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Hundreds evacuated and 14 people injured after gas explosion at central London hotel
Some 500 guests were evacuated and 14 people were injured after an explosion at a top central London hotel caused part of the building to collapse.
Woman fighting for her life after hit and run in south-west London
A woman is fighting for her life after a hit and run in south-west London.
Knightsbridge balcony collapse: Two people dead and six injured
Two men died and six were injured today when a balcony collapsed in Knightsbridge.
Bank of England's Martin Weale: As the patient evolves, we are starting to change the medicine
Published: 25 February 2014
Updated: 07:54, 26 February 2014
Until very recently, the Bank of England's monetary policy committee said little about the prospects for interest rates in the medium term. My own meetings with people running businesses have, however, convinced me of the merits of saying something on the topic.
On a visit to Cumbria three years ago, I met someone who told me his business was thriving, but would be ruined if the Bank rate went up. This puzzled me. I could not picture a business that was sound when the Bank rate was 0.5% but ruined by a rise of a quarter of one per cent. It turned out that the gentleman I met thought the committee was choosing between a Bank rate of 0.5% and one of 5%; he was much reassured when I explained things to him.
At much the same time, I had breakfast with some City traders, people who were paid to understand what we do on the MPC. One trader held a view similar to the gentleman in Cumbria — that, once we started raising the Bank rate, we would need to go on raising it. This was a complete misunderstanding of the way the MPC works. I am therefore now very comfortable that, in the second phase of forward guidance, we are providing more guidance about future interest rates and hope it will put paid to such misperceptions.
There is much to be said for explaining that — while nothing can ever be ruled out — the chance the MPC will think it appropriate to raise Bank rate to 5% in the near future is low. Any increases in the rate in the near and medium term are most likely to be gradual and limited, as the market path suggests.
A patient being treated by a doctor may find it helpful to know how the doctor sees their condition and prospects. But they also expect the doctor to adapt the course of treatment to their condition as it evolves. In the same way, the MPC has to adapt the setting of monetary policy to the state of the economy as it develops.
If wage growth picks up more rapidly than I expect, it will be an indication of inflationary pressure in the economy and Bank rate will need to rise sooner. If wage growth remains subdued, Bank rate should rise more slowly. Because the future is uncertain, we cannot make any promises about where Bank rate will be in a year or two years.
The most we can possibly do is to give some indication of the way we see things at the moment based on the data currently available to us. People might wish for more, but to make a firm commitment about the future path of interest rates, and stick to it come what may, would mean we were not doing the job we have been appointed to do — delivering the Government's 2% inflation target.
At present, there are good reasons to think, that in two to three years' time, the Bank rate consistent with keeping inflation close to target will still be markedly lower than it was before the crisis. Equally, although much has changed in the last 10 years, the capacity of the British economy to spring surprises has not. We can offer guidance on how we think the future will look, based on our best collective judgment. But we cannot guarantee that Bank rate will follow any particular path.
Martin Weale is a member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee.
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Kaiser expands cancer facilities at Sunnyside
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- Robin J. Moody
- Business Journal staff writer
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center is expanding its inpatient cancer care services by one-third during the coming year to address burgeoning demand.
The health system last year completed construction of a new $88 million four-story addition at the busy Sunnyside hospital in Clackamas.
The new, expanded oncology services unit will be located on the fourth floor of that new wing. It will include 20 inpatient beds dedicated to cancer care, up from 15 at its current location on the first floor of Sunnyside's older wing.
"It feels like we're being lifted into the sunshine," said Beth Parmenter, oncology nurse manager at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, of the move. "There's a spectacular view of Mount Talbert."
Construction on the project just started, and patients will move into the new unit in January or February of 2009.
Kaiser cited aging membership and growth in demand for cancer care services for the move. The health system did not disclose how much it is investing in building out the hospital floor.
The unit will offer diagnostic services, chemotherapy, surgical aftercare, symptom management and end of life care. Radiation oncology is performed at Kaiser's Interstate campus in North Portland.
"Our unit is filled to capacity quite often," said Parmenter. "We have patients coming in for chemotherapy that have to wait for someone else to be discharged."
The number of cancer patients cared for by Kaiser grew 4.6 percent between 2003 and 2007, said Kaiser spokesman Jim Gersbach, to 3,169.
Kaiser Northwest is an integrated health care system based in Oakland, Calif., that owns its own health plan, employs its own salaried medical providers and operates its own hospitals and clinics. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest is the second-largest health insurer in Oregon, with about 450,000 commercial, Medicare and Medicaid patients.
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my girlfriend has a coolection of characteristically candid clothing
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Airport area sushi?
Have to make two airport pick-ups, three hours apart. Any suggestions for reasonable sushi in the airport vicinity to kill the time between pick-up numbers one and two?
Or, if not sushi exactly per se, something else wonderful and hound-ish close enough to make it feasible?
Time frame? I like two in Mississauga: Kumai on Hurontario(Hwy 10)s. of Britannia; and Jimbay on Dixie. Both are Japanese 0/0 places and easily accessible from Eglinton west from the airport.
I guess I was hoping for something right near the airport - like along the dreaded airport strip. We will have about 3 hours total - but you never know what you're dealing with in terms of delays and luggage etc.
Thanks - I'll look on the map and see if either of those two are do-able.
re: Kagemusha
Oh - no taxi. I'm the taxi. My husband and one son are arriving on a flight at 5-ish. Second son supposedly arriving on a flight at 9-ish. Looking for good eats in between.
Thanks for looking into that.
re: Nyleve
That's what I meant by taxi service. Kimura's place is called Gingko, located in one of the hotels--not sure which one--sorry.
I think Ginko is the one in Double Tree Hotel. On Dixon Rd. south side, just east of Hwy 27. It looks to be pretty expensive there.
There's a couple of other sushi places by there too, I think one is Sushi-ya and the other I can't remember is right next to Kelsey's. They're all on Dixion, but I've never tried any of these places... and I'm a bit apprehensive to.
ginko is in the doubletree and VERY pricey. http://www.ginkojapaneserestaurant.ca/
i can't comment on the quality/service as i haven't been there.
has anyone been? is it worth it?
re: lilaki
Of the three mentioned on the dixon/401 area, you'd want to stick to Ginko. It's definitely better than Sushi-Ya and Sunny Dragon, next to Kelsey's across the street. Ginko is more expensive, but their lunches are more reasonably priced. Quality and service was very good last time I was there (that was some time ago, though). I'd stay away from the Dragon place, its run-of-the-mill sushi for the masses. If anything, Sushi-Ya is marginally better. Both are Korean-run.
I honestly don't think Ginko is worth the price. The food is fine, not spectacular. And for "fine", I'd rather pay less, like at Sushi-Ya. I help run a two thousand person event at the DoubleTree, and we never, never eat at Ginko anymore because we find the price just not worth it.


