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Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl,
One of the most dramatic moments in the liturgical year takes place in Holy Week as we prepare to commemorate the events of our salvation. The Church sets aside this period of time so that we will remember not only what Jesus endured in his Passion and death but what he accomplished for us – our redemption – our salvation. At the beginning of the week, as we come together on Palm Sunday, we stand and listen to the entire Passion narrative from one of the three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark or Luke.
This powerful and dramatic reading is repeated again on Good Friday. This time we listen to John's account of the suffering and death of Jesus.
We are told by scholars that these chapters in all four Gospels are the very core of the early Church's story of Jesus. The Passion narrative is the central piece of the whole Gospel account that was passed on orally and then written down, lest it ever be forgotten or changed. While the teaching of Jesus was important and the recounting of his miracles and the selection of his disciples and Apostles and the preparation of his Church are all significant parts of the life and revelation of Christ recounted in the four Gospels, nothing has more significance than does the account of Jesus' offering of himself as the sacrificial lamb given in ransom for his people.
There is a sense in which everything else in the Scriptures, particularly in the Gospels, leads up to Calvary and then to the empty tomb in the Easter garden. There is also a real sense in which everything else flows from these sacred events that we have become so familiar with as we trace the Way of the Cross – the Stations of the Cross.
When we look at the pages of the New Testament and see how much of it involves the many letters of Paul and those of Peter and John, we recognize that in great part the rest of the New Testament is an explanation, an application of the Passion narrative. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, describes how in Christ we find, through his death and Resurrection, our liberation and justification. In his Letter to the Galatians as well as his Letter to the Ephesians and in his writings to the Philippians and Colossians, we find, in what is described as the Pauline corpus, a profound theological explanation of how we are to understand the death and Resurrection of Christ and how we ourselves are caught up in that drama so that we participate in the mystery of sin, death and new life in Christ.
I once had a spiritual director who was a great help to me in my high school years. He would insist that each day I would read a verse or two from the Gospels. I remember him saying with great emphasis, "If you read nothing else but the account of Jesus' death and Resurrection, you will realize who Jesus is and what Christ is all about."
Yet we do more than listen to and hear the account of Christ's final hours. We actually become present, or rather the events are made present to us. It is for this reason that the narrative of the Passion and death of Jesus begins with the account of the institution of the Eucharist. In all four Gospels there is the reference to the Last Supper which is the context of the institution of the Eucharist. In Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospel, the relationship of the Last Supper to the events of our redemption is made explicit in the account of the institution of the Eucharist. "Do this in memory of me," Jesus announces.
The night before he is to undergo his Passion and death, Jesus established a new memorial – a new way to recall and to remember what he was about to endure.
The three synoptic Gospels and Saint Paul have handed on to us the account of the institution of the Eucharist. Saint John for his part reports the words of Jesus in the synagogue of Capernaum that prepare for the institution of the Eucharist: Christ calls himself the bread of life, come down from heaven (Jn 6).
As Paul so beautifully describes the Last Supper in his First Letter to the Corinthians, we read: "For I have received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lorduntil he comes" (1 Co 11:23-26).
The context of the new memorial – instituted at the Last Supper – is the Jewish Passover. This is the ritual meal established at God's command to help the Jewish people remember the events of their deliverance from Egypt and the gracious loving-kindness of God, who is their deliverer.
In an age before technology, where there were no cameras, photographs, phone cameras, or camcorders, the ways in which events were remembered and passed on were through the celebrations and ritualized reminders that formed the history, frame of reference and calendar for a people, in this case, God's people. This was the way people recalled what happened to them in the past, its significance for them in the present and why it is important to continue the memory in the future.
In the Book of Exodus we read how at God's instructions, Moses fashioned a memorial meal – a ritual presentation of the Passover events. The meal was thus integrally connected with the circumstances of the liberation. The symbols of nourishment taken in community and of eating in haste while prepared for flight captured in ritual what God was about to effect in history.
Added to this was the Lord's special command to repeat these ceremonies in the future: "This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution (…). Since it was on this very day that I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt, you must celebrate this day throughout your generations as a perpetual institution" (Ex 12:14, 17).
This whole series of saving events was richly preserved in the annual repetition of the Passover meal in what was called a "memorial feast." As generation after generation shared the paschal lamb and the unleavened bread, fathers told their children of the wonders Yahweh had worked on behalf of His chosen people. In this "memorial feast" they understood and celebrated far more than a community festival. The Passover meal was not simply an opportunity to review past history. In this meal the people of God knew they were with their Lord, and they renewed the covenant He had made with them.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us: "In the sense of Sacred Scripture the memorial is not merely the recollection of past events but the proclamation of the mighty works wrought by God for men. In the liturgical celebration of these events, they become in a certain way present and real. This is how Israel understands its liberation from Egypt: every time Passover is celebrated, the Exodus events are made present to the memory of believers so that they may conform their lives to them" (CCC 1363).
The interplay between ritual and history that took place in the Exodus was repeated at the New Pasch. Christ's crucifixion and Resurrection, which are the sacrificial offering that frees us from sin, took place after the Last Supper, just as the flight from Egypt and the events of Sinai followed the first Passover meal. But Jesus' command to repeat this as a "memorial" of Himself established the Last Supper as the ceremonial setting for the representation of the events of our salvation. In this memorial sacrifice the new covenant could and would be constantly renewed with every succeeding generation.
Unlike the Passover meal that was the context of the Last Supper and which was intended to remind the Jewish people of their formation as God's people and therefore their identity, the Eucharist was intended to be a memorial that would actually make the event it memorialized present – not as a memory but as a reality. In the New Testament, the memorial takes on new meaning. When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ's Passover and it is made present: the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains everpresent.
When we focus on the Eucharist we recognize its immediate connectedness to the Last Supper. The origins of the Eucharist are found in the Last Supper. The Catechism teaches us: "In order to leave them a pledge of this love, in order never to depart from his own and to make them sharers in his Passover, he instituted the Eucharist as a memorial of his death and Resurrection, and commanded his apostles to celebrate it until his return; 'thereby he constituted them priests of the New Testament' " (1337).
This Eucharistic Congress is intended to lift up for us once again the events of our salvation, but to do so in a way that we actually participate in those saving actions. The Church calls us not just to a commemoration of the events of two thousand years ago, as laudable as that might be, but also to enter the mystery itself today. We are not bystanders, but rather participants.
In his last encyclical on the Eucharist, the Servant of God Pope John Paul the Great reminds us of the ancient faith of the Church: "When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, the memorial of her Lord's death and resurrection, this central event of salvation becomes really present and 'the work of our redemption is carried out' " (11).
As the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy teaches: "At the Last Supper, on the night He was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to His beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is received, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future life is given to us" (Sacrosanctum Concilium 47).
Unlike any other form of remembrance or commemoration, the Mass, the Eucharistic Liturgy, thanks to God's gracious gift, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, has the power to make present the very reality it symbolizes.
In the Eucharist, Jesus has instituted the sacrament in which his Passion, death and Resurrection would be made present again in our lives in a way that enables us to share in the benefits of the cross. We speak of our dying to sin and rising to new life because we participate in the mystery of Christ's death and Resurrection. The Church uses the word "re-present" to speak of what is happening in the Mass. The term "holy sacrifice" of the Mass is also exact because sacramentally, but really and truly, the death and Resurrection of Christ are once again made present.
In the Last Supper, Jesus instituted a new memorial sacrifice. The true "Lamb of God" (Jn 1:29) was about to be slain. By his cross and Resurrection he was to free not just one nation from bondage but all humanity from the more bitter slavery of sin. He was about to create a new people of God by the rich gift of his Spirit.
It is true that there is only one sacrifice – the self-giving of Christ on the cross at Calvary. Once and for all Jesus, who was the victim for our sins, offered himself up for our redemption. "For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:15).
This one great sacrifice was accomplished by Jesus the priest and victim, who offered himself on the altar of the cross for our redemption. This sacrifice need not and cannot be repeated. But it can be represented so that we are able, sacramentally and spiritually, to enter it and draw spiritual nourishment from it.
The haunting words and melody of the great American spiritual, "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" come to mind as we reflect on the Eucharist as sacrifice. The hymn catches the sense of longing to somehow be present at the foot of the cross and to receive the redemption won for us by the blood that flowed from Christ as he hung on the cross. While it is true that we cannot be physically present at Calvary, there is a real sacramental and spiritual sense in which we are present as we participate in the Eucharist. The merit that came for us through the death of Jesus is applied to us in the very mystery that we call the Paschal Mystery – Passover from death to life.
All was to be new. But first Christ would have to die on the cross and rise to new life.
As a perpetual memorial to his death and Resurrection, at the Passover meal with his Apostles, he took the bread and made it his body and took the cup and made it the cup of his blood and then challenged us to "do this in remembrance of me."
Like the Passover meal, this memorial sacrifice of the new lamb is both sacrifice and sacred meal. Both aspects remain inseparably a part of the same mystery. The Eucharist is an unbloody re-presentation of the sacrifice of the cross and an application of its saving power. The Lord is immolated in the Sacrifice of the Mass when, through the outpouring of the Spirit in the words of consecration, he begins to be present in the sacramental form under the appearance of bread and wine to become the spiritual food of the faith. Jesus said to his Apostles and through them to us, "Do this in remembrance of me. Every time you do this I will be present, I will be with you, I will join you."
How do we become a member of this new people – this new family of God sealed in a new and eternal covenant? How do we enter this Kingdom and become a part of the new creation? How do we share in the mystery of the Eucharist? We do it through baptism.
Baptism is described as the gateway to life in the Spirit and as the door that gives access to the other sacraments. Hence baptism becomes the first of the sacraments of initiation into the new order — the new creation.
When the waters of baptism are poured over a person being initiated into the Church, the old order begins to pass away and new creation comes to be. The faith of the Church, clearly expressed in the New Testament, is that Christ came to establish a kingdom of the Spirit. Through his death and Resurrection, Christ won for God a new people, a holy people, a people set apart marked with God's Spirit. We who are members of the Church are the new people and are the beginning of a whole new creation.
As our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, teaches in Sacramentum Caritatis, "If the Eucharist is truly the source and summit of the Church's life and mission, it follows that the process of Christian Initiation must constantly be directed to the reception of the sacrament. It must never be forgotten that our reception of baptism and confirmation is ordered to the Eucharist. The sacrament of baptism by which we are conformed, incorporated into the Church and made children of God is the portal of all the sacraments" (17).
We are not simply bystanders at this memorial, at this Eucharist. We are participants in the new Passover. This new ritual instituted at the Last Supper transforms us into God's new people.
What do we bring to this Eucharistic banquet, to this paschal celebration? As guests who have been invited not only to witness the memorial of our redemption but actually participate in it, what do we bring? Certainly, we do not come empty-handed to the table of the Lord.
The first gift we bring as we approach this extraordinary memorial is our own lively faith. Like Peter, we can reply when Jesus asks us, "Who do you say that I am?" that "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
We can reply as Martha did when Jesus proclaimed that he was the resurrection and the life and asked her, "Do you believe this?" With her, we proclaim, "Yes, Lord, I have come to believe."
When we come forward to receive the Eucharist and the host is presented with the declaration, "the Body of Christ," we can reply with lively, animated faith, with confidence in the Lord's word, with trust in Christ's revelation, "Amen. I believe!"
We also bring the gift of hope. Because we believe, because we see with the eyes of faith, because we place our trust in the words that Jesus has spoken to us, we can with confidence live out our faith. As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us in Spe Salvi, his encyclical on Christian hope, "The one who has hope lives differently; the one who has hope has been granted the gift of new life" (2).
We can also approach the altar with hearts filled with love. At that Last Supper Jesus taught us that since we were sharers of his Body and Blood we were members of the same family and brothers and sisters to each other.
In the context of the institution of the Eucharist we see the dramatic scene of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. This was the work of the servant, not the master of the house. It was a sign and symbol of how we should love one another in a ministry of service and care. Jesus says to us if we are to be his new people and we are to walk in his footsteps, if we are to be transformed in his death and Resurrection into new life, then we must learn to see in each other brothers and sisters, friends and members of the same spiritual family.
Love that is translated into action is alive. The washing of the feet is a symbolic but real gesture of the love we must have for each other in imitation of the love Jesus has for us.
Our faith calls us to be willing to recognize Christ not only in the Eucharist but in one another and to do so in a way that manifests Christ's love now and until he comes in glory.
It is for this reason that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical, God is Love, reminds us that "the Church's deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of preaching the word of God, celebrating the sacraments, and exercising the ministry of charity" (25).
When you and I read the Scriptures, we recall the events of another time and place. But in the Eucharist, the saving events of that other time and place are made present to us here and now. In his apostolic exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI teaches us that it is in the Church "that Christ, the one savior through the Spirit, reaches our lives in all their particularity" (16).
When we look around at this Eucharistic Congress, we see an expression of God's grace at work even though each one of us remains in our uniqueness in what the Holy Father calls our particularity.
Each one of us with our own heritage, tradition, ethnic and cultural background, speaks to a pluralism that is part of the human condition and yet in our faith, when we come forward, baptized in one Spirit to receive one Lord in the Eucharist, we are united in one faith in his one Church. We are, in fact, one people – his people.
Because we see with the eyes of faith, we see in the Church and in her sacraments Christ continuing to be with us, to touch us, to change us, to transform us. The institution of the Eucharist was to ensure that each of us today, here in Quebec in June 2008, is able to enter the mystery of the cross and the Resurrection as if we actually were present, not as bystanders but as participants.
Flowing from the Eucharist is not just the remembrance of the death and Resurrection of Christ but the strength we derive from it to be a whole new creation, people alive with the Holy Spirit with the power to bring about God's kingdom of truth, justice, compassion, kindness, peace and love.
Since we are constituted God's people, God's family, his Church, precisely in our participation in the Eucharist, we cannot grow into Christ's new Body as healthy and full members without sharing in the Eucharistic Liturgy.
On each Sunday, the commemoration of Easter, the faithful come together, not only to profess the faith but also to renew the life of Christ within them. We gather not as individuals isolated from each other and related only to Christ, but precisely as God's family interrelated to each other and through the Church. We are made one in the Eucharist. For this reason, the Church calls upon believers to celebrate the great gift of God with us in the Eucharist every Sunday.
As he concludes his apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist, our Holy Father, calls us to reflect on how "the Eucharist makes us discover that Christ, risen from the dead, is our contemporary in the mystery of the Church, his body" (97). Here, three of the great mysteries of our faith are woven together. It is in the Eucharist that we not only encounter Christ, but are invited into his death and Resurrection, not as something beyond or outside us, but rather as members of his body in which Christ truly is present today: he is our contemporary.
The Church is the enduring presence of Christ in the world today. Through the celebration of the Eucharist in the Church this central event of salvation becomes truly present and the work of our redemption is carried out. The Lord of history and Savior of the world is at work among us now precisely in his Church and in the Eucharist.
At every Mass, the celebrant, after he consecrates the host and chalice of Precious Blood, recites the command of the Lord: "Do this in memory of me." The priest genuflects in adoration and then joins the people in one of several proclamations of the core of Christian faith. It is that faith that brings us to this Eucharistic Congress, that same faith that unites us, and that same faith that sees in the Eucharist the work of our redemption being carried out. Thus, we joyfully proclaim: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again."


