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What Happens When the Arab Spring Turns to Summer?
Ruminations on the revolutions of 2011.
Nabil Fahmy, Egypt's former ambassador to Washington, was commenting during a recent visit to the United States about the prospects for the Arab Spring. He cautioned that Americans didn't understand the weather in his part of the world. For Arabs, he said, it is always either summer or winter.
After the exhilarating days in Tahrir Square that led to the resignation on Feb. 11 of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, many observers have felt a chill in the political air — whatever the season may be. The first electoral test of the new democracy came in the March 19 constitutional referendum. That resulted in resounding defeat for the democracy-building "no" vote urged by many leaders of the Tahrir Square revolution — and a thumping 77 percent victory for the "yes" position advocated by the unspoken alliance between the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Egypt's democratic revolutionaries, to be sure, are fighting back. They have stepped up their own political organizing and are forming new parties. They see the danger that their revolution will be hijacked, and they are organizing against that outcome.
To say that there are dangers ahead for Egypt and its neighbors is only to state the obvious. For the historical truth is that although revolutions are always lovable in their infancy, they tend to become less so as they age. The idealistic youth on the barricades, who seem drawn from the cast of Les Misérables, are replaced by small groups of determined revolutionaries who have the will and ideological or religious determination to steer the masses. And the revolutionary disorder, which seemed so exciting at first, becomes dark and insecure to the point that people demand order and give up the freedoms they fought so hard to obtain.
I don't mean to predict that the Arab Spring will turn to winter. In truth, we don't know where this process is heading; there are too many inflection points and uncertainties. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had it right when he said in March that this is "dark territory"; it's impossible to read the overhead imagery, so to speak, and know what's down there in terms of outcomes. In what follows, I want to offer a skeptical analytical look — not predicting failure, but warning of obstacles ahead.
First, the reality of the Arab revolution: In my more than 30 years of covering foreign news, I have never seen anything quite like what is happening now in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria — and datelines yet to be announced. I see this process as part of a "global political awakening" — a movement for change that is enabled and accelerated by modern technology, but is also comparable to some other periods of revolutionary change in modern history.
I owe the "awakening" idea to Zbigniew Brzezinski. Three years ago, with the 2008 U.S. presidential election approaching, I worked with Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft on a book called America and the World: Conversations on the Future of American Foreign Policy. The theme was that a global process of change was under way — and that the basics of U.S. foreign policy needed to be reimagined by the next president. In my introduction, I described the central insight of these two former national security advisors this way: "Both men describe a political revolution that's sweeping the world — Brzezinski speaks of a global awakening, while Scowcroft describes a yearning for dignity. They want America on the side of that process of change."
We are now seeing the full force of that political awakening as it sweeps across the Middle East. How and why did it happen? What similar events have occurred in the past? And what are the consequences for America?
PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images
First, the triggering event in Tunisia. It's almost a case study in how complex systems fail. What seems a small event disturbs the equilibrium and produces a very large change in outcomes. It's a discontinuity, a "tipping point," as pundits like to say — an example of what mathematicians sometimes call "catastrophe theory."
Think of the collapse of a bridge: Observers may see that the steel girders of the bridge are rusting away; they may see it sway and shudder with each vehicle that passes. But who can explain why it gives way after the 1,000,001st truck rumbles across, when it didn't fail for the previous million? The bridge's collapse is a catastrophic event that was at once foreseeable and impossible to predict.
The same could be said for the "Arab Spring." We knew that the political systems in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria were rotten and that popular discontent was growing. Those problems had been developing for more than 20 years. But who could have predicted the inflection point, the moment when fear became rage, and rage became action that spread until it was a cascading wave of change?
Here's how it began in Tunisia, as my colleague Marc Fisher assembled the timeline in the Washington Post. It's an astonishing story, all the more as we see each day its eddying repercussions.
On Friday, Dec. 17, a street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi in the town of Sidi Bouzid loaded his cart with what he told his family were the best oranges, dates, and apples he had ever seen. On his way to the market, he was blocked by two police officers who tried to take the fruit from his cart. His uncle protested to the police chief, who told one of the officers, a woman named Fedya Hamdi, to let the man go sell his produce.
The policewoman was indignant about the complaint and searched out Bouazizi, who had by now set up his stall in the market. She arrogantly carried off one load of his apples to her car and was about to take another when he protested. The policewoman then hit the street vendor with her baton, and when he struggled to his feet, she slapped him — which made the young man weep with tears of humiliation and rage.
"Why are you doing this to me?… I'm a simple person, and I just want to work, " Bouazizi cried out, according to people who were interviewed later by Fisher.
Bouazizi went to city hall to complain about this mistreatment, but no officials would see him and clerks told him to go away.
The humiliated young man was seething when he got back to the market, and he told other vendors that he would show the wrong that had been done — by lighting himself on fire. His friends didn't believe him, but within minutes he had wet his body with paint thinner and, standing in front of the local municipal building, lit himself on fire. He died of severe burns three weeks later in a hospital.
In the interim, this sad little incident — this protest of a humiliated man who had no other way to express himself but self-immolation — went viral. Bouazizi's cousin posted a cell-phone video that he shot of a protest in Sidi Bouzid the day after the incident. An activist posted that on Facebook, Al Jazeera picked it up that evening, and suddenly millions of people were sharing the shame and rage of the Tunisian fruit seller.
Less than a month after the incident in the Sidi Bouzid market, President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali had fled the country and his regime, once seen as one of the more advanced in the Arab world, had been toppled.
The Tunisian rupture spread quickly to Egypt. After Ben Ali fled Tunis, a Google marketing executive named Wael Ghonim and others used Facebook to organize a demonstration in Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest Mubarak's autocratic regime. On Jan. 25, the protesters took to the streets and stayed there, overwhelming riot police not just in Cairo but across the country. The regime, in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading, turned off the Internet. That further enraged the public, and on Friday, Jan. 28, a much larger demonstration, drawn from a far wider array of Egyptian society, gathered in the square. It grew and grew. The military was summoned; the protesters wisely embraced the soldiers as their army, not Mubarak's, and the troops returned the embrace. In that moment, you knew how it would end.
On Friday, Feb. 11, less than three weeks after the first protest, Mubarak was gone.
FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images
I arrived in Egypt several days later, when huge crowds were still filling the square, day and night, and revolution was in the air.
These massive gatherings — on Friday, Feb. 18, more than a million people filled Tahrir Square — were like a living organism. The crowd was spontaneous and only loosely organized, but it had the discipline and cohesion of a connected network.
As you moved through Tahrir Square, you passed from node to node: from a group singing patriotic songs, to a solemn knot of mourners holding portraits of martyrs who had died in the square, to a circle of leftists chanting slogans and waving banners, to a group of kids jumping gleefully on Army tanks.
Scientists sometimes speak of an "emergent phenomenon," a self-organizing process that unites what appear to be discrete individual entities. That's what Tahrir Square felt like, even a week later. It was at once a protest and a festival. An Egyptian friend told me that the Army wouldn't leave the square until the last Egyptian had his picture taken atop a tank.
In this cauldron of revolution, the normal divisions seemed to dissolve. That was the discontinuity — the break with passivity and division to a new state of unity and fearless confidence. The protests brought together Christians and Muslims; socialists and capitalists; young and old; Internet tycoons and poor people from the slums. They were all united in the demand that Mubarak leave office. And despite brutal provocation — as on the infamous "Day of the Camels" — they generally held to the promise of their slogan, "salmiya, salmiya," "peaceful, peaceful."
The virus has continued to spread, with fits and starts. After visiting Syria in late February, I wrote about a flash mob that had gathered in downtown Damascus to protest a policeman's brutal treatment of a motorist he had detained. People emailed each other videos of the police beating, and soon hundreds of people were chanting slogans demanding dignity and freedom from harassment. That protest was defused when the Syrian interior minister himself arrived, 30 minutes later, to discipline the police officer.
I wrote at the time that if President Bashar al-Assad didn't follow through on what aides told me were his plans for reform, he might be too late. For one sure lesson of the Arab Spring is that delay can be fatal. But Assad waited, and his regime at this writing is in dire jeopardy.
As I look back at these three months of protest and try to find the unifying theme, I think back to the formulation of my mentors. There is a yearning for dignity, as Scowcroft said, and it is producing a political awakening. Of the many words chanted by the crowds in Tahrir Square, one of the most powerful was karama, or dignity. My favorite summary of the emotional core of this movement comes from my colleague Nora Boustany, a Lebanese journalist, who translated for me an Arab proverb: "The artery of shame has ruptured."
For Americans, that must seem like a strange concept. They are shameless, in the anthropological sense. But from the time I began covering the Middle East in 1980, I have seen what I now recognize was a shamed and broken political culture — a culture of passivity and resignation, which often expressed itself in negative and self-destructive acts of political violence and accepted authoritarian governments and the slogans they used to justify themselves. As my Arab friends say, that was the culture of 1967 — the culture of defeat, in which Arabs, with momentary exceptions, found themselves the pawns of a tiny but potent Israel and its superpower patron.
This is the culture that ended in 2011. That's not to say that what lies ahead is necessarily benign, from an American standpoint. But Arabs are now embracing a culture of activism and self-determination, as opposed to one of passivity and victimization. They are defying army tanks, secret police, gangs of roving thugs, and their own ethnic and religious differences to unite in revolt.
PATRICK BAZ/AFP/Getty Images
The Internet and Facebook have played a role in this revolution. But I am not a material determinist: I don't believe that the "means of information production" determine the course of history.
As I look back in history, there were other moments of sudden discontinuity, when people broke through the existing barriers of fear and defied authority, passing the message of revolt by the best available means. Thomas Paine's pamphlet, "Common Sense," had an electrifying effect on American revolutionaries when it was published in 1776. When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini swept to power in 1979, his rise was powered by an insidious new technology known as the "cassette tape," which allowed Iranians to listen secretly to his sermons. The movement that spread across Eastern Europe in 1989 and toppled the Soviet empire was sometimes called the "fax revolution," in honor of that liberating technology, and the first post-Soviet news agency proudly took the name "Interfax."
What's discouraging, as you look back through this history, is what Crane Brinton famously called the "Anatomy of Revolution." His book should be on every reading list this spring, but if you haven't looked at it recently, here's a brief summary:
Brinton noted that revolutions are born of hope, not poverty and despair. Their life arc moves from the uprising that displaces the old regime to a "honeymoon" in which a legal, moderate government tries to rule, even as an illegal, radical movement gains strength. The radical movement — the Jacobins, if you will, or the Leninists or (in our darkest imagining of the future) the Muslim Brotherhood — tend to win because, in Brinton's words, they are "better organized, better staffed, better obeyed."
