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**UPDATE (11-21-15): For those wishing to get informed about the way ISIS thinks (as in "know your enemy"), take a serious look at this article; it provides solid evidence that, yes, they really are an apocalyptic, fundamentalist religious cult. And you might want to pay particular attention to point #3 regarding what ISIS *really* fears (hint: it isn't death).**
Like many, it was with both great sorrow and frustration that I read this morning about the attacks in Paris, France by members of ISIS. As I've argued many times before on this blog and elsewhere, such as on my post about the Charlie Hebdo attacks and Draw Muhammad Day and my numerous posts regarding creationism plus the one about the religiously-motivated attacks on Planned Parenthood, I think it is absolutely critical for us to openly and honestly examine religion and religious belief and their roles in our modern society in a critical manner.
Let me begin by stating that I am not inherently anti-religion, though I openly declare myself to be an atheist. I can and do see how religious belief can serve to give many people a feeling of purpose or hope where they might otherwise have none, and I understand how it can help motivate many others to do works of great good. That said, too often I hear people speak of religion in terms that are only positive, as if things like religious belief and faith can only be good. For example, how many times have we all heard some believers state that one cannot be moral without a belief in God? I view this argument as detrimental for two reasons:
- It argues that people who either don't believe in God (or who believe in the wrong god, whatever that may be) are inherently immoral. The counter to this argument is that there are many forms of useful and functional secular morality, so one can be moral without religion. This is, I think, especially relevant given the fact that secularism and non-religiosity is on the rise here in the United States (up to ~25% by some recent surveys).
- It seems to implicitly assume that religion necessarily promotes morality. Given the recent events in Paris, I think this assumption is highly questionable, not to mention the fact that recent studies have shown that the religious are no more moral in their daily behavior than are the non-religious.
I think we should stop placing religion and religious belief on a pedestal, and we should take a reasoned and critical look at religion just as we do with any other human endeavor. We need to understand that there is nothing inherently special or moral about religion, and it can be used for good or ill regardless of the beliefs espoused by the faithful; yes, the reality is that religion doesn't lead to any kind of objective morality. Some people think this critical analysis of religion is not only not necessary, but they say they are offended by it. To that I respond the same way I did in my post titled "The Dangers of NOT Offending Religious Sensibilities" in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks earlier this year:
First, I think that there has been a fundamental error in how much of this discussion has been framed. Too many people, mostly those who wish to not have their "religious sensibilities" offended and their weak-kneed allies, are asking the question of what are limits to free speech and should "offensive" speech which attacks and/or ridicules religion be allowed? This viewpoint isn't to be dismissed as trivial in light of the fact that almost 20% of Americans think religion shouldn't be satirized.
I think this is entirely the wrong question to be asking, for the simple reason that it appears to place the onus for responsibility of religious violence in the wrong place: on people whose only crime is to speak their mind openly and freely. There is an implicit and dangerous naivety behind such framing: it makes the assumption that if only people wouldn't be critical of religion or poke fun at religious figures then murderous violence such as that on display recently in Paris would be curbed.
Really?! Not mocking religion means that there's going to be a reduction of religiously-motivated violence? Try telling that to the thousands upon thousands of Muslims (and others) who are, even now, being enslaved, victimized, and barbarically killed by the extremists in ISIS. I'll wager that the vast majority, if not all, of those being brutally oppressed and killed by ISIS never said or wrote one offensive word about Islam or Muhammad. Yet they are being slaughtered in the name of radical Islam none-the-less.
In my mind, a much more proper question to ask is this: What is it that it can so easily generate such a murderous certainty among the most ardent, fundamentalist believers of religion? The right way to respond to the Charlie Hebdo attacks and atrocities committed by ISIS isn't to demand less scrutiny of religion but quite the opposite; we must demand more scrutiny of religion, especially radical, fundamentalist variations. …
… if we allow "offensive" speech to be curbed or outlawed, we run the risk of letting these vague notions of what is offensive to be defined by the most extreme members of religion. Take, for example, the case of Saudi Arabian blogger and dissenter Raif Badawi, who is undergoing a brutal punishment involving receiving 50 lashes a week for 20 weeks, followed by years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. His crime, according to the Saudi Arabian authorities, was "insulting Islam"; Raif had the audacity to run a website called Free Saudi Liberals (now closed down) where he advocated for a secular government in Saudi Arabia. Yes, political dissent is viewed as an insult to religion, justifying – in the minds of the extremists – the most brutal of tortures and disproportionate punishment. Raif Badawi's torture makes the case that, if anything, religious sensibilities need to be questioned, and if that makes some people uncomfortable or offends them, so much the better!
Now, lest you think this discussion is exclusively about Islam, think again. It has become clear of late that many more than just some Muslims are jumping aboard the "curb offensive speech" bandwagon. Consider, for example, the reaction from various branches of Christianity to the Charlie Hebdo attacks:
Famous religious right and fundamentalist Christian broadcaster Bryan Fisher suggested that God allowed Islamic terrorists to carry out their attack in Paris as punishment for blasphemy. Further, in his radio broadcast he stated "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain… They [Charlie Hebdo] made a career out of taking the name of God, the God of the Bible, the father of the Lord Jesus [in vain]." So, according to Fisher, it wasn't the satire of Islam that led to the attacks, it was the satire of Christianity and Jesus that is to blame! It should also be no surprise that Fisher is among those who would impose so-called anti-blasphemy laws in the United States.
Not to be outdone, prominent radical Catholic and head of the Catholic League Bill Donohue stated that the victims of the Paris attacks only had themselves to blame for insulting religion and angering people. "Killing in response to insult, no matter how gross, must be unequivocally condemned. That is why what happened in Paris cannot be tolerated," he explained in a press release. "But neither should we tolerate the kind of intolerance that provoked this violent reaction."
Now one would expect such nutty rhetoric from commonly-known Christian fundamentalists such as Fisher and Donohue, but what is more disturbing is that the most widely known religious figure on the planet, Pope Francis, who is regarded by many as a "progressive Pope" appears to agree with these sentiments! "One cannot provoke; one cannot insult other people's faith; one cannot make fun of faith," the Pope stated on a recent trip to the Philippines. "If my good friend Dr. Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch. It's normal. It's normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others," he continued. Wow, so much for that "turn the other cheek" nonsense that Jesus espoused.
What I see now is an emerging unholy alliance between right-wing extremists and naïve left-wing multiculturalists against secular critics of religion. The former want little more than power and control, and they view silencing criticism of religion and its related power structures as a way of attaining these goals. The latter are often well-meaning but clueless and unrealistic idealists who believe that sitting in a circle and singing "Kumbaya" will result in less religiously-motivated power grabs and violence. Both groups view secular critics of religion as either an enemy of the faith or callous and disrespectful loud-mouths who are somehow a threat to a healthy society. And this is not simply an academic debate; political correctness, introduced by the naïve among the multicultural left, has now been co-opted by right-wing fundamentalists to justify everything from the denial of contraception to women to the inclusion of pseudo-scientific notions of creationism in public schools. Under the guise of "religious liberty", these fundamentalists insist that not allowing them to impose their religious beliefs upon the rest of society is offensive.
In closing, allow me one more criticism of religion and religious believers; but this criticism is not directed at the fundamentalists, it is directed at the moderate religious believers who, either knowingly or not, provide cover for the fundamentalists and their dangerous ideologies. As author Sam Harris argued so eloquently in his essay "The Problem with Religious Moderates":
… While moderation in religion may seem a reasonable position to stake out, in light of all that we have (and have not) learned about the universe, it offers no bulwark against religious extremism and religious violence. The problem that religious moderation poses for all of us is that it does not permit anything very critical to be said about religious literalism. We cannot say that fundamentalists are crazy, because they are merely practicing their freedom of belief; we cannot even say that they are mistaken in religious terms, because their knowledge of scripture is generally unrivaled. All we can say, as religious moderates, is that we don't like the personal and social costs that a full embrace of scripture imposes on us. This is not a new form of faith, or even a new species of scriptural exegesis; it is simply a capitulation to a variety of all-too-human interests that have nothing, in principle, to do with God.
Unless the core dogmas of faith are called into question-i.e., that we know there is a God, and that we know what he wants from us-religious moderation will do nothing to lead us out of the wilderness. …
… Religious moderates seem to believe that what we need is not radical insight and innovation in these areas but a mere dilution of Iron Age philosophy. Rather than bring the full force of our creativity and rationality to bear on the problems of ethics, social cohesion, and even spiritual experience, moderates merely ask that we relax our standards of adherence to ancient superstitions and taboos, while otherwise maintaining a belief system that was passed down to us from men and women whose lives were simply ravaged by their basic ignorance about the world. In what other sphere of life is such subservience to tradition acceptable? Medicine? Engineering? Not even politics suffers the anachronism that still dominates our thinking about ethical values and spiritual experience. …
… With each passing year, do our religious beliefs conserve more and more of the data of human experience? If religion addresses a genuine sphere of understanding and human necessity, then it should be susceptible to progress; its doctrines should become more useful, rather than less. Progress in religion, as in other fields, would have to be a matter of present inquiry, not the mere reiteration of past doctrine. Whatever is true now should be discoverable now, and describable in terms that are not an outright affront to the rest of what we know about the world. By this measure, the entire project of religion seems perfectly backward. It cannot survive the changes that have come over us-culturally, technologically, and even ethically. Otherwise, there are few reasons to believe that we will survive it.
Moderates do not want to kill anyone in the name of God, but they want us to keep using the word "God" as though we knew what we were talking about. And they do not want anything too critical said about people who really believe in the God of their fathers, because tolerance, perhaps above all else, is sacred. To speak plainly and truthfully about the state of our world-to say, for instance, that the Bible and the Koran both contain mountains of life-destroying gibberish-is antithetical to tolerance as moderates currently conceive it. But we can no longer afford the luxury of such political correctness. We must finally recognize the price we are paying to maintain the iconography of our ignorance.