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Thomas Jefferson wouldn't stand for U.S. government's tyranny (Column)
Another July 4 holiday weekend awaits us, filled with beers, beaches and barbecues. And while we're here, maybe a wide-ranging and sloppily constructed discussion on the following concept: If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, would he be donning a Guy Fawkes mask and writing a new Declaration of Independence in an attempt to free Americans from the tyranny of our own government?
As a matter of fact, yeah, I think maybe he would, based on a quick glance at the words he and his pals jotted down in the Declaration.
I'm not kidding, by the way. An argument can be made Jefferson and company would take one look at America today and start holding late night meetings in taverns. For instance...
The whole "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" thing on which the rest of the document hangs on: OK fine, sure, America is still doing a good job on the "life" front, as there's no death squads roaming the hills, and as for "pursuit of happiness," yep, we're aces. Go and pursue, young man, go and pursue.
But on the "liberty" angle? Let's go to Merriam-Webster: "Liberty: the quality or state of being free" which includes such things as "the power to do as one pleases" and "freedom from arbitrary or despotic control."
Um ... marijuana, abortion, baggy pant laws, wearing a seatbelt, NSA snooping ... I could go on, but I think you get my point. I'd give America a C- on the liberty front. Which means, according to Jefferson, it's well within our rights to take down the machine. He wrote:
"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
So there it is in plain olde English: If we feel our liberty is being destroyed, all bets are off. But it can't be that easy, right? Jefferson acknowledges this point, calling for "prudence" before we go and start burning down the house. He further writes: "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
Key word there: Despotism. We don't live under despotism right? So maybe I should settle down on the revolution front?
See, when you think of a "despot," you think of one dude -- like a king -- wielding absolute power. But it can also be a group wielding the power, like in an plutocracy, which calls for another visit from Merriam-Webster: "Plutocracy: government by the wealthy." On that score, Jefferson would probably see there's something amiss here, as the average member of Congress is wealthier than 99 percent of the rest of America. Who do you think they're governing for?
And study after study has shown the moneyed class is just getting more moneyed while the non-moneyed class start writing columns questioning whether it's time for a revolution and, in the process, probably getting their name on some type of government watchlist. Anyway ...
Anyway ... here's some of the point-by-point reasons Jefferson gave back in 1776 for rising up against the king. Replace the king with "our government today" and raise your hands if any sound familiar...
"He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone..."
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance."
"For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.:
"For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."
It goes on. Read it with a half-critical eye, and you'll start getting the same sense I'm getting: The Declaration of Independence, if written today almost word-for-word, would be quite the call to arms (literally and figuratively) for citizens of these 50 states.
But there's a flipside to this, of course. In the immortal words of Meatloaf, and generally speaking, two out of three ain't bad. I'll take my "life" and "pursuit of happiness" and deal with liberty on a case-by-case basis.
Pass me a beer, will ya?


