. Subsequently start looking for your self as to how many players are doing it like that. Odds are that these are robots. They are there to hollow your own capital. Your home will not lose, as the ball player’s pot will be distributed among them. And that means that you, the humans stand to lose big style.
The error Element
Human players are ruffled by a number of losses and also reduce the storyline. That is the point where the robots possess a border. They are not emotionally attached with the match. They play it in a practical manner. They understand most frequently, the cards will not come their way. Even their bluffing is programmed and online, you’ll never be in a position to earn out. It’s much like a random choice of cards on the computer games.
This is the way the robots or’bots’ are now making and increasing online-money. There’s absolutely no way an individual can put a stop to that. This may be called cross breed cheating but that is how the cookie crumbles.
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http://www.rachelstevens.us/bots-online-poker-sites/
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Adaptive banners are the next generation of responsive ads, maximizing performance by optimizing ad size for each device. Improving on fixed-size banners, which only supported fixed heights, adaptive banners let developers specify the ad-width and use this to determine the optimal ad size.
To pick the best ad size, inline adaptive banners use maximum instead of fixed heights. This results in opportunities for improved performance.
When to use inline adaptive banners
Inline adaptive banners are larger, taller banners compared to anchored adaptive banners. They are of variable height, and can be as tall as the device screen.
They are intended to be placed in scrolling content, for example:
Before you begin
When implementing adaptive banners in your app, note these points:
- In order for inline adaptive banners to function correctly, you need to make your layouts responsive. Failure to do so may result in cropped or incorrectly rendered ad experiences.
You must know the width of the view that the ad will be placed in, and this should take into account the device width and any safe areas that are applicable.
Ensure you are using the latest version of the Google Mobile Ads SDK, and if using mediation, the latest versions of your mediation adapters.
The inline adaptive banner sizes are designed to work best when using the full available width. In most cases, this will be the full width of the screen of the device in use. Be sure to take into account applicable safe areas.
- You may need to update or create new line items to work with adaptive sizes. Learn more.
The methods for getting the ad size are
When using the inline adaptive banner APIs, the Google Mobile Ads SDK returns a
AdSizewith the given width and an inline flag. The height is either zero or
maxHeight, depending on which API you're using. The actual height of the ad is made available when it's returned.
An inline adaptive banner is designed to be placed in scrollable content. The banner can be as tall as the device screen or limited by a maximum height, depending on the API.
Follow the steps below to implement a simple inline adaptive banner.
- Create an inline adaptive banner ad size. The size you get will be used
to request your adaptive banner. To get the adaptive ad size, make sure that
- Get the width of the device in use, or set your own width if you don't want to use the full width of the screen.
- Use the appropriate static methods on the ad size class, such as
AdSize.getCurrentOrientationInlineAdaptiveBannerAdSize(Context context, int width)to get an adaptive
AdSizeobject for the chosen orientation.
- If you wish to limit the height of the banner, you can use the static method
AdSize.getInlineAdaptiveBannerAdSize(int width, int maxHeight).
- Create an AdManagerAdView object with the ad size from
step 1. Ensure you also set your ad unit ID and root view controller.
- Alternatively, for an existing
AdManagerAdView, set the ad size using
- Alternatively, for an existing
- Create an ad request object and load your banner using the
loadRequestmethod on your prepared ad view, just like you would with a normal banner request.
The sample code below demonstrates these steps:
// Step 1: Create an inline adaptive banner ad size using the activity context. AdSize adSize = AdSize.getCurrentOrientationInlineAdaptiveBannerAdSize(this, 320); // Step 2: Create banner using activity context and set the inline ad size and // ad unit ID. AdManagerAdView bannerView = new AdManagerAdView(this); bannerView.setAdUnitId("ad unit ID"); // Note that this sets both the adaptive ad size for backfill inventory as well // as the supported reservation sizes. bannerView.setAdSizes(adSize, AdSize.BANNER); // Step 3: Load an ad. AdManagerAdRequest adRequest = new AdManagerAdRequest.Builder().build(); bannerView.loadAd(adRequest); // TODO: Insert banner view in list view or scroll view, etc.
// Step 1: Create an inline adaptive banner ad size using the activity context. val adSize = AdSize.getCurrentOrientationInlineAdaptiveBannerAdSize(this, 320) // Step 2: Create banner using activity context and set the inline ad size and // ad unit ID. val bannerView = AdManagerAdView(this) bannerView.adUnitId = "ad unit ID" // Note that this sets both the adaptive ad size for backfill inventory as well // as the supported reservation sizes. bannerView.setAdSizes(adSize, AdSize.BANNER) // Step 3: Load an ad. val adRequest = AdManagerAdRequest.Builder().build() bannerView.loadAd(adRequest) // TODO: Insert banner view in list view or scroll view, etc.
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://developers-dot-devsite-v2-prod.appspot.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/banner/inline-adaptive
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HOW DO POTASSIUM BINDERS WORK?
Potassium binders are drugs used for treating hyperkalemia or high potassium levels in the blood. They bind to the excess potassium in the bowels, which is then excreted from the body through the stool.
Potassium binders may capture potassium in exchange for calcium or sodium ions found in the colon. The binding of potassium reduces the free potassium in the bowel, thereby lowering blood potassium levels.
HOW ARE POTASSIUM BINDERS USED?
Potassium binders can be used for treating:
- Lithium overdose
WHAT ARE SIDE EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM BINDERS?
Some of the side effects of potassium binders include:
- Hypokalemia (low potassium level in the blood)
- Disturbance in the stomach
- Low calcium and magnesium levels
- Retention of sodium ions
- Fecal impaction (large, hard mass of stool)
- Abdominal discomfort
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<urn:uuid:17627eda-104d-42a6-83a2-4378bbf70c11>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.rxlist.com/how_do_potassium_binders_work/drug-class.htm
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What are some of the attitudes of a good disciple?
In the beginning it’s absolutely inescapable that the disciple will see the guru only in human terms. After all, the guru has a body, a personality, an ego – all the things necessary to make a body function. But the guru resides in his own Self and watches these things. As Master wrote in his beautiful poem, Samadhi, “I, the cosmic sea, watch the little ego floating in me.”
There has to be an ego, or the body couldn’t be sustained, but it’s a different kind of ego. It’s not the ego of pride or of identification with an individual consciousness. In a sense you could say there is no ego, because the deeper meaning of ego is the soul identified with the body. A great master is not identified with the body at all. He merely sits back, watches, and directs it.
There was a period of time when I was at my Guru’s retreat with him. Every evening after finishing the day’s dictation of his commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita, he would go for a walk with me. He walked quite slowly because he was in a very deep state of consciousness. At this time he was manifesting the wisdom aspect of God, and he was very impersonal. At times he would rest his hand on my forearm for support as we walked along. Then he would stop, sway back and forth, and lean on me so he wouldn’t fall over. Once he said, “It’s so difficult to know which body I’m supposed to keep moving when I feel myself equally present in all bodies.”
It took great effort on his part to hold his mind down to that little body. You might even say that it’s as difficult for a master to keep his mind down on our level as it is for us to get up to his, except he can make it and we can’t. But we must remember that we can. We must not constantly think of our limited humanity, but always inwardly think of our divinity. This is one of the attitudes that is very necessary for a true disciple.
The Need for Right Attitude
First of all, we need to develop attitudes of humility, of wanting to learn, of being willing to give up one’s own desires, of giving up one’s normal human tendency to justify oneself, to insist on being right. Unfortunately it’s all too common for disciples to act as if the guru were some sort of heavenly slave, always doing them little favors. You find this sort of person saying, “Oh, Master did this for me, or, Master did that for me.” They don’t understand what the Master is. They reduce him to the level of a human personality, when he is so much more.
I heard a story about a disciple which was sweet, in a way, it but didn’t seem to me to express right understanding. This disciple was on a plane that began to have engine trouble and was forced to circle the airport several times. Fearing for the lives of all those on board, the disciple began to pray. Then he decided that he’d better not pray to Master because Master had such a sense of humor he’d probably make them circle one more time before letting them come down. So he prayed to Babaji, the paramguru of our path. Later, Master remarked to him with a smile, “No fair going over my head!” Well, that is a cute story, but it doesn’t satisfy me.
My Guru did have a wonderful sense of humor, but that was far from all he was. Even in the midst of laughing with you, he had such depth in his eyes that it was like melting into an ocean to look into them. To say he was this, or that he was anything, is to sell him short. He was everything. He was so above it all that the only way to really be a true disciple was to try to be that, too. And how are we to be true disciples of someone like that?
Letting Go of the Ego
The first step in becoming a true disciple is to be a proper human being – that means relinquishing those things that prevent one from attaining the state of consciousness of the guru. What is a human being in its improper state? First of all, it clings to that state. It says, “I am real. My body is real; my personality is real; my ego is real.” Second, it says, “I am more real than anyone else. If they suffer, I don’t feel it. If I suffer, however, I do feel it. Therefore I am more real. When I am happy, I feel it. When other people are happy, I’m happy for them, but in a different way!”
It is the ego that is willing to set itself in opposition to other people. It’s willing to take things from others, and to do things that may hurt them, so long as it helps itself. This kind of person gets into all the competition, warfare, struggle, and suffering that is part of the ego-centered consciousness. He upholds his own desires and their fulfillment at all costs. He doesn’t want to set himself into submission, into discipleship to another human being. After all, this is diminishing the very thing that is most precious to him – the sense of separate identity.
To be a true disciple, we need also to have the attitude of openness to the guru, to be willing to be corrected at any time. We have to be disciples as much at the end of the path as we were at the beginning.
Once my Guru said to his most highly advanced disciple, Rajarsi Janakananda who had already attained liberation: “Don’t forget where your power comes from.” And although he was a multimillionaire as well as a highly advanced yogi, Rajarsi said just like a little boy, “I won’t Master. It comes from you.”
The love that you find between the master and the disciple, when the disciple has gotten out of his ego and there is only God sharing with God, is so sweet and beautiful. We would see Master and Rajarsi walking around the grounds hand in hand, gazing at everything with such wonder because they were seeing God there.
To be a true disciple, we must be open to life, open to truth wherever we find it. In that way, we find many opportunities for growth. In that openness which is true humility, we find that we can learn from the stones, from the clouds, from everything.
In divine friendship,
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https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/how-to-be-a-good-disciple
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By ROBERT SANDFORD
On April 22nd and 23rd, the Biden Administration invited more than 40 world leaders to a virtual climate summit with the hope that other countries would follow the American example of announcing new and expanded commitments to achieving net global carbon neutrality by 2050. While all of the right elements seemed to be aligned, including planning the opening of the virtual conference so that it coincided with Earth Day, the results of the summit were mixed, with major emitters such as China, India and Russia unprepared as yet to announce new pledges amidst lingering questions about whether the U.S. itself can actually meet its own 2030 emissions reductions targets. One outcome was clear, however. History is likely to be a fierce judge of the World Leaders Climate Summit. Either the summit will have been another Munich moment of failure and false hope or it will have been a bridge to meaningful climate action at the next UN global climate conference in November. China has the opportunity to very much influence that verdict.
The Crisis Deepens
One crisis does not come to end because of the arrival of another. The COVID crisis is on a collision course with climate disruption. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has stated that the world is “at the verge of the abyss” because of climate change and must take aggressive steps to avoid catastrophe. The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Global Climate 2020, confirms that he is right.
We have discovered that there are tipping points widely in natural systems, including the climate system. These feedback loops are creating themselves faster than science can keep up. Our greatest fear is that we won’t know where they are until we have already crossed them. And that is why what happened in early April of this year should be of great concern to all of us.
On Wednesday, April 7th, 2021, NASA made it widely known that on Saturday, April 3rd, carbon dioxide concentration in the global atmosphere has, for the first time in the entire history of humanity, exceeded 420 parts per million. This despite being the second year of a pandemic that has slowed human activity to such an extent that it reduced carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 4% globally. So, what does this mean and why does this matter?
Elevating Urgency to Emergency
The continuing elevations of CO2 concentrations in the global atmosphere matter because they mean that self-reinforcing feedbacks originating in accelerating carbon emissions from what were previously carbon sinks like the Arctic and the Amazon will continue to increase independently of how much we as society reduce our emissions, which means we need to decarbonize our society even faster than we have been doing and faster over the next decade than we are proposing.
It is for that reason signatories to the Paris Climate Accord have to take immediate responsibility for dramatically reducing their country’s carbon footprint when each submits its National Net Zero plan at the UN’s next Climate Convention scheduled to be held in Glasgow this November.
All national plans, however, have to demonstrate that we have reached the most important tipping point of all - our tipping point – the point at which enough of us see we are at a point of no return with respect to climate disruption and finally take collective action before it threatens to end our prosperity.