The radicals' triumph brings on a period of fanatical activism, with purges and revenge attacks — and a growing "reign of terror." Eventually the public demands order, and the street radicals are put down by a reaction that Brinton likened to the Thermidorian Reaction in France in 1794. With order comes a new dictator who presumes to speak for the people — a Napoleon or Stalin or Khomeini.
Reading history reminds us that revolutionary change is a volatile and sometimes toxic process that confounds expectations.
The Arab Spring has been likened, for example, to the revolutions that swept across Europe in 1848, which was known in some countries as the "Spring of Nations." Now that was a revolutionary movement! Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels sent the manuscript of the Communist Manifesto to the printers in February 1848, a few weeks before the revolution exploded in France. Recall the opening lines of the Manifesto:
A specter is haunting Europe — the specter of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this specter.
Anyone who thinks that Muslim extremists invented intolerance or terrorism should read on in the manifesto:
You reproach us with intending to do away with your property. Precisely so; this is just what we intend….
The bourgeois family will vanish as a matter of course…. Do you charge us with wanting to stop the exploitation of children by their parents? To this crime we plead guilty.
And this, in the Manifesto's closing paragraph:
The communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be obtained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a communistic revolution.
They failed, of course, that time around. They failed in France, they failed in Germany, they failed in Italy — though with some stirring fights along the way. Victor Hugo's Les Misérables was actually set in the French revolution of 1832, but it has the same sense of virtuous disaster as the 1848 uprising, especially the leftist aftershock in June 1848 that was crushed by the forces of bourgeois France.
Marx did some superb "op-ed" journalism about these uprisings, collected in the book The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. Just after the famous opening passage where he says that history always repeats itself — first time tragedy, second time farce — Marx offers this superb observation, which I find apposite for the events of today:
Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all the dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brain of the living.
Chris Hondros/Getty Images
The Russian Revolution is another troubling point of comparison for observers of the Arab Spring, largely because of the weakness of the transitional figure who seemed to embody the hopes of the revolution, the moderate social democrat Alexander Kerensky. The revolution itself had been accomplished with very little violence, in the protests that led to the abdication of Czar Nicholas II in March 1917. Alan Moorehead's study, The Russian Revolution, quotes the Soviet historian Nikolai Sukhanov: "The break had been accomplished with a sort of fabulous ease." That, too, reminds me of Egypt 2011.
Hearts in the West were aflutter at this initial Russian Spring. President Woodrow Wilson spoke on April 2, 1917, of "the wonderful and heartening things that have been happening within the last few weeks in Russia."
But Kerensky was no match for Lenin and the Bolsheviks, who plotted furiously against him even as he tried to make his moderate government work. Sukhanov, who describes Kerensky as "this noisy lawyer," paints this scene in which Kerensky nervously tries to rally his colleagues to fight off an attack of Cossacks:
I demand that everyone — to do his duty — and not interfere — when I — give orders!
By October, the conservatives and radicals alike had decided that Kerensky was hopeless and that the situation required a firmer hand, which Lenin supplied. Brinton offered this epitaph for Kerensky and his variety of moderate revolutionary:
The eloquent compromisist leader seems to us a man of words, an orator who could move crowds but could not guide them, an impractical and incompetent person in the field of action.
A final, depressing stop on this historical tour is the Iranian revolution. I do not want to make too much of the parallel to contemporary Egypt, but what's striking is that the United States, just as now with Egypt, wanted Iran as a military ally, but also wanted to stress human rights. When President Jimmy Carter visited Tehran in December 1977, he proclaimed: "Iran under the great leadership of the shah is an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas of the world."
An August 1977 CIA analysis, cited by James A. Bill in his book, The Eagle and the Lion, concluded its 60-page review with the prediction: "the Shah will be an active participant in Iranian life well into the 1980s…. there will be no radical change in Iranian political behavior in the near future."
I do not have to tell you that there are similar statements about Mubarak's Egypt by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, and others.
The initial Kerensky figure in revolutionary Iran was a neat little man named Shahpour Bakhtiar. Washington tried to work with him, and when he gave way on Feb. 12, 1979, to Khomeini's man, Mehdi Bazargan, Carter expressed "continued hope for very productive and peaceful cooperation."
For a gripping account of what happened in Iran over the next months and years, I commend a visceral new memoir by my Newsweek colleague Maziar Bahari called Then They Came for Me, about how the Iranian revolution was kidnapped in slow motion, and mostly out of Western sight, culminating in the election putsch of June 2009 that triggered and then crushed the Green Revolution and led to Bahari's arrest and torture in Evin prison.
PATRICK BAZ/AFP/Getty Images
So I come back, somberly, to today and the Arab Spring. The best hope for avoiding the fate of so many of history's revolutions is solid, experienced leadership in the transition to democracy — aided by strong allies. That certainly was the case with the American Revolution; and even with the genius of America's founders and the backing of France, Americans still made a mess of things initially with their first constitution, the Articles of Confederation. The democratic transitions of Indonesia, the Philippines, and the countries of Eastern Europe were also aided by this combination of good leadership and foreign support.
I hope a similar "virtuous cycle" will develop in Egypt. In April, on my third trip since the revolution began, I interviewed three "founding fathers" of the new Egypt: former International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei, outgoing Arab League chief Amr Moussa, and business leader Naguib Sawiris. They didn't make the revolution, but they did take personal risks in supporting it before the result was clear. Two are potential presidents, and the third, Sawiris, has formed a new, well-financed liberal party. They are tough, wily characters, with money and organizational skills. Suffice it to say that they do not remind me of Alexander Kerensky or Shahpour Bakhtiar. But we shall see.
Let me conclude by discussing the consequences of this Arab political awakening for the United States. I would make two basic points:
First, the success of the democratic revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, and elsewhere is absolutely in the interest of the United States. I am not yet convinced that there are democratic revolutions under way in Libya, Yemen, or Syria, but if that happens, they will deserve U.S. (nonmilitary) support, too.
Egypt, in particular, is decisive. It has roughly 25 percent of the population of the Arab world, and it was for much of the 20th century the region's engine of modernization. If democracy succeeds in Egypt, other countries will follow. Should the democratic experiment in Egypt be hijacked by the military or anti-democratic Islamist groups, the revolution will fail elsewhere.
This being the case, the United States must do everything it reasonably can to provide two things that post-revolutionary Egypt badly needs: financial assistance and help in creating a modern, democratic police and security service. The Egyptian economy is heading toward a severe cash squeeze this summer because of the drastic fall in tourism, foreign investment, and other economic activity since January. And insecurity is growing on Egypt's streets because of the disarray and demoralization of the Egyptian police. Both problems are potentially fatal to the revolution.
This is a "use it or lose it" situation in terms of Western assistance. The United States will accomplish its goals best by acting discreetly, working with allies — especially those in Eastern Europe that have made successful transitions from authoritarian governments. Visiting Harvard University in April as I pondered these issues, I inevitably reread the speech given there on June 5, 1947 by George Marshall as he outlined a program of assistance for the shaky democracies of Europe. He used language that was civilized, sexist, but also crystal clear:
I need not tell you, gentlemen, that the world situation is very serious. That must be apparent to all intelligent people. I think one difficulty is that the problem is one of such enormous complexity that the very mass of facts presented to the public by press and radio make it exceedingly difficult for the man in the street to reach a clear appraisement of the situation…. The truth of the matter is that Europe's requirements for the next three or four years of foreign food and other essential products — principally from America — are so much greater than her present ability to pay that she must have substantial additional help or face economic, social, and political deterioration of a very grave character.
The stakes in Egypt are so high that it is unimaginable to me that the United States would continue to spend more than $100 billion this year in Afghanistan and leave aid to Egypt as a sorry afterthought. The Obama administration's only offer thus far, I believe, is Clinton's pledge of $150 million.
STF/AFP/Getty Images
Second, we cannot be sure that, even with timely assistance, the democratic revolutions in Egypt and elsewhere will succeed. It is entirely possible that they will follow the downward course of other revolutions in history. The political awakening — this magnificent opening to the world — may produce a counterreaction that has the effect of reducing freedom and democratic action, as has been the case in Iran since its June 2009 election.
In situations like this, where the outcome is unknown and unknowable, it's especially important to have a clear sense of where U.S. interests lie and make sure that they guide U.S. policy. I am indebted to conversations with FP blogger Stephen Walt for reminding me that this catalog of U.S. interests is actually quite simple to enumerate:
The United States has an interest in the secure supply of oil from the Persian Gulf, and Saudi Arabia in particular, to itself and to its allies. It has an interest in combating terrorist actions by al Qaeda and other groups that seek to target Americans. It has an interest in the security and well-being of Israel, America's closest ally in the Middle East, and a concurrent interest in a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. The United States also has an interest in the growth of stable, democratic regimes and the expansion of human rights.The intersection of these interests is the zone of ambiguity in which foreign-policy choices must always be made.
Obama has been wise to take a low-key approach to these developments — to let Arabs write this new chapter in their history, without feeling they are taking dictation from the United States. He has been criticized for not being "tough" or "presidential" enough, but these criticisms are, to me, misguided. And I think he's absolutely right to let others who are closer to Libya fight most of that war — and figure out, in the process, just who the good guys and bad guys are.
But there is a time for low-key, and there is a time for clarity. On the final two strategic imperatives I cited — America's obligation to assist the democratic revolution in Egypt and its need to be clear and forthright about its own national interests — I think Obama needs to speak as clearly and forcefully as Marshall did at Harvard's commencement 64 years ago: "I need not tell you, ladies and gentlemen, the future security of the United States depends on the success of the Arab Spring."
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
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Is There An App To Connect Multiple Bluetooth Speakers. Under the internet & wireless section, click on bluetooth. From there, press the pairing button on the first.
Android users need to go to bluetooth settings and pair either bluetooth headphones or speakers one by one. Up until recently, though, bluetooth can be used to connect multiple speakers to one device. The people who use android have to go to bluetooth settings and pair each bluetooth speaker or pair of headphones individually.
2.2 By Using Bose Connect App.
Now, on the box which you also wish to link, hit the bluetooth button twice in succession. Now press and hold the bluetooth and "volume up" buttons at the very same time. If you want to connect more than one bluetooth speaker to your.
2.1 By Using Ampme App.
With the help of bluetooth 5.0 and the ampme app, you can expand the number of bluetooth. In android pie, hit the advanced button if you have an earlier version, tap menu in the higher right corner. Click or tap create stereo pair.
Here Are A Few Famous Multiple Bluetooth Speakers Apps.
There is no definite answer to this question, as the app you'll need to connect two bluetooth speakers together will vary depending on the make and model of the speakers in. The people who use android have to go to bluetooth settings and pair each bluetooth speaker or pair of headphones individually. Turn on the bluetooth button in the middle pane.
Look For The New Devices To Show In The List Of Paired Or Available Devices.
Check the box to turn bluetooth on. From there, press the pairing button on the first. Tap advanced in android pie.
In The Same Window, Click To Add A Bluetooth Device.
Go to settings > connections > bluetooth. 2.3 by using ultimate ears app. Once the pairing is complete, go.