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Lectures by Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Rabbi Simon Jacobson Lecture: MOSCOW 2009 A Miracle in Our Times
Lectures of:
Rabbi Simon Jacobson
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Lectures of: Rabbi Simon Jacobson
This Lecture's Subject:
A Miracle in Our Times
By Simon Jacobson
February 5, 2009 – Moscow, Russia
Amidst all our current global turmoil, I would like to report to you that I find myself in a city which caused much upheaval in the last century, and despite all odds and predictions is now witness to a living miracle.
I should add that this miracle touches me very personally.
With great anticipation I embarked on my journey to Moscow for this present lecture tour. You see, this city is the birthplace of my father. Indeed, Russia is the country of origin of both my parents, my grandparents and all my immediate ancestors. It is also the birthplace of my mentor, the Rebbe, and all his predecessors. It is the country which gave birth to the Chassidic movement, which has deeply shaped my life with its transformative philosophy and blueprint for contemporary life.
The largest segment of American Jews trace their roots to this country.
The list is long with both the contributions and calamities of this historic country.
With my entire upbringing shaped by Russian influences, I was quite naturally looking very much forward to finally coming to the country that is so embedded in my genes and in my nurturing.
Right off the plane I felt right at home. All the words of my childhood come pouring out. "Spasiba." "Das vi danya." Dobre vetcha." "Panyimayot." "Tochne." "Shto." "Pazhaleste." "Maladetz."
Of course, the indispensable "tak." And some words not for print. Lest you wonder, I feel quite inept with my knowledge of this language. I know just enough to answer "nimnoshka" to the question whether "panyimyot paruski?" and definitely "nyeta gavarit."
Yes, I feel sense of belonging here. But little did I expect the intensity of my emotional reactions. I am actually now sitting and weeping as I think about the unlikely – unlikely is grossly inadequate; it's more of a revolutionary – transformation that has taken place within yards from where I presently sit.
For over 70 years, from the time of the Russian Revolution, a war was waged from this city and country against Jewish life. Tragically, the Communists effectively closed down synagogues, schools and all the institutions that allowed Judaism to thrive in this country for centuries. In this city thousands of Jewish Rabbis, leaders, scholars, just fine people, were shot without just cause. It was the city from where Stalin drove terror into the hearts of hundreds of millions and killed tens of millions.
And on a personal note: It was in this city in 1937, in a neighborhood called Malachavkeh, where my grandfather and namesake was arrested by the NKVD, the dreaded Soviet secret police. A few years earlier, in the same city in 1923, my grandfather merited to be one of the ten individuals, who together with the Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak took a vow to the death to do everything in their power to preserve Jewish life in that country. Most of those ten were arrested and shot. My grandfather would end up exiled in Siberia for several years and finally escape the country, physically broken though spiritually stronger (here is a video of my father describing that dark night). Most others were not so fortunate. They were either killed or died from hunger. The remaining Jews were persecuted and not easily allowed to maintain their heritage.
[Moscow was also the city which, in its Russian-style obstinacy, in the shape of bitter cold winter, froze Napoleon and later Hitler in their march forward to conquer this notoriously resilient country].
You would think that after all this there would be no remnant left of Jewish life in Moscow and Russia.
Quite the contrary.
Now I sit in Moscow and watch Jews who lived through all that terror – some of them quite elderly, many others are their children and grandchildren – and in one way or another have maintained their Judaism. Many others are reconnecting to their roots. It's a complicated story; no one even knows how many actual Jews there are in this country. Many, many parents hid their identities from their children to protect them from the discrimination. So many others have intermarried. But one thing is for sure: The place is saturated with Jewish energy. It feels like being in a burned out building but you still can see the simmering embers that have remained burning – barely. But burning they are, and like the nature of a spark, they are flickering and beginning to burst into flames.
There is much work and hard work that still needs to be done, but what is so awesome is that the cinders have remained alive. After all this time and all the attempts to extinguish them, after two World Wars and all the upheavals in the last century, who would have thought?…
And this survival and revival is no an accident. Behind the scenes there were those in this country and outside of it that were risking their lives – with literal mesiras nefesh – to maintain the pilot flame. I will never forget my father's description of a personal audience he had with the Rebbe, following his 1971 visit to the Soviet Union. My father delivered hundreds of letters written by Russian Jews to the Rebbe, pouring out their souls, asking for blessings and describing their challenges. Not to arouse suspicion, these letters were addressed, "Dear Father," "Dear Uncle" and the likes. The Rebbe gently took the letters and began reading them. Within a few minutes the Rebbe was crying. My father, feeling uncomfortable remaining in the room with the Rebbe in such an intimate moment, slowly began backing out of the room. The Rebbe motioned that he remain. He stood there crouched in a corner, watching this rare sight of a holy man sobbing uncontrollably over the plight of his people.
These tears were not that rare. Over the years of his leadership, the Rebbe never ceased speaking out – crying out – for the Jews trapped on the "other side of the iron curtain." I personally witnessed the unyielding and emphatic cries of the Rebbe, always citing the Talmudic declaration that "even an iron curtain cannot separate them from their Father in heaven." You could see in the Rebbe's appeals the profound concern and pain that he consistently carried inside for his brethren – who were also his fellow countrymen and women – living, suffering in the Soviet Union.
This concern was not limited to feelings. Not here is the place and the time to go into the Rebbe and the Previous Rebbe's superhuman, underground efforts to keep the Jewish flame alive through all those hard years, via a secret network of activities that span back to the 1920's!
That defiant effort alone – to stand up against the might Soviet empire and not accept defeat – should go down in history as one of the most formidable acts of heroism. But the story doesn't end there. These herculean efforts yielded their fruit: The flame remained burning, while the Soviet empire crumbled. Fulfilling the prescient words of the Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak to one of his Jewish captors (from the notoriously hated "yevsektzia," the Jewish wing of Communists): When the captor sneered to the Rebbe "Rebbe, mir velen zehn ver vet oisfiren," we shall see who will prevail, the Rebbe replied: "ye, mir velen zehn," yes indeed, we shall see…
And now we see…
To see the renaissance of Jewish life in Moscow – after all that transpired – is quite overwhelming…
What relevance does of all of this have to us today?
On the most obvious level: This is a story of hope. Should anyone reading these lines be in despair, feel hopeless or suffering in any form and fashion – I bring you live and warm regards from a city where hope and faith have prevailed over the harshest of adversaries.
As I was speaking the other day to a group of Russian Jews – I spoke in English simultaneously being translated into Russian – I could see the tears in the eyes of several people in the audience when I thanked them for remaining standing through it all. I could see the emotions well when they heard about the Rebbe reading their letters with tears.
After witnessing this all, no one should ever be able to say that there is no hope…
As so many of us are wondering what will come of our current economic woes, of never-ending volatility in the Middle East, of each of our own personal fears and uncertainties — Moscow 2009 is a powerful reminder that we know very little about the mysteries of life cycles. Yesterday, Moscow was destroying lives, today it is building them. Yesterday, Moscow all but annihilated Jewish life and morale. Today Jewish life is thriving here.
In the center of Moscow an impressive seven-story Jewish Community Center is buzzing with activity. From classrooms, synagogues, two kosher restaurants, community rooms, sports activities, dinner halls, ballrooms, and that's not even half of it. Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar sits unassuming in his office, overseeing KGB headquarters on one end and an empire of Jewish institutions on the other. I am looking into his eyes to see if he senses the great miracle he is part of.
But awesome moments are never recognized as they happen; only in retrospect.
Moscow today is indeed an awesome sight to behold when placed in context of Moscow in 1937.
And its lessons reverberate. With crisis brewing world over, who knows where and when the next Moscow will emerge.
—— * ——
Above portions were copied from Lectures of: Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Of: http://www.MeaningfulLife.com
We recommend that you visit them for more info and many many many many other articles on any and all subject you could think of…
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Lecture by Rabbi Simon Jacobson: "2009: A Prediction"
Lectures of:
Rabbi Simon Jacobson
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Lectures of: Rabbi Simon Jacobson
This Lecture's Subject:
2009: A Prediction
What Will the New Year Bring? A Prediction
By Simon Jacobson
2008 was hardly the worst year in history, but it sure feels like it reading the news, blogs, commentaries and analysis of the past year. People are tentative and fearful.