What We Learned from the Pandemic
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic is only one example of how the coherent, distributed response of wide-ranging others to the pandemic demonstrates just how much problem-solving capacity exists outside the state. If humanity is to survive and thrive, it cannot go back in time to a world in which only states matter.
President Xi’s carefully considered participation at the World Leaders Climate Summit clearly reinforced the sense that the United States and China will aim to seek common ground on the critical issue of climate disruption. In September of 2020, President Xi pledged to the United Nations that China would achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, but more clarity is needed about how China intends to get there. The world awaits that clarity.
While President Xi’s participation in the U.S.-led World Leaders Climate Summit is of historical note, so also were his meetings with France’s François Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel. These virtual meetings, not surprisingly, led to the full endorsement of China’s climate action intentions. Perhaps even more important from an historical perspective was President Xi’s remarks as he opened the 2021 Boao Forum on April 21st. Considered to be the Davos of Asia, President Xi used the forum to emphasize China’s global leadership aspirations. Among many historically noteworthy references to the role China will play on the global stage was a reference to a green agenda. President Xi committed his country to strengthening cooperation on green infrastructure, green energy and green finance.
The next venue for a potential Chinese announcement on their roadmap to carbon neutrality will be the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP 26 to be held in November. COP 26 is a multilateral forum that presents a high-profile opportunity to show global leadership on addressing the climate threat. What can China bring to the COP 26 table?
China can lead the way in helping the UN to build the coalition of political will needed to reorient the international community towards the transformational change our global society needs to make if we are to achieve a low-carbon future. I know this is possible because I participated in the 2016 InterAction Council meeting in Guiyang, China where our Chinese partners unveiled the breathtaking concept of a global Ecological Civilization.
To make an Ecological Civilization a reality China can help Russia and India establish concrete emissions reduction goals and net-zero plans. By way of its example, China can also find ways to help Brazil halt the damage it is causing to the global climate system through destruction of the Amazon Basin.
Perhaps most importantly, however, China can once again show the world it can do what seems impossible – something China appears good at – and outline how it will move as it has pledged from peak carbon to net zero in just 30 years, the span of a single generation.
Towards an Ecological Civilization
With respect to the threat posed by climate disruption, the world cannot afford another Munich. On the threat posed by climate disruption, the world cannot afford another Munich. Ultimately, there is only one measure that matters with respect to the global climate threat and that is how quickly the entire world can get to net-zero emissions and halt the warming of the planet.
This is clearly a transformational moment for China and for the world. This is, perhaps, the very transformational moment for which China claims to have waited patiently for 5000 years; the moment in which it could create and Ecological Civilization that positively changes not only China, but the entire world. It is a moment of potential leadership all who live on this planet should hope that China will seize.
ROBERT SANDFORD is the Global Water Futures Chair in Water and Climate Security at the United Nations Institute for Water, Environment and Health, and is a senior advisor on water issues for the InterAction Council.
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To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of the death of the password have been greatly exaggerated. The password is not dead, nor is it going anywhere anytime soon (and ditto for the password manager).
Bill Gates claimed that the password was dead in 2004 and people have continued to claim that the password's days are numbered ever since. It's now over a decade later and they don't seem to be going anywhere.
Passwords have survived as the de facto standard because they are cheap to implement, are not patentable, and are convenient for everyday users. Much in the same the QWERTY keyboard is still the standard today, despite the fact it was invented way back in 1873 for a reason no one remembers.
Back to the past
Let's go back twenty years to 1995, when an external floppy disk drive cost you the princely sum of around £130 (around $200, or AU$260), and Apple's 1MB QuickTake digital camera set you back something like £500 (around $780, or AU$980). To sign in to your Prodigy, AOL or Lycos account, you simply typed your username and password in a text box, and most likely thought to yourself, "Well, that was a really easy way to log in."
Fast-forward to 2015. Technology has advanced in unimaginable ways since those days. You can buy a smartphone with 32GB of storage for £200 (around $310, or AU$390), or grab a 50GB flash drive the size of your finger for just £15 (around $23, or AU$30). Yet, when you want to log in to Facebook or to buy your groceries online, you are still entering your password the same way you did back in 1995 – hopefully the password at least has changed. Despite all the technological advances of the past two decades, the way we log in to our online accounts has not changed.
The password system in itself is still very robust. Computers can communicate very securely using password-like systems, providing we use strong passwords (over 8 alphanumeric characters). But problems start to arise when we humans get involved, because of the limits of our own memory.
The average web user today has over 50 unique accounts, and to stay secure they should have different, complex passwords for each of these sites. Given the limits of the average human mind, most people do not possess the cognitive ability to remember 50 unique random strings of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Given these conditions there are two alternatives to the present-day password system: hardware-based alternatives, like hardware keys and biometric sensors, and software-based alternatives such as single sign-on (SSO) solutions like Facebook Connect, the Google+ button, or OpenID.
These hardware-based alternatives have had some success in the enterprise world where security requirements are very high and cost is much less of an issue. But in the consumer world, cultural shift, cost, and enrolment create a massive barrier that prevents true universal adoption.
On the software front, even Facebook will find it difficult to get its massive user base to use Facebook Connect, because of trust and privacy issues. Moreover, Facebook Connect will likely never be available on Google, Amazon, iTunes, or eBay, because these massive companies don't like playing nicely with each other.
If companies as powerful as Facebook or Google are yet to overcome the massive switching costs that exist today, smaller players will be even more challenged to do so in an online world that is growing increasingly complex.
For passwords to be replaced en masse on the internet, a clear standard would have to emerge that would be present on all the devices we use to access the hundreds of millions of websites in existence. So we're back to passwords. And while it's in fashion to complain about them today, they don't have to be unsecure or inconvenient.
Path to safety
We must start by removing human memory from the loop. There is an easy path to safety even if people don't know how to take actions to protect themselves. Software solutions like password managers, which solve these exact problems, exist today and will see much broader adoption beyond the tech-savvy audience in the years to come.
While the threat of hacking grows worse every day, it will be many years before the password is replaced. By all means, speculate about what the future may hold, but you'd better find a way to learn to live with passwords in the short-term.
- Guillaume Desnoës is the Head of European Markets at Dashlane (opens in new tab)
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<urn:uuid:a5185c71-1f0d-424d-be15-f82c61614ce8>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/the-humble-password-might-be-old-but-it-s-not-dead-or-even-on-life-support-1285949
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The experiment is a classic: Two children sit in front of a bag of gummy bears and have 15 minutes to decide whether they will eat the bag right away or wait until the next day and get a second one in return. How will they decide? The experiment is based on the research on delay of gratification by the psychologist Walter Mischel (1958).
German-Austrian behavioral economist Matthias Sutter picks up on delay of gratification and relates it to patience: «People who learned to wait in their early childhood, who learned to be patient toward something, are more likely to be more successful as adults, better educated, to have the more interesting jobs, to earn more, and to be less prone to addictions.» Sutter, director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Common Good, is not a psychologist. Therefore he›s not offering tips on how patience can be learned. But he assumes that patience and perseverance can even compensate for a deficit in talent.
Educational researchers are convinced that patience as a basis for life success is not only a matter of biology and heredity, but that parent-child interaction and early childhood socialization are crucial. The results of the study «Determinanten kindlicher Geduld: Ergebnisse einer Experimentalstudie im Haushaltskontext» (2010) indicate that «a more patient mother as well as a longer duration of breastfeeding in infancy increases the probability of being patient». It is important to note: This is a correlation, so there is no causal relationship. Behavioral economic studies also show that the expression of patience preferences is also related to factors such as empathy, affection and emotional attachment to the mother.
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.globegarden.ch/en/nm/news-detail/be-patient
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MISSOULA, Mont. - This 4th of July weekend is expected to heat up, some may be tempted to start a campfire as you head outdoors. However, with moderate fire danger in Missoula County, fire officials are on alert.
As some fires could grow on us, fire officials are reminding us of three things.
Before you start a campfire clear the area, water and shovel dirt into the once you're done, and if it's too hot to touch it's too hot to leave.
Lolo National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), and Missoula Rural fire want to reiterate as our public lands are in moderate fire danger, for our campfires this means grass, dead leaves, and weather changes can spark and spread quickly if not contained nor put out appropriately. Which can turn a little campfire into a bigger wildfire, something we never want to happen.
"The consequences are if the material inside that is still burning can potentially re-ignite and keep going and with the winds get up and escape the campfire ring and potentially start a wildfire,” said Lolo Ntl. Forest, fire prevention and education specialist Anna Henderson.
"It's not just in public land it's also in your backyard, people have pine trees in their yard, they have leaves and trees in their yards they have grass and so there everywhere where you might have a campfire,” said Deputy Fire Marshall Dodd McDermott with Missoula Rural Fire.
"80 percent of wildfires in Montana are human-caused and campfires are a top cause of those wildfires so it's all really important we do our part to prevent a wildfire from starting,” said Kristin Mortenson, community preparedness and fire prevention with DNRC.
Additionally, although there are no restrictions on campfires for the 4th of July. Keep in mind fireworks are always prohibited on national forest lands.
Be sure to check current conditions before you start any fire and for the latest fire restrictions head to mtfireinfo.org
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.hermannadvertisercourier.com/news/national/officials-warn-moderate-fire-danger-in-missoula-for-fireworks-and-campfires/article_83c60744-14d5-5a93-972f-bd334b3334e3.html
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We all need gifts, we know when to buys it and what is the best gift we want to buy. But there are some small details we should all be aware when we give a gift.
Always remove the price tag. Especially if you have bought it with a discount. There is always a mismatch of the value of the gift; the value for you, the value you have paid and the value the receiver thinks his gift is worthy. Better everyone to price it with its own value.
Avoid giving the gift publicly. That wont make a good impression especially if there are other people around.
Do not visit a recently bereaved family. Especially if the funeral is less then a month before CNY. It is said to bring more funerals in the New Year
Always buy two gifts. Chinese believe, all good things should be in pairs.
But hey, if you use eGifts you don’t have to worry about that. They are always with the right value, always personal, you don’t have to visit anyone and … you can always buy and send two.
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<urn:uuid:bd6da95d-ede0-4ded-b874-e31fda524772>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.wogi.sg/blog/tips-on-gift-for-this-cny
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Most people think that the best way to save money on a business trip is to skimp on food and lodging, but that’s not always the case. In fact, there are many ways to save money without cutting corners. Here are seven tips for budget-minded business travelers.
1. Take Advantage of Hotel Loyalty Programs
A hotel loyalty program is a great way for business people to save money on lodging. The more nights you stay, the better your rate becomes. Theoretically, you could enjoy free lodging if you stay, e.g. 30 nights at a hotel in one year.
2. Find Cheap Flights
The best way to find cheap flights is to do some research online. There are several websites that can help. These sites compare rates among dozens of different airlines. It takes some time to search, but it’s worth the effort.
3. Plan Ahead
The more flexible you are with your schedule, the less money you’ll pay. For example, if there are plenty of open hotel rooms around your expected arrival date, you will get a great rate. This is even more important if you plan to book at the last minute.
4. Avoid Peak Travel Seasons
It’s always better to travel at off-peak times. For example, if you travel in July or August you’ll pay much more than you would in, say, November. Try to avoid holidays as much as possible.
5. Check for Promotions and Discounts
Every hotel and airline has its own policies, so be sure to check for promotions and discounts before you book. It takes some time, but it can really pay off. For example, an airline might offer a small discount if you book early.
6. Don’t Take Too Much Money With You
Never take more money than you need with you. Take only the cash that you will use for this specific trip. Leave the rest of your money at home or in the bank.
7. Bring Your Own Snacks
Bringing your own food can save you a ton of money. If you have access to a refrigerator, it’s even better. You can buy healthy food at the grocery store and keep it in your room/office fridge.
As you can see, it’s not difficult to save money on a business trip. You just have to be creative. So, take advantage of the tips above and enjoy your next business trip!
I recommend visiting 홈타이 too.
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<urn:uuid:e08b11b6-6260-41fa-9f0c-331916f37984>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://carambacomics.com/how-to-plan-a-budget-business-travel/
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What stops are on the Overground?
Gospel Oak Rail Station. Connects to National Rail Connects to National Rail.
How many Overground stations are in London?
Today the network covers 112 stations across six routes. In 2016/17 more than 189 million journeys were made on London Overground.
Is London Overground part of the Tube?
Despite appearing on the tube map, and containing former parts of the Underground, the London Overground is not classed as part of the tube network.
How many lines are on the Overground?
four railway lines
The London Overground name is the brand applied by Transport for London (TfL) to the services which it manages on four railway lines in the London area: the Euston-Watford DC Line, the North London Line, the West London Line and the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.
Is the Overground part of the Tube?
What is the difference between Overground and underground?
The overground are more traditional trains as opposed to the metro style for the Underground. Overground is more of a ring around central London – it’s useful for avoiding going via central London if you don’t want to. The Overground doesn’t go anywhere near Heathrow.