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The place
My friends and I decided to travel to Noosa this year January. Noosa is located on the southern end of Queensland, an Australian state and is in the Sunshine coast. Noosa Heads, a town and suburb of the Shire of Noosa is located approximately 136 kilometres north of Brisbane, the state's capital and is in the main hub.
We flew to the Sunshine coast airport from Melbourne and then rented a car from the airport and drove down to the Peregian beach where we had booked our accommodation. It's a scenic 24km (approx) drive along the coast with the sea in sight now and then. We had booked our stay through Airbnb and must admit that it was one of best houses we ever stayed!
On the way to the Peregian beach we stopped for lunch and had some wonderful Thai food. The weather in January was hot and a bit humid too. However, the sunshine was welcoming and the beautiful beaches stole our heart.
The beach was even more mesmerizing in the night! The starlit night, the lashing of the waves, the quietness and the companionship made us cherish every moment and feel at peace.
A Day well spent
The next morning, after a good night's sleep, we decided to explore Noosa by ferry. We boarded the ferry from the Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club and there begun a wonderful journey in the Noosa river waters. It was a beautiful sunny day, the sky and the river water was clear blue and the weather was impeccable for a river cruise. We disembarked at the Sofitel Noosa Heads and gallivanted in the Hastings Street famous for its boutique shops and restaurants.
We had a wonderful Indian lunch at Kali Gourmet Indian restaurant . The restaurant had delicious Indian food and warm and welcoming staff. We then explored the beach at the Noosa Heads and the colourful boutique shops in the Hastings street.
We took the return ferry in the afternoon and then decided to view the Sunset from the Laguna Lookout in the Noosa National Park. It was a spellbinding sunset. We were captivated by the landscape and life felt good!
Fraser Island – Adventure reloaded
The next day we had planned a day trip to the famous Fraser Island. The Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island stretching over 120km. We got picked up by the tour providers at 6am and then headed off to our first stop where we boarded a four wheel drive tour bus. We crossed the Noosa river in the cable barge and stopped at the Rainbow beach for morning tea. It was a scenic journey so far and the rainbow beach was true to its name.
Next, we had a rocky ride inside the forest area to the crystal clear freshwater Lake McKenzie. It was an absolutely beautiful lake with tropical turquoise water, fine white sand and surrounded by forest. After our rocky ride, the lake was welcoming and we immediately jumped onto the water. We spend time in the lake exfoliating ourselves with the white sand and splashing water on each other. It felt like we voyaged back to our childhood! Soon we felt hungry and were served delicious "Aussie style" bush barbecue with a varied assortment of fresh salad and drinks. We stuffed ourselves and soon it was time to head back to the mainstream.
On the way back, we dropped by the magnificent Rainforests. We walked inside the cold, dark pathways of the forest. It was thrilling and we praised nature at every step. The luxuriant canopy of palms and vines made each moment memorable.
We returned back by evening, tired yet rejuvenated!
The Experience
My friends and I have a busy life in Melbourne like many others. We planned this trip to Noosa with an agenda of relaxation and holiday. On the last day of our trip, we had checked the boxes! Noosa is not only one of the most beautiful places we had visited but it felt like the sea, sand and sunshine have hitched to make Noosa magical! If you love beaches, Noosa is where you should be! Every moment we spent here was full of awe! Australia has many beaches and I have visited many of them, yet Noosa had its own appeal and will make me come back again when I want to liberate and revive myself! Noosa, you stole our hearts with your charm, see you again someday! Till then, keep travelling!

subset: commoncrawl


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Stranger in a Strange Teutonic LandThursday, June 27th, 2013
As is the case in all democratic societies, it is healthy for top government officials occasionally to get out and mingle among their constituents. That's why Spanish government spokeswoman María Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría Antón recently was in Germany, as El Huffington Post reports.
In Germany?! Why sure: unemployment in Spain itself has gotten to be so bad that legions of Spaniards – those with true initiative, who in past centuries would have headed over to the Western Hemisphere – have moved to Germany to find places for themselves in the much better economic situation there. Brace yourself for the tide of funny stories sure to come as these two very different cultures collide – most expat Spaniards, for example, won't even yet have an appetite at the outrageously early (for them) hours when they will find Germans sitting down to their evening meal.
Further, there are the two rather different languages. For what it's worth, new Bayern München coach Pep Guardiola has seemingly dealt with that problem rather well (video here of his first Munich press conference), although I hasten to add that his own move there was hardly prompted by the same economic concerns.
In any case, we had the rather telegenic Ms. Santamaría there in Germany, where she was a guest on the popular morning TV show Morgenmagazine. The unstated question behind her appearance there must have been "So many Spaniards are here! What are you going to do about it?"
Turns out that much of what the Spanish government is trying to do about it actually involves Germany. On the show she expressed her admiration for that country's apprentice-based youth training system and her government's intention to adopt something similar. More concretely, Spain and Germany recently agreed to have 5,000 students from the former be trained within that system in the latter country.
But then the inevitable follow-up: Aren't you afraid that most of those 5,000 will then simply stay in Germany after their training? Her response: "What we want is to create employment in Spain so that young people can freely decide whether they want to work in Germany or in Spain." Well, indeed: let's hope that Spain can make enough progress on the employment front to give itself at least even odds as the home country versus some other country when it comes time for young people to decide where their future lies!
But no worries. Ms. Santamaría further announced on behalf of her government an upcoming "program of reforms such as have never been seen in democratic history" to fix the national labor market and solve the problem. Spaniards now settling in Germany are also finding out how much less the natives are prone to hyperbole.