The mood is generally miserable.
The outlook grim.
2008's economic meltdown – you can check out all the historic statistics on any popular website – is nowhere close to ending. A global recession, considered by many unprecedented, has suddenly erupted, with a domino effect continuing to ripple through the world. Mumbai has shaken us all up. The Middle East is at war again, or should I say, not at war again, but an ongoing battle that never seems to end. What is even more distressing is that Israel, perhaps for the first time in all of history, refuses to acknowledge that war has been declared against it, and to act accordingly and decisively, instead of just reacting to the latest missile attacks, second-guessing itself and moving forward with so much uncertainty.
Read Israel Harel's article in Haaretz, Israel Blinked First.
What will happen in the coming year? Will the new United States President change things, or will we have just more of the same? How many more foreclosures, bankruptcies, failed companies and financial institutions can we look forward to in 2009? What new revelations and corruptions will emerge? Will our economic systems fail completely or will they rebound? Are we headed toward better times or worse ones?
The questions are many.
Answers few, if any.
Predicting what the new year will bring can seem quite presumptuous, if not outright folly. Yet, I will venture to do so anyway. No, I don't have a crystal ball. I have something far better.
Read on.
By looking back we can see ahead. The greatest guide for the future is the past. We cannot predict the coming year's events. But we can learn from those before us who have seen and experienced far worse than we will ever see, and rose above it. What is the secret of the resilience and power of heroic people who endured and thrived despite great suffering?
One of the most remarkable and overlooked stories of history was the transcendent ability of Torah scholars to produce an enormous volume of literature despite the harshest circumstances surrounding them.
Throughout the Early and Middle Ages, with Jewish persecution at its heights, sages like Rashi, Ramban, Rabbeinu Tam, Rashbam, the Tosafists and so many others – literally hundreds of scholars – wrote thousands of pages, containing the most brilliant and eloquent commentary you will ever read. And no where in their writings will you find complaints, bitterness, depression or demoralization. Pogroms, the crusades, persecutions, expulsions, inquisitions were ravaging Europe. But as much as you analyze their words, you will not uncover an iota of the tragic and difficult events taking place around them!
Quite the contrary. Page after page is filled with inspiration, uplifting words, enormous strength and powerful insights.
Usually, you would expect to find some mention or reference in a book to the personal challenges of the author. Often authors bare their souls and their life traumas in their writings. But even when they don't, with a bit of deconstruction and analysis, we can uncover the author's personal traumas. Indeed, entire studies today are dedicated to show us how to recognize in an author's words his abusive father and dysfunctional mother, every grievance against society can be seen in his pages.
When it comes to our Torah sages, you find none of the sort. No fear, no tentativeness, nothing in their writings reflects the most trying challenges of their times! And what is even more amazing is that this is not an isolated case. Literally every scholar and sage, from the time of Moses, through all the ages, left us with a legacy of writings that reflect a higher world, not at all scarred or touched by the horrible events of the world below.
Where did they have the composure, the presence of mind, to focus and produce such clarity? How were they able to not be overcome by doubts and fears for themselves and their families welfare?
Take Joseph in this week's Torah portion: Despite his travails – sold by his own brothers into slavery, 22 years torn away from his beloved father, orphaned from his mother Rachel – you would think that he would have retained some bitterness. In fact, when Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, instead of fury and revenge, despite his great suffering, Joseph ends up calming his mortified brothers: "Do not feel guilty," he tells them, "for it is not you who sent me here, but G-d," in order to save lives!
Simply remarkable.
A powerful lesson for all history.
Where did Joseph find such strength of character, such power, to not allow his circumstances to shape his life, and instead he shaped his circumstances?
Was Joseph – and all the Middle Age sages – out of touch?
Hardly. They were keenly aware and sensitive to the welfare of their own children. Yet, they still were able to rise above the fray.
The answer lies in a powerful expression: "az men iz tzugebunden oiben, falt men nischt unten." When you are bound above, you don't fall below.
This is the secret of transcendence: the ability to not be defined by the events around us; the recognition that we are products of our own perceptions, and we write the script of our own destinies.
Worship man-made devices below, and your life will be determined by your attitude. Connect to the sublime above, and you will be able to rise above the immediate events and move forward with fortitude and optimism.
If you feel that mortals – or money – control the forces of your life, then you have delivered your own verdict: You will be subject to these forces, with all their unpredictability.
If however, like Joseph, you recognize that the circumstances of your life are driven by a higher hand, and nothing, absolutely nothing that humans do can control your destiny, then you have freed yourself from the behavior of others, and can ride through the challenges and even discover how they have empowered you to "save lives."
The very question – "What will be?" "What will happen?" – is our undoing. If you feel that things "happen" to you, or that you "find yourself" in a predicament or situation, then you have relinquished control, and surrendered your destiny to the "things" that you empower.
The secret to success in the new year is to not empower the weak forces that drive fear into our hearts. But to empower your own soul; to recognize that you have within yourself all the necessary strength to fulfill your life's mission. To realize that things don't happen to you; you make things happen. You don't "find yourself" in situations; you place yourself in them.
We cannot control the events to come. But we can certainly control whether and how we will be influenced by them. Good ships are not those that can stop the storms or tame the waves; they are the ones that ride the swells, confident in their own ability to know when to thrust forward and when to slow down.
Not to minimize the challenges of our times, but we can hardly call 2008 the worst year in history. By looking back to far worse years we can learn how to proceed. And how much of our troubles are actually psychological? Imagine, if a critical mass would have a change of attitude, and learn from our predecessors how to "bind" ourselves to that which is "above."
But for now, before we address the critical mass, let us look at ourselves.
No, we do not know what the new year will bring. But I will make confident prediction: Your attitude will define your year.
No matter what happens this year, whatever up and downs will be coming our way, your destiny will be shaped by your attitudes; you will experience exactly what you allow yourself to experience: You will either be dragged down by the gravitational pull of the earth that you worship, or you will be lifted on the wings of your soul that you believe in.
Above portions were copied from Lectures of: Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Of: http://www.MeaningfulLife.com
We recommend that you visit them for more info and many many many many other articles on any and all subject you could think of…
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
*** We WANT Moshiach, Now!!! ***
By the way, You, too, can help hasten the coming of Moshiach, by doing ONE more Mitzvah. ***
*** We WANT Moshiach, Now!!! ***
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After replacing injured Josh Grispi, Nam Phan (16-9 MMA, 0-2 UFC) now finds himself without an opponent.
UFC officials announced overnight that fellow featherweight Matt Grice (13-4 MMA, 1-4 UFC) suffered an undisclosed injury and is off the UFC 136 fight card.
Officials are searching for a replacement for the fall fight card, which takes place Oct. 8 at Houston's Toyota Center.
The evening's main card airs on pay-per-view, and two bouts air on Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" special. However, Phan is expected to compete on part of the preliminary card that streams on Facebook.
Phan recently avoided a UFC release despite his second straight loss under the organization's banner. Phan, a semifinalist on "The Ultimate Fighter 12," suffered a controversial split-decision loss to Leonard Garcia at the show's live finale back in December. And then at UFC 133 in August, Mike Brown bested him via unanimous decision. Phan now has lost four of his past five fights and finds himself in a must-win situation.
Grice had recently returned to the UFC on the heels of a four-fight win streak on the Oklahoma fight circuit. However, Grice, a four-time state high-school wrestling champion who went 1-3 in his first UFC stint, suffered a vicious TKO loss to Ricardo Lamas at UFC on Versus 4 back in June.
The latest UFC 136 card now includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)
- Champ Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard (for lightweight title)
- Champ Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian (for featherweight title)
- Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann
- Dave Herman vs. Mike Russow
- Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
- Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
- Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens
- Joey Beltran vs. Stipe Miocic
- Darren Elkins vs. Tiequan Zhang
- Nam Phan vs. TBA
- Nick Catone vs. Aaron Simpson
- Steve Cantwell vs. Mike Massenzio
For more on UFC 136, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Nam Phan)