subset: commoncrawl


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"You ever feel pressure to be perfect? Like, once you start in your steps you can never fail again? We all have the ability to become robotic in our recoveries and avoid feeling. Nobody likes to be tense, uptight, or stressed. Celebrate Recovery can help people recover from perfectionism or control. We all make mistakes and will continue to make them. We need to have grace for ourselves and others… just like God has grace for us. You are not a robot." (quote from February 1, 2022, post on Celebrate Recovery Facebook page)
This year, I volunteered to co-lead a Journey Begins step study in my local CR. I was honest with my other co-leaders that I had come to realize that my first step study really dealt with my own self-hatred and the issues I was dealing with when I first entered recovery. As I have dug deeper into my heart and sought to bring ALL my hurts, hang-ups, and habits to Father, I realized that there was a lot of pain I had still been suppressing. Those have been rising to the surface in a desire to find the same freedom and healing that I initially experienced, and I have been hard-pressed to continue to ignore them. In fact, I did try for quite awhile, but there is still a hurting little girl inside me who demands to be seen and taken care of, and I have learned I am not loving myself well if I neglect those hurting parts of myself. I feel like I am clinging with all ten of my toes to a precipice overlooking deep pain, and I have no idea how I am going to react once I step off that ledge. There is a part of me that fears that possible reaction. I am afraid that it will be more than I can handle, and that I will shut down or even have an emotional breakdown. I wanted to be upfront with them, even though a dear mentor and one of the leaders of my very first step study assured me that would not happen. It's so easy to fear the unknown, even when that is one's self.
As I have gone further into our first Participant's Guide answering each question honestly, I have seen my anxiety, my co-dependency, and what I am calling my control-freakiness explode. It took me awhile to realize that a lot of this is due to the fact that I was caught unaware by all the pain that I still have lurking, including, to my dismay, things I thought I had already worked through. My sponsor has encouraged me that I HAD worked through some of those things, but as I access deeper pain I also am bringing to surface the coping mechanisms that I developed in order to be able to survive that pain when I was not ready to deal with it. One of those things, I am finding, is perfectionism. I've always known I had perfectionist tendencies. That tends to go along with having a critical parent whose love seemed to be conditional upon my performance. Failures were always noticed and criticized. Achievements were rarely acknowledged. I have lived my life with a debilitating fear of failure. If I was uncertain if I would be able to learn to do something quickly and proficiently, I would not even try. Failure was not an option. It was too great a risk to try something I might not be good at, or even worse, FAIL in doing. And I have come to realize that my fear of failure is rooted in an intense fear of rejection and abandonment. The whys of that are for another time. What is relevant to me right now is that taking a step to lead this step study has been a huge risk. What if I FAIL? I have spent my life perfectly content to be in the background, on the sidelines, out of notice but also out of responsibility. Now, there are women looking to me to lead, to be an example for them to follow and learn from my experience, strength, and hope. Becoming a sponsor was terrifying. This is on a whole other level. What happens if I lose it? What happens if I fall apart? What kind of an example am I then?
The truth is, which I would tell any sponsee if she asked me the same questions, I WILL fail…in some things. I am NOT perfect… and that's okay. In fact, I am incapable of being perfect. In recovery, relapse is not the end. All I need to do IF I relapse is go back to that first step. Choose again to admit that "I am powerless over my addictions and compulsive behaviors and that my life has become unmanageable". The great news is that I have travelled this road before. The steps are familiar, and I know the way. I just need to release the control, "consciously choose to commit my life and my will over to Christ's care and control", and work the steps again…one at a time. I don't know what the future of this step study holds for me. I don't know what my next inventory will dig up. I do know a few things. There are a whole lot more positives on my inventory this time around. I have experienced healing and freedom from the pain of addiction before, and there is HOPE that I will do so again. Father hasn't changed. He is the same God who took me through the pain of my sexual abuse and equipped me to truly forgive my perpetrator. He is the same God now who can heal the wounds of emotional abuse and neglect and be the constant and unconditionally loving parent that I lacked. And IF I fail, as long as I don't give up, as long as I start with that first step again and keep taking one step at a time, I am not a FAILURE. The road to recovery is full of starts, stops, rabbit trails, resting, sitting down by the road, going back to the beginning, but still moving in a forward direction. Recovery is "Progress, not perfection". And no matter which way this goes, I know my experience will still be able to help and encourage others along the road.
Keep walking.