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In a world where time is hard to divide and hours of pure concentration take much energy and effort, random writes have come to save me. Random writes are defined as followed: A short, 500 – 2,000 word, non-edited dabble in whatever the author wants to write about.
I have also heard these referred to as "flash-fiction," "quick writes," or even "warm-up writing."
I have a folder on my computer titled "Random Writes," which I'll write in whenever my brain feels like writing something new. Mine tend to be fiction, mostly narrative types, but I also do this with poems. Random writes are a great way to lay down some creative energy when, say, in the middle of line editing a novel.
Random writes have improved my writing. Many of mine are almost 100 percent dialogue, as that's what I'd like to get good at in my novels. However, I recently tried my hand at writing a blurb of mythology, and I often attempt to write news stories off little things going on around me. Random writes allow authors to write in all genres, something I feel strengthens writing and a writer's voice.
During school I often have little time, and when I began writing I made the conscious decision to prioritize school over writing. I don't regret doing this, but it doesn't allow me to crack down on my novel and get a lot done. Writing little stories and articles have helped me continue to with my writing even when I'm not working on my main project.
A few times I'll sit down to write something floating around in my mind as a random write, and realize how that idea should actually be turned into a novel. Maybe I'll even snag a character or two out of previous random writes to write the book. Writers struggling to find things to write about: try your hand at a random write or two. They don't have to make sense or be completely logical, but in the end, you're getting ideas onto paper.
These quick writes also allow the author to write almost "childishly." I don't mean sloppily and with poor grammar, but with freedom to write about any idea, no matter how impossible or stupid it may seem. Who knows, perhaps you'll surprise yourself and write a masterpiece from that "stupid idea."
To any authors out there, jot down a few random writes. Write about whatever comes to mind. Maybe how that pen on your desk was made, or, *gasp*, maybe how it was passed down from your late Great-Grandfather who used that pen to sign away millions to a wife who never loved him. The possibilities are endless. Go ahead and use them all to your advantage.
This guest post was contributed by Samantha Fenton. Samantha lives in Ridgefield, Washington on a beautiful ten acres filled with many beloved pets. Samantha is currently striving to traditionally publish, as well as enjoying her passion for golf.


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Abortion, race, gay rights, death penalty: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh could make the difference
WASHINGTON – If he wins confirmation to the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh's impact could extend from cradle to grave.
Because he would replace retired justice Anthony Kennedy, who occasionally sided with the court's liberal wing, Kavanaugh particularly could shift the balance on cases involving abortion, capital punishment, racial discrimination and gay rights.
A review of cases in which Kennedy cast the deciding vote over the dissent of his fellow conservatives – combined with a review of Kavanaugh's rulings and writings – reveals the areas of law most likely to change.
Kennedy's fifth vote struck down state bans on same-sex marriage in 2015. The following year, he upheld the limited use of racial preferences in college admissions and struck down excessive restrictions on abortion rights.
Sprinkled throughout his 30-year Supreme Court career were votes in favor of criminal defendants, notably those on death row. Together with the court's four liberal justices, he spared juveniles and people with intellectual disabilities from the death penalty.
In some of those cases, there are indications from Kavanaugh's opinions, speeches and articles that he would have been on the other side.
"With Kavanaugh, it is extremely unlikely that he would do anything like what Justice Kennedy has done," says David Cohen, a law professor at Drexel University.
In other cases, the jury is still out. Justin Walker, a University of Louisville law professor who clerked for Kavanaugh at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and for Kennedy at the Supreme Court, notes Kennedy and his high court colleagues endorsed Kavanaugh's opinions or dissents 13 times.
"For people wondering where they're going to disagree, they're going to have to look elsewhere," Walker says.
Kennedy's alliance with the high court's liberals waxed and waned over the years. Three years ago, he sided with them in eight cases decided 5-4, compared to five in which he joined the other four conservatives. This past year, however, he joined the conservatives 14 times in 5-4 cases and didn't once side with the liberals.
Here's a look at cases in which Kennedy joined the liberals – and where Kavanaugh might not follow suit.
Kennedy voted in 2016 to strike down restrictions on abortion clinics and doctors in Texas that had created hardships for thousands of women, without sufficient health benefits. The case was decided 5-3 following Justice Antonin Scalia's death. A generation earlier, Kennedy also helped preserve abortion rights in the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, decided 5-4.
Kavanaugh's only abortion ruling came last year, when he dissented from the appeals court's decision allowing an undocumented teenager in federal custody to get an abortion. He said the government "has permissible interests in favoring fetal life, protecting the best interests of a minor and refraining from facilitating abortion."
In a speech last year, he heaped praise on the late chief justice William Rehnquist, citing among other things Rehnquist's dissent from the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. Rehnquist, he said, "stated that under the court's precedents, any such unenumerated right had to be rooted in the traditions and conscience of our people."
Death penalty
Five times in the last four years, Kennedy provided the deciding vote for criminals on death row pleading special circumstances, including intellectual disability, judicial bias and prosecutorial misconduct.
"The death penalty is the gravest sentence our society may impose," Kennedy said in his 2014 opinion striking down Florida's rigid method of discerning disability. "Persons facing that most severe sanction must have a fair opportunity to show that the Constitution prohibits their execution."
Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, says cases based on an "evolving standard of decency" under the 8th Amendment hinged for many years on "whatever Justice Kennedy thought it meant."
In that same speech about Rehnquist, Kavanaugh cited approvingly the chief justice's dissent from the Supreme Court's 1972 decision striking down state death penalty statutes. He cited this passage from the dissent:
"The most expansive reading of the leading constitutional cases does not remotely suggest that this court has been granted a roving commission, either by the founding fathers or by the framers of the 14th Amendment, to strike down laws that are based upon notions of policy or morality suddenly found unacceptable by a majority of this court."
Race and gay rights
In just the past three years, Kennedy provided the deciding vote to allow some use of racial preferences in college admissions, make it easier to prove housing discrimination, strike down election districts that packed in black voters and overturn a conviction because of a juror's racist comments.
"The nation must continue to make strides to overcome race-based discrimination," Kennedy said in the latter case, decided last year. "It is the mark of a maturing legal system that it seeks to understand and to implement the lessons of history."
Kavanaugh in 2012 voted to delay but uphold a South Carolina law requiring that voters have photo IDs, even though minorities more often lack them. He reasoned that the law allowed for exceptions that would ease its burdens on racial groups.
But Kavanaugh also told the Senate Judiciary Committee that among his 10 most significant opinions was one siding with a Fannie Mae worker who complained after being called the "n-word."
"No other word in the English language so powerfully or instantly calls to mind our country's long and brutal struggle to overcome racism and discrimination against African-Americans," he wrote in that case.
Kennedy is best known for several opinions that expanded the rights of gays and lesbians, culminating in the 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Two years earlier, he was the deciding vote in striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which denied federal benefits to same-sex couples already married in some states.
"Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions," Kennedy said in 2015. "They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right."
Kavanaugh has no judicial record in gay-rights cases, leaving his supporters and detractors to speculate how he would vote. He served as White House staff secretary at the time President George W. Bush sought a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, but documents from that time have not been released.
Still, Kavanaugh's speech last year on Rehnquist may offer guidance. He praised the former chief justice for saying that rights not enumerated in the Constitution could be recognized by courts only if they were "rooted in the nation's history and tradition."
He said Rehnquist's 5-4 opinion in 1997, which said assisted suicide did not reach that threshold, "stands to this day as an important precedent, limiting the court's role in the realm of social policy."
More:Brett Kavanaugh: Supreme Court nominee straight out of central casting
More:Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's views on executive power may stir controversy
More:Supreme Court: Key red-state Democratic senators Donnelly and Heitkamp meet with Kavanaugh


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As a Decade Fades
- $10.99
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Publisher Description
People don't know how to love the ones they love until they disappear from their lives.
As he approaches thirty, Jody Grafton's career as a singer-songwriter falls apart: he loses his record deal, his money, his fame--even his desire to create new music. While he stares at the rubble of his one-hit-wonder musical career, his mother is diagnosed with lung cancer, his marriage ends abruptly, and Jody starts drinking heavily to deaden his new reality.
When he hasn't a single reason left to live, he attempts suicide and ends up in a psych ward where he's prodded with questions he isn't yet prepared to answer. Amid the tailspin, Jody receives a phone call from his recently estranged girlfriend and she has unexpected news: she's pregnant.
As a Decade Fades begins with this phone call. As his twenties twilight, Jody Grafton grapples with loneliness, depression, lust, and infatuation while glancing at the mounting wreckage in his rearview. When he can't fit--or force--the pieces of his life back together, he leaves his native Ohio to search for answers in the most unlikely of places: Bed-Stuy Brooklyn.
To fade the scars of the last decade, Jody must face his self-inflicted wounds head-on if he plans to discover a brighter future on the horizon. But does he have the strength to piece his life back together?