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|rtw scalloped lace skirt thestylecure.com, floral pencil skirt burdastyle.com, yellow peplum skirt byhandlondon.com, paneled pencil skirt burdastyle.com, lilca paneled skirt burdastyle.com.
It's time for another challenge! The Pencil Skirt Challenge is our second project for the stitch once, rip twice facebook group and I'm excited to try a style I wouldn't usually pick for myself. I am debating whether to go for a more summery floral/pastel style or a something more suitable for evening wear like scalloped lace or maybe a peplum. Another idea is to take a paneled skirt pattern and play around with colour blocking in the vein of the 1960's trend which is tres fashionable right now. Decisions, decisions!


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As stated some months ago, we wanna make access to new music as easy to all as possible. And after the success of our Free Entry 4th Birthday Party, the good folks at Plum Promotions are now having us back once a month, as part of their series of Free Monday Night Breakthrough gigs. What this means is that you can come see the same level of great new bands on their way to big things, ages before anyone else, and some of the most interesting creative gunslingers, some signed to great indie labels, some unsigned, all for absolutely nothing, once a month...
Our Christmas bash at the Barfly last year featured the likes of bloc party and Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies, and we're confident of repeating trick in terms of quality at least...
Drowned in Sound presents…
…in association with Plum Promotions
…in aid of Oxfam' Make Trade Fair Campaign.
Monday 20th December 2004
@ The Marquee
1, Leicester Square, London
Nearest Tube: Leicester Square
Doors: 7.30pm – arrive early to avoid disappointment
To be announced Friday...
Who are TEAM? TEAM f@cking ROCK. Signed to versatile and forward looking label heroes Captains of Industry, TEAM offer glimpses of post-rock, punk rock and prog-rock…but this is far too difficult, too complex and heart-felt to categorise with words alone. Reviews have compared them to the likes of Queens Of The Stoneage, Fugazi, Mogwai, Nirvana and Lift to Experience. We said: 'the 'Penalyn' lp' is special… and 'Myopia' is possibly the greatest rock song to have been detuned this year…'
Sample Track: 'Myopia'
Host get off at the stop between early Adam and the Ants and XTC. Sweet melodies undulate on waves of quirky riffs and infectious, rhythmic bass lines. Shouts and screams are tempered by strange synths, while the lead singing duties are divided between guitarist and Billy Corgan look-a-like bassist. Drums scatter machine-gun beats at the three-part harmonies. Their excellent 'Minimum Listening Guarantee'' LP was released earlier this year . We said: " This band belong in a very short list of completely original and inspiring English bands. The overall feel is one of frantic joy, like a hyperactive child with chronic ADD who forgot to take his Ritalin and has just eaten 50 red Skittles."
music: 'coming soon, check here'
Host online
Unsigned for not much longer, C-Jags have been tearing up a storm through London in the past 12 months, mainly to run away from the A&R men chasing them like wild-eyed dogs following a t-bone. Excellent jerky power pop as declared by that there Time Out, and you know what? They're right.
Sample Tracks: Tambourine Song
Plus: really cheap drink promotions! DJs! Records of the year being played! CD Giveaways! Come meet your least favourite DiS members and spank them!
Entry: FREE to members (get free membership here) / £5
Or email any of those mentioned bands to be put on their guestlist, OR grab a flyer from one of the bands at one of their gigs.. It's easy, and there's no reason not to get in for gratis.
CLICK HERE for your free entry flyer. Requires Adobe, which is free from Adobe.com
DiScuss See you down the front? What do you think of these bands? Who do you suggest should play our next night?


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Watch High News live stream. India TV channels
This is a live online TV channel broadcast from India. You can watch online this channel on all platforms.
Get breaking India and world news or catch up with the latest stories, clips, and programs from your favorite shows. The "High News" brings you breaking news coverage and lives streaming from High News Live will help you stay up to date on the events shaping on around the world.


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Please welcome back Alex of In Vegetables We Trust. This young man has a lovely blog and a very creative mind, I would highly suggest you keep an eye on his blog as I predict we are witnessing a rising star in the making. You can read his first submission HERE: Slow cooker chili, roasted butternut squash and fennel flatbreads. Follow In Vegetables We Trust's blog and Facebook account. Welcome back Alex!
Portabello stew:
1 packet of dried Portobello mushrooms
4 carrots, sliced
2 big waxy potatoes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups of mushroom stock (from the rehydrated portobellos)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup or red lentils, rinsed
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons mushroom ketchup (optional)
1 tablespoon barley miso
1 teaspoon yeast extract
a dash of tamari/soy
re hydrate your mushrooms according to packet instructions using plenty of boiling water, whilst they're rehydrating you can chop all your vegetables. once the mushrooms are rehydrated, pick them out of the liquid with a slotted spoon and put them on a plate ready to be added into the stew later and strain off two cups of the liquid to remove any small bits, use this as your stock.fry of the onion till translucent, then add the garlic and fry a little more. Add the carrots and potatoes next, followed by the lentils stock and tomato sauce. Bring to the boil and then pop the lid on and let simmer for about 20 minutes till the lentil are all cooked and the vegetables are nice and soft. Add the thyme and mix the rest of the ingredients in a measuring cup with a little water and add to the pot, cook till thickened up a bit. Serve in a deep bowl with fresh thyme.
And stuffed flat breads:
Flatbread dough recipe:
1 1/2 cups of strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting your surface when rolling, extra points for unbleached organic
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 teaspoon of dried yeast
3/4 cup of tepid water
1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus extra for greasing your baking tray and brushing over you flat bread parcels
Filling ingredients:
1 tin of mock duck, liquid drained
1 teaspoon of freshly crushed cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
olive oil for frying
Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together with a fork. in a cup dissolve your yeast in the tepid water and then pour your oil in the water. Add the liquids into the flour/salt mix gradually whilst mixing with your hands, squeeze out any lumps as they form, if the dough's a bit wet add a touch more flour- too dry? No problem a tad more tepid water. Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and knead till it is slightly tacky, but still nice and soft. Then leave on the side in a bowl covered by a tea towel for about 45 mins. Now prepare your filling, nice and simple, rub the mock duck in the cloves and cumin, a little salt and cracked black pepper and fry up till nice and browned. When your dough is ready pop the oven onto 230c/450f and split the dough into four little balls and roll into circles on a floured surface till 3-5mm thick, place 1/4 of the filling slightly off centre and fold the dough over sealing the edges with water, place on an oiled baking tray and brush with oil. Bake for about 10-15 mins till crisp. And enjoy! Serve with pistachio sauce and lemon and red onion kale sauté to make a meal, or pop them in your lunch box cold.


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Summer Camp
Stay Tuned for 2021
KSS camp programs blend hands-on science with outdoor, experiential education to create the best summer camp experience.
School Programs
Outdoor & Experiential Education
Since 1976, KSS has been providing schools with unique overnight field trips combining Science, Adventure, and Fun!
Girls in STEM
Weekend & Day Programs
We believe in empowering girls by engaging them in hands-on, real-world activities to show STEM is relevant and fun in an ever-changing world.
After School & Summer
CATCH stands for Coordinated Approach to Child Health. It aims to equip children with the knowledge and skills to make healthy decisions, all while having fun!
Harvest Camp
Day & Overnight
Harvest Camp is an opportunity for campers new and returning to connect to the wonders of autumn and enjoy all the fun the Halloween season offers.
Legacy Camp
Year-Round Programs
Legacy Camp is designed for children dealing with the death of a family member to instill pride, strength, and power through the concept of legacy.
H2O Outdoors
For High School Students & Teachers
H2O Outdoors is for high school students and teachers to learn about the many uses of water and the policy which surrounds how Colorado's water is managed.
Beyond the Classroom
Teacher Training
A 2-day professional development workshop for 4th-12th grade classroom teachers to explore local and regional issues using a non-biased framework.