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Junkyard businesses not used up
Market is strong for used auto parts, but local car recyclers face challenges
After finding his niche decades ago selling affordable, quality used auto parts, Gordon "Gordy" B. Palley is getting out of the auto salvage business, despite a strong, loyal customer base in the industry.
Mr. Palley, owner of Amherst Oakham Auto Recycling in Oakham, loved putting deals together for his customers, but at 66, he said it is time to retire and travel more with his wife, and spend more time with family and friends.
His customers always trusted him to "do the right thing," he said, by getting the "right part to the right person at the right price at the right time."
"I feel, after 32 years here, I've done the right thing," Mr. Palley said during a recent auction at the 43-acre property where he was looking to sell 57 cars and $2 million worth of auto parts. Among the items for auction were a car carrier, ice cream truck, a 1995 S600 Mercedes, a generator, lifts, pay loaders and other auto equipment. Mr. Palley said he still has about 2,500 vehicles left to pick from on a "cash and carry" basis until the gates close at 358 Coldbrook Road on July 20.
"It has been exciting and gratifying helping a lot of people save money and the auto recycling industry is great," he said. "Car recycling is the most successful of any recycling in the world. I am going to miss it."
Despite strong profits, Mr. Palley was unable to find a buyer for the business to continue with the same use. Instead, the property is going solar. He said the property passed 21E environmental requirements and Cypress Solar plans to install a large solar array, pending approvals.
"I couldn't find the right person at the right price, but I am very happy about the solar deal," Mr. Palley said. "It is a great thing for the environment."
Mr. Palley said he plans to spend a few more months at the business liquidating inventory with three of his employees — two who have been with him more than 25 years.
"I gave my employees a good work environment and fair wages," he said.
Sandy S. Blalock, CEO of the national Automotive Recyclers Association, said the industry, in general, is doing well but struggled when the economy went into a downturn a few years ago.
Though there has been about a 7- to 8-percent loss of recyclers in the U.S. overall in recent years, it seems to be making a rebound, Ms. Blalock said.
"This could be attributed to a normal correction of the economy as well as increased costs to comply with the sometimes onerous compliance programs that face our industry," Ms. Blalock said.
Auto recycling, like many retail operations, she said, has a large presence online and is now a global business with recyclers buying, selling and trading with each other online more than ever in the industry's history.
"We are still experiencing large numbers of customers actually going to recyclers and, in particular, our self-service market where people pull their own parts for a tremendous cost savings," she explained. "Many customers do prefer to shop online as well as our wholesale customers who source their parts through the many parts-locating services that are utilized in our industry today."
She said the practice has not been detrimental to recyclers who have fully integrated their systems to handle online transactions, but there are still many recyclers that are not fully engaged in electronic buying and selling.
"They will continue to struggle until they adapt their systems," she said.
Small operations face a tough challenge competing against online websites and big companies, people in the industry agreed, but the market for used auto parts is strong.
Jason L. Koodess, who works at his father's automotive business in Western Massachusetts, attended Mr. Palley's auction conducted by auctioneers from Aaron Posnik & Co. out of West Springfield on June 20.
"With Aaron Posnik, you know it is going to be good stuff," Mr. Koodess said. "People follow them like a rock band everywhere they go."
Mr. Koodess, who attends several auto auctions weekly, said he was interested in the 1995 Mercedes with only 16,000 miles on it, the ice cream truck and other vehicles.
"I'm here to buy cheap cars and flip them," he said. "My dad will fix them and I'll detail them."
Bob L. Holland, owner of Holland Used Auto Parts in Billerica, who does Mr. Palley's car crushing, also attended the auction.
"I'm happy for him," Mr. Holland said. "It is a tough industry with a lot of hours and a lot work. I wouldn't want to take over an operation like this."
Justin Nietsche from Worcester, who usually hits storage unit auctions, said he attended the auction for a friend looking for engines.
"This is interesting and there are good deals," he said. "It's cool they are turning it into a solar farm."
Paul F. Kawolis, president of Linder's Inc., at 211 Granite St. in Worcester, said he has a 45-acre campus with four buildings, operates a full-service yard mostly utilized by body shops, garages and dealers, for wholesale business; and also a self-service yard known as Sam's Pull Apart across from the main location where do-it-yourselfers are charged an admission.
Mr. Kawolis has worked at Linder's — incorporated in 1922 — for 40 years and is a member of the national association and also on the board of the state's trade association, Automotive Recyclers of Massachusetts. Linder's also bought Henry's Auto Parts in Blackstone 15 years ago, increasing the number of employees from eight to 30.
Though Linder's, which employs 90 people, has seen moderate, steady increases in revenue and earnings year-after-year, he said he believes half of the smaller businesses nationally in the industry have closed over the last four decades.
"I attended my first national conference in 1979 and have attended every one since then," he said. "We used to have huge conferences with 1,200 to 1,500 attendees and now we have about 600 — half the attendees we used to have 40 years ago."
Mr. Kawolis said the trend that has continued over a number of years is about an 8 percent decline year-over-year — a significant decline in any industry.
"It is kind of a Tale of Two Cities – the smaller businesses like the 'ma and pa' operations that have traditionally been in the auto recycling industry still operating in the 'old junkyard' traditions, their children haven't taken over the business," Mr. Kawolis explained.
Additionally, with consolidators in the industry like the multi-billion LKQ Corp. headquartered in Chicago that bought up about 160 yards in the U.S. and Canada that made the S&P 500 Index; and the new group Fenix Parts, also based just outside of Chicago, that buys existing yards, the smaller yards cannot compete, he said.
Last year, about six smaller yards in the area closed down, he said, but the large, independent yards like Linder's are large enough to compete with the large national conglomerates.
"It is just like there are very few family-owned pharmacies," Mr. Kawolis said. "It's CVS and Walgreens and the same with hardware stores. For smaller facilities, it is hard to be competitive and to have the product range necessary to continue. The internet doomed them. It was their death knell."
Previous to the internet, smaller operations would use a network of closed-circuit telephone lines and teletypes that linked all the yards together, he explained, when someone was looking for a part.
"Now, body shops and garages go right to carparts.com and other services that sort parts by location and price," he said. "It has to be in your stock and on your shelf and the little yard didn't have that big a selection and didn't come up (in a search) anymore. Now, they go find where the part is. I believe we are going to continue to see the larger operations remain and the smaller ones won't be able to compete any longer."


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Marra v. CardsFan922: coming to a courtroom near you.
Louisville sophomore Mike Marra suffered a sprained ankle at practice on Tuesday and will be sidelined for the next 2-4 weeks. Marra is averaging 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists, and has scored in double digits in 7 of 10 games.
Marra will be joined in street clothes this evening by freshman point guard Elisha Justice, who suffered a concussion in Saturday's win over Gardner-Webb.


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Pending a long-standing maritime dispute, the Republic of the Philippines formally initiated an arbitral proceeding against the People's Republic of China on the 22nd of January 2013, under Article 287 and Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea ("UNCLOS"). The Philippines v. China arbitration, popularly known as the "South China Sea Dispute," has been an ongoing dispute for decades. This dispute concerns the South China Sea, a semi-enclosed water body, which is surrounded by China and multiple small and militarily weak nations like the Philippines, Brunei, and Vietnam. The dispute arose as China wished to extend its sovereignty and jurisdiction to nearly hundreds of reefs, islets, and surrounding territorial waters.
In 2002, China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea with the ASEAN nations. This declaration, being non-binding, could curtail the actions of the Chinese delegation only for a brief period. Given its extensive military reach and sizable nature, as compared to the other parties to the dispute, China disregarded all attempts undertaken for the resolution of the dispute and began using coercive diplomatic strategies to deter other parties from exercising their claims.
Owing to China's increasing military dominance in the South China Sea, the Philippines initiated an arbitration proceeding to resolve the question of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Reef. The claim brought forward by the Philippines pertained to Article 121 of the UNCLOS. China's "historic rights" claim over the islands and other maritime features in the South China Sea was nullified in the decree given by the Permanent Court of Arbitration ("PCA"). The claim states that China has rights overfishing, navigation, and resource development in a U-shaped territorial line based on being historically dominant and conducting activities in the South China Sea for a longer duration than other countries.
Nature of the Judgement
Even though the UNCLOS does have a clause that talks about compulsory dispute settlement, no uniform interpretation or uniform application of the UNCLOS can be guaranteed during this dispute settlement. UNCLOS does provide that to qualify as an island under Article 121, the territory must be naturally formed and be surrounded by water at high tide. With these qualifications, islands are entitled under UNCLOS to the same maritime zones as other land territories. In addition to being embodied in UNCLOS, this principle is also widely recognised in customary international law and State Practice. Article 121(3) of UNCLOS, however, contains a novel exception not rooted in customary international law. The Tribunal provided an extensive review of Article 121 of the UNCLOS, focusing specifically on the interpretation of Paragraph 3 of Article 121. An integral point considering paragraph 3 of Article 121 had close to no clarification before this judgment.
Paragraph 1 defines the term "island" as "a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide." Along with this, paragraph 2 talks about the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone, and the continental shelf, while providing an exception in paragraph 3: "[r]ocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf."
It is important to note that the term "rocks", "human habitation" or "economic life of their own" are not defined in the UNCLOS.
Laws of Interpretation
While interpreting Article 121(3) of the UNCLOS, the Tribunal in the Republic of Philippines v. People's Republic of China used the literal rule of interpretation. This rule was defined in the Duport Steel v. Sirs case by Lord Diplock. It calls for an unambiguous interpretation of terms mentioned in the statute, leaving no scope for diverse meanings and interpretations. According to the literal rule, the judge or the decision-making authority must not deviate from the plain meaning of the word even if it leads to an outcome that they might consider unjust.
On this basis, this case marks the first time the term "rocks" was deliberated upon by any international forum. The legality of these islands was interpreted to determine whether they had an economic life of their own. The inter-relationship between the terms "islands" and "rocks" was also clarified. The judges of the Tribunal used the Oxford English Dictionary and interpreted that both, a "rock" and an "island", have a fixed meaning and hence limiting the scope for interpretation.
This interpretation also draws inspiration from the Vienna Convention on Law of Treaties, where Article 31(1), addresses the requirement of using utmost good faith while interpreting a treaty to keep the essence of the treaty alive to achieve its purpose. The Tribunal went ahead to clarify that an island was a naturally occurring rock formation and would not include islands that were composed of sand. While interpreting the term "rocks", the tribunal held that "features [that] are more ephemeral than a geological rock and may shift location or appear and disappear above high water as a result of conditions over time" would classify as under this category. The Tribunal further went on to note that a rock could not be transformed into an island by reclamation of territory or land.
While interpreting the concept of "economic life of its own", the Tribunal made it clear that the aboriginal nature of the bodies in question must be coupled by the ability to sustain an independent economic activity that must be local and not imported, as mentioned above. The Tribunal further went on to hold that the economic life need not be permanent, but their origin must be domestic and must benefit the local population residing in the territory.
Concluding Thoughts
The current advancement in technology would allow any piece of territory to be transformed into a region fit for human habitation. This concept would frustrate and nullify the provision of limitation put forth by Article 121(3) if it were to be allowed. Hence, while deciding the nature and fate of the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Reef, the Tribunal held, using various treaties and precedents, that they do not qualify to be under Chinese jurisdiction. Since these islands both do not hold any capacity to sustain human habitation of their own and hence would not fall under the nature of the judgment.
This interpretation using the literal rule makes a clear demarcation between the terms "rocks" and "economic life of their own" and eliminates discrepancy, like Japan claiming land from Okinotorishima due to ambiguity in Article 121 (3) of the UNCLOS. It is necessary to provide a clear interpretation to avoid ambiguity and provide a basis for forming strong legal frameworks and to ensure that entities do not misuse legal ambiguities.
Considering China's refusal to abide by any decree passed relating to the South China Sea, the enforcement of this award would be a difficult task. Though the tribunal has given a justification on the legality of the reefs and islands, there is still not enough clarity on how different stakeholders would interpret and adhere to this judgment. There is also a lack of clarity on how the Tribunal would further tackle a varied set of interpretations of treaties by states. Many countries have supported individual stakeholders in this decision owing to their domestic and foreign interests at stake. Irrespective of the multilateral perspective that this decision provides, it still stands as one of the most comprehensive interpretations of the UNCLOS and hopefully will prove to be a guiding articulation when it comes to the legal question of state sovereignty.
Nandini Shenai is in her third year of the B.B.A LL.B (Hons.) program at the NMIMS School of Law, Mumbai.
Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times.