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Talking About Your Child's Pulmonary Hypertension with Your Significant Other
Denial isn't just a river in Egypt. It's also something you run up against when someone doesn't want to believe, or simply can't understand, that a loved one is suffering from a life-threatening disease.
I got my first taste of denial when my daughter Lily was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect and I was told that she would need surgery. My boyfriend would not acknowledge how serious the situation was; he believed that if he didn't think about Lily's upcoming surgery, then it didn't exist.
When Lily was in post-op after her surgery, my boyfriend asked me, "Was there a chance she couldn't make it?" When I replied yes, he said that he'd thought so, but hadn't asked the question because he was afraid of the answer. I was frustrated with him, but I thought that since Lily was going to be healthy after her surgery, I wouldn't need to worry about his denial. But Lily's pressures in her heart didn't go down, and she was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension.
My boyfriend went to some of Lily's doctor appointments. He would nod, agree, ask a few simple questions, and when we got in the car, he would ask me to explain what the doctor had said. He is very intelligent, but he felt like the doctors were speaking in a foreign language. I learned to use simple terms when relaying information about Lily's health to my boyfriend and other family members.
Even when my boyfriend understood Lily's condition, he didn't "get it." When Lily began having blue spells, her doctor prescribed 24-hour oxygen. My boyfriend would put her on oxygen in the house, but refused to put her on oxygen when they went out. He didn't seem to comprehend that 24-hour oxygen meant oxygen all the time. It was frustrating.
I tried talking to him about keeping Lily on oxygen when they went out, and he told me that he'd never noticed her turning blue. In the same breath, he also told me that he never looked for it. That blew my mind. He knew Lily had a life-threatening disease that affected the heart and lungs, but he wasn't on the lookout for her to have blue spells? He said that the babysitter had never mentioned Lily turning blue. I pointed out that just that day, the babysitter had said Lily was turning ashy, and that "turning blue" didn't mean she went Smurf-like. I was at the end of my rope with him. Whenever I tried to explain Lily's condition in depth, he brushed it off. I even gave him the scary statistics. Nothing seemed to work. He recognized how important it was that she have her medicine on time, but he didn't see why oxygen mattered so much.
I finally turned to the PH Family group on Facebook (a private Facebook group for members of the PH community), and asked for suggestions. The group helped me find another way to relay information about 24-hour oxygen. One night, I casually mentioned that I had read that when someone turns blue, it means their oxygen levels are already really bad, and I explained some of the other effects that can go along with turning blue. That got the message across! I didn't realize I'd made a breakthrough until the next day when he took Lily to the store with him and put on her oxygen for the trip. I don't know if I wore him down with all the information, if he needed time to accept it, or if he really hadn't understood that when Lily is turning blue, she is already in real danger. From then on, I saw steady improvement in his attention to making sure she was on oxygen.
I'm still dealing with this problem of denial when I try to explain the severity of Lily's disease to other people. What I have discovered is that the same thing does not work for every person. With some people, I need to describe pulmonary hypertension as scientifically as I am able to. For others, I have to give examples of how it affects her. Some people don't "get it" until I lose my temper.
My boyfriend and I still run into bumps whenever Lily's doctors give us new information, and I still have to explain things to him, but I'm glad we finally overcame this one particular hurdle. It gives me more energy to concentrate on all the other ones!
By Dianna McGlone, Parent of a Child with PH


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Recipe for Chocolate Berry Pavlova
This stunning chocolate meringue piled high with whipped cream and fresh berries looks over the top, but this airy dessert won't weigh you down. For a plain meringue, simply leave out the cocoa powder.
Start to finish: 3 hours 15 minutes (45 minutes active)
Servings: 8 to 10
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
6 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups superfine white sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups assorted fresh berries (if large, sliced)
Fresh mint leaves, to garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites and salt on medium-high until they form soft peaks, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly sprinkle in the sugar and beat until the eggs form stiff peaks.
With the mixer on low, add the vinegar and almond extract. With the mixer still running, sprinkle in the cornstarch mixture and beat until just incorporated.
Carefully spoon the mixture onto the center of the prepared baking sheet, using a rubber spatula to gently spread it into about a 12-inch circle (about 2 inches thick) with a slight dip at the center. The mixture should resemble a thick, hallow bowl.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, then turn off the oven and allow the meringue to cool for 1 hour in the oven.
Once the meringue has cooled and just before serving, make the whipped cream. In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to beat until very thick.
To assemble the pavlova, carefully remove the meringue from the parchment paper and place on a large serving tray or platter. Mound the whipped cream in the center, then top with fresh berries. If desired, garnish with fresh mint leaves.
To serve, use a serrated knife to cut the pavlova into wedges.


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Court Rules California's Prop 8 Unconstitutional and Rather Pointless
California's three-year legal battle over Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that effectively banned gay marriage in the state was suspended this morning after a panel from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it unconstitutional in a 2-1 decision.
In the ruling, which can be viewed in full at the LA Times' website, the court ruled that Prop 8 violated the 14th Amendment. The decision added, with delightful scorn, that it "served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California." The proponents of the measure are expected to appeal the ruling, which will likely send it to the Supreme Court—but for now in California, people who appreciate human dignity can rejoice.


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Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 02:57 pm
Zimbabwe's public hospital doctors and nurses went on strike Wednesday over a lack of protective gear as the coronavirus begins to spread in a country whose health system has almost collapsed.
It's the latest blow to a nation where some patients' families are asked to provide such basics as gloves and clean water.
"Right now we are exposed and no one seems to care," said Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association president, Tawanda Zvakada.
The president of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, Enock Dongo, confirmed nurses' participation. Zimbabwe has three cases of COVID-19 and recorded its first death this week.
Neighboring South Africa's coronavirus cases jumped to 709, its health minister said, as the country with Africa's most cases prepared to go into lockdown Friday. Dog-walking is barred, police said, along with running and alcohol sales.
Borders are closed to human traffic. South Africa's police minister, Bheki Cele, said two people with the coronavirus have been charged with attempted murder because they didn't obey orders to isolate themselves.
Cases across Africa are now well above 2,400. Forty-six of the continent's 54 countries have the virus with Mali, Libya and Guinea-Bissau the latest to confirm their first.
In western Kenya, riot police fired tear gas after traders resisted attempts to close a crowded market in Kisumu to help curb the virus' spread.
The country has 25 cases and on Wednesday imposed a curfew, as did South Sudan.
"Our government keeps telling us to stay indoors yet we don't have money to eat," said one trader in Kisumu, Joash Okoth Abute.
"There are only a few people with money and many without money, so I am pleading with the government to ensure all Kenyans are secure.
Help us." As cases rose to 68 in Ghana, some people debated imposing a lockdown. "What are we going to eat?" asked Ali Seidu, a driver in the capital, Accra. Civil servant Abraham Ofei disagreed:
"If they do not do it early, by the time they decide it will be too late." Some African leaders scolded citizens for not adhering to prevention measures.
"Countrymen and women, I have gone 'round the city and I have seen for myself that many among us are not taking this COVID-19 seriously," Zambian President Edgar Lungu said in Lusaka.
"I have seen multitudes patronizing bars or freely hugging and shaking hands at funerals, contrary to health advice."
The country has 12 cases. In Uganda, an eight-month-old baby was among the latest cases. That country barred public transport for two weeks.
Eritrea barred all passenger flights for two weeks as its cases rose to four. Sierra Leone declared a year-long state of emergency despite not having a case. And Congo closed its borders.
The sprawling nation has one of Africa's weakest health systems and has been battling another global health emergency, an Ebola virus outbreak.
As more African countries impose restrictions on gatherings and travel, many informal workers suffer. Ethiopia's government in a proposal to the Group of 20 major industrialized nations has said Africa needs a $150 billion emergency financing package because "COVID-19 poses an existential threat to the economies of African countries."
South Africa has an unemployment rate of 29% and the lockdown will hit workers hard. But authorities fear what will happen if the virus sweeps through crowded low-income communities and public transport. Teeming prisons are another worry across Africa.
Ethiopia's state broadcaster EBC cited the attorney general as saying more than 4,000 prisoners with minor offenses or children will be released.
African countries that have not recorded cases are Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Burundi, Malawi, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho and Sao Tome and Principe, according to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Some have the most fragile health systems on the continent.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to thre