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Re: deciding to buy an existing business!JCT Mar 6, 2012 9:36 PM (in response to JCT)
Just to add a few details: she is looking to sell fairly quickly, there is no business like this not only in the immediate area but surrounding areas. What information should I gather from the owner about the business (number/money wise) to make an educated decision with my wife.
Re: deciding to buy an existing business!JXB Mar 6, 2012 11:37 PM (in response to JCT)
Sounds exciting, but risky.
To mitigate risk try working in the existing business for some time, 2-3 months?, to get a feel of how to work it.
Re: deciding to buy an existing business!JCT Mar 7, 2012 7:44 AM (in response to JXB)
thats funny you say that. my wife is actually starting there next week to work. hopefully she can be shown the ropes and the financial numbers we need to decide whether this is right for us.
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!LUCKIEST Mar 7, 2012 1:40 PM (in response to JCT)
JCT, If you are looking to buy this business, you should have
YOUR accountant look over prior year tax returns and review business plans..
YOUR lawyer
YOUR insurance agent.
And maybe YOUR banker.
The professionals you hire are in the business of helping you.
Good luck, LUCKIEST
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!JMB Mar 8, 2012 1:11 PM (in response to JCT)
How exciting! As someone who also bought an existing business two years ago, here are are things I WISH I had done. I didn't budget for what I'll call the "transition period," meaning action items I should've done to make the most impact on my new ownership.
-If the current owners haven't done so, start capturing customer information for an e-mail newsletter. Launch your new website at the same time, and be sure to put up plenty of graphics of those delicious, beautifully decorated cakes!
-Among the customer information you collect, get their birthday information, so you can send a coupon. Is there a local college or high school? Advertise graduation cake specials.
-Hold an Open House party to introduce yourselves to the community. Have free food, refreshments, balloons, coupons, the whole works. In my experience, customers love to know the owner's story, and if you have a passion for your business, they will support you.
-Reach out to complementary businesses. In my case, we had a pet supply shop, so I made contact with dog walkers, pet sitters, and dog trainers in my area. In exchange for giving their clients a flyer and coupon for my shop, I would give them a small discount on their pet food.
In your case, are there any party rental type companies in your area? How about bridal shops? You should cultivate a network of special-occasion businesses in your area so they come to you first when their clients need a cake or catering.
-Contact your local paper or free community weekly to see if they'll do a story on you in their business section.
-Find organizations that hold regular meetings, and offer to donate a free cake to their next meeting. Volunteer organizations, church groups, senior citizen groups, Junior League, heck, even your local Chamber of Commerce has to hold regular meetings. Be sure to include a colorful flyer with information on your store and coupons!
So, looking back, I wish I had budgeted a couple extra thousand to help get the greatest impact during my initial transition period.
One additional thought as you consider purchasing this business: what are you, as the new owner, going to do differently than the previous owner? I was very naive in thinking that all I had to do was buy the business, make a couple tweaks, and the cash would follow. Owning retail is tough, and the best way to increase your profits is to also offer services. Since cakes are often a special-occasion item, how will you cultivate a year-round customer base?
Can your wife also teach cake-decorating classes? Can your shop host a children's birthday party, complete with cupcakes or cookies they can decorate themselves? Can you offer a delivery service? Keep these things in mind as you look at the current financials and figure out how to make the profits grow.
I wish you the best of luck!
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!JCT Mar 8, 2012 11:24 PM (in response to JMB)
if you dont mind me asking, how was the business doing before you purchased it as compared to now.
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!JMB Mar 9, 2012 11:44 AM (in response to JCT)
Sure thing. The store was in rough shape when I bought it, and the owner was very motivated to sell. He owned several other businesses and didn't have the time to manage it. The store itself was cramped, unorganized, and the merchandise was low quality. The store manager didn't keep it clean (and don't get me started on how he used to smoke cigarettes INSIDE the store). However, the owner was making a small profit, since it was the only independent pet supply shop in the area, and could special-order certain foods. According to his financials at the time of my purchase, the store was making $23K in profit.
I kept the formula simple -- clean it up, organize it, focus on customer service, get rid of the low-quality items, bring in the high-quality items -- and the customers will follow. And I was right. It wasn't easy, and I was there every day, but it paid off. We turned a decent profit our first year of ownership ($60K in 2010).
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions. And again, good luck!
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!JCT Mar 9, 2012 8:05 PM (in response to JMB)
WOW. you tripled profit. good for you. your adice was so helpful and will be kept in mind in the near future in this venture. thank you so much. if there is any advice you can ever afford to send my way in the future, ill be listening. thank you
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!ArcSine Mar 8, 2012 2:53 PM (in response to JCT)
Congrats on the opportunity, JCT; I hope it proves rewarding and lucrative.
Four small points, among many, to be considered:
- Buying even a small, apparently simple biz usually has more variables and 'moving parts' than one might imagine at first glance. In order to avoid overlooking too many issues and points, spend a few minutes in the "small business / entrepreneurial" aisle of your local Barnes & Noble, or your favorite similarly-stocked bookstore. You'll see a few titles along the lines of "Buying Your Own Business" or "How To Buy A Business" or something similar. They'll be digestably thin, written in friendly lingo, and fairly inexpensive. Browse two or three and then take at least one home. You'll be able to plow through it pretty quickly, and you'll be surprised at the number of pointers and helpful tips you'll derive from it. At the very least it'll serve as a nice, reasonably comprehensive checklist of the things you need to consider in making an acquisition of an existing business.
- Your wife going to work for the selling owner for a time could produce benefits for both you and for the seller / owner. In most small-business sales there is a seller-financing component in the price; that is, some portion of the price is paid by you down the road, typically in the form of installment payments. In such cases (which as I mentioned are the norm rather than the exception) the owner obviously retains a vested interest in the business's ongoing success post-sale, since the cash flow from the business will likely form the primary source from which the owner will receive her installment payments. Therefore, whatever training she can impart to your wife, so as to improve your wife's chances of success, will be of as much value to her as to your wife.
- Since you're not buying the containing building itself, make absolutely sure that you can either step into the seller / owner's shoes with respect to the lease on the premises, or can strike up a new lease with the landlord on acceptable terms. That's something you'll need to ascertain beforehand.
- A noncompete clause will likely be a reasonable provision in the deal. If the seller retains the right to set up a competing operation in your area shortly after cashing your check, that significantly diminishes the potential value of your business and hence, the amount you'd be willing to pay for the biz in the first place. Thus, a noncompete is valuable to the seller, by increasing the price she can charge for the current operation.
Like I mentioned, these are just some random thoughts among many that you'll need to evaluate, and getting your hands on a more comprehensive rundown of all the important issues, such as I suggested in #1, will be a worthy investment.
Speaking of investments, I do hope yours (in the cake business) will turn out better than you expect. Cheers!
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!JCT Mar 8, 2012 11:23 PM (in response to JCT)
Thank you so much for the advice. ALL OF YOU. it has been a great help. obviously there is a lot of research and planning that my wife and i have to sit down and accomplish.
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!Moderator Jim Mar 9, 2012 9:31 AM (in response to JCT)
Glad yo ugot the advice you were looking for, JCT!
Re: Deciding to buy an existing business!UncleLeon Mar 12, 2012 11:30 AM (in response to JCT)
Years ago, I had a tennis coach that advised me to "NEVER change a winning Game" / "Always change a loosing game". That advice has served me very well in both Tennis and in Life.
When JMB took over the biz he bought, it was "In the Toilet". It was necessary for him to change things.
If the biz you are buying is successful, don't change anything until you find out "Where the bathroom is". I knew a guy who bought a very successful and profitable biz and "Made it better" to the point of loosing it within 18 months.
Assuming that the biz is successful and profitable now, I'm advising to operate the biz just as it has been for a while, until you learn "Where the bathroom is". Then make gently additions or adjustments, carefully analyzing the effects of each change.
Keep in mind that the man who owned the biz before you has more experience operating THAT biz than you do.
my wife and I are thinking about starting a business. She is a cake decorator and we wanted to start a cake studio for herself. An opportunity arose for us to buy a cafe/deli/bakery (just the business not that building) that has a decent customer base in a fairly well off community. Once in our hands we can expand to have a cake studio. I have no experience in owning and operating a business and my wife has some. The owner really wants to sell to us and is willing to work with us creating our own business plan to present to banks and bieng very flexible. ANY and ALL advice will be more than appreciated.


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AMD Eyefinity: Play games in 25 MPixels [7680×3200]
As we exclusively disclosed several moons ago, ATI's DirectX 11 family of products carries the codename Evergreen. Besides being designed for OpenCL and DirectX 11, Evergreen series carries one significant technology that I believe will change the way how we play games.
The name of the technology is Eyefinity, most notably Eyefinity6. As you can figure yourself, AMD's next-generation graphics family comes with up to six independent display pipelines, offering you a capability to connect anywhere from one to six displays, and experience 3D like you haven't seen it before. According to the statement we got, "AMD's next-generation graphics family launches later this month with every card in the family supporting at least three displays." We would also add that we saw mainstream boards with four display connectors… and now you can be sure that these four displays will actually output four independent images.
We visited AMD's HQ in Sunnyvale prior to the event that is taking place on USS Hornet, and discussed the development of this technology with several key executives. AMD's GPG engineering team decided to take a good use of modern display connectivity technologies such as DisplayPort and HDMI and created a line of chips with multiple display pipelines, enabling insane resolutions such as the afore mentioned 7680×3200 pixels. From one side, embedding multiple display pipelines was an "easy task" compared to effort it took to create software side of things. We saw a completely new driver panel which enabled us to change the position of displays in quite an easy way, but more importantly, the Eyefinity driver inserts these new resolutions inside the games [for titles that don't come with hard-coded resolutions]. AMD is promising support for numerous DirectX 9, 10, 10.1 and 11 games. To be clearer, the Eyefinity driver sends a list of supported resolutions by the graphics adapter, neatly adding the new wide resolutions.
If you're a graphics oldtimer like myself, you'll probably like the bit about where this technology comes from: a while ago, Matrox demonstrated Triple-Head Gaming and called it Surround Gaming. The team behind the Surround Gaming utility left Matrox and joined ATI, and started pitching the idea. Unfortunately, the display connectivity technology was just too complicated for high-volume parts, so the idea was on the backburner until "future technologies kick-off". Those future technologies were none other than DisplayPort and HDMI. Back in 2007, when ATI shaped the envelope around R800 hardware, the time was right to start developing "Real Surround Gaming", now called Eyefinity.
The end result is impressive; as you can see on the pictures in this article, combining DisplayPort with multiple display pipelines inside the Evergreen chips and an Eyefinity driver – six 30″ displays give you a 7680×3200 pixel resolution. The list of Eyefinity-compliant games is quite impressive, and includes games released as far as seven years ago. If an OpenGL engine supports manual resolution input, such as Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, Quake or Doom 3 – you can manually set the resolution and play without any patches. We checked several titles, such as World of Warcraft as DirectX 9 game, Left 4 Dead, one unnamed title and DiRT 2 as a DirectX 11 game.
What made our experience great was the fact that all of the games we tested ran perfectly at 60 frames per second [Vsync enabled] while running on a single product from the upcoming Evergreen family. This is a testament of 3D performance that was created by wizards at AMD, no question about it.
What probably will surprise AMD guys the most is the fact that potential buyers of this technology are most likely – World of Warcraft gamers. This resolution brings you a sizeable advantage, as you can see much more than on smaller screens. In fact, this was for the first time we saw virtual heads being much bigger than real-sized humans, such as the writer of these words or Carrell Killebrew, Director of Product planning, AMD GPG.
Changing resolutions in all tested games was a breeze; you just go to video options inside the game and change to the resolution appropriate to your display configuration. Now, six 30″ displays is quite an expensive experience [$8394 for six Dell 3008WFP], but for instance – buying three 22″ displays will set you back for as low as $450 and that is nothing to be sneezed at. The good news doesn't stop there, actually.
Unlike some other $600 non-FHD experiences, you can use three, four or even six displays on everyday basis. As you can see in picture above, Google Earth is nothing else but impressive.
25 megapixel real estate is also something that every user of RED One camera or a professional photographer will appreciate. Here at BSN*, we love our RED One camera, but the matter of fact is that no display at some affordable price can display 1:1 pixel ratio. But with a 25 MPixel screen, our 12.8 MPixel CMOS sensor seems "tiny"… in conclusion – there are many usages to Eyefinity technology.
While gaming will be at rage for the launch of consumer cards in Evergreen family, commercial cards look to kick some serious butt. Evergreen's multi-display capabilities are unseen of, and according to Carrell Killebrew and Eric Demers [CTO, AMD GPG] – this is just the beginning.
Original Author: Theo Valich
Webmaster's note: This news article is part of our Archive, if you are looking for up-to date articles we would recommend a visit to our technology news section on the frontpage. Additionally, we take great pride in our Home Office section, as well as our VPN Reviews, so be sure to check them out as well.