How much of the Overground is underground?
Despite its name, only 45% of the system is under the ground: much of the network in the outer environs of London is on the surface. In addition, the Underground does not cover most southern parts of Greater London, and there are only 33 stations south of the River Thames.
Is the Overground cheaper than the Tube?
London Overground rail fares cost the same as Underground prices on Oyster, as the service also uses the TfL zone price range, making managing your travel costs much easier. Peak times on the Overground are also the same, with prices rising between 06:30 and 09:30 am, with a reduced cost thereafter.
What’s the difference between Overground and underground?
Why is the Overground so complicated?
The way the shape of the map forces all the lines to run horizontally. Showing all the lines paralleling each other makes everything cramped. Showing all the lines paralleling each other makes the map difficult to follow.
What is the London Overground?
London Overground (also known simply as the Overground) is a suburban rail network serving London and its environs.
Can I use the London Overground network map for commercial use?
Step-free access from street to platform Step-free access from street to train London Overground Online maps are strictly for personal use only. To licence the London Overground network map for commercial use please visit tfl.gov.uk/maplicensing Title London Overground network map May 2018
Are there any new Overground stations being built in London?
In October 2017, Tfl began a public consultation on the construction of two new Overground stations, Hythe Road on the West London line and Old Oak Common Lane on the North London line. If built, these stations would provide interchange between London Overground and Old Oak Common station.
When did the East London Line become part of London Overground?
On 27 April 2010, the East London line became part of the London Overground network when the Phase 1 extension was completed.
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I'm using a tree view in my web application to present the administrator a way of managing entities in the system.
So far I had to deal with simple entities that require only a name that is way i chose to use inline creation of a new node and then allowing the user to create, delete or rename different entities in the organizational tree as depicted in the following series of screenshots:
I am using a Right-Click context menu + Buttons on top that allow the same operations. Please ignore the graphics design i have yet reached that point I'm still struggling with the UX.
Now I want to manage users In that tree, but creating a user requires to know the username, password, first name, last name at least before i can actually create him. I thought of the following option:
make a po-up modal dialog that will handle the creation of the entity i.e. step 3 will not create a new node in Edit mode but open up a modal dialog with the required forms to input.
Pros: Gives me the flexibility of easily creating complex entities + managing validations.
Cons: A pop-up window usually takes time to load (I hate it) Simple entities will have one field in that form which will look very funny e.g. Division has only a name so i'll open a pop-up form for only one text field.
My question is: is there a best practice for creating a complex object in a tree interface like I have displayed in the screenshots above? Have any of you ever had the same interface to deal with and what was the choice of operation?
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https://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/26086/managing-crud-operations-in-a-tree
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Indian is one of the tourist destination in Asian. So if you haven’t been there, it’s the right time to explore the beauty of it. India is an exotic, colorful and mysterious place to visit. They have a unique culture and civilization. Their civilization is one of the oldest all over the world. Many tourist where captivated by their legends and culture. They also offer lots of adventurous in India.
Here are the list of their famous tourist destination:
1. For adventurous people- try to visit the Himalayas. They offer extreme adventures. You can do trekking and other sports here.
2. For those who love intricate things, you must visit some of their regions. You’ll find mosques, temple, secular structures and canopies. There are many legendary tales ready for you. Lots of Indian people to get in touch with. They also have lots of monuments to visit there.
3. Kerala- a great place for beach lovers. You’ll find here lovely resorts and beaches. A great vacation place for beach lovers. A place for relaxing for they have Spa here.
4. Himachal Tours- is for those who love sports.
5. India’s Safari- for those who love wild life and adventure.
6. National Parks– sight seeing for birds and tigers.
7. Mumbai- place where you can find Haji ali, beautiful garden of Kashmir, Hyderabad’s Charminar, Rajasthan’s rustic beauty, Ooty, Manali, Shimla, and Uttaranchal.
When you are planning to visit India, well you must plan your trip well. To save time and money. Travelling is very expensive, but if you plan it better and in advance.. you’ll be able to save more time and money. Make sure you’ll bring home with you some things and food from India.
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The Mobile Ageproject will focus on open government data, mobile technology, and the provision of public services in relation to Europe’s elderly population. Europe’s senior citizens are growing steadily and are predicted to comprise of 28% of Europe’s population by 2020. However, senior citizens do not normally share the same level of connectivity to the Internet as younger generations, and while government agencies are increasingly providing their services through digital platforms, this risks excluding senior citizens from the design and use of such services.
Mobile Age will provide the basis for the development of mobile-based open government services focused on senior citizens. We follow a co-creation methodological approach that will allow for a substantive participation of senior citizens. Mobile Age will focus on the co-creation of services related to the production and use of open data for cities. This will be achieved by pursuing four objectives: i) exploring and implementing innovative ways to support senior citizens to access and use public services through personal mobile technologies that are based on open government data, ii) develop and deploy co-creation approaches and methodologies to engage senior citizens effectively; iii) develop a situated, practice-based understanding of accessibility, mobility and usability of services from a senior-citizen point of view; and iv) develop a framework for impact assessment and evaluation for co-creation approaches to open service development for the ageing population.
Mobile Age’s approach will be applied in cities and counties that are already providing innovative approaches for the participation of senior people in the development of city services: Bremen, South Lakeland, Zaragoza and the Region of Central Macedonia, with scenarios related to social inclusion, extending independent living, data curation for a safer and more accessible city, and the management of personal health information.
Tipo de proyecto
Proyectos y convenios en convocatorias públicas competitivas
Tamaño de la entidad
Esta actividad pertenece a memorias de
Participante: Ana Antonia Ibarrola De Andrés (UPM)
Participante: Maria del Socorro Bernardos Galindo (UPM)
Participante: David Chaves Fraga (UPM)
Director: Oscar Corcho Garcia (UPM)
Grupos de investigación, Departamentos, Centros e Institutos de I+D+i relacionados
Creador: No seleccionado
Grupo de Investigación: Ontology Engineering Group
Departamento: Inteligencia Artificial
Departamento: Lenguajes y Sistemas Informáticos e Ingeniería de Software
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Buckets of tropical fish
People also ask
How do you feed the axolotl?
Once again all players need to do to feed the Axolotl is to use the Tropical Fish bucket on them. Players may also use Tropical Fish buckets to lead Axolotls around, as they will follow the player…
What do axolotls do in Minecraft?
If players manage to defeat a mob that an Axolotl was attacking, they will gain the Regeneration status effect and remove the Mining Fatigue status effect form underwater players. RELATED: Minecraft: What Do Lightning Rods Do? Axolotls will only eat Buckets of Tropical Fish for breeding purposes.
How do you breed axolotls in Minecraft?
Once a player has obtained two adult axolotls in Minecraft, they can be bred by feeding both axolotls a bucket of their favorite food, tropical fish. Axolotls only eat buckets of tropical fish, which can generally be found in ocean biomes, including the lush caves biome which is home to axolotls.
How do you use tropical fish buckets in axolotl?
Players may also use Tropical Fish buckets to lead Axolotls around, as they will follow the player as long as it is held, similar to cows and sheep following players that carry wheat in their hands. Feeding Axolotls Tropical Fish buckets can allow them to breed as well as speed up the growth time of babies.
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http://www.shinemax.top/what-do-you-feed-axolotl-in-minecraft-4/
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While the bulk of expecting cigarette smokers do not react to treatment little is understood about just how a part of expecting cigarette smokers recognized as spontaneous quitters attain continual biologically-confirmed abstaining with shipment in the lack of treatment. Ex-smokers have much better health and wellness than existing cigarette smokers. Many withdrawal signs and symptoms vanish as well as you can start experiencing the good health and wellness advantages of giving up. Smoking cigarettes can enhance your danger of passing away from a heart strike and also obtaining the various type of cancer cells, such as lung cancer cells. Older researches have located comparable patterns-and the raised danger also uses non-smokers dealing with a cigarette smoker, which were two times as most likely to establish hearing loss as those that were not revealed in any way, according to this JAMA research study. Yet, since it expands, it comes to be thinner, thus enhancing the danger of placenta previa and placental abruption.
What it can trigger is significant issues for the maternity, which in this writer’s mind is much even worse than any kind of abortion around. It is not surprising that these chemicals can create significant issues in maternities, so it is finest you stay clear of vaping while pregnant. Can it create an abortion? There are several factors to give up cigarette smoking, both for the wellness of the mommy and also a child. However, dependency can be extremely difficult to dominate. To learn more about the manner ins which cigarette smoking can influence your health and wellness, click the web links listed below. You might stress over your health and wellness; you might be worried regarding just how pre-owned smoke is damaging those around you, or you might feel that your cigarette usage is setting you back a lot more as well as a lot more.
Considering that your child shares the same DNA as you, they will certainly be consuming whichever compounds you consume. These are more than likely production by-products, yet you are still consuming them right into your system each time you vape. Considering that your child is linked to your bloodstream using tubes and blood vessels, it’s a familiar feeling that as soon as the pure nicotine in the quit smoking cigarettes spot reaches your system, your infant will certainly end up being addicted to a snap. Whatever your factor, it is constantly an excellent time to stop. They need to have the ability to refer you to appropriate assistance solutions as well as give you details quitting smoking while pregnant to assist you to offer up. You cannot have them around if you anticipate giving up cigarette smoking, so obtaining them away from the house, providing them away, or tossing them away.
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http://flickeringcolours.net/smoking-cigarettes-how-it-will-limit-your-bodybuilding-success/
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| 0.974719
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The PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series S both use significantly more electricity than their predecessors when playing games designed for the new consoles, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental-advocacy group. However, the NRDC found that the new consoles draw less power than previous-generation systems when playing backward-compatible games, and while using streaming video apps.
The NRDC’s analysis — which it also performed in 2013 at the launch of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 — praises the low-power modes that both Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles offer. The energy-saving modes allow users to resume full operation within 10 to 15 seconds while drawing less than 1 watt of electricity on standby. However, the NRDC criticized Microsoft and Sony for choosing not to make that the default power setting — the same charge that the organization levied about the PS4 and Xbox One.
The new Xboxes’ “Instant-on” mode still draws 10 watts in standby, said the NRDC. The report extrapolated that extra usage through 2025, and calculated that it could total 4 billion extra kilowatt-hours of energy — the equivalent of a single large, coal-burning power plant’s annual electricity generation.
The NRDC’s analysis used a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series S, which has less processing power than an Xbox Series X, and also doesn’t have an optical disc drive. The group said it was unable to obtain a Series X for full testing, but expects that the beefier console would use more energy than a Series S. Microsoft has not provided official power consumption figures for either console; Sony’s listed hardware specifications say that the standard PS5 is rated at a power draw of 350 watts, while the PS5 Digital Edition is slightly lower at 340 watts.
Sony’s new console won plaudits from the NRDC for its standby mode, which consumed 1 watt or less and allowed for booting up within 10 to 15 seconds. It did draw “a few extra watts” of power during the first three hours of standby in order to charge devices with its USB ports. But the PS5’s rechargeable DualSense controller was an environmentally preferable choice for the NRDC over the new Xbox gamepad, which ships with disposable batteries. (A rechargeable power supply for the controller is sold separately.)
The PS5’s standard power settings have the console shut off after one hour of inactivity for gaming, and after four hours for streaming content (both settings may be changed by users). That means the PlayStation 5 continues to draw about 70 watts of power if a user leaves it on after, say, watching some Netflix.
Even so, power consumption while using streaming apps, for both the PS5 and Xbox Series S, is lower than that of their predecessors — although the NRDC said that dedicated streaming devices use even less power for the same task. The PS4, according to the NRDC’s 2013 analysis, used 90 watts while streaming Netflix to the Xbox One’s 74 watts. The Series S consumed 31 watts to stream Netflix (and, inexplicably, 41 watts for Amazon Video), while the PS5 drew 68-70 watts to stream from both services.
Overall, though, the expected draw of 160-200 watts to play PS5 titles, or games optimized for the Xbox Series X, is more power than a 60-inch television set consumes, the NRDC said.
In 2013, the NRDC warned that the PS4 and Xbox One could be responsible for as much as three times more energy consumption than the preceding PS3 and Xbox 360 generation. In 2015, the organization said the Xbox One could be responsible for up to $250 million in additional annual electricity costs for U.S. households. The NRDC’s newest analysis warns that Xbox Series S or Series X owners in the U.S. could pay as much as $500 million, combined, over the next five years, for the extra power those consoles use in their “Instant-on” mode versus the “Energy-saving” mode.
In 2015, after the NRDC sharply criticized the launch Xbox One’s power use, Microsoft added an energy-saving mode as an option when new Xbox One users first set up their consoles. At the time, Microsoft said the difference in power consumption between those two modes would save customers between $6 and $15 on their annual electricity bill. And the company released a software update in late November that reportedly reduced the power consumption of the Instant-on mode by as much as 61% for the Xbox Series X.