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****NEW Version of Typeface loaded inserting the typo mark for unknown letter on all platforms.*****
you can Download "Teilo" created from the handwriting of the person which is cited as the earliest evidence of written Welsh.
Named Teilo after Saint Teilo.
Saint Teilo, (Latin:Teliaus, Issell, Teillo in Breton, Teilou, Dub, and Theliau, Télo in French[1] and also Eliau or Eliud[2]) (c. 500 – 9 February c. 560) was a British Christian monk, bishop and founder of monasteries and churches from Penalun (Penally), near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, south Wales.
Reputed to be a cousin, friend and disciple of Saint David, he was bishop of Llandaff and founder of the first church at Llandaff Cathedral, where his tomb is, and he also founded Llandeilo Fawr, as well as Penally Abbey in his place of birth.
This typeface is a recreation of letters from an inscription found in the Saint Chad Gospel which resides in Lichfield Cathedral in England. Around 730 AD the book appeared after apparently going missing from Lichfield, in Llandeilo Fawr, a large centre for Christianity in West Wales. I use the word 'apparently' as the suggested date for writing the manuscript is around 710AD on Lindisfarne, in the North East of England, while the gospels had an inscription added in the early 11th Century acknowledging the presence of the book belonging to Lichfield. One theory is the book was taken from Lichfield in the early 8th century to protect it from Viking attacks and St. David's in West Wales may have been its destination. Records are vague and my personal observation is there is no evidence to suggest the St Chad Gospels were for Lichfield in the first instance. St Davids, Llandeilo and Lichfield were all major Christian centres at the time.
In Llandeilo, the book was used practically to record resolutions on disagreements between local town's folk by the priest at the church. These events were documented directly on the page in the spaces between the Gospel texts. During this period the book was resident on the altar. One text, known as the 'Surrexit Memorandum' text is believed to be the first documented evidence of written Welsh and letters of this passage from the Teilo Typeface. Known by scholars as 'Old Welsh' it is a hybrid of Latin and Welsh words. The range of letters is a simpler version of how written welsh exists today. It was a period when the Latin alphabet was used to approximate the sounds of welsh words. Some letters did not exist. For letters such as Z, the key on the download will be blank keys or an error mark which is a copy of an error mark in the original passage as letters such as z, ll, dd, ff, v (u and v were inter-chargeable) for example do not exist yet. These gaps and errors are to encourage discovery while the signature of the known writer is included as the '@' symbol, a contemporary nod to social media and the current place of the written word. The error can be located on the question mark key while there is a hidden horse symbol which refers to the story that the book was found by a local warlord, Gelli and given to Llandeilo Fawr in exchange for a strong horse. The key that the horse is hidden behind references a current form of transaction…
The current 'final' version does not have spaces between the letters so gaps can be created using the space bar.
The typeface was created for http://www.colmcillespiral.net/the-book/ an exhibition in 3 places. First in November at Llandeilo Fawr Church in West Wales and Lichfield Cathedral in England and in December 2013 in Londonderry Derry, Northern Ireland.
Universal Teilo Keyboard link to pdf to view letters
Examples of Typeface:
Thousand Year Fiction No. 3 and No. 11
Scrapbook further info, updates over next few months….
Actually, it's now here
As a new page Teilo at the top x


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Will Fast Players Like Gaborik Age Worse?
The Kings recently gave contract extensions covering Matt Greene's age 31-34 seasons and Marian Gaborik's age 32-38 seasons. Although Gaborik's deal might not be as long as it appears, both extensions were longer than expected and raised some eyebrows in the statistical community. As useful as Gaborik and Greene are now, the mid-30s is usually a time of rapid decline in hockey players.
Most people are more concerned about Gaborik's aging, partially for the good reason he has the longer contract. There is another, more dubious reason that I'd like to challenge: the idea that fast players like Gaborik are more vulnerable to decline than slow players like Greene.
The argument goes something like this: Gaborik relies heavily on his explosive skating to score. Speed declines more sharply and severely than other attributes like hockey sense or strength, so extremely fast players will lose their biggest advantage and decline quickly. Meanwhile, a guy like Matt Greene, who was never fast and relied on positioning and physicality, has less to lose, and can keep chugging along as the same player he's always been.
Sadly, no one has ever done a study of aging in hockey by player type. But researchers in other sports have examined this argument in numerous studies, and those might offer a clue to hockey.
The evidence in baseball is overwhelming: fast players (usually defined as those who earn a large portion of their value from defense and on the basepaths) don't age worse than slow ones of equal overall talent; in fact, fast players age much better. In the NFL, fast wide receivers age better or at the same rate as slow ones (depending on what metric you prefer to measure speed).
I know baseball and football aren't hockey. But the aging of athletes is relatively similar across sports (baseball players peak offensively at 25-26, the same age as hockey players, for example). Furthermore, the data is suggestive of an underlying argument which would apply to hockey as much as baseball or football.
All athletes lose speed as they age, whether they're fast or not. Gaborik might go from an excellent to merely above average skater over the next three years, while Greene goes from a below average skater to one of the worst in the league. Put that way, it suddenly seems like both players are equally hurt - maybe Greene even more so, since at a certain point his speed might become so bad that it's impossible for him to keep up with the play and bring his positive qualities to bear at all. That might be what happened to Douglas Murray, who was always slow and went from a solid if lumbering defensive defenseman at 29 to a possession disaster by 31.
This issue hasn't been studied in hockey (possibly because there's no easy way to categorize hundreds of players by speed), and perhaps the lessons learned from other sports don't apply. I think it's plausible that they might. Knowing that, and recognizing that there's no empirical evidence Gaborik-type players age worse, I think Gaborik's speed is no reason to worry about his aging.
Forward Aging and Marian Gaborik
There is some research on aging specific to the NHL. We know that scoring peaks from 25-26 and declines slowly until around 29 (still around 90% of prime scoring), at which point the decline accelerates (down to 60% by age 35). Eric Tulsky suggested that forwards who score by generating tons of shots age better than forwards who score by shooting for high percentages on fewer shots. This basically doesn't apply to Gaborik though, who is equal parts shot generator and sniper (13th in 5v5 sh% over the last 7 years, 22nd in 5v5 S/60).
So we can expect a significant decline for Gaborik going forward because that's how forwards generally age. The good news is Gaborik has a long way to decline and still be useful. In his prime Gaborik was an unstoppable offensive force (fifth in 5v5 goalscoring and seventh in 5v5 primary assists from 2007-2010.) Even over a less successful and injury-plagued last three years, Gaborik has clocked in at 13th in 5v5 goalscoring. This year he managed 37th (a rate better than Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, and Logan Couture) with a perfectly sustainable sh%. His goalscoring can decline quite a bit before Gaborik stops becoming a dangerous scoring threat.
Based on Eric's calculations, it's reasonable to expect Gaborik to lose maybe 15 to 20 percent of his current even strength scoring talent over the next three years. It's tough to estimate Gaborik's true talent because he's played so little lately, but if it's around what he showed this regular season, that would still leave him as a decent scoring forward at 35 (~100th in the NHL), though probably not too much longer after that. Of course, there's a ton of variance for Gaborik to do better or worse than these very approximate projections.
One last note on Gaborik and injuries. Players in all sports are more susceptible to injury as they age, and that's particularly worrying since Gaborik has a reputation as an injury-prone guy. I can offer two reasons for optimism. First, Gaborik actually played pretty much all of 2011-12 and 2012-13. Second, his most recent major injury (a broken collarbone that made him miss the Olympics) strikes me as a fluke that could happen to anybody rather than a sign of his body breaking down. Still, he has had a lot of knee, groin, and hip issues over his career that are likely to resurface over the next seven years. Hopefully not during the playoffs.
Defenseman Aging and Matt Greene
There has been much less research on how defensive defenseman age; Eric Tulsky's graph of Corsi over time in defenseman is about all we can do. It's not too different from the forward scoring graph, showing only a slightly gentler average decline into the mid-30s.
Although Matt Greene doesn't have a great reputation in statistical circles (as analytics people generally frown upon slow, plodding defensemen), he is actually a pretty useful player right now. Here's his dCorsi graph (Corsi adjusted for quality of teammates, opposition, and zone starts, from the awesome @Mimicohero):
Ignore 2012-13 (he played five games) and this is a really solid body of work. Of course, Greene plays on a good team in soft minutes with a very good partner in Alec Martinez. dCorsi attempts to account for this situation (but does not do so perfectly) and thinks Greene does well on his own merits, clearing his expected Corsi% year after year.
Greene's possession numbers will probably drop off over the next four years. His Corsis are good enough that he can decline a bit and still be an acceptable sixth defenseman, if not a $2.5 million one. Injuries are a serious concern, even more so with Greene than Gaborik because Greene must play a physical style to be effective.
I mentioned earlier that I'm skeptical Greene will age well just because he's a slower player. I don't think we know enough about defenseman aging to say much about how his type of defenseman will age. There are individual examples of defensive defenseman who dropped off a cliff in their early 30s (Douglas Murray, Rob Scuderi, Brad Stuart) and others who were effective past 35 (Willie Mitchell, Stephane Robidas).
That's the thing about aging - it's always possible to come up with a comparable player who aged well or disastrously. So my advice would be to ignore specific comparisons and accept that the best we can do is to make an educated guess based on general trends, and remember that individual players can and will shatter expectations in either direction. With that in mind, Marian Gaborik's incredible offensive talent is worth betting on. Not so much for Greene, but even he is good enough to earn his contract with some aging luck.