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When Jessica and Derek Simmons first saw the beachgoers pausing to stare toward the water, the young couple just assumed someone had spotted a shark.
Six members of a single family — four adults and two young boys — and four other swimmers had been swept away by powerful and deceptive rip currents churning below the water's surface.
"These people are not drowning today," Jessica Simmons thought, she told the Panama City News Herald. "It's not happening. We're going to get them out."
She was a strong swimmer and fearless in the face of adversity. But others had tried to reach them and each previous rescue attempt had only stranded more people.
There was no lifeguard on duty, and law enforcement on the scene had opted to wait for a rescue boat. People on the beach had no rescue equipment, only boogie boards, surf boards and their arms and legs.
"Form a human chain!" they started shouting.
Roberta Ursrey was among those caught in the treacherous rip currents. From 100 yards away in the Gulf of Mexico, between crashing waves and gulps of salt water, she heard the shouting, she told The Washington Post.
By then, Ursrey and the other eight people stranded with her had already been in the water for nearly 20 minutes, fighting for their lives. Ursrey and the others had ventured into the water to rescue her two sons, Noah, 11, and Stephen, 8, who had gotten separated from their family while chasing waves on their boogie boards.
Tabatha Monroe and her wife, Brittany, in Panama City for a birthday getaway, were the first two to hear the boys' panicked cries for help. The couple had just gone into the water when they saw the boys far from shore. They swam over and grabbed hold of their boogie boards.
But when they tried towing them back to shore, the women couldn't break free of the current.
They tried to swim straight and they tried to swim sideways, Tabatha Monroe told The Washington Post, but nothing worked. After about 10 minutes, a few young men with a surfboard snagged Brittany and towed her back to shore, just as the number of people who needed rescuing grew.
Soon Ursrey, who had heard her boys' cries from the beach, was also caught in the rip currents, followed in close succession by her 27-year-old nephew, 67-year-old mother and 31-year-old husband. Another unidentified couple struggled to tread water nearby.
"The tide knocked every bit of energy out of us," Ursrey said.
So much water went up Tabatha Monroe's nose that she was sure she would drown, she told The Post.
"I was exhausted," she said.
On shore, the human chain began forming, first with just five volunteers, then 15, then dozens more as the rescue mission grew more desperate.
Jessica and Derek Simmons swam past the 80 or so human links, some who couldn't swim, and headed straight for the Ursreys, using surf and boogie boards to aid their rescue efforts.
"I got to the end, and I know I'm a really good swimmer," Jessica Simmons told the News Herald. "I practically lived in a pool. I knew I could get out there and get to them."
She and her husband started with the children, passing Noah and Stephen back along the human chain, which passed them all the way to the beach.
By the time Jessica Simmons reached Ursrey, the 34-year-old mother could hardly keep her head above water.
"I'm going to die this way," Ursrey thought to herself, she told The Post. "My family is going to die this way. I just can't do it."
Ursrey remembered Simmons coaxing her to carry on.
"I blacked out because I couldn't do it anymore," Ursrey said.
She woke up on the sand to the sound of more screams in the water.
Someone yelled that Ursrey's mother, Barbara Franz, still in the water, was having a heart attack. Simmons told the News Herald that Franz's eyes were rolling back. At one point, the 67-year-old woman told the rescuers "to just let her go" and save themselves. Instead, Ursrey's husband and nephew held Franz's body up as they struggled to keep their own heads above water.
"That's when the chain got the biggest," Ursrey said. "They linked up wrists, legs, arms. If they were there, they were helping."
Nearly an hour after they first started struggling, just as the sun prepared to set, all 10 of the stranded swimmers were safely back on shore.
The entire beach began to applaud.
"It was beachgoers and the grace of God's will," Ursrey said. "That's why we're here today."
Both Brittany Monroe and Franz were transported to a hospital. Monroe was later released after being treated for a panic attack and Franz remains hospitalized, her daughter said. She suffered a massive heart attack and an aortic aneurysm in her stomach, but has been taken off the ventilator and is considered to be in stable condition.
The Ursreys plan to meet up with Jessica and Derek Simmons once Franz is released from the hospital, but Roberta said she could give hugs to the dozens of strangers who rescued her family.
"It actually showed me there are good people in this world," Ursrey told The Post.
In a Facebook post, Jessica Simmons expressed a similar sentiment: "To see people from different races and genders come into action to help TOTAL strangers is absolutely amazing to see!! People who didn't even know each other went HAND IN HAND IN A LINE, into the water to try and reach them. Pause and just IMAGINE that."
The whole ordeal has given the Ursreys, who just moved to Florida from Georgia a month ago, a newfound respect for the power of the water.
"She'll take you with her," Ursrey said. "She almost took nine of us that day."
More from Morning Mix:
Texas family says teen killed himself in macabre 'Blue Whale' online challenge that's alarming schools


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I have been thinking about an issue that puzzles me – it is about inflation in an Austrian School style bust.
Here is the story. If we think about a stylized Austrian school boom-bust then the story more or less is that easy money leads to an unsustainable boom that eventually – for some reason – will lead to a bust.
What people often fail to realize is that the Austrian business cycle theory basically is a supply side story.
Austrians will hate it, but you can tell much of the story within an AS/AD framework. The graph below is an illustration of this.
What happens is that the central bank cuts interest rates below the Wicksellian natural interest rate. Investors are tricked into thinking that it is the natural interest rates that has fallen and as a result investments are increased. Austrians will of course object by saying "it is not a overinvestment theory, but a malinvestment theory". Yes, that is right, but that is not relevant for the question I want to look at here.
The boom happens not because of higher demand, but because of over (and mal) investment. The production capacity of the economy is hence expanded – the AS curve shifts to the right during the Austrian boom and production increases from Y1 to Y2. We ignore the demand effects – so we keep the AD unchanged – as the Austrians really are not paying much attention to this part of the story anyway (and yes, I am aware the there is relative demand story – private consumption vs investments).
Notice what happens with the price level initially. Prices drop from P1 to P2. Obviously that would not necessarily have to be the case if the AD curve also have shifted to the right as well (but that is not important for the story here). However, this pretty well illustrates the Austrian story that "headline" inflation will not necessarily increase during the boom. What happens – and we can obviously not realize that by just looking at AD and AS curves – is that we get what Austrians call relative inflation. Some prices rise, but the aggregate price level does not necessarily increase.
So far so good. I know Austrian economists would say that I told the story in the "wrong way", but I guess they will agree on the main points – Austrian Business Cycle Theory is mostly about the supply side of the economy and that the aggregate price level will not necessarily have to increase during the boom phase.
Now we turn to the bust phase…
At some point investors realise that they have made a mistake – the natural interest rate has not really dropped. Therefore, what they thought were good and profitable investments are not really that great. So as a result investors cut back investments – after the "bubble" have bursted a large part of the production capacity in the economy is worthless. This is a negative supply shock! The AS shift back leftwards.
What is the result of this? Well, it is simple – the price level increases from P2 to P1. We get higher inflation. This might seem counterintuitive to most people – that the bust leads to higher rather lower inflation – but remember this is due fact that the Austrian boom-bust cycle primarily is a supply side story.
'Benign' inflation should be welcomed
And this brings me to what I really wanted to say. An increase inflation should be welcomed if it reflects a rational and undistorted reaction to investors realising that they have made a mistake. That is exactly what happens in an Austrian style bust. We might get relative deflation/disinflation, but the aggregate price level increases due to the negative supply shock.
Therefore, when Austrians often argue that the bust should be allowed to play out without any interference from the government or the central bank then that logically mean that they should welcome an increase in inflation in the bust phase of the business cycle. That obvious is not that same saying that monetary policy should be eased in the bust phase, but inflation should nonetheless be allowed to increase as we get "benign" inflation.
However, in my view that would mean that it would be wrong from an Austrian perspective for the central bank to tighten monetary policy in response to rise in (supply) inflation during the bust. Those Austrian economists who favour NGDP level targeting – like Anthony Evans and Steve Horwitz – would likely agree, but what about the "internet Austrian"? And what about Bob Murphy or Joe Salerno?
Obviously the story I have told above is a caricature of the Austrian Business Cycle theory, but I think there is a relevant discussion here that need to be addressed. Is the aggregate price level likely to rise in the bust phase as natural consequence of market forces being allowed to run it cause?
The reason that I think this debate is important is that some Austrians spend a lot of time arguing that the deflationary tendencies that we see for example in Europe at the moment are a natural and necessary bursting and deflating of a bubble. However, IF we indeed were in the bust phase of a Austrian style business cycle then we would not be seeing deflationary tendencies. We would in fact be seeing the opposite – we would see HIGHER inflation, but at the same time relative deflation.
Obviously this is not what we are seeing in the US and Europe today – inflation in both the US and the euro zone is well-below what it was during the "boom years". That mean that we are not in the bust phase of an Austrian style boom-bust. There might very well have been a boom-bust initially (I believe that was the case in some European countries for example), but we have long ago moved to another phase – and that is what Hayek termed secondary deflation – a downturn in the economy caused by an monetary contraction.
PS Take a look at what happened in the US in 2007-8. Overall inflation did in fact increase as the economy was slowing, while we at the same time had relative deflation in the form of falling property prices. However, starting in the Autumn of 2008 we clearly saw across the board deflationary tendencies – here it is pretty clear that we entered a secondary deflationary phase caused by a monetary contraction. This is consistent with an Austrian interpretation of the Great Recession, but it is not a story I have heard many (any??) Austrians tell. And of course it is not necessarily the story I would tell – even though I think there is a lot of truth in it.
PPS The graphs above could indicate that both production and prices shifts back to the initial starting point during the bust. That obviously would not have to be the case as I here have ignored the shift in the AD curve and as any Austrian would note the AS/AD framework is not telling us anything about relative prices.