Polygon has reached out to representatives of Microsoft and Sony for additional comment.
Correction (Feb. 1, 2021): The Natural Resources Defense Council says there was a typographical error in its original story, which led to an inaccurate estimate of how much Xbox Series X and Series S owners in the U.S. could pay over the next five years, combined, in additional electricity costs. The correct figure is $500 million. This post has been corrected to reflect that.
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Feb 04, 2017 07:42 AM EST
NASA Celebrates 'NASA Day of Remembrance' for Space Heroes
NASA held the "NASA Day of Remembrance" in the different space centers in the country on the last week of January each year. On January 26, guests, NASA officials and families of those who perished during missions gathered at the Kennedy Space Center. They commemorated the crew of Apollo 1, Challenger, and STS-107 or Columbia.
Through the "NASA Day of Remembrance", the brave people who gave their lives to the cause of exploration will be honored. The series of events at the different space centers started with the ceremonies at the Kennedy Space Center on January 26. Sheryl Chaffee, daughter o Apollo 1 crew Roger Chaffee, paid tribute to her father and the crew. She worked at the Kennedy Space Center until her retirement, according to Space Policy Online.
Apollo 1 exploded in January 27, 1967 after a fire started inside the spaceship. The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its flight. In February 1, 2003, Columbia or STS-107 exploded as it reenters Earth after 16 says spent in space. All these men and women died for the cause of space exploration.
The crew of the STS-107 waited for three years before they were finally scheduled to fly. The crew stayed in space for 16 days. They conducted experiments that might have impact on life on Earth. During its return journey to earth, it exploded. It was later discovered that a hole on its wing caused the explosion, according to Space Fight insider.
One important legacy of STS-107 accident was that NASA made changes in the procedures and in the equipment. One of the reasons for the accidents that was pointed out was NASA's assumption of goodness. In the case of Apollo 1, NASA failed to make an essential test. With the Challenger, NASA assumed that nothing would go wrong with the O-ring. With STS-107, NASA should have done something to fix the hole on the wing, according to IEEE Spectrum.
With the new policies implemented and changes made, space exploration has become safer than in the last decades. The NASA Day of Remembrance will always be a reminder of how Space exploration benefits mankind
Join the Conversation
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https://www.universityherald.com/articles/63718/20170204/nasa-pays-tribute-to-sts-107-and-the-legacy-it-leaves-to-space-flight-history.htm
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How were the programs evaluated?
The programs in the Teach Resiliency database have been evaluated by a team of researchers at Western University in London, Ontario. The analysis examined the strength and quality of the evidence for mental health strategies that have been empirically evaluated.
The researchers used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology to evaluate programs that target:
- teacher and student well-being
- specific mental health issues in the context of the classroom
GRADE is similar to meta-analysis. It examines the strength of outcomes for an intervention and provides a systematic appraisal of:
- the quality of the evidence (high, moderate, low, and very low quality)
- level of confidence that the intervention will result in desired outcomes.
Essentially it seeks to answer two questions.
- How effective does research suggest the intervention is?
- What is the likelihood that those who apply the intervention will also achieve the same results?
The results of the GRADE analysis are summarized as an effectiveness rating. You will find this rating on the program detail page in the evaluation section.
Resources for implementation
The researchers also looked at how the resources needed to implement each program. This information is included on the program detail page. It’s divided into four categories:
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14 Things to Know About Nashville
Nashville is a city that has something for everyone. With a rich history, a thriving music scene, and a friendly atmosphere, Nashville is a great place to live, work, and play. Today, Nashville is a major tourist destination, thanks to its abundance of attractions such as museums, parks, and restaurants. It is also a popular destination for business travelers, as it is home to many corporate headquarters and convention centers. If you’re planning a trip to Nashville, here are 14 things you should know about the city:
Nashville Was Founded in 1779 by James Robertson and John Donelson
Nashville quickly grew into a thriving frontier settlement, built on the rowing industry and its proximity to the Cumberland River. In 1796, Nashville was officially chartered as a city.
Nashville is the Capital of Tennessee
On November 7, 1843, Tennessee’s statehood came with a new capital city: Nashville. The choice wasn’t surprising. Nashville was the largest city in the state, and it was centrally located. Plus, it had recently been named the permanent seat of Davidson County government.
Nashville is Home to the Grand Ole Opry
Nashville is widely considered to be the capital of country music, and it is home to some of the most important institutions in the genre. The Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio show in America, and it has been a mainstay of country music since 1925.
Nashville is Known as the “Music City”
Nashville is a music lover’s paradise. The city is home to a wide variety of musical genres, and its live music scene is second to none. Country music is of course Nashville’s claim to fame, but the city is also home to a thriving rock, pop, and folk music scene.
Nashville Has a Population of Approximately 667,000 People
Making it the 24th largest city in the United States. The Greater Nashville metropolitan area has a population of 1,903,045, making it the largest metropolitan area in Tennessee and the second largest in the Southeast.
Nashville is Located in the Central Part of Tennessee
Approximately midway between Memphis and Knoxville. It is situated on the Cumberland River, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
The Climate in Nashville is Humid Subtropical, With Hot Summers and Mild Winters
The city experiences four distinct seasons, with each season bringing its own unique weather patterns. Spring is generally the wettest season, as frequent rain showers help to bring new plant life to the area. Summer is the hottest time of year, with temperatures often reaching into the 90s. However, the heat is offset by the city’s many green spaces and tree-lined streets. Fall is a beautiful time of year in Nashville, as the leaves of the trees change color and the air begins to cool. Winter is milder than most other parts of the country, but snowfall is not uncommon.
Nashville is Home to Several Professional Sports Teams
Nashville is a city with a diverse range of professional sports teams. The Nashville Predators play hockey, the Tennessee Titans play football, and the Nashville Sounds play baseball.
Nashville is Home to Several Colleges and Universities
Nashville is a great place for higher education. The city is home to Vanderbilt University, a private research university with a highly respected reputation. Nashville is also home to Tennessee State University, a public university that offers affordable tuition and a variety of degree programs. In addition, Nashville is home to several smaller colleges and universities, including Belmont University, Lipscomb University, and Trevecca Nazarene University.
Nashville is a Major Tourist Destination
Known as the “Country Music Capital of the World” and is a major tourist destination for music lovers from all over the world. The city is home to the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and numerous other music-related attractions. In addition to its musical heritage, Nashville also offers a wide variety of other attractions, including museums, art galleries, and historical sites. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, such as hiking and biking in the state’s many parks.
Nashville Has a Variety of Museums and Attractions
Nashville is a city with a rich history and culture. There are a variety of museums and attractions that allow visitors to explore this heritage. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum chronicles the lives and careers of country music’s biggest stars. The Nashville Symphony offers world-class performances, while the Frist Center for the Visual Arts showcases art from around the world. Visitors can also tour the State Capitol, which houses the offices of the governor and state legislature. In addition, Nashville is home to numerous parks and green spaces, making it a great place to enjoy the outdoors.
Nashville is Served by the Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is located just southeast of downtown Nashville. It is the largest airport in Tennessee and serves as a hub for Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines. BNA offers service to over 50 domestic and international destinations, making it easy to get to Nashville from almost anywhere in the world.
The City of Nashville Has a Council-manager Form of Government
This system combines the strong political leadership of an elected mayor and city council with the professional expertise of a trained and experienced city manager. The city manager is responsible for day-to-day operations, while the mayor and council focus on setting policy and budget priorities.
The Median Household Income in Nashville is $50,883
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Nashville is $50,883. This is slightly higher than the national median of $50,000, and represents a significant increase from the city’s median income of $43,965 in 2010. The increase in Nashville’s median income is likely due to the city’s strong economy, which has been bolstered by the recent influx of businesses and residents.
Nashville is a great place to live, work, and play. With a rich history, a thriving music scene, and a friendly atmosphere, Nashville has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a place to call home or just looking for a great place to visit, be sure to add Nashville to your list.
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Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen is considering equipping the German military with combat drones.
The Bundeswehr has been after the weapons for some time, in the hope they will further protect soldiers in war zones.
But Germany’s disastrous Euro Hawk drone debacle has made an already unpopular move even harder to sell to the public.
Before von der Leyen took charge, the defence ministry ordered Euro Hawk drones which did not have permission to fly in German airspace.
The scandal cost €600 million and left Germany without the remote-controlled weapons.
The Euro Hawk project was cancelled last May by von der Leyen’s predecessor Thomas de Mazière, but that has not dampened the military’s enthusiasm.
Armed forces commissioner Hellmut Königshaus put his argument for drones forward during Monday’s debate in the parliamentary defence committee.
Minister von der Leyen is expected to state her position on Wednesday or Thursday.
Lieutenant-Colonel André Wüstner from the armed forces association said: “Rejecting long-range weapons endangers the lives of our own soldiers.”
But the Social Democrats (SPD), who sit in a coalition government with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc, appear reluctant to sanction drones for the Bundeswehr.
“I can’t say that we would necessarily support this,” SPD general secretary Yasmin Fahimi said on Monday in Berlin.
Before the elections in September, the SPD came out against armed drones and foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) said he did not expect a decision on them in this parliament.
Steinmeier's party colleague and defence committee chairman Hans-Peter Bartels, told the Berliner Zeitung the SPD remained sceptical. “I can’t see any scenario in which the German military would need combat drones,” he said.
The US military uses armed drones to target terrorist suspects in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, said Bartels. “We find what the Americans do unacceptable.”
SEE ALSO: German army looks into wonky gun
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To this day, black women and depression have been a topic that has been shoved to the side and not considered much of a health risk. Much to our misfortune, one of the leading health issues in the U.S. is mental illness, especially within the African-American population; more specifically major depressive disorder (MDD). Though there has been an uprise of awareness, there are still major hurdles we need to face.
According to data collected from the Mental Health of America, in the past year, 16% of African-Americans reported having a psychiatric disorder. The data also showed that African-Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and hopelessness than white Americans. That’s well over 7 million Americans who are faced with psychiatric symptoms and conditions.
Societal Impact on Mental Health
It’s a well-known fact that in the entirety of the existence of the U.S., African-Americans have been heavily impacted by unfair laws, policies, and practices. Though times have changed, African-Americans are still suffering from these laws and policies. There are still a lot of aspects about the black experience that are damaging mentally and physically. No person understands this more than the average African-American woman. They are among the most discriminated groups in the U.S. and are often forced to handle and navigate harsh and hostile situations and environments. Racism, sexism, colorism, and even xenophobia are all causes of stress and MDD, and this has been the truth for centuries.
Cause and Effect: Race, Gender, and Mental Health Issues
Within the last 4 years, we’ve witnessed racial tensions and gender-based violence reach new heights. Although there has been a vigilant effort to battle against these injustices by a myriad of groups and organizations, the impact and damage are irreversible. With the hundreds of cases, from the murder of Breonna Taylor to the sexual assault on African-American women by police officers, so many are faced with handling mental instability. Simply being cognizant of own race and gender is enough to cause a heavy amount of pressure and stress, but to know is only a partof the experience as an African-American woman, and many suffer in silence.
Social issues have a direct impact on the mental health of WOC
The Belief and Attitude Toward Black Women and Depression
A major detriment to psychological wellness in most black communities is the belief that psychiatric disorders don’t happen. Many of us have grown up with this idea that depressive disorder isn’t really a thing, and at most you were just going through some “ups and downs.” Although there is plenty of research and data available on the internet, many still hold tight to the idea that this phenomenon doesn’t happen in our community.
When it comes to depression in African-American females, this is especially dangerous because, from a young age, girls are often ignored or told to be strong in situations where they should be allowed to feel and sort through trauma and emotions. If there are any signs or symptoms, they are easily ignored and forgotten. This attitude translates to other races into a belief that every African-American woman is always “strong” and “stoic” without any real investigation into psychological wellness among African-Americans.
Denial of Depression and Psychiatric Illness Among African-Americans
How many times have you heard the phrases “it’s just a season” or “you need to get over it” or “suck it up?” As we’ve learned within the past decade, clinical depression is a psychiatric condition that can be caused by a multitude of factors. It develops over time and can strike without warning at any moment. Given factors like gender inequality, racism, dating, and pressures from society that affect African-American women on a day-to-day basis, it’s almost an inevitability.
None of the listed factors are new to African-Americans, so why is it that the majority of us are still in denial about the existence of psychiatric illness and depressive disorder? It could stem from our childhood when our parents had to raise us to be strong and defensive. It could also be because the majority of coverage and research has always leaned toward white Americans. It could also be a general mistrust of medical practice from years of heinous experiments done on African-Americans for generations. Another factor could be that there isn’t much forgiveness or understanding for cases of suicide and MDD among African-Americans.