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Years of research have demonstrated that The Paleo Diet is the most effective diet at satisfying the genetically determined nutritional requirements of humans. This is the key to optimal health.
Protein is one of three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fats. While the latter two are our primary sources of energy, proteins serve as the building blocks and signaling molecules of our bodies. While most people understand trans-fats are different from omega-3 fats and complex carbs are healthier than simple carbs, too often they assume all proteins are nutritionally the same.
Carbohydrates, one of three macronutrients, are our primary source of rapid energy. All digestible carbs are made from three simple sugars—glucose, fructose, and galactose. Complex carbohydrates, found in vegetables and fruit, are long strings of sugars that break down slowly. Simple carbohydrates are made of just one or a few sugars and can have a dramatic impact on our blood sugar, insulin, and metabolic health if over-consumed.
The technical term for fat is acylglycerol. The name indicates the chemical structure: one or many fatty acids (acyl groups) are linked to an alcohol (glycerol) via an ester bond. Acylglycerols can have one fatty acid (monoglycerides), two fatty acids (diglycerides), or three fatty acids (triglycerides.) Fat is our long-term source of energy and serves as our primary energy storage.
Unlike fats, proteins, and carbohydrates—which our bodies break down and absorb—fiber is not digested by gastrointestinal enzymes. Also known as roughage, fiber is the sum of the constituents of plant foods that are not digested. It has two main components: soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, and insoluble fiber, which does not.
Calcium is an essential nutrient and the most abundant mineral in our bodies. Most calcium is found in our bones, but it also serves a critical function in muscle and nerve function. On the Paleo Diet, calcium is the only essential nutrient whose recommended daily allowance is not met. Interestingly, there are proven health consequences of calcium overconsumption, and that has been linked to the rapid rise in heart disease in women.
Iron is an essential mineral that cannot be synthesized by the body. It is necessary for the transport of oxygen and energy formation. Although the human body can recycle and reutilize this mineral, we lose a small amount of iron daily, which then needs replacing. Good sources of iron include meat, poultry, eggs, and vegetables, though animal sources are more readily absorbed.
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant electrolyte in our bodies. It is critical to both muscle function and acts as a cofactor to over 300 enzymes, making it necessary for a wide variety of functions in our bodies. Fortunately, because it is found in many plant foods, deficiency is rare.
The electrolyte potassium is abundant in the human body and has a critical relationship with sodium. Maintaining potassium inside and sodium outside cells is essential to both nerve and muscle function. Many health conditions have been linked to the high-sodium/low-potassium content of the Western diet. The best dietary sources of potassium are vegetables and fruit.
The electrolyte sodium is one of the most misunderstood nutrients. It is critical to survival and has an important relationship with potassium. While hunter-gatherers consumed 1,000mg or less per day, a typical modern diet often exceeds 3,000mg and is linked to almost all chronic inflammatory conditions including hypertension, heart disease, cancer and autoimmunity.
The mineral zinc serves a variety of functions in the body. The most well-known is its critical role in maintaining the health of our immune systems. Zinc deficiency is characterized by frequent illness. It is very difficult to get sufficient zinc purely from plant sources, especially since phytates in some plant foods prevent zinc absorption.
The fascinating thing about folate is that you likely won't find it at the supplement store. Instead, you'll find folic acid, which was invented in the 1940s; folic acid doesn't exist in nature. Worse, folic acid has been associated with issues in pregnancy. To get real folate, eat your leafy greens, avocados, and organ meats.
Vitamin A, or retinoic acid, is most well-known for its key role in maintaining healthy vision, but it also plays a critical role in gene expression. It is found in orange and yellow plants such as carrots. Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the first world and especially if you are consuming a Paleo Diet high in fruits and vegetables.
There are several B vitamins that play numerous roles in the body, particularly related to energy. It's important to know that vitamin B12 can't be found in plants, and plant sources of B6 often aren't bioavailable. Both are critical to preventing a build-up of homocysteine which has a higher correlation with heart disease than cholesterol.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is essential to survival. Deficiency is characterized by conditions like scurvy. However, much of the research touting it as a wonder pill for immune health and longevity has been debunked.
Despite the name, vitamin D isn't a vitamin. It's a hormone that's produced in our skin through sun exposure. In modern times, living indoors and using sunscreen have prevented us from producing enough vitamin D naturally. This is one of the few nutrients we recommend supplementing.
Vitamin E is one of the few fat-soluble vitamins. It functions primarily as an antioxidant, and is essential at appropriate levels. However, since it is fat-soluble, our bodies cannot excrete any excess vitamin E (which is generally only possible with supplementation). Overconsumption has been associated with increased mortality rates. Our best dietary sources are seeds, nuts and olive oil.
Vitamin K represents a group of fat-soluble vitamins that promote clotting of the blood by increasing the synthesis of prothrombin in the liver. However, recent research suggests the potential health benefits of vitamin K go beyond its role as a trigger for hepatic coagulation factors.
While there is a long list of known essential vitamins and minerals, the list of nutrients we still don't understand is significantly larger. There are many beneficial nutrients (some phytochemicals) and harmful anti-nutrients such as lectins and saponins. Therefore, supplementing a nutrient-poor diet with a multivitamin continues to prove to have no health benefits, or to potentially be harmful.
Dr. Loren Cordain's final graduate student, Trevor Connor, M.S., brings more than a decade of nutrition and physiology expertise to spearhead the new Paleo Diet team.
One of the original members of the Paleo movement, Mark J. Smith, Ph.D., has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the benefits of Paleo nutrition.
Ironman athlete, mom, author, and nutrition blogger Nell Stephenson has been an influential member of the Paleo movement for over a decade.
As a professor at Colorado State University, Dr. Loren Cordain developed The Paleo Diet® through decades of research and collaboration with fellow scientists around the world.
Keep up on the latest news, science, recipes, and lifestyle topics in The Paleo Diet®
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Three years ago I started training to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, aka the TMB. Every year since then I get nostalgic about that and start hoping that I will get the chance to return to the Alps and wander about from refuge to refuge. So far that hasn't happened. This past year has been a write off for the world of course, so there was no hope to go to Europe let alone sleep in a refuge full of people who might have Covid 19. This summer it might be possible, if I could get up the nerve to go. However, someone will be doing the TMB and I hope they have a great time. If anyone is interested I wrote a book about my hike, which I have announced here before and am going to do so again, because I added a page to the blog called Tour du Mont Blanc, where I have posted a slice of the book to give you an better idea of what it is about. It's under the heading above called Tour du Mont Blanc.
Category Archives: Tour du Mont Blanc
Tour du Mont Blanc
Filed under Books, Great Hikes, Tour du Mont Blanc, Travel, Uncategorized
The Grand Balcon
Just finished this one. Hiking season in the Alps should be open now, but with Covid 19 still about, I wonder how the refuges will be affected? This is on the climb from Tre-le-Champ up to the trail called Le Grand Balcon on the opposite side of the Chamonix Valley from Mont Blanc, that big white hulk in the centre background. Most hikers end the Tour de Mont Blanc with this hike, which on a good day affords the best possible view of the great mountain, from a trail that is. This was the last day of our 11 day trek, and I finally convinced Terry to wear the camo boonie hat I had given him.
To get the whole story, you can buy my book A Walk Around Mont Blanc.