text: Fashionable Cross Body, Clutch, or Shoulder Concealed Carry Handbag with custom designed Holster. Concealed Carry Handbag Pocket is accessible by zipper while carrying the handbag on your left or right side. Concealed Carry Pockets runs the height and length of the bag and has velcro on both walls of the pocket. The Holster has velcro on both sides and attaches to the inside velcro walls of the pocket.


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Thanksgiving ever sneak up on you? It happened to me.
Here we are days before the big day, and I haven't even made a list. Not one list. I'm pretty confident it'll all happen. I have faith. Somehow between all the extra work and volunteer jobs that this month brings, we will still be reminded to be thankful for each other and have
way too much food everybody's favorite dishes. Right after I plan & shop & cook. How will I pull that off?
Thanksgiving Wine – Of course!
- Steve loves my stuffing
- Karissa loves my Apple Pie
- Joey loves the City Ham
- Jake loves Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry Sauce and Sparkling Cider
And, even though everyone that lives in my house works at the Grocery Outlet – ALL the shopping is my responsibility. That is horribly wrong and should be corrected will never change.
I'm not gonna lie, I do love planning and cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. But, don't tell my family. I'd rather go down in history as a Thanksgiving Martyr.
Here's our wine picks to pair with your Thanksgiving Dinner 🙂
Privilege Sauvignon Blanc ~ Fabio Viviani Chardonnay
A to Z Pinot Noir ~ Willow Crest Merlot
2015 Drouet Freres Privilege Sauvignon Blanc ~ France
elsewhere $19.99 ~ Our Price $5.99
Larry liked the citrusy taste after a long day of golf, it's refreshing. Joe R. said it was light, yet sturdy. Steve called it fruity and Ethan, Arvin and Lauren all agreed. Scott thought this was a nice wine, it's got a zip to it. Ethan added that it paired well with the spicy gouda appetizer and Nancy commented that it goes great with company.
I couldn't find any community tasting notes for this French Sauvignon, but it did get 3.6/5 from Vivino.com
2013 Fabio Viviani Chardonnay ~ California
elsewhere $14.99 ~ Our price $4.99
I noticed the buttery-ness of this Chardonnay right away, Scott agreed. I have heard people say 'this has a nice mouthfeel' but until I tried this wine, I hadn't had that experience. Now I know what they were talking about! Arvin said it was so buttery you could put it on popcorn, yet Nancy found it to be lighter but buttery. Larry said, like oleo?
90 Points from Tastings.com: Golden yellow color. Bright, fruity, oaky aromas of toasty praline and apple tart with a satiny, vibrant, fruity medium body and a seamless, interesting, medium-long pineapple cake, crème brulee, and smoked nuts finish with fine tannins and light oak. A round and welcoming chardonnay with pleasing oakiness.
2012 A to Z Pinot Noir ~ Oregon
elsewhere $$12.99 ~ Our price $3.99
Larry commented on the aroma of current. Terry asked, "how do you know what currents smell like?" Joe R. called this Pinot a nice replacement for cranberries at the Thanksgiving table. Ethan found it nice and light. Larry also thought he thought he noticed some tobacco notes and Steve nodded, "yeah, lil' bit." I thought this 1/2 bottle was very food friendly, it paired nicely with the Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing. Plus, because of it's size, it's cute to add to the table for guests.
86.6 Points from CellarTracker.com: Juicy berries, with lavender and violets. Medium-bodied and reasonably plush, with great complexity.
2011 Willow Crest Estate Grown Merlot ~ Yakima Valley
elsewhere $19.99 ~ Our price $7.99
Terry spoke right up on this Merlot from Washington State, she liked it. Steve added, "nice". Joe R. tasted current & dark berry, plum-ish (nobody questioned whether he was familiar with currents). He added that it was nice, strong and dry, the way he likes wine. This was Lauren's favorite of the night. We paired this with desert of blackberry cobbler and vanilla ice cream, which disappeared quick.
89 Points from CellarTracker.com: A bit more substantive than the same producers of 2011 Cabernet Franc. Red fruits, mineral, juicy finish. Well made in a tough vintage.


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I spend a lot of time promoting and advertising giveaways so I feel like since I don't ask for monetary compensation I should be compensated somehow for my time...as in the product itself. So I've had several sponsors send me sample size itty bitty stuff (although they will give full size to the giveaway winner) or give me a much smaller or lesser quality size/style, etc. I find this totally irritating and quite frankly rude.
So my question is...how do you handle giveaways? Do you charge? Just get the product? What do you do when you feel jipped (although you may still like the product itself)? I personally do not write reviews on products I do not like. I just skip them and move on.
Thanks for your time and help!
Views: 54
I'm sorry to hear you've received some samples to review, rather than actual items.
I personally don't charge to host giveaways, but when I pitch a company, or agree to accept a product to review, I make sure I receive the exact same item I'm giving away. If I receive an item that I didn't like, I review it honestly, as I want my readers to know the truth.
I think I need to be clearer about what I will accept to review. The reason why I don't review items I don't like is because most of the time it has to do with taste as opposed to quality of the product. Although right now I have a rug here to review that I really don't think is good quality especially for the price. I keep going back and forth on posting this since it does have to do with quality and not personal taste.
Thank you for replying!
I make it clear up front that I should receive a full size product, same as giveaway prize, in order to write an accurate and detailed review. If you're only getting a sample, then you are getting ripped off. It takes me about an hour just to write a giveaway post and insert all SEO links, Rafflecopter form, etc. and my time is worth more than a sample sized product.
Also, about reviewing items you don't care for after reviewing - I think you should still post your honest opinion, but do it in a neutral manner. Use phrases like "I felt...", "in my opinion..." "I think there's room for improvement in the following areas..." instead of just declaring that it was awful.
If you only post glowing reviews, you're doing a disservice to your readers. If the product is downright terrible, you may want to give the company a heads up to see if it was a defect with that one product, and they may send a replacement. I actually posted a review recently where I listed some areas I thought they could improve on, and the company thanked me for my feedback.
Thanks Rachel. Given the two responses I think I'm going to move forward with some of the products that I'm not that crazy about. I'll try to do it in a way that is not too hurtful. For example right now I have a $30 rug that I've received a lot of compliments on. However, I would not have paid $30 because it is very thin and I would just expect more for $30. But I like the look of the rug and everyone else does too!