In our culture, there is a major stigma about major depressive disorder
Lack of Resources and Support
What’s most alarming about MDD among minority communities is the lack of support and resources. Due to the stigma surrounding psychiatric disorders, many African-American women don’t actively seek any treatment for symptoms. Instead of therapy, self-care, or anti-depressants, they turn to poor coping habits and mechanisms. There is also a huge lack of representation within the field of study for mental well-being, so it’s much harder to connect to therapists, and doctors, or to even find WOC therapists.
The Trouble of Seeking Treatment
As mentioned before, African-Americans have problems when it comes to seeking help for MDD or any similar condition. African-American depression statistics collected from the CDC reported that African-American women are 4% more likely to have symptoms of MDD than whites and are less likely to report it or seek treatment. One of the major problems is lack of representation; because there are few African-American counselors, it’s hard for African-American women to build trust in therapy care. Another issue is the mistrust of antidepressants and similar medications.
Another major issue is availability by proximity. African-Americans who live below the poverty line are twice as likely to have signs of psychiatric conditions and don’t have the financial backing to allow them to seek professional treatment. Lastly, there is an overall lack of interest in doing studies and research into any minority community and no efforts being made to build establishments or a solid foundation for mental health.
Turning to Destructive Coping Mechanisms
Because of the lack of resources available, it’s common to turn to destructive coping mechanisms. Data collected from Mental Health of America shows that in recent years, the number of attempted suicide by people of color has increased. It also showed that African-American women with depression are more likely to engage in smoking, alcohol, illicit drugs, and pain killers as a way of coping rather than seek treatment. These mechanisms turn to addictions and worsen the effects of MDD greatly.
A depressed black woman will often turn to destructive coping habits.
The Lasting Effects of Assault Against Women
A very scary, but true experience for WOC is sexual and violent assault. It starts with the hyper-sexualization that, in America, dates back to the early 1400s. This phenomenon has evolved into tiny nuances and microaggressions that we normally hear and see.
Along with hypersexualization comes abuse. Many survivors of sexual assault have long-term psychiatric issues like MDD and PTSD. Unfortunately, there is very little care offered to those who are afflicted. What’s even worse is that a large majority of cases go unreported or ignored.
PTSD and Clinical Depression Among Black Women
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and MDD are relatively similar conditions, but it is important to understand the differences between the two. MDD is a condition where one will have overwhelming feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness which can affect your daily life in many ways. It can cause insomnia, memory loss, unhealthy weight loss, an increase in heart problems, weakened immune system, dietary issues, and so on. It can happen to anyone and episodes can strike at any moment without warning.
PTSD is a condition that develops from a traumatic experience and can cause chronic pain and fatigue, panic attacks, social isolation, heart disease, social anxiety, eating disorders, and many other effects. Unlike MDD, PTSD episodes are triggered by a memory or feeling of a traumatic event or experience, but it can still happen at any point in time.
Due to the harsh reality that women of color face on a day-to-day basis, having MDD and PTSD is far more likely to happen than for male counterparts. Yet, black women and mental health remain a widely ignored issue.
A majority of violent and sexual assaults go unreported
Debunking the Myths of Depression
Now that we’re clear on what MDD is and how it affects people, it’s only fair to continue the effort of debunking myths and misconceptions about African-American women and depression. It’s important to open the doorway of information and make our community more aware of psychiatric conditions. Without clarity, we’re doomed to the same cycles and habits that keep us from seeking treatment and healing.
More Than “Feeling Down”
How often have we heard the old saying Ï’m just feeling a bit down”? It’s a saying that often only brushes over a much deeper problem and doesn’t foster any type of insight into what the real issue is. What’s important to understand is that clinical depression is much more than our outside experiences. It’s a combination of chemical imbalances as well as the struggles in our current world. These issues shouldn’t be ignored, but talked about, treated, and managed.
Medication is for “Crazy” or “Weak” People
A major misconception in black culture is that taking medication for psychiatric conditions is a “white” thing or for “crazy” or “weak” people. This stigma has kept many African-Americans from seeking help for their MDD and it stems from misinformation and mistrust in medical practice. The properties of the medication, when prescribed by a professional and used responsibly, are simply to balance the chemicals in your brain. They help with sleeping, improve your mood, appetite, and concentration. There are also other forms of care aside from just taking medication as well. For example, even some basic self-care tips can go a long way, as well as learning how to deal with stress in a healthy way,
You Can’t Just “Get Over It”
Being depressed is not one of those things where you can just wake up one day and be done with it. It’s life long condition that needs to be managed. It can happen at any point in your life and affect you in ways that a good night’s sleep can’t take care of. It’s important to understand that when you show signs and symptoms of MDD, you should consider seeking help and guidance from a professional. Scheduling your first therapy appointment is never easy, but it is an important step in the right direction. Surround yourself with people who are supportive of your decision to seek help and can be touchstones in your life to keep you focused.
MDD is more than just “the blues.”
Seeking Help and Resources
Like the adage says “simply knowing is half of the battle.” The next step in managing MDD is to gain the courage to seek help. Technology has made it possible to find a center near you and can help you find black therapists and resources for women of color. If you or anyone you know is battling with any psychiatric condition, it’s never too late or too early to find therapy services and treatment that will help you manage your anxiety or any other conditions you may have.
WOC Reflections features weekly interviews and wellness tips delivered to your inbox.
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://woctherapy.com/black-women-and-depression/
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Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common nerve disorder that may interfere with hand strength and sensation, causing a decrease in function. Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common among women and middle-aged or older people. It usually affects one hand, but may occur in both. The median nerve and flexor tendons pass through the carpal tunnel on the inner wrist. When the median nerve is squeezed, it slows or blocks nerve impulses. Because this nerve provides muscle function and feeling in the hand, this can cause numbness, weakness or loss of function. Carpal tunnel syndrome may occur in people who are pregnant, overweight, or have diseases like arthritis or diabetes. Repetitive hand activity may not cause carpal tunnel syndrome, but may worsen symptoms.
Symptoms range from mild, occasional numbness in fingers to weakness in hand, and loss of feeling or function in the hands. Symptoms often appear in the morning, but may happen at other times. Symptoms may worsen with hand activities like driving, holding a book or grasping items. Tasks like buttoning a shirt become difficult, and people with carpal tunnel may often drop things. Patients may shake their hands to try to relieve pain, and sense swelling when none is present. Diagnosis includes testing hands, fingers and thumbs for signs of muscle weakness. The doctor may prick the skin to test for loss of sensation, bend the wrist at a 90-degree angle (Phalen test), tap it with a reflex hammer to cause electric sensation (Tinel sign) or do nerve conduction testing. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may show median nerve swelling, tunnel wall abnormalities, or show why the nerve is compressed.
Treatments for pain relief include medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). Cortisone injected into the carpal tunnel may relieve pain for weeks or months, and shots can be repeated. If hypothyroidism or rheumatoid arthritis are causing carpal tunnel syndrome, treating those diseases may relieve symptoms. If other treatments do not provide symptom relief, surgery called carpal tunnel release can be performed to open the carpal tunnel and relieve pressure on the median nerve. In severe cases, surgery may be done right away. Both open surgery and endoscopic surgery are used for carpal tunnel release.
Carpal tunnel syndrome numbness and tingling may be mild at first, so people may not seek medical help or treatment. In these cases, the disease may progress to persistent numbness and burning. In severe, chronic cases, muscle at the base of the thumb on the palm side may lose mass. This can lead to hand weakness, impaired use of the hands, and loss of hand sensation due to permanent muscle and nerve damage. So it is important to seek medical attention for carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms early and begin treatment. For mild carpal tunnel syndrome, splints available at drugstores may be worn on the affected wrist at night during sleep. This helps keep the joint straight and reduce pressure on the median nerve.
The page was designed with Mobirise template
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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http://rosdrs.com/rheumatic_diseases_carpal_tunnel_syndrome.html
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Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Qiang Zhang,
Professor Philip Moore
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
The Auto-BAHN software under development at Newcastle University aims to incorporate a near real-time capability for GPS orbits and clocks into the GPS software BAHN, currently in operational use for IGS related activities at ESOC/ESA. As a first step the deterministic least-squares batch processor in BAHN has been replaced by an Extended Kalman Filter facilitating continuous computation of GPS satellite orbits and clocks and other receiver and satellite parameters. In this paper the underlying methodology behind the Extended Kalman Filter approach is introduced as required to handle GPS phase and code data from a global network of GPS tracking stations. In addition, details are presented about the replacement of global, arc-dependent and epoch-dependent deterministic parameters by stochastic processes. Current accuracies for the GPS orbits and clocks achieved with Auto-BAHN are illustrated through comparisons with IGS final solutions. © 2007 COSPAR.
Author(s): Zhang Q, Moore P, Hanley J, Martin S
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Advances in Space Research
ISSN (print): 0273-1177
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
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<urn:uuid:3440378e-40bd-4216-9e7e-2b51b3229fc0>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/75379
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en
| 0.850498
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If you feel that your life has been blighted by a local authority’s failure to protect you during your childhood, you should consult a lawyer straight away. In a case on point, a young man who should have been removed from his mother’s care and placed for adoption as a baby won the right to compensation.
A local authority had been concerned about the behaviour of the man’s mother even before his birth. He exhibited behavioural problems as he grew up and a strategy meeting and a child protection conference were held. He was not, however, placed on the child protection register. Only when he was seven years old did the council obtain a care order on the basis that he was suffering, or was likely to suffer, significant harm in his mother’s care.
After proceedings were launched on his behalf, the council swiftly admitted liability on the basis that it had breached the duty it owed him as a vulnerable child. It also conceded that, but for that breach, he would have been taken from his mother’s care and placed for adoption in the first month of his life.
Seven years after those formal admissions were made, however, the council sought judicial permission to withdraw them. It asserted that a recent sea change in the law, arising from a Supreme Court ruling, had rendered the man’s claim untenable. Following two hearings, permission was refused by a judge.
Dismissing the council’s challenge to that ruling, the Court of Appeal found that it would not be just, fair or appropriate to permit it to go back on admissions that were made so long ago. Such a course would cause obvious prejudice to the man, whose lawyers had for years proceeded on a non-adversarial basis on the assumption that the council had irrevocably conceded liability. The Court’s ruling meant that the man would in due course receive appropriate compensation.
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<urn:uuid:cc4a5ee9-36f9-4061-8799-c8053940ad31>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://app.legalrss.co.uk/article/feed/childhood-blighted-by-local-authority-failings-consult-a-solicitor-today/
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en
| 0.992064
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Certain response patterns turn potholes into sinkholes. Not all of the examples listed below are mere “potholes,” exactly, but they all followed the pattern of taking something lousy and making it even worse. Here are five of the most common apology gaffes:
1. Offering an insufficient first apology.
In “The Media Training Bible“ I wrote:
Many executives are reluctant to issue a full and unequivocal apology after making a mistake. That’s not because they’re bad or uncaring people. More commonly, it’s a human reaction from a defensive person who feels that his or her well-intentioned motives were misunderstood.
As a result, the executive usually issues a hedged “half apology” that goes something like this: “If you were offended by what I said, then I am sorry.”
That type of “if/then” apology, which places the burden on the offended person rather than the offender, tends to inflame a crisis instead of ending it. The equivocation almost inevitably fails to satisfy the public, forcing the executive to issue a second, more complete apology several days later:
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<urn:uuid:ef84f496-8e39-45b9-af59-c7618ff9ca7b>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.ragan.com/crisis-comms-101-dont-turn-a-pothole-into-a-sinkhole/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00264.warc.gz
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en
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The decision for Merkel and Sarkozy to meet was taken during a telephone conversation on Tuesday evening, it was reported, after Merkel had publicly talked down the chances that the eurozone summit would deliver the silver bullet to resolve the debt crisis.
The International Monetary Fund has been pressing leaders to take urgent action while markets are increasingly worried that Athens could default on its €350 billion debt and spark a chain reaction across Europe’s weakest economies.
While senior eurozone finance officials met in Brussels to craft a second Greek bailout for Thursday’s summit, Merkel warned against more far-reaching proposals that have been invoked to master the euro’s year-long crisis.
“If you want to act responsibly, you know that such a spectacular step will not happen, including on Thursday,” Merkel told a news conference after talks in Hannover with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The German leader voiced concerns about ideas such as restructuring Greece’s debt, creating joint euro-area bonds or forming a transfer union – a step towards a federal Europe.
Merkel also said governments needed to reduce their debt and improve competitiveness. “Thursday will help in this but further steps will be needed, not one spectacular event solving all problems.”
She also spoke by phone with US President Barack Obama, and the White House said the two agreed that “dealing effectively with this crisis is important for sustaining the economic recovery in Europe as well as for the global economy.”