Filed under Great Hikes, Painting, Tour du Mont Blanc, Travel, Uncategorized
Preparing for the TMB
Back in May when my son asked me to go with him to hike the TMB I immediately agreed. I had no idea how difficult it would be, but I had a pretty good idea this might be the best shot I'd ever get at doing such a trip. Once I said yes it was too late to back out, something I knew would be a great disappointment to the both of us.
As soon as I read about it I knew that I would have to train hard. Luckily there are some trails right outside my door – one that goes around the lake, and another that goes up over a small hill. One go round is about 5.5 kms, and involves about 100 meters of climbing. The other hikes I had at my disposal were a slightly higher hill of about 200 meters, and another lake walk with a few minor hills, totaling about 5.8 kms.
First I needed boots. With extra wide feet, there aren't many boots I find comfortable, but I discovered New Balance made boots in 4E, so I bought a pair of those, model 978. Although they were a little light for the very rocky bits, they worked well and I didn't have any serious complaints, or any blisters, despite the fact that I defied convention by wearing thin socks.
As for a pack, I checked out all the well known brands and found them very expensive. By chance I found a shop with some old stock of internal frame Kelty packs on sale at half the cost of most other packs. I bought a Redwing 50, and it performed beautifully. I liked the fact that this pack had lots of zippers and pockets to keep gear handy when needed. My son's bag was merely one large sack that he had to dig into every time he needed something from within. The Kelty has one single curved back stay that carries the load down to the excellent waist belt, which cinches very tightly due to compound leverage.
Once I got my essential gear in order, with new boots and a new pack, I set out on regular walks with weight in the pack. To start I had 10 pounds, then I increased it to 20 once I gathered my gear and determined I'd have about 18 – 20 lbs. With my pack and boots I began training as often as I could. The first problem was the heat, which this past summer hit 28C fairly often. This is very hot for these parts, and although it's not so bad for normal living, 28 is a mite warm for strenuous exercise. Nevertheless, it had to be done, so I was out in the heat hiking away the miles, and sweating profusely. This also proved a problem for me feet mostly, which were very hot. That is why in the end I settled on thin socks.
I also began a journal of my daily training hikes, using a Strathmore notebook with heavy cotton paper pages suitable for watercolours. For practice I did a few, but mostly I recorded my mileage and observations of how I felt. There were many entries about how tired my legs were, and how wet my shirt was. Some days I had to keep myself soaked down with a wet kerchief to keep from overheating. I became quite attached to my boonie hat too, a US army surplus item that fulfilled every requirement for a warm weather sun hat admirably. Tested in Vietnam, so no surprise it works well in heat. The brim is just the right size, and it can be flipped down or up to suit the sun. I should perhaps have been more patriotic and worn a Canadian Tilley hat, but I feel they make me look like an old fogey, and besides which they aren't any better than the boonie, and somewhat heavier and harder to stow when not in use.
After the whole thing was over I tabulated my training and found that I had walked for 86 hours and 274 kms. That's 1.6 times the length of the TMB, not exactly a lot, but in my case certainly better than nothing, as I am now convinced that without that I would have been done in after the first day or two. On the other hand, my son who is 36 and super strong, did zero preparation and of course was way out in front of me when he wasn't behind, ready to catch me when I tripped. What 30 years can do to you, it's terrible! No complaints however, as I got through it on my own steam and no worse for wear.
As for my best intentions of watercolour sketches, all I have to show are some pre-trip sketches, one solitary sketch from the hike, and a few done before and after. Fortunately I did keep a daily journal, so I have that and a lot of photographs as a record. Now that it's over I wish I had it to do again! No matter how much you can recall from writing or pictures, nothing can compare to the joy of walking through a beautiful landscape, no matter how difficult it feels at the time.
Some watercolours from France and Germany:
And some from my pre-trip journal:
Filed under Great Hikes, Photography, Sketching, Tour du Mont Blanc, Travel
Les Houches to Chamonix
Those who have set foot on the trail that circumnavigates Mont Blanc – the TMB – will no doubt recognize the name of the otherwise obscure village of Les Houches, France, where the vast majority of TMB hikers begin their journey. We heard it mentioned most every day when we talked to fellow TMB hikers. There is a very excellent shop there by the way, across from the Bellevue cable car station, where you would be well advised to buy some cheese, bread and a few sausages to carry in your bag. You will need them for energy, I can guarantee it!
The TMB is the most famous hike in the Alps, and thousands do the circuit yearly. It is next to impossible short of a book length post here to adequately describe the experience. I survived; but it was much tougher than I expected. Let no one kid you that trails in the Alps are just long gentle strolls along valleys and over soft rounded hills and cols. Not a chance! They are rugged, steep, slippery, narrow, muddy, rocky and full of roots, stones, water, twists, turns, high steps, no steps, scrambles and muck. But there are some very special rewards. After a few days of walking in the mountains you begin to stop thinking about anything much except the path in front of you, and the scenery all around. In my experience there is really nothing that can compare to this peacefulness. Part of it is due to the sheer effort it takes to keep going, and part to the lack of the usual stimuli or distractions. Refuges, also called gites or auberges, have internet for the most part, so one can keep in touch if necessary; but I simply used this to dispatch emails each night to update our progress and report that we were still alive. News out there is of no value whatsoever, which makes you wonder what value it has in the first place.
There are signs, maps and guidebooks that will show you the way and inform you as to how long it takes from here to there. The maps and guidebooks are useful, if you actually read them, something we should have done more often. We might not have gotten lost then. The signs are also very useful, if you add 30 minutes to every hour they purport to advise. Of course this applies to me, who merely trained one summer which was not nearly enough, but was sufficient to keep me moving at least. A year would have been much better, if I had concentrated on getting my legs ready for climbing and descending 1000 metres on steep mountains every day. Maybe 5 hours on the stairmaster with a pack would have helped, but who has time for that? Not me. So I hiked around the paltry hills in the neighbourhood, hoping to strengthen the old leg muscles enough to get by. I suppose it did, as I made it with injury, but not without suffering!
I had forgotten what it takes to climb 1000 metres straight up, a typical day; as it is well understood that humans have a great capacity to remember pleasant things and forget pain. By now I have even begun to forget how my legs and body felt as I climbed the Fenetre d'Arpete in Switzerland less than 2 weeks ago, all the while thinking that whoever made this trail was crazy to think anyone would use it, since there was a much easier alternate route. However, we were not the only ones punishing our legs that day – there were others, and many of them, all looking pretty much the same as us; exhausted, and sullen. Briefly, at the col we rested and looked back on our achievement, only to be dampened by looking down the other side at the same sort of slope that would soon dole out punishing knee strain over 1000 metres of descent, and for what? The right to say you climbed the Fenetre d'Arpete, that's what! Also, for a nice view – enjoyed for 15 minutes. No beer up here, unlike some other notable cols along the trail.
40 years back I hiked northernmost 100 miles of the AT to Mt. Katahdin in Maine – with a 50 lb backpack and no resupply points. I would never attempt to do that one again, for good reason. One – I hate carrying 50 lbs, and two; it was dull compared to the Alps. So if you can afford it, and you fancy a long hike somewhere, try the TMB. At the end, when you are done or you are certain you will make it, buy one of those lime green t-shirts with the TMB logo. We bought ours at the last refuge, but we didn't don them until we had completed the trek. Then we immediately put them on and went out for a nice dinner and some Brasserie Mont Blanc beer.
Filed under Great Hikes, Tour du Mont Blanc, Uncategorized