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I was trying to add something to $PATH and it went totally wrong. I now can't run any commands such as
ls. I've looked at this answer and used the following lines:
These lines fix the problem temorarily; however, when I restart terminal it seems to forget these changes.
How do I permanently reset my $PATH?
I'm running the most recent version of Mountain Lion.


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Marlins being patient with Yelich, Marisnick
MILWAUKEE -- Performance will go a long way in deciding when touted prospects like Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick are promoted to the big leagues.
Yelich, ranked by MLB.com as the 10th best prospect in the game, is Miami's No. 1 prospect. Marisnick is the Marlins' No. 2-ranked prospect.
The two outfielders are at Double-A Jacksonville. Yelich is expected to get the callup first, and that could come by the end of the month. Marisnick appears to need more time to refine his swing.
Ultimately, how they produce for Jacksonville will play into when they are brought up.
"A lot of that is dictated on how those guys are doing, and when we feel those guys are ready to come to the big leagues," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We want to make sure the Yelichs and the Marisnicks are prepared to come to the big leagues. That's something that is ongoing, and we have discussions all the time.
"We want to make sure the timing is right. Yelich has been banged up this year. When we bring him, we want to make sure he is healthy and feeling good and confident. That's the most important thing."
Yelich, who went 2-for-2 with an RBI double in the Futures Game on Sunday, missed April with a right heel injury. And in early June, the 21-year-old went down with a strained abdominal muscle.


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Concordia University Chicago's Chamber Orchestra is the only such ensemble among the sister schools in the Concordia University system. It covers a wide range of symphonic repertoire from Baroque to contemporary music and collaborates regularly with the University's choirs for large choral works. Its performance schedule involves two concerts one in the fall and the other in spring, appearances in Chapel and the Advent services of Lessons & Carols.
Conductor: Dr. Maurice C. Boyer


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SS5 (1.8mm) Hotfix Flatback Crystals Pack of 1440
Preciosa Viva 12 SS5 (1.8mm) wholesale pack of 1440 hotfix flatback crystal also known as iron on, rhinestone, gem or diamante have a layer of glue on the back and can be applied to many different surfaces i.e. greeting cards, parchment craft, jewellery designs, upcycling your clothing, adding logos or your name to club wear, team wear, caps, tshirts and hoodies.
You can also create your own transfers using our hotfix transfer film, you will find the hotfix transfer film under our tools and accessories section.
These Preciosa hotfix crystals also know as iron on crystals are applied using heat. If you are using the Kandi Kane Hotfix Applicator to apply these SS5 crystals we recommend that you use small flat tip. You will need to place the crystal on your garment (shiney side facing up) then place the hot flat tip on the top of the crystal, the heat from the tip will melt the glue in approximately 5 seconds.


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This was published 7 years ago
Focus on 'convertibles' in new drive to revive PC
In the three years since Apple launched the iPad, a once-crazy idea has grown to become conventional wisdom: the PC is dying.
Every few months, market analysts release reports showing staggering growth in tablet sales and an ever-grimmer future for traditional laptops and desktops. Just this week, the market research firm NPD Group reported that in 2013, tablet sales would eclipse those of notebook computers for the first time. By 2017, NPD predicts, tablets will outpace notebooks thee to one.
These numbers bolster Apple's view of the future. PCs are not going away, the company has long maintained, but they will be rare. You might reach for a machine with a big screen and a powerful processor when you want to do something intensive – edit a spreadsheet, say – but most of your computing time will be spent on smaller devices with more limited capabilities.
A year before he died, Steve Jobs sketched out this future in an interview at the D8 Conference. "When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were trucks, because that's what you needed on the farms. PCs are going to be like trucks," Jobs predicted. "They are still going to be around," but "one out of 'X' people will need them."
At that same conference a few nights later, Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, dismissed Jobs' automobile metaphor. "Windows machines are not going to be trucks! They're not!" he insisted. Instead, Mr Ballmer offered what seemed at the time to be an oddly semantic defense of Microsoft's future. Tablets would not replace PCs because tablets are PCs, he said. "I think the PC as we know it will continue to morph form factor," Mr Ballmer said. PCs might look different, but "I think there will exist a general-purpose device that does everything you want, because I don't think the whole world is going to be able to afford five devices per person". More than once during the interview, Mr Ballmer said, "The real question is: what's a PC?".
Now, finally, we're getting a glimpse of what he was getting at. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, PC makers are showing off a variety of laptops and desktops that look completely different from your father's PC. Call these machines "hybrids", "convertibles", or maybe just call them "very weird". Several companies showed off laptops whose screens detach to become tablets. Stranger still were the desktops that double as tablets. See Lenovo's IdeaCentre Horizon, for example, a 27-inch all-in-one desktop that can be flipped on its back to become something like a table-top touchscreen PC. What would you do with such a huge tablet? The best idea Lenovo came up with was gaming: you can play roulette or virtual air hockey on this gigantic table-top screen.
Odd as they sound, these transformers represent the PC's best hope against the rise of tablets. Because Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 8, is touch-enabled, laptops and desktops can now take on a variety of shapes and sizes depending on your shifting needs. I'm sceptical of such shape-shifting machines, because commonsense suggests that a device that acts like two completely different things is going to be inherently more complex – and will not work nearly as well – as a machine that is meant to do one thing. At the same time, though, I can appreciate the lure of hybrids. When I travel, I stuff my bag with a laptop, a tablet, and a bird's nest of cables and accessories. What if we all needed only a single machine? What if every Ford Fiesta could turn into an F-150 pickup with the push of a button? You would never need to borrow a friend's ride to pick up something at Ikea. Wouldn't that be awesome?
That would be awesome, if such a thing could possibly exist. I'm not at CES this week; I have long shunned the show because, as I explained in 2011, it is an "overcrowded, overstuffed, chaotic, and profoundly pointless vapourware parade". One of my chief complaints was that manufacturers often show off devices that they are not ready to release for sale, and that is true of many of the hybrid PCs on display this week. On Monday, Intel unveiled North Cape, a 13-inch laptop whose screen can be detached from its keyboard, creating a 13-inch tablet. All of the machine's computing guts are set behind its screen; the keyboard piece does not have anything other than keys, a trackpad, and an extra battery. The Intel machine packed some amazing specs: it has a high-definition display, it likely weighs only a kilogram (Intel was vague), and it can last for as long as 13 hours on a single charge. (The tablet portion lasts 10 hours, and the extra battery in the keyboard dock gives it an extra three hours of life.)
But the biggest questions about the device remain unanswered. How well will a detachable machine work? Can you really squeeze a computer that's meant to run desktop-calibre programs into the size of a tablet? Will those desktop apps run very slowly? Will the machine be hobbled by an annoying cooling fan? Intel did not shed light on these questions. The company would not tell reporters many details about the device, including its release date, selling price, or which PC brand it would carry. Intel wouldn't even let the media try it out.
Lenovo dished a few more details about its tablet-laptop transformer, the ThinkPad Helix. Like the Intel machine, Lenovo's new gizmo carries all its computing power behind its screen, including enough processing power and memory to rival many notebooks. It looks like a solid design, but if you think about the Helix's specs, it is difficult to see how the transformer beats getting a tablet and a laptop separately. First, it is not cheap. When Lenovo's Helix goes on sale in February, it will start at $US1499 ($1427). If you were to buy an 11-inch Macbook Air and an iPad, you would spend just a little more, $US1558. What is more, the Helix is not lightweight; each piece – the tablet and the keyboard – weighs about one kilogram. The MacBook Air and the iPad weigh about 1.7 kilograms together. The Helix's battery lasts for 10 hours (five as a stand-alone tablet, and five more with the boost from the battery inside the keyboard dock). The Air/iPad combo goes for 15 hours together.
And these specs do not take into account the primary difference between stand-alone devices and all-in-one transformers: software. When you buy a laptop and a tablet, you can be sure that each device will carry an interface that has been tuned to its physical design. Apple's iOS and Google's Android have large buttons and enormous app stores overflowing with touch-friendly programs; your PC, meanwhile, is designed to be used with a pointing device and keyboard. When you switch between the two devices, you see a stark difference in interface that makes it immediately clear how to use each device.
The hybrid machines, meanwhile, all run Windows 8, which includes a touch-friendly interface alongside the traditional Windows desktop. This means you can switch between two computing modes at the push of a button – between a system in which you use a pointer and one in which you use your finger. But Windows' duality makes it cumbersome to learn. In adding touchability to Windows, Microsoft had to redesign some of the operating system's key functions, including the start menu, the file system, and how windows are arranged on the screen. Sure, many people will get the hang of these changes, but I wonder if there is a psychic benefit in having a clear separation between tablets and PCs – if it might be easier and less frustrating to learn how to use something like an iPad and a laptop when they are on two different machines rather than a single freaky combo.
It could be that I'm judging the hybrid category too soon. Maybe in a few years' time, as processors get cheaper and more power-efficient and Windows attracts more touch-friendly apps, hybrids will start to become more competitive with tablets. The trouble for Microsoft, though, is that it might not have a few years to wait. Last week NPD reported that, unlike previous releases of Windows, the launch of Windows 8 did not do anything to boost PC sales. What is more, the Windows PCs that did sell over the holidays were pretty cheap - the average sales price was $US420, which means consumers were staying away from the high-end, touchscreen machines that manufacturers had designed for the new Windows. (Touch machines made up only 4.5 per cent of Windows notebook sales, NPD said.)
And consumers' thriftiness may be the hybrids' ultimate hurdle. Machines that can act like both PCs and tablets are always going to be more expensive than either of their specialised cousins. If a $200 or $300 tablet will allow you to do 80 per cent of what you want from a computer, isn't that enough? I suspect most people will think so. After all, if you need a truck, you can always borrow one from a friend.