After several turbulent days for the euro and European stock markets, the eurozone is racing to agree on a new Greek rescue and prevent the crisis from dragging down bigger nations, with Italy and Spain next in the firing line.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) called for urgent action, warning even Europe’s strong economies, like Germany and France, were at danger from contagion from a meltdown in struggling Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Italy and Spain.
“Delays in resolving the crisis could be costly for the euro area and the global economy,” the IMF said in a detailed report on “spillover” risks for the eurozone.
Senior eurozone government officials were to meet again on Wednesday in the hope of reaching a deal by Thursday, a year after Greece received a bailout of €110 billion from the European Union and IMF.
Germany, the eurozone’s paymaster, Finland and the Netherlands have been at odds with the European Central Bank and other governments over their insistence that private bond holders share the pain in the new rescue package for Greece.
Late on Monday, a special tax on eurozone banks emerged as a potential compromise after governments had struggled for weeks to agree on involving the private sector in the second bailout without triggering a devastating default.
The French and German banking federations voiced concerns about the idea.
The German government’s top economic advisors, the “Five Wise Men”, have recommended supporting the idea of a partial Greek debt default.
They said “a discount of 50 percent” on existing Greek state bonds would be desirable, and could reduce Greek debt from some 160 percent of GDP to 106 percent, in an opinion piece to appear in Wednesday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
They added said that whatever it took, Greece’s debt burden had to be reduced, otherwise it would become an increasing burden on its stronger Eurozone peers.
EU officials have also mooted a convoluted plan to lend Greece money with which it can buy back its own debt at a reduced price on secondary bond markets, effectively postponing its repayments to give it breathing space.
Jean-Louis Mourier, economist at brokerage firm Aurel BGC, said the markets were “not expecting a miracle solution” but wanted eurozone leaders to at the very least agree on a new plan for Greece.
ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet reiterated his opposition to any deal that would amount to a default, repeating warnings that this would prompt the central bank to cease financing the Greek banking sector.
“We ask the eurozone governments to find appropriate solutions as soon as possible,” he told the Slovak daily Hospodarske Noviny. But an ECB governor, Ewald Nowotny, broke ranks, telling CNBC television that proposals that would trigger a “short-lived selective default” should be studied because it “would not really have major negative consequences.”
Merkel has made clear she wants a deal on the table by Thursday after she forced EU president Herman Van Rompuy to cancel plans for a meeting last Friday following a raucous week in the markets.
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<urn:uuid:1381257e-9437-4b59-a5f0-cc4a114326e4>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.thelocal.de/20110720/36401/
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00264.warc.gz
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en
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Doing some reading, I see indications (but not outright statements) in GPU vendor documentation that GPUs do not pack:
vertices across different instances in an instanced draw, nor
vertices across different draws in a MultiDrawIndirect draw call
into shared thread groups (warps or wavefronts). I also find devs on the net saying that GPUs do not do this, but without a pointer to vendor docs as the source.
My question is, does anyone know whether this is (or is not) the case?
(If so, I guess this could help explain why the performance of geometry instancing and/or MDI can be low with trivially-simple instances/draws (i.e. few vertices per instance or draw) due to low occupancy doing vertex shader transforms.)
Well, there is one thing that is known for certain: distinct draws represent distinct “invocation groups”. We know this because , while SPIR-V says that the invocation group arrangement for shaders is “implementation dependent”, the Vulkan specification explicitly requires that distinct draws in a multidraw indirect command represent different invocation groups.
The most recent OpenGL/GLSL specifications have been updated with similar language, with GLSL adopting the “invocation group” wording and section 7.9 of the OpenGL spec being added that says “For MultiDraw* commands with drawcount greater than one, invocations from separate draws are in distinct invocation groups.”
Now to the question: is “invocation group” necessarily equivalent to “warp/wavefront”? Invocation groups, in SPIR-V and GLSL, speak directly towards dynamically uniform control flow and expressions. Given what we know about how GPU hardware implements dynamic uniform constructs (namely, that breaking dynamic uniformity may cause warp/wavefront divergence), it stands to reason that invocations from different invocation groups cannot go into the same warp/wavefront.
So I would take that as a strong sign that GPU hardware does not execute invocations from distinct draw operations in the same warp/wavefront. And more specifically, they are explicitly forbidden from doing so by both Vulkan and OpenGL.
I can’t speak to the rest. gl_DrawID is explicitly stated to be dynamically uniform, but gl_InstanceID is not. Combined with the fact that SPIR-V/GLSL specifically allow invocation groups to contain multiple instances, that strongly suggests that there are at least some GPU vendors do allow instances to run in the same warp/wavefront.
As for GS instancing, I think it would rather defeat the purpose of the whole idea if separate instances couldn’t execute in the same warp/wavefront.
Thanks Alfonse! Great info, and a pretty strong argument that MDI draws aren’t packed into shared thread groups.
Doing more reading up on this today, this perf problem with small instances or MDI draws seems to be pretty well known by some. It also sounds like NVidia Task and Mesh Shaders allow you to get around this by re-packing the input work as you see fit (unfortunately, those aren’t an option for us yet). In the absence of that feature, I suspect that pseudo-instancing might be the best option for obtaining good GPU utilization on vertex work with simple meshes.
A few links mentioning the “simple mesh” perf problems associated with “instancing” and “multi-draw indirect” (MDI) along with task and mesh shaders:
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<urn:uuid:7faed136-1473-4938-855a-f694ca081f94>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://community.khronos.org/t/gpu-vertex-dispatch-for-multidrawindirect-and-or-instanced-draw-calls/77308
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00264.warc.gz
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en
| 0.928377
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| 1.515625
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|
Over 20 years have elapsed since aspartame was approved by regulatory agencies as a sweetener and flavor enhancer. The safety of aspartame and its metabolic constituents was established through extensive toxicology studies in laboratory animals, using much greater doses than people could possibly consume. Its safety was further confirmed through studies in several human subpopulations, including healthy infants, children, adolescents, and adults; obese individuals; diabetics; lactating women; and individuals heterozygous (PKUH) for the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU) who have a decreased ability to metabolize the essential amino acid, phenylalanine. Several scientific issues continued to be raised after approval, largely as a concern for theoretical toxicity from its metabolic components--the amino acids, aspartate and phenylalanine, and methanol--even though dietary exposure to these components is much greater than from aspartame. Nonetheless, additional research, including evaluations of possible associations between aspartame and headaches, seizures, behavior, cognition, and mood as well as allergic-type reactions and use by potentially sensitive subpopulations, has continued after approval. These findings are reviewed here. The safety testing of aspartame has gone well beyond that required to evaluate the safety of a food additive. When all the research on aspartame, including evaluations in both the premarketing and postmarketing periods, is examined as a whole, it is clear that aspartame is safe, and there are no unresolved questions regarding its safety under conditions of intended use.
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<urn:uuid:f92e4038-b852-4c61-8c9c-15023a618c4f>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/RU/en/tech-docs/paper/443914
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00264.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.965881
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|
Beryllium gets its name from the Greek word beryllos, and from the Latin beryllus meaning "green gemstone", referring to the mineral beryl.
El berilio es el metal alcalinotérreo más ligero, y no comparte muchas de las propiedades del grupo. For example, it does not react with water and is much harder than the other metals in its group. Two common beryllium minerals are chrysoberyl and beryl. Beryl has different forms, such as aquamarine and emerald.
The beryllium element is useful in many ways. For example, some military helicopters use windows made of beryllium-rich glass to protect the optical sensors. In this way, it helps pilots in night flying or in poor visibility conditions such as fog. Objects made of this metal keep their shape and barely expand or contract if the temperature changes. This makes beryllium useful in valves for fire sprinklers and car sensors that trigger airbags.
It is also used to build telescope mirrors, due to its lightness and strength properties. Beryllium is also used in the manufacture of brake discs in racing cars. Beryllium and copper alloys are used in a wide variety of applications.
Summary of properties (Be)
|Discoverer (year)||Vauquelin, Nicholas Louis (1797)|
|Natural form||metallic solid (hexagonal)|
|Electron configuration||[He] 2s2|
|Melting point (ºC)||1278|
|Boiling point (ºC)||2970|
|Abundance in earth's crust (ppm)||2.8|
|Isotope (abundance)||9Be (100))|
|Van der Waals radius (pm)||153|
|Covalent radius (pm)||99|
|Vaporization enthalpy (kJ/mol)||308.80|
|Enthalpy of fusion (kJ/mol)||7.90|
|Specific heat capacity (J/g·K) at 25ºC and 1 atm||1.13|
|Thermal conductivity (W/cm·K) at 25ºC and 1 atm||2.000|
|Electron affinity (eV)||unstable ion|
|1st Ionization potential (eV)||9.3227|
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<urn:uuid:65139979-8fc0-4aa5-aa48-3a9ff1d22eeb>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.dequimica.info/en/periodic-table/beryllium
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s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573876.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20220820012448-20220820042448-00064.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.786533
| 580
| 3.6875
| 4
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A River God
In the Tang dynasty, the year 785, there was a man named Mr. Yuan. He was a military staff officer stationed in Tangan, Hubei Province. After getting out of the army, Mr. Yuan began to travel around. One day, he arrived in a place called Bachuan in Southwest China and went to a hotel to stay.
It was dusk, Mr. Yuan was sitting at his room’s window, random thoughts about success and failure were swirling in his head, when suddenly someone knocked at the door. Mr. Yuan opened the door and found a man dressed in white that he didn’t know. The man came in and sat down without speaking. Then he said to a surprised Mr. Yuan, “My last name is Gao, I live in Xinming County. I was a military staff, now retired. I have travelled all the way here.”
The two men had had similar experiences and Mr. Yuan thought it was interesting. In the course of chatting, he felt that the man had a sharp intellect and was no ordinary person.
Then the man said, “I am good at divining. I can divine your past, present and future.” Mr. Yuan agreed, and the man proceeded to describe every detail of Mr. Yuan’s past with perfect accuracy. Around midnight, the man dressed in white whispered to Mr. Yuan, “To be honest with you, I am not human…”
Mr. Yuan said “You are not human. Are you a ghost? Are you gonna hurt me?” The man gestured soothingly to Mr. Yuan, “Stay calm, listen to me, I have something to tell you. Can I?” Mr. Yuan got up and said, “Go ahead.”
The man dressed in white said, “I am the Red River God. My temple is in the south of Xinming County. Last summer after the continuous rain the temple nearly toppled and fell, but no one cared about it. I am exposed to the sun and get hit by sand every day. My statues are insulted by woodcutters. The people around think I am dirt. Right now I am telling you something about me. If you can help me, I’ll just keep going. If not, I’ll leave. Then there is no regret.”
Mr. Yuan said “Oh, my god. If that is your wish, I don’t see why not. How can I do for you?”
The River God said “You will be appointed the Xinming County’s governor. If you can rebuild the temple for me and sacrifice on time, I will really appreciate it. Please don’t forget.”
Mr. Yuan thought “Really? Will I really be appointed the governor?”
The River God saw him hesitate and said, “We should meet when you arrive in Xinming. However, I am a god and you are human. Maybe your subordinates will treat me with impropriety. You have to go into the temple alone and ask them to wait outside., I hope we can enjoy our chat when that time comes.”
In the following winter, Mr. Yuan was indeed appointed the governor. After taking office, he asked his subordinates and learned that there was really a Red River Temple in the south of the county. After a few days, he visited the temple alone and asked the other people to wait outside. The scene inside was the same as the River God said. The temple was about to collapse and the surrounding field was overgrown with weeds. Mr. Yuan was looking around when suddenly he noticed a man coming out slowly from behind the temple. It was the Red River God.
The River God was very happy, he said to Mr. Yuan “You are a real gentleman because you didn’t forget our agreement. It is my lucky day.” He took Mr. Yuan by the hand into the temple, and they wandered around inside. They were walking around a corridor, when Mr. Yuan found an old abbot under the steps. Several odd-looking people stood beside him. Mr. Yuan asked the River God questionly “Who is he?”
The River God said “He is the abbot of a temple in the east of the county, named Incarn. I am imprisoning him here because he is guilty. I asked someone to whip him every morning and night. However, the deadline is drawing near. I will release him in about ten days.”
Mr. Yuan asked, “The monk is imprisoned here? Why doesn’t he run away?”
The River God smiled. “Now what you see is his soul. His body is still in his temple. He is terminally ill and he doesn’t know I am punishing him. Don’t worry about the monk. So, you promised to rebuild my temple. Please make it quick.”
Mr. Yuan said, “I haven’t forgotten.”
Mr. Yuan calculated the budget after going back to his mansion. Xinming was a poor place. He found the county couldn’t afford to rebuild the temple. While he was worrying about it, the abbot came to his mind. If Mr. Yuan told the abbot the truth and asked him to rebuild the River God’s temple, the abbot’s bad luck would go away. He would definitely be willing to do it.