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The beef between Iggy AZALEA and AZEALIA Banks<–(13ANKHs) resurfaced about a week and a half ago. AZEALIA Banks expressed how she really felt about Iggy AZALEA during an interview with HOT 97. Please see the video below.
Why is all of this AZALEA/AZEALIA news surfacing now? Not only do the two women RAP, but both have very similar names which we must examine further. AZ is OZ, because vowels are interchangeable in code-cracking. Iggy AZ(OZ)alea is originally from AUS/OZtralia. Rearranging a few letters around, we get "AZAZEL" which means "sCAPeGOAT" in Hebrew. As mentioned by JusTIN Lyons in "The Kitchen Sync" group on Facebook, "OZ" (EZ/AZE/עֵז) means "GOAT" in Hebrew…particularly FEMALE GOAT. OZ = 77. We'll return to the "77" cipher/code momentarily…
"ALEA," or "ALIYAH", the second part of AZ-ALEA/AZ-EALIA's means "ascent" in Hebrew (עֲלִיָּה). It also means "lofty," "ascended," and "exalted." This all ties in with the current astrological sign we are currently under–the CAPRICORN GOAT. Although the recent news about their beef came to light under the sign of SAGITTARIUS, it happened on the cusp as we were heading into the sign of the GOAT. The GOAT is known for being LOFTY or ASCENDing, as it travels up the CLIFF or MOUNTAIN. Also, both Iggy AZALEA and AZEALIA Banks are GEMINIs. GEMINI is represented by the TWINS, and the women are TWIN-like in that they are both RAPPERS who share the same name. GEMINI is also SAGITTARIUS' polar opposite in the zodiac.
R&B, pop, and HIP HOP singer, AALIYAH was a CAPRICORN. She was born on January 16, 1979, during the year of the HORSE bordering on the sign/year of the GOAT/SHEEP/RAM. AALIYAH was buried at FernCLIFF Cemetery. Some speculate that she was a sacrificial LAMB/GOAT for the elite, as she was killed in a mysterious plane crash.
More astrological syncs/codes:
Iggy AZALEA, A.K.A. [A]methyst [A]melia [K]elly (A=1; A=1; and K=11–>11:11; KA), was born during the year of the HORSE–the Chinese sign we are currently under. [A]ZEALIA [A]manda [B]anks was born during the year of the GOAT/RAM/SHEEP. Her initials (AAB/BA) form the sound a SHEEP makes. We are preparing to transition from the year of the HORSE into the year of the GOAT come February 19, 2015. Like LL Cool J, both women (AZALEA and AZEALIA) are battling to be the G.O.A.T.–The [G]reatest [O]f [A]ll [T]ime.
THIS just in TODAY (12/29/14)! See photo below.
In recent news, Iggy AZALea was said to have given her boyfriend (L.A. Lakers player Nick Young) a BLUE CHÈVR[E]olet IMPALA for CHRISTMAS. "AZUL" in sPANish means "BLUE." CHRISTMAS takes place under the sign of the CAPRICORN GOAT. As we learned from one of my previous posts, "CHÈVRE" means "GOAT" in French, and an IMPALA comes from the same family as the GOAT.
The number 77:
Not only does the number 77 resemble the lightning bolt (ϟ), but it is also the letter Z when we arrange them in a certain pattern. The letter Z comes at the end of the alphabet, and we are approaching the end of 2014. Jason Barrera, of themaskofgod.blogspot.com, broke down the significance of the 7's in recent news. See photos below.
The Sydney siege and Manoora massacre in Queensland/down under sync up with the current beef gone viral between the AZALEA/AZEALIA's. As noted by some synchromystics, scenes from The Matrix were filmed across the street (53 Martin Place) from 52 MarTIN Place in Sydney, the same spot the Sydney siege went down. 52 Martin Place is where Channel 7 is located. There are 52 weeks in a year and this year (2014) is coming to an end.
AZALEAs are FLOWering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron. The AZALEA is the state wildFLOWer of GEORGIA. When Iggy AZALEA moved to the U.S., she spent a few years of her life residing in ATLANTA, GEORGIA. She was signed by ATLANTEAN (GEORGIA) RAPPER, T.I. FLOW is WOLF backwards, and we are approaching the full WOLF/FLOW moon come January 5th, 2015. SHEEP are terrorized by WOLVES, and a famous idiom of biblical origin is a "WOLF in SHEEP's clothing."
The CHEVRON pattern is extremely popular at the moment, and has been since mid-summer. Below are some photos I snapped while at my local Target a few months ago.
Everything is connected! 😉
***Original slides by SynchroMiss***
***Sync credit for the "777" code goes to Horselover Phat's Subliminal-Synchro-Sphere***


text:
Status: Available for reference in library only.
Book Description:
Arlington, Texas based counter cult educational and evangelistic ministry, Watchman Fellowship, provides this custom notebook which contains every Profile published by Watchman Fellowship bimonthly since 1993 — over 450 pages!
These Profiles are 4-page briefings on new religious movements, the occult, cults, New Age spirituality, and related doctrines and practices. New Profiles will be added to the Notebook six-times per year as they continue to be published on an ongoing basis.
Watchman Fellowship is largely staffed by traditionalist Southern Baptists who subscribe to a Dispensational Premillennial view of eschatology. Not every view espoused by Watchman Fellowship necessarily reflects the views of the session of Mid-Cities Presbyterian Church.
Source: Watchman Fellowship Profile Notebook Page
About the Author:
Watchman Fellowship is an independent Christian research and apologetics ministry focusing on new religious movements, cults, the occult and the New Age.
David Henke founded Watchman Fellowship in Columbus, Georgia in 1979. Today, Watchman Fellowship has grown to several offices in the United States.
Watchman Fellowship serves the Christian and secular community as a resource for education, counseling, and non-coercive intervention and evangelism training. We accomplish these tasks through our church presentations, personal counseling, this website, and other activities. We have served almost every denomination including Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal, Assemblies of God, Church of God, Lutheran, Nazarene, non-denominational, etc., as well as schools, law enforcement agencies, and civic groups.
Concerning a person's right to choose, we believe that a real choice is one based on access to all the information, and understanding both or all sides. The counterfeit groups typically try to block their members and the public from having access to this information. We have found that most cults will use deception, control, cover up, and dishonesty with their own members and the people they are trying to convert. This deception includes some or all of the following: the group's history, false prophesy, false scholarship, a distortion of true church history and doctrine, and destructive practices of the group.
Our name, Watchman Fellowship, is often confused with the Watchtower Society title used by the Jehovah's Witnesses. However, we are in no way affiliated with them. Our name is taken from the Old Testament book of the Bible, Ezekiel.
"Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth, and give them warning from Me." (Ezekiel 33:7)
As Christians, we do believe that "we are our brother's keeper." Like the watchman on the wall (Ezekiel 3:17), we have the responsibility to sound a warning against the deception and destructive spiritual abuse practiced by counterfeit groups. In sounding such warning Watchman Fellowship also has a principled commitment to accuracy.
Source: About Us Page
Book Details:
450+ Pages
Publisher: Watchman Fellowship
Publication Date: 2016
Source: Watchman Fellowship Profile Notebook Page
Library patrons who have read this book are invited to share their comments, reviews, questions or criticisms for discussion in the comments below this post.


text:
All photos and GIFs by Liz Barclay (@liz_barclay)
Keeping up with the burger game in NYC is a full-time sport—in just the past seven days, we've seen the makings of a Asian-inspired burger truck, and heard about about five new late-night burger specials we need to try. And that's just an average week.
High rents ensure that just about every restaurant creates a burger to lure in punters and bolster the bottom line, but many chefs are competitive and ambitious enough to take the task seriously. Meanwhile, the landscape continues to evolve, with newcomers storming the scene in every category (Shake Shack challengers, high-end steakhouse burgers, and so on) and some classics losing their luster—Corner Bistro has been way off the mark in recent experience, and so far the Greenwich Village spinoff of Burger Joint has been erratic, suggesting that maybe it's been propped up by the alluring secrecy of the original location.
To save you the artery-clogging work of finding the new contenders that can hang with the old standard-bearers, we've been on a monthlong burger bender to discover the best patties that have hit menus in the past 12 months. And to show you the techniques that make them shine, we made some very graphic GIFs along the way.
Enter at your own risk—here are our 10 ten favorite new burgers in NYC, with GIFs that might turn you into a slobbering, stammering lunatic.