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[wibbitz id="b8d0325ff5bf44f2297e6787741bb2b51″ autoplay="true"]
The New England Patriots listed eight players as questionable for their matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.
Quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo (shoulder) and Jacoby Brissett (thumb) were both listed as questionable. Garoppolo suffered his AC joint sprain in the second quarter of the Patriots' Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins, and he missed Week 3 against the Houston Texans. Brissett started in Garoppolo's place in Week 3, but suffered a thumb injury during the game despite playing all 60 minutes.
Last week, when Garoppolo did not play, he was listed as doubtful. According to CSNNE.com's Mike Giardi, the Patriots are very confident Brissett will play. There's no word yet on their confidence level in Garoppolo.
The Patriots also listed Dont'a Hightower (knee), Rob Gronkowski (hamstring), Marcus Cannon (calf), Jonathan Cooper (foot), Eric Rowe (ankle) and Jonathan Freeny (shoulder) as questionable.
Gronkowski missed the first two games of the season, and played only 14 snaps in Week 3. Hightower has only played in one game this season, as he suffered a leg injury in the Patriots' season-opener. Freeny appeared to suffer his injury during the Week 3 game against the Texans. Cannon was a new addition to this list earlier in the week. Cooper and Rowe have not seen any action so far this season.


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I tell every student about the benefit and usage of a metronome in lessons but I'm sure this message from a student will reinforce the benefit.
"Hi Leigh
Just a note on the metronome. Yes, I know you are always going on about practicing with the metronome and now I actually think I've got it happening.
In the beginning it was difficult. I was trying to read the music, find the notes on the right strings, and get a reasonable sound happening as well as getting the timing right. The whole lot together with the metronome beeping at me was sometimes daunting. Even at a very slow pace, however, I started to improve.
I had most trouble on pieces where there were lots of rests but now I seemed to have improved a lot. I found when I was playing the piece without the metronome I was able to count in my head to follow the beat.
I have been using a couple of metronome apps on my phone and the one I like best is the Iona Voice Metronome which has beeps, male and female voice counting as well as my favourite, a dog barking in time!"
As the author of this message has indicated, a metronome will help you develop a sense of rhythm and constant tempo. Most have the ability to change accent to any beat as well as change the time.
A metronome will make you a better guitarist ie smoother with better technique. You will improve over time and your practice will be more efficient.
Make sure you are using it every practice session.
Please do what this guitarist has done and email me what is working for you in your own practice. I will put your comments up on the website for other guitarists to investigate.


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Gem Trails of Utah
Price: $12.95
Welcome to rockhounding in Utah. This is the latest edition of the classic best selling guide. The gem hunter is led to landscapes as diverse as the gems, minerals and fossils found there. B/W photos highlight the collecting areas. A special color section aids in the identification of specimens. Mitchell, 168 pages.


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Product Name: Tesla Model X Glass Sunshade Car Skylight Blind Shading Net Tesla ModelS front Glass Roof Sunshade
1.Applicable models: Tesla Model X Model S,Please understand if the car models are the same before buying.
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Home Warranty
New Home Warranty
All our new homes come with standard 1-2-10 year RWC
warranty. Ten year warranties have been an effective way to deal
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10 Year Full Coverage Warranty
Choosing a qualified Contractor to undertake a home improvement project can
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industry as a whole.
Often the decision to remodel leads to more choices and even more questions on
the part of the homeowner. What are the Contractor's qualifications? What kind
of guarantee is provided? Is there any choice in the warranty offered? How do I
know if the Contractor chosen for the job is experienced and professional? What
happens when there is a disagreement? RWC's Remodeler Warranty addresses many of
these issues and concerns for Contractor and their Customers. This flexible
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The Contractor's responsibility is limited to the first year with RWC's Insurer
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To offer RWC protection, each Contractor must have a history of financial
stability, technical competence in constructing quality renovations, and good
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also provides a process to resolve disputes about the quality of the work,
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'Game On!': Release date, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the game show starring Venus Williams and Rob Gronkowski
Do you enjoy sports and comedy? Well, then you should definitely catch up on CBS's latest offering 'Game On!'. The show features tennis legend Venus Williams and NFL star Rob Gronkowski. The two athletes will lead opposing teams competing against each other on various sports activities and trivia.
Release date
'Game On!' is set to premiere on Wednesday, May 27, on CBS.
Based on the BAFTA award-winning show 'A League of Their Own', CBS's 'Game On!' promises to be a highly entertaining blend of comedy and sports, just like its British counterpart. 'Game On!' will feature two teams comprising of three members, led by Venus Williams and Rob Gronokowski. The teams will compete against each other in crazy physical challenges such as wrestling a sumo wrestler to performing rhythmic gymnastics. The challenge doesn't end there.
The teams will also be tested on their sports trivia knowledge. With trivial questions like which athlete cried the longest after a victory, to which athlete was the largest baby, the teams will have to really flaunt their sports-based trivia.
The show will feature Emmy and Peabody Award-winning writer, creator and actor Keegan-Michael Key as the host. Keegan is best known for his work in 'Keegan & Peele'. He had most recently appeared in Eddie Murphy's 'Dolemite Is My Name' and will also be featuring alongside John Cena in Paramount's 'Playing with Fire'.
Tennis champion Venus Williams and NFL star Rob Gronkowski as team captains. Venus is a tennis legend with seven Grand Slam titles, five Wimbledon championships and four Olympic gold medals, she has managed to become one of the most recognized tennis players in the world. Since she first began playing tennis at 14, the star athlete has managed to rise to the top and won several accolades through the course of her illustrious career.
Actor and comedian Bobby Lee and Emmy-winning writer Ian Karmel will be on comedy panel.
The show has been executive-produced by Ben Winston. Winston explained about the show, "We are so delighted to be making this show with CBS. We couldn't have found a better host and partner in Keegan and I can't wait to see Gronk and Venus as we've never seen them before, going head to head in some epic yet ridiculous battles."
The official trailer for 'Game On!' hasn't been released yet. Keep watching this space for further updates.
If you like this, you'll love these
'A Question of Sport'
'Holey Moley'
'Play to the Whistle'


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Well it's Tuesday and let me tell you, I'm TIRED! I have a sick toddler thanks to me passing off my summer cold to him and he always gets it worse because of his asthma. Needless to say, my sleeping habits suck but even more so when I have a sick baby! I stopped watching the clock after 5:00AM it was really starting to frustrate me. I'm running on fumes people! The caffeine is NOT being very effective today! HELP!!!!! So here I am participating in PINT all sleep deprived! Pop on over to Supah's and join the fun!
Oh, did you guys notice my animated banner? That's me being indecisive and not wanting just one, after all I do ALL those things AND my life is chaotic! Excuse my browns not matching perfectly at the moment, my color blindness kicked in after NOT enough sleep. I'll be matching them perfectly within the next 24-48 hrs. Minor redesign in the making and I think I found my NICHE! Hooray!


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You are invited to an evening of original stories on July 12th at the Cottage Bistro, 4470 Main Street. The event is hosted by Vancouver Story Slam which is organized by Susan Cormier and hosted by Bryant Ross. Ten storytellers will take the stage and share their original stories with you. Those participating in July include Alexis Sugden, Bailey Bjolin, James, Jim Murray, Kyla del Rosario, Lozan Yamolky, Mary Parlange, Ryan Uytdewilligen, Shlomo McPeake and Susan Levang. The evening opens with a tale by guest performer J.P. Lorence. The event is $5 and that also gets you a ballot giving you the opportunity to vote on your favourite story. There are cash prizes awarded to the winners. Those winners are in turn invited to participate at their annual storytelling championship finals. The event on July 12th gets underway at 8:00 pm. If you wish to learn more about this event or participate in an upcoming event, email them directly at email@example.com. This is a monthly event and if you can't make this one, future dates are posted on their Facebook page.
Archive | 6:40 am


text: We all love to spend summer on the beach or by the pool and enjoy swimming. However, when we talk about taking our dogs with us, there are some concerns that we need to consider. Since not all dogs are natural swimmers, they need to wear a life vest when spending time in the water. On the other hand, choosing the right French bulldog life vest is also challenging. You need to find one that will have quality floating panels and that will be made of solid diving fabric. Our Shark Dog Safety Life Jacket is one of the best life vests to use on Frenchies. Let's find out all the features of this dog life jacket.


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Since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. That's why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. (NIV)
Metaphors matter. How we view, imagine, and picture God influences the way we live.
Recently, I met with a young man who was severely distressed, depressed, and had attempted suicide several times in the past several months. After listening to his story, I asked him a question: "How do you see or picture God?" Without hesitation, he answered, "God is my CO (Commanding Officer)." He went on to portray and picture General God who gives commands and of good soldiers who obey what's expected of them.
As a soldier, you would never walk up to your CO and vent all your feelings. You wouldn't have a dialogue. There would be no extended conversations. In the throes of trying to deal with emotional trauma, General God isn't a metaphor that's helpful.
Today's New Testament lesson reminds and invites us to consider Jesus, the Son of God. Christ is pictured as our great high priest. A priest is a person who intercedes for you with God. He stands in the gap and effectively communicates your needs, desires, and feelings to a gracious and loving God.
When you are too emotionally tired to face another day, Jesus our great high priest, has our back and is graciously present with us.
Soldiers don't have confidence to approach General God with their abject weakness or their ongoing temptations. There is only the giving and receiving of orders and strategies to be implemented. Far too many Christians have such an understanding of God and think there is something wrong with them when they cannot live up to be the kind of soldier that would make others proud.
Grace and mercy, however, are found through the confidence of approaching our great high priest. It is Jesus who thoroughly, completely, and mercifully has a first-hand understanding of what you are dealing with and is able and desirous to help.
As our permanent high priest, Jesus is uniquely positioned to hear us, empathize with our situation, and care for us in ways which truly aid us.
It's easy to get discouraged. It takes no effort to find yourself on the outside of happiness and on the inside of a black hole. Living in this broken world can sting and hurt like hell. Yet, we have a Savior who has brought deliverance from hell by taking on hell itself. Jesus, the pioneer of our salvation, knows better than anyone what brokenness feels like. Christ absorbed all the sin of the world on the cross.
Jesus is presently, this very moment, sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, awaiting your approach with merciful eyes, a compassionate heart, and listening ears. Jesus is our risen and ascended Lord. Christ is so much more than a military officer. Jesus is our ample and able great high priest. He is awaiting you now….
Ascended and living Lord Jesus, you are my colossal high priest. You live to intercede for me. What a privilege! May you strengthen my nascent faith today and bolster my confidence as I consider your grace and mercy in this messed-up world. Thank you for your kindness, empathy, and ability. Amen.