Mr. Yuan visited the temple in the east of the county. There really was an abbot who had been sick in bed for a year. Mr. Yuan met the abbot Incarn and asked about his illness.
Incarn said “I am dying of a terminal illness. It’s especially painful every morning and evening ”
Mr. Yuan said, “ I may be able to help you, but can you pay for the rebuilding of the Red River Temple?”
Incarn said “If the rebuilding makes me recover. Why should I care about such little money?”
Mr. Yuan lied, “Although I am the governor, I know a thing or two about magic, I can see ghosts and gods. Recently I visited the Red River Temple and saw your soul bound there. I asked the Red River God what was going on. He said you were guilty, and because of this, he arrested your soul, whipping you every morning and night. I think it’s very sad, so I said I would order you to rebuild his temple. I begged to the Red River God for you, and because of this you will recover in ten days. If you don’t rebuild the temple once you have recovered, the Red River God may arrest your soul again. So you should rebuild the temple as soon as possible.
Incarn said “I see. Thanks for telling me.”
Ten days later, Incarn recovered as Mr. Yuan said. Then he gathered all his disciples together, saying “I have been studying Buddhist doctrine for 50 years. I fell seriously ill a year ago. According to the Governor Yuan, it is the Red River God’s trick. He even asked me to rebuild his temple, but you cannot force a man to build a temple. A temple god should protect the people. However, the Red River God took my soul with his evil magic. He is hurting the local people. I’m going to get rid of him!”
Incarn’s disciples said, “We are at your command, Master!”
Incarn led his disciples to the temple with shovels and hammers. They knocked down the temple and the statue, smashed them to pieces, and left.
The following day, Incarn visited Mr. Yuan. The latter was very happy, saying, “You recovered from your illness, so what I told you is the truth.”
Incarn said, “Thanks for your help, I will never forget it.”
Mr Yuan responded,“You need to rebuild his temple or maybe the illness will come again.”
Incarn sneered, “We believe in River Gods, because they can benefit the people. For this reason, every emperor orders every province and county to build a River God temple. However, I have never seen a god like the Red River God. Not only does he not benefit people, but he also hurts us. How can we worship this River God? Yesterday, I destroyed his temple.”
Mr. Yuan was startled, thinking a disaster was sure to come. However, Incarn looked high-spirited and fearless.
A month later, one of Mr. Yuan’s subordinates made a mistake. Mr. Yuan sentenced him to be caned, and this led to the subordinate’s death. The subordinate’s family complained to Mr. Yuan’s superior. Finally, Mr. Yuan was dismissed and exiled to a place called Duan Creek.
One day, on his way he saw a man dressed in white standing by the road. It was the Red River God. He said with an expressionless face, “I asked you to help me to rebuild my temple. It turns out that Incarn destroyed it. It’s all your fault. It is my revenge that you have been exiled to a remote place.”
Mr. Yuan said, “Incarn destroyed the temple, not me!”
The River God said, “Now the spirit of Incarn is strong, I can’t hurt him. And you are weak. I only target you for my revenge.” Then he vanished.
The more Mr. Yuan thought about it, the angrier he became. Several days later, he got sick and died.
Strange Chinese Stories
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Information about the initiative to provide York students and faculty with opportunities to apply classroom education to the greater community.
What is Service-Learning?
Service-Learning at York College is a teaching and learning method that engages and encourages students to make meaningful connections between course content and real-life experiences through service and community-based education. York College's aim is to deepen student learning while increasing students' level of civic engagement, responsibility, and social justice. Service-learning has a positive impact on student learning outcomes, civic engagement, and retention.
Service-learning can be applied across all subjects and academic levels; it can involve a single student or a group of students, a classroom or the entire school. Students build character and become active participants as they work with others in the school and community to create service projects in areas such as education, public safety, and the environment, to name a few.
What Service-Learning is Not.
Because service-learning is intrinsically tied to academic coursework, it is not the same as other common forms of community engagement, such as volunteerism, co-ops, and internships, or traditional community service. As a result, academic credits are earned for the learning portion, not for the service.
What should I do if I'm interested in taking a service-learning course?
The first thing to do is check with the department in which you would like to take a service-learning course to see if there are any "experiential learning" classes being offered in the semester you would like to take such a course.
What should I do if I'm interested in teaching a service-learning course?
Faculty should consult our Resources for Faculty page. There you will find links to sample syllabi for multiple disciplines, a toolkit on how to develop a course and obtain the requisite service agreements when having students serve off-site. You will also find the course criteria form created by York's Service-Learning Advisory Board, which seeks to standardize the elements of all courses approved by the Board.
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This tuberous species is sending up golden flowers in the Mountains House.
Belonging to the berberis family (Berberidaceae) the genus Gymnospermium comprises four species of tuberous perennials from Europe and Asia. All have divided, pinnately lobed, fern-like foliage and carry their six-petalled flowers in terminal racemes. In cultivation all enjoy an unheated alpine house or a well-drained site in full sun in the garden, and protection from excessive moisture. A snow-melt plant of scrub and rocky hillsides of southern Europe and central Asia, G. albertii has a short flowering period, and quickly dies back after flowering.
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You may have visited Mexico but when you come to Merida, Yucatan, you’ll be transported to another world. Merida, as the capital of the state of Yucatan, is a city with a rich Mayan heritage. The 1.6-million-person city was founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistador, Francisco de Montejo. The city itself was built on the site of the ancient Mayan city of Tho. While Spanish is spoken here, you’ll also find yourself interacting with modern Mayans and hear their language.
Yes, you’re still in Mexico but a large percentage of the population is of Mayan descent. Originally a walled city that was designed to protect citizens from Mayans in rebellion on the outside, Merida has grown to be a vibrant metropolis. While completely captivating in its own right, Merida is also well situated for great day trips. Several beaches are close by, but the best experience is to swim in the many cenotes in and surrounding the city. With children not long removed from their swimming lessons, the open-air cenotes are best, while snorkelers will prefer the more cave-like dives.
Merida is also a trading city, with one of its biggest commodities being henequen, a fibrous material similar to sisal. This material, useful in the maritime trade, put Merida on the world map, and by the early twentieth century, significant partnerships had developed around the world, creating a record-setting number of local millionaires for any city. Evidence of this is still seen in many of the foodways that focus on Gouda cheese and other products from the Netherlands.
Paseo de Montejo
Evidence of the wealth created in the city can be seen on the boulevard, Paseo de Montejo. This wide avenue is lined with stately mansions from the past eras. The street is also home to many cafes, coffee shops and restaurants. It’s a lovely place to walk. If you are there on a Sunday, the streets are closed off for people to cycle, walk and simply enjoy the trees and architecture. While there are many beautiful examples of classic architecture, the Twin Houses – “Las Casas Gemelas” – captivate many visitors. These almost identical Spanish/French style mansions are still privately owned – for now.
No visit to the Yucatan is complete without a visit to one of the historic cantinas. Businesses like El Cardenal (the oldest in the city), La Negrita or Dzalbuy are a place to get a beer or cocktail and a snack. To be clear, cantinas are not necessarily bars. They are a place to meet up with friends and listen to some music. While these were once only the providence of men, everyone is now welcome. You can identify a cantina by its swinging doors.
Food, Glorious Food
Yes, you may be in Mexico but your conception of Mexican food does not apply in the Yucatan! Yes, you can have tacos but they will be cochanita or poc chuk. These are dishes that are born out of the Mayan tradition. Cochanita is a slow roasted pork that is covered with red achiote and spices then buried underground in a pit until it’s pull-apart tender. Pok chuk is a slow-roasted pork in sour orange juice and spices. Many enjoy starting the morning with huevos motuleños which combines eggs on tortillas with ingredients like ham, green peas and salsa. The food may be unfamiliar at first, but you will find many dishes that you fall deeply in love with.
Arts and Culture
Merida is a vibrant city that is focused on arts and culture. During a simple walk down the street, you will hear a wide variety of musical styles. It may be someone playing classical music on a baby grand piano or traditional Mexican musical styles. Twice a year, the city celebrates all things cultural with the Noche Blanca festival. During these events, the arts come out onto the streets. As you walk through Centro, the center of the city, you’ll see impromptu plays, singers and magicians, and people painting. Many concerts are also held for the public.
In the center of Merida, Plaza Grande serves as the focal point of the city. Visit the historic Catedral de San Ildefonso that was constructed in 1561. On weekend evenings, the story of Merida is told through a light show that is projected against the building. Also on weekends, the plaza is filled with many vendors selling handcrafts that they have brought from their towns near the city. And during one day, one of the plaza’s streets is blocked off for the big performance. There are classic dancers, comedians and lots of singing. Visitors are also able to view a reenactment of the Mayan ball game, Pok-ta-pok. Men wearing traditional Mayan dress play with a heavy ball to get it through a hoop. Some say that back in the day, the winner was often sacrificed. While this may have been true, it’s not something that you will see today! When you visit any Mayan ruins in the area, most will have a ball-pit in the complex.
Mercados and Parques
Most neighborhoods are centered around a local church and mercado or marketplace. These are often accompanied with a parque. Shop in the mercado for fruit, vegetables and flowers – and you’ll also find economic eateries clustered around them. Then, stroll through the parque. These are places where many come to relax, meet friends and enjoy a coffee.
Many wonder when visiting Mexico how safe things really are. In Merida, you can be assured that you and your family will be safe, even when walking alone at night. The city has been named the second safest city in all of the Americas so don’t worry when walking home from dinner in the evening. You’ll also see a very high police presence wherever you go. If you have a question, there are policia turistica in the area. They speak English and use small electric vehicles. They can help you if you have a problem.
Merida is a very old city that welcomes everyone. Wander around. Eat everything and discover what this “other world” is all about. You’ll be surrounded by history and an ancient culture. It’s a very different part of Mexico – like another country.
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Baking Powder is a versatile raising agent for cakes, scones and pastries.
|Typical Values||Per 100g/ml|
|- of which saturates||0.1 g|
|- of which sugars||0.77 g|
|Contains Sulphur Dioxide||No|
|Suitable for Vegetarians||Yes|
|Suitable for Vegans||Yes|
|Suitable for Sufferers of Lactose Intolerance||Yes|
|Suitable for Coeliacs||No|
|Approved for a Halal Diet||No|
|Approved for a Kosher Diet||No|
WHEAT Flour (WHEAT Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamine), Raising Agents: Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate E450i, Sodium Bicarbonate E500 (ii).
Directions for Use
This product can be used as a general purpose baking powder in a variety of bakery products. Customers should undergo their own evaluation to ensure that the product is suitable for their application.
Store in a cool, dry place, free from the risk of contamination and ingress of moisture.
GTIN : 5060392093627
Inner GTIN : 5060392093610
Weight/Volume : 6x800g
Packaging Type : Jar
Country of Origin
United Kingdom (UK)
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In 2009, Michael Tucker was one of a handful of students from the Miles School of Business Credit chosen to participate in a special program, The Vineyards at 16th. Located on 16th and Ridge Avenue, The Vineyards are all-green, high-rise apartment complexes.
Tucker is the sustainable designer. He makes sure that the complexes are built with the most organic and environmentally friendly materials.
Tucker has been working with the city to acquire zoning and building permits, along with signing numerous other green companies, like NuTone and Crestron, to help with the project.
Everything in the apartments will be eco-friendly, from the kitchen appliances to the showers. The heating and air conditioning units are also environmentally friendly; the heat comes from pipes in the floors rather than air ducts.
There are also solar panels on the roof to help generate natural energy for the building.
Tucker and his team have a number of events planned to introduce the project to the community and the public. After completion of the first building, there will be a “green tie event.” Tucker explained that it is a “fundraiser for the Francisville Neighborhood Corp.’s efforts to establish the Francis Marketplace at 16th and Ridge Avenue.”
There are other events, including a High School/College Eco Discovery Day, with hopes that the community will become familiar with the mission behind the apartment buildings.
When asked why Francisville was chosen, Tucker said, “The area is dilapidated. It’s time for a rebirth … I always tell people that I believe personally that this area is the next Northern Liberties.”
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https://philadelphianeighborhoods.com/2011/04/09/ridge-avenue-new-eco-friendly-apartments-coming-to-the-area/
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| 0.962153
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Designers, engineers and part providers are increasingly choosing stereolithography (SL) printing technology for prototyping applications because of its ability to print complex designs with a high degree of accuracy, fine resolution and smooth part sidewalls.
Parts produced using SL technology require little or no post-processing, resulting in cost savings and faster time to market, compared with traditional manufacturing methods.
Included in this white paper:
In this white paper, we’ll look at the most common prototyping applications produced using SL technology and highlight why the Stratasys Neo® is fast becoming the stereolithography 3D printer of choice for prototyping.
- What is stereolithography?