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Review: Beluga Noble Russian Vodka
Posted by Arctic Wolf on November 22, 2012
According to the website information, Beluga Noble Russian Vodka is manufactured in a remote area of Siberia, reported to be 300 km from the nearest large settlement. The vodka is produced from grain alcohol (some of the alcohol may be produced from malted grain), and purified Siberian spring water. Even though artesian spring water is naturally pure, for this Vodka, it must also undergo a double filtration, through quartz sand and a special silver filter. After distillation, a third stage of purification involves a 10.5 meter coal column filter which is composed of birch charcoal. Prior to bottling, the vodka is rested 30 days. This rest period apparently allows the molecular components within to stabilize allowing for a smoother more velvet-like mouth-feel and taste.
Interestingly enough, Beluga vodka also contains other special ingredients (in extremely small quantities) such as honey, oat extract, and Silybum Marianum (milk thistle) extract. The addition of minute quantities of special ingredients is consistent with what I know of traditional European production methods where each distilled vodka has its own recipe and its own special ingredients. It is these special ingredients used in very small proportions which contribute to the individual character of each Vodka. (By small quantities I really do mean small; typically these extra ingredients are measured in parts per million.)
Beluga Noble Russian Vodka has recently been introduced into my home Province of Alberta. It is a Premium Vodka which is priced to occupy the same market niche as Grey Goose and Belvedere. A bottle was delivered to me by Thirsty Cellar Imports, who are importing this spirit and I was asked to provide a review on my website.
Here is an excerpt from my review:
"… The nose is clean with faint wisps of lemon and spice. There is something else in the air as well, a very soft aroma which seems very vaguely sweet and herbal, and at the same time very vaguely like fresh cereal porridge (made with milk). As I sip the Vodka, I am very impressed. I taste very lightly sweet flavours of lemon and citrus zest as well as a very gentle spiciness. The aftertaste is vaguely sweet reminding my of honey or cane syrup, and I taste a very light maltiness which is very appealing… "
Here is a link to my full review:
Review: Beluga Noble Russian Vodka
Please enjoy my review of this new Premium Russian Vodka which includes recipe for a standard Vodka Martini, and my own Estate Cocktail.
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OBS 2.2.72 released, switch to apache and SSL as default
April 12, 2011 Leave a comment
We just released OBS 2.2.72, another alpha release for OBS 2.3. The most significant change to former alpha snapshots is the switch to apache. We do so for a number of reasons:
- Getting a maintained base again for our default httpd
- Using mod_rails (passenger) is more flexible then the static setup before
- Optimizations are possible via additional modules (more about that later)
We think that some bugs like the invalid occassional empty replies by the api server are solved via this switch as well.
The OBS 2.2.72 appliance is already comming with apache setup. Please note that we use also SSL by default, a default SSL CA is created on bootup and becomes part of your data partition.
In case you use the packages outside of the appliance, you need to do some configuration steps. But don't worry, a apache vhost file comes with the packages already and only a few steps need to be done, the README files should reflect this already.
lighttpd setups should still work, but please note that lighttpd is running with an own user id ("lighttpd") and the default is now the generic "wwwrun" user for some directories.


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Jade & Jade Couture – Mothers of the Bride
Title: Jade & Jade Couture by Jasmine
Location: The Wedding Store
View the Jade Collection: Click Here
View the Jade Couture Collection: Click Here
Description: Mother of the Bride Show – Jasmine is always following the LATEST trends in everything wedding related! Today they are focusing on the hottest Mother's trends that allow Mom's to LOVE their gowns & wear colors to look their best on that special day – Purchases Enjoy a 15% discount at this show!!!
Start Date: 3/19/2020
Start Time: 11:00am
End Date: 3/21/2020
End Time: 4:00pm


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Edge Black Bandana Face Mask
***Made after ordering. Allow 3-5 weeks for delivery***
Get the Edge! BBCo's second mask style, Edge, gives you a new look for a new day, while still letting you wear the great bandana looks you love.
- Super soft polyester blend that is comfortable and won't irritate your skin
- Adjustable ear loop buckles
- Comes with a set of two PM2.5 filters
- Machine wash with cold water and air dry
Note: BBCo does not make medical claims. These are uncertain times. Please ask your doctor if you have any questions about protecting your health safety. When in doubt wear these great masks over a medically approved mask to jazz up your style when you must be out and about. Stay safe!
Free Worldwide Shipping
Your face mask is custom made for you after ordering. Allow 3-5 weeks for delivery, up to 45 days to some of the most off the beaten path international destinations due to a reduction of international flights during the Corona 19 Pandemic. There is no additional charge for worldwide shipping.
Please shop with care
As BBCo's masks are each custom made just for you when ordered we cannot offer exchanges or refunds for esthetic (color changes) or size issues. Please be sure of your shipping address. We are unable to change shipping locations after an order is sent to our manufacturer. You will need to leave a forwarding address with the Post Office. Refunds can not be given for address changes. Thanks for your understanding.
Thank you for your support of independent designers and small business!


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CAMBRIDGE, MA—According to a promising new economic report published Wednesday by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a steadily growing number of Americans have become delusional enough to open their own businesses.
The report, which described its findings as "highly encouraging for near-term economic growth," confirmed that over 200,000 small businesses were founded in 2013 by entrepreneurial Americans who have completely and utterly lost their grip on reality, and noted that the number of bold and frankly insane Americans applying for new business permits had risen markedly over the past year.
"The recession of 2008 devastated small businesses throughout the country, but thankfully, recent data have shown a sizable increase in the percentage of Americans who have completely fooled themselves into believing that starting an independently run business is not only a viable option, but one that actually makes sense in the current economic climate," said James Hemley, an economist at MIT and lead author of the report. "Every day, we're seeing more entrepreneurs who are deluded to such a degree that they are confidently investing their entire life savings in new and unquestionably ill-fated restaurants, storefronts, and online businesses."
"What's remarkable is that these completely deranged people have such an ill-placed faith in the long-term stability of the small business landscape that they're somehow optimistic about their financial future," Hemley continued. "And that utter detachment from the real world is great news for the economy."
Hemley explained to reporters that in spite of the litany of clear indications that the global economy remained highly unsettled and hazardous, a bright new wave of Americans are currently forging ahead under the fundamentally flawed and entirely irrational belief that their new businesses will attract wealthy investors and establish a loyal consumer base. The promising trend has also reportedly led thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs to conclude that securing large bank loans at high interest rates—which will almost certainly lead to insolvency and personal financial ruin—is a good idea.
"The most encouraging sign we're seeing is that many new entrepreneurs are living in such a far-fetched, dreamlike stupor that they're actually making significant investments in infrastructure and payroll," Hemley said. "These entirely nonsensical investments will certainly have a positive impact on the job market, as these new ventures create thousands of new jobs for several months until these doomed companies can no longer keep their doors open and inevitably collapse into bankruptcy."
According to the encouraging report, 67 percent of self-identified new entrepreneurs are deranged to such an extent that they've convinced themselves the U.S. economy has rebounded to the point that a small business can not only turn a profit, but thrive and eventually expand. The study also found that 78 percent are so severely demented that they believed a tiny, independently run business could compete with the far larger and more powerful national corporate hierarchy.
Furthermore, the report confirmed that nine in 10 new entrepreneurs had bought into such an illusory fantasy world that they genuinely believed opening a small business would ensure a steady paycheck, a comfortable life for their families, and a good education for their children, rather than accepting the future of devastation and hardship that certainly awaited them within the next 18 months once their businesses were gone and they were left with nothing.
"According to our projections, the number of totally senseless entrepreneurs will only continue to grow over the next several quarters, and as they invest more and more money—money that they will never, ever get back—into their businesses, their local economies will benefit," Hemley said. "It just goes to show that in spite of everything—even the most basic and plainly apparent common sense—the great American entrepreneurial spirit will never die."
"As long as these people continue to be out of their goddamn minds, our economic future appears bright," Hemley added.