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Not an emergency?
24hr Emergency plumbing & drain service No callout charges
0800 092 9291
Many homes are becoming increasingly aware of water usage, they also know that using water from the gutter has a good effect on the garden flowers and vegetables.
Drain Doctor Plumbing and Drainage can fit a Rainwater Harvesting System which can take the rainwater from the gutters and store it until it can be used in the garden.
This can save money on metered water bills and means you can use the water in your garden whenever you want.
In new build situation and in major refurbishment projects, Drain Doctor Plumbing and Drainage can advise on various Grey water systems whereby you can optimise water usage in order to save on previous tap water.


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Voice of good band The Gossip has lamented the experience of supporting Scissor Sisters on their recent tour.
In an interview with Mixmag, Ditto attacked the fans of their touring partners for not being punk enough and for not having watched the right films.
"I love them and I think we've got a lot of common ground," began Ditto. "But supporting their tour was a really soul-sucking experience.
"It wasn't gigs, it was 'concerts', you know like when you're nine and New Kids On The Block come to town and you camp outside the mall all day to get your ticket.
"The audience were moms wanting chart hits. They've never seen a John Waters movie or heard the Ramones."
Fair enough, I say. Say you? DiScuss.


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eCligner® Retainer is required to keep the teeth alignment after eCligner® treatment. It must be worn every night(sleeping time) while the first year, every second night(sleeping time) while the second year. eCligner® treatment result will be kept by sleeping time wearing eCligner® Retainer once a week after two years. It must be changed every three months for mouth hygiene and keep fit.
The eCligner retainer:
- 1. Application of the eCligner Retainer
(in picture 1 combined with a bonded retainer)
- 2. Should be replaced about every year
- 3. Worn only at night
- 4. Anytime reproductable on the acrylic model provided
- 5. Controls once to twice a year


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WordPress Search Ignores Content. SearchWP Finds it!
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SearchWP's indexer is not a crawler. That is to say it does not operate like many search engines (e.g. Google) and it does not load pages of your website to index content. The indexer pulls data directly from the database.
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Upon activating SearchWP, your search results will display in exactly the same way they did before activating SearchWP, but SearchWP tells WordPress which results to include.
To customize your search results you need to edit your theme's
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search.php if it does not exist) and you can customize your search results in any way you would customize another template within your theme using The Loop.
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If you are using a document management plugin that stores uploads outside of the Media library of your WordPress install, SearchWP will NOT be able to work with these files.


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After dominating, Liriano named NL Player of the Week
Left-hander delivers pair of wins in stellar fashion for first-place Pirates
Left-hander Francisco Liriano was named the National League Player of the Week on Monday after allowing only one earned run over two dominant performances last week for the first-place Pirates.
Liriano went 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA last week, allowing one run over 14 innings, the lowest mark among Major League pitchers who made two starts. He surrendered six hits across his two outings, holding opposing hitters to a miniscule .133 batting average.
You won't find Liriano's name atop the NL pitching leaderboards this season, as he hasn't recorded enough innings to qualify, but he's been among the best in baseball since making his 2013 debut on May 11. He is tied for fourth among NL pitchers with 12 wins. Liriano has put together a 2.02 ERA -- which would rank second, if he qualified -- and held opposing batters to a .205 average this season.
Liriano limited the Cardinals to four hits and one run over seven innings last Monday, picking up his 11th victory in a 9-2 win for the Bucs. The 29-year-old lefty followed that up by tossing seven scoreless innings in a 5-2 win over the Rockies at PNC Park.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Liriano became one of three Pirates pitchers in the modern era to win 12 or more games and post an ERA under 2.25 in his first 16 starts of a season, joining Rip Sewell in 1943 (12-2, 2.22 ERA) and Dock Ellis in 1971 (12-3, 2.24).


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Last week, it seemed like everyone was celebrating the birthdays of the nation's presidents by going skiing and businesses in The Valley were at their busiest since December.
"Well-timed, accumulating snow is always a good thing," Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce director Susan Klein said. "And we got that, just like we did at Christmas."
"We had a really good week, and thankfully so," Mad River Glen marketing director Eric Friedman said. The ski area had been suffering from low snowfall and high temperatures, but after receiving nearly 30 inches of powder over Presidents week, all of the trails re-opened and "we're really in business now," Friedman said.
According to Klein, most of The Valley's lodging options were full or nearly full for the late-February weekends, and shops and restaurants happily received the influx of visitors.
"We were slamming," Big Picture Theater and Cafe owner Claudia Becker said.
The Warren Store owner Jack Garvin noticed that foot traffic was particularly high when the chairlifts were on wind hold up at Sugarbush, but "everyone was in good spirits," he said. Catering to out-of-state customers, the store held several tastings of local food and wine "to really turn people on to the ever-expanding food products in Vermont," Garvin said.
Presidents' week is over, but with more snow in the forecast for this week, "we're heading into what—for us—is really the heart of the season," Friedman said.


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ALBANY, N.Y. – New York financial officials on Wednesday criticized 17 New York-based life insurers for shifting $48 billion of claim risks to affiliates elsewhere with lower reserve and collateral requirements.
The Department of Financial Services said so-called "shadow insurance" typically offloads potential claims to a subsidiary, freeing the parent company's own reserves for other uses. However, the insurers would often remain responsible for paying claims if subsidiaries' lesser reserves were used up, according to its report.
The department, which investigated practices of 80 New York-based insurers, declined to name the 17 companies but said it stopped approving similar new arrangements in October 2011. The report didn't cite any examples where policyholder claims went unpaid.
"A key lesson of the financial crisis is that regulators have a responsibility to shine a light on questionable financial practices that shift risk out of sight and into the shadows," Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky said in a prepared statement. "If we let our guard down and ignore this regulatory race to the bottom, taxpayers and insurance policyholders are the ones who could get left holding the bag."
According to the department, the difference between these arrangements and regular reinsurance where insurers share claims risks with others are the lack of transparency with captive subsidiaries of entities either offshore or in other states, as well as generally weaker reserve and collateral requirements.
The report did not address property and casualty insurance companies.
The department began investigating the practices a year ago, requiring information from New York-based life insurers over which it has authority. Lawsky said it appeared to be a problem across the U.S., suggesting other state insurance regulators and federal officials likewise look into the transactions and take steps to protect consumers.
The Life Insurance Council of New York said the department will no doubt be part of the current national discussion with regulators and industry officials at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, adding that insurers co-operated with the state probe.
"Captive reinsurance has been used by life insurers for many years to responsibly and appropriately manage risk," the council said.
The New York Times, which first disclosed the report Wednesday, reported that the big users of the approach appeared to be publicly traded companies that have to meet targets for earnings and returns. MetLife told the newspaper that it holds more than enough reserves to pay policy claims and that it uses reinsurance subsidiaries to address "overly conservative reserve requirements" for some types of insurance.