- Why stereolithography for prototyping?
- Concept and communication models
- Functional form-and-fit prototypes
- Why customers choose Stratasys Neo for prototyping
- Benefits of the Stratasys Neo stereolithography 3D printer
- Stratasys Neo: Open-resin system stereolithography
- Stratasys Neo: best-in-class stereolithography for prototyping applications
Find more resources for topic:
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<urn:uuid:5d9c1eb8-d987-4f7a-9eb9-357ecdb7fb91>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.javelin-tech.com/3d/introduction-to-stereolithography-3d-printing-prototyping/
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| 0.874215
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Fielding smaller, more risk-worthy carriers that could reduce the chance of adversaries landing a major punch in a conflict simply by sinking or disabling a single ship, such as a Nimitz- or Ford-class aircraft carrier with thousands of sailors and tens of billions of dollars of hardware aboard, seems reasonable as the future of carriers remains in flux.
The effort to move to a smaller carrier, optimistically termed “Future Carrier 2030, seems frozen. So, the US Navy is forging ahead with preparing its big-deck boats — the amphibious assault ships — for operating with the Marine Corp’s F-35B. The Corps’ F-35 fighter jet is a short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variant. The Navy recently inked a $200 million contract with BAE Systems to upgrade the amphibious assault ship Boxer to be able to operate with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the fifth landing helicopter assault ship to be so amended.
“The USS Boxer [depending on dry-dock availability] will complete a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair of the following systems: Hull structure, propulsion, electrical plant, auxiliary systems, and communications and combat systems, as well as alterations to prepare the ship for operations with the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF),” according to a statement from Naval Sea Systems command.
Last fall, the US Navy packed 13 F-35Bs on the amphibious assault ship America. Then-Navy Secretary Spencer later said the ship could hold up to 20.
But the utility of a smaller carrier that still has a mean bite was recently demonstrated when a COVID-19 outbreak on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt sidelined the flat top in Guam in the middle of its deployment. The Navy directed the America to the South China Sea to provide presence there to dissuade China from taking advantage of the Roosevelt’s misfortune. That was a win for the idea of a smaller carrier. The America cannot replace a Ford-class carrier, but the idea, of course, is to have a more distributed force, which sounds sensible. So, the Navy should not stop building Ford-class carriers, but they should be including smaller carriers.
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<urn:uuid:c3dd4889-f832-46e3-a7e0-63e701b3a6d3>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
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https://www.aljundi.ae/en/weapon-news/us-navy-upgrades-more-ships-for-the-f-35/
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| 0.943997
| 454
| 2.34375
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Students across the globe have various commitments to handle each day. Sometimes they have side hustles to earn a fair share of their daily necessities, while others have to work on demanding deadlines. Hiring an expert editor is the best option in such cases as you get everything in a short time. You are sure to enjoy high-quality with the result and better grades. However, is it easy to learn the art of writing lengthy documents that need ample reference? Navigate to this site!
For starters, once you type the instructions on the paper’s main section, chances are that it will be accurate. If the structure is not well-presented, chances are the other texts will be much harder to read and understand. It might further limit how useful it would be to make amendments to the final document. That is why it is crucial to seek the help of experts only. But is it really worth it?
One quality that makes writers globally renowned is the use of good grammar. Any writer who uses technology in his or her writing is likely to produce flawless essays. This is because the ideal supporting evidence is usually presented clearly, always in the form of sentences rather than paragraphs. With proper research, anyone can be able to draft an essay that is free from grammatical and syntax errors. Furthermore, successful newspaper and internet articles have a straightforward transition from one language to the next.
Why Utilize Online Pronouns When Paraphrased
Phones can be confusing when used in an academic field. Some phrases are too long that will lead to a confusion of usage. On the other hand, introducing new words in a paragraph could become challenging, especially for theFast English passages. Thus, they are recommended that students write them in a passive voice, where the context is simple, and only important information is included. Usually, there is a deadline for submitting the revision, and if it is not submitted before then, it is considered a failed assignment. Instead of creating panic, NoAssignment.com offers a variety of options for the user to choose from. Here is a list of some professional suggestions;
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<urn:uuid:d53bb474-3596-4f09-af56-3b5b2f0b07ae>
|
CC-MAIN-2022-33
|
https://geimo.net/get-instant-tips-on-paraphrase-writing/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00264.warc.gz
|
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| 0.96284
| 427
| 1.945313
| 2
|
December 29 is recognized as Pepper Pot Day.
Yikes, Pepper Pot Day, how exciting can that really be? Pretty exciting if you hear the history behind it.
Pepper Pot Day pays homage to the the thick and super spicy soup that was famously served to the Continental Army during the dreadful winter of 1777-1778.
Pepper pot soup was reportedly first made on December 29, 1777 and according to HolidayInsights.com, the story stems from the Revolutionary war, when the Continental army was camped at Valley Forge and the winter was cold and harsh.
As the story goes, food was scarce and conditions were bad so General George Washington ordered a meal that be both warm and boost their moral and pepper pot was born.
HolidayInsights.com says the chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat and some peppercorn and mixed it with some other ingredients to create the hot, and somewhat spicy soup that was well received by the troops.
Thanks General George Washington.
What better way to celebrate the day than by whipping up some pepper pot. Check out a recipe for Pepper Pot from AllRecipes.com. The soup is a little over 200 calories and includes diced bacon, chopped onion, diced green bell peppers, beef stock, and ground black pepper. Enjoy.
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<urn:uuid:5f8d1863-98b6-47fb-825e-1f30b76afb69>
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CC-MAIN-2022-33
|
https://www.longislandpress.com/2011/12/29/pepper-pot-day-today/
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|
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| 0.972401
| 268
| 2.78125
| 3
|
Hat, jacket, skirt, and belt of a formal dress nursing uniform. This example belonged to Lieutenant Annie H. McNicol of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. In colder weather, the nursing uniform included a long navy blue coat or a navy cape lined with red.
Service Dress Hat, CWM 19590034-001
Service Dress Jacket, CWM 19590034-002
Service Dress Skirt, CWM 19590034-003
Waist Belt, CWM 19590034-004
|
<urn:uuid:559746e0-be09-4f43-99c8-d67494b89b2e>
|
CC-MAIN-2022-33
|
https://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/objects-and-photos/equipment-and-vehicles/uniforms-and-personal-gear/nursing-dress-uniform/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00264.warc.gz
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| 0.857115
| 102
| 1.710938
| 2
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The Year 6 boys had lots of fun on Wednesday during lunch time, playing indoor ten-pin bowling.
City of Whittlesea’s Baseline staff, Sam and Kristy, came and set up indoor ten-pin bowling for the boys to try. The boys took turns to bowl, with the aim of knocking all their pins down. Great team work was witnessed as they each took turns to bowl, and each took turns to return the pins to standing position after they were knocked down, ready for the next person to have a go.
Sam and Kristy were great with the boys, teaching them techniques to help knock down the pins. They were very encouraging and the boys learnt a lot during the 30 minute session.
It was great seeing the boys have fun, utilising some excess energy, learning new skills, and working together so well, alhamdullilah.
We are very grateful to the City of Whittlesea for their coordination and support of regular lunch time activities for our students.
We look forward to their next visit, along with Rex from City of Whittlesea, for some Indigenous Games during lunchtime, inShaAllah.
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By Eamonn Duff
Thousands of NSW school children will lose access to a vital domestic violence education program and support service after the federal government axed its funding.
A week after Prime Minister Tony Abbott vowed to make domestic violence a top priority at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) conference, his Social Services Minister, Scott Morrison, is under fire for killing off an established program that has taught more than 7000 high school students about healthy relationships and domestic abuse. The Sun-Herald can confirm that as of June, not only will the award-winning REALskills program in Tweed Heads, which has run for 12-years close, so will the accompanying support service that local children have grown to trust.
The program is one of hundreds facing the chop due to the $271 million cut to social service grants, announced by the Federal Government last year.
Several weeks ago, Mr Morrison received a stinging letter co-signed by the principals of five affected high schools who said they had been left "shocked and dismayed" by the decision.
"The loss of the program will have a significant impact on the capacity of the schools in this area to meet the welfare needs of students," they said.
Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, whose son Luke was murdered by his father, said a "big push" was underway by groups, such as national anti-family-violence foundation Ourwatch, to implement "healthy relationship programs" into schools, from kindergarten onwards.
"If we are going to achieve cultural change, it has to happen through our schools," she said.
Last week, The Sun-Herald revealed how a teenage girl had written to the NSW government, following the suicide death of her mother several weeks earlier, and asked them to "educate children about domestic violence and how to seek help."
"I am 14-years-old and I have been a victim of domestic violence. I didn't know that what happened in my home was different to any other family home, as a child how could I have known any better?" Rachel* asked.
"If domestic violence was addressed within the public schools educational criteria, I could have gotten help and saved my mum," she said, adding that if the NSW education system teaches students to recognise what is wrong, they "will begin to speak up and get the help their family needs."
In the week since her confronting story was published, more than 55,000 people signed up to her campaign, on Change.org, including Ms Batty who paid tribute to "one very brave young girl."
Rachel's words also touched the heart of Australia's first Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Pru Goward, who invited the teen into the NSW parliament, for a meeting.
After that visit, Minister Goward paid tribute to a "remarkable young lady."
"I heard firsthand her tragic story and her ideas for educating children who may be experiencing domestic violence in their home. She presented me with a petition from over 55,000 people. I will be talking to my colleagues and the Premier and will report back."
While Rachel lobby's the NSW government for improvements to the school syllabus, the federal government is slashing the sort of programs and initiatives that she wishes she had accessed.
Colleen Dowd, manager of community projects at the Family Centre at Tweed Heads, said it was difficult to understand the logic behind the decision to axe the REALskills, when no other service had received a grant locally, to replace it.
"The thrust of our program centres around arming young people with relationship-related skills as well as building up their resilience, ability and knowledge to connect with support services when they need them," she said.
She said the service also featured early intervention work with students, identified by the schools, as needing support. "Through face to face interaction with service providers in schools, the youngsters are realising it's not so bad to reach out and talk...whether that be about family violence, their own mental health problems or issues of engagement at school. But it is all about to go."
In statement yesterday, Mr Morrison said funding for recent grants had sparked "unprecedented interest" and not all applications were successful. He added: "My first priority is ensuring there are no gaps in critical frontline services while we work through the transition of services to the new funding arrangements."
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Sector: The Environment
The James Hutton Institute is a leading centre of forensic research, analysis and delivery, with unparalleled experience and expertise in the analysis of soils, waters, foods and other ecological/environmental materials.
Led by Professor Lorna Dawson, a team of experts in the analysis of soil, mineralogy, organic chemistry, diatoms, fungi, bacteria and molecular biology, along with geographers and statisticians, provide a range of complementary characterisations in forensic case work, providing ecological forensic services (including soil DNA, plant DNA, palynology, VOC, mineralogy, foodstuff analysis, mycology analyses).
The team also provides outdoor crime scene sampling and advice to police forces, military, government, defence solicitors, private organisations and all those involved in the Criminal Justice System.
Forensic analysis can be used as part of intelligence led investigations and provide advice into environmental civil and criminal case work and also as trace evidence provision.
Various methods of analysis are chosen to answer specific forensic questions.
Mainly adopting a strategy combining organic and inorganic characterisation, James Hutton Limited can examine trace evidence, compare samples and provide discrimination of sample characteristics. We can also characterise an environment for its subsequent interpretation, evaluation and opinion based reports, produced in a bespoke manner set against contextual background database values.
For further information, please contact Professor Dawson in confidence.
Examples of case applications
• Soil characterisation • Food provenancing
Particle Size Analysis
• Using laser diffraction to predict slope stability
Trace Particle Identification – SEM-EDS Analysis
• Compare fragments found on clothing with identification of compounds and linking with potential sources of contaminant XRD Analysis • Identify contaminants in a consignment and determine point of origin
• Provenance of whisky, composition of gold ancient artefact
GC and GC- MS
• Sewage sludge concentrations and comparison of source • Comparison of soil from a vehicle from a crime scene and assessing signature markers • Isotope analysis to link to source • Samples of soil found on carpets at entry/exit points of aggravated burglary • Faeces – the source animal can be identified using molecular approaches
• Comparison of soil from a grave site with soil from a spade • Characterisation of a diatom community to represent type of habitat
Plant characterisation (natural species, tree species, crop species, including potatoes, soft fruits and cereals)
• Plant identification - fragments compared with control varieties • Crop cereal identification • Plant DNA analysis to identify species from unknown fragments
Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- Mapping of soil and vegetation characteristics in a georeferenced model system, used to narrow areas of search
- Bacteria, fungi, diatoms, etc
|
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https://www.huttonltd.com/services/soil-forensics
|
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| 0.877385
| 602
| 2.859375
| 3
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