text: SO what EXACTLY Could You Win If You Enter The Rock Sound Readers' Poll 2014? One person who votes in this year's Rock Sound Readers' Poll will win over £1,500-worth of shit-hot goodies. Here's a breakdown of the prizes... Read More » Rock Sound 24 November at 15.53 Tweet +1 Reddit


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The Crossroads of the Aether
A group for Australian steampunks.
Location: Australia
Members: 155
Latest Activity: Nov 13
Started by Prof. Sebastian Fate. Last reply by Prof. Sebastian Fate Oct 28. 144 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Rick Lawton. Last reply by Rick Lawton Jul 22. 10 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Paul Hobby. Last reply by Professor von Explaino Jun 12. 30 Replies 0 Likes
Currently reading The city of Bones by Cassandra Clare, only got it cos i couldn't get the ones she wrote b4 this series, which were steam punk apparently, the infernal devices. I love reading, but most do not consider me literary mided because my passion is young adult fiction. I love it, it is always full of action and events, i find Adult books plod too much and go into too much detail. Heretical i know, especially to one who enjoys 19th century literature
Might I also suggest, if you're down for the weekend, you take a look at the Titanic Theatre Restaurant. I went some years back and quite enjoyed it.
While I would love to go, at this stage I don't think the exhibition gods are smiling on me. I hope you enjoy it though!
Now don't all hang back : is anyone else planning to be in Williamstown on the 22nd ?
Madam Fate , his guide in all things , and the Professor plan to visit the clothing exhibition in Williamstown on the 22nd.of April , the last day .
Should anyone else attend we will be the couple being refused admission because we are dressed in the same style as the exhibits .
Please make yourselves known .
That 'phone number should be 03 5468 7418 - see you there .
For those within geographical range of Melbourne , Victoria on the 7th-22nd of April , at the old Town Hall , Ferguson St , Williamstown an exhibition of late Victorian - Edwardian clothing will be presented under the tile ' Dressed for the Voyage - the ' Titanic ' costume extravaganza ' .
Edwardian high tea is available pre-booked at a cost of $45 in addition to the entry fee of $8 adults and $6 child .
Group bookings are available although a warning to organizers of our desire to outshine the exhibits might be in order .
If anyone is interested contact can be made on www.dressedforthevoyage.com or ring 03 546818 .
Splendid stuff, Mr Roger Curl. Next time I'm in Auckland I MUST ensure I get there for a steaming load of fun.
© 2014 Created by Hephzibah Marsh.


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Speakers Corner
It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion
Snow (well someone had to mention it)
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 10:58AM
Anyone badly effected?
South Birmingham here, many side roads impassable and main roads now starting to gridlock.
What I find most stupid is that although many schools were closed, quite a few opened and in the last hour announced closures and requested parents to collect their kids. With most local schools on side roads I expect mayhem. It was very clear from warnings yesterday that our area would gradually deteriorate during the day so why allow schools to open, take in kids and then an hour later declare closure?
- Tags:
- snow
Likes # 1
Posted March 23, 2013 at 11:43AM
Likes # 0
Posted March 23, 2013 at 1:15PM
Great photos, Blackhat ... all 4 are winners.
Likes # 0
Posted March 23, 2013 at 2:08PM
excellent lovely photos
Likes # 0
Posted March 23, 2013 at 2:35PM
It's good that we should get a visual reminder of just what Global Warming means
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 11:02AM
I cant remember my school ever closing for snow - mollycoddled teachers!
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 11:03AM
Bet some parents would rather leave them there fore the weekend :0)
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 12:01PM
Started in not so sunny Orpington at 08.30,very fine stuff still less than 1cm deep.
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 12:07PM
School closures are often due to the fact that the staff cannot get there to look after the children. Many of the staff commute some distance nowadays. Those who remember the "good old days" probably had teachers that also walked to to school from a relatively short distance.
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 12:23PM
Non here in South Yorks, you can keep it west of the Pennines for me!
Likes # 0
Posted January 18, 2013 at 12:35PM
Bad in North Wales, had the day off as the factory closed at 9am. Son travelling up from London and struggling with the conditions.
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Book Your Broadway Walking Tour Today!
Highlights of the tour include:
– The history of Grand Central Terminal and Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt.
– The legend of the famous Whispering Gallery, Grand Central's Mosaic Ceiling, secret sub-basement and more.
– Hear inspired city train/songs like "Empire state of mind" by Alicia Keys & classics like "Take the A Train" by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington performed with your tour guide.
Meeting Location:
This tour meets near the station master office inside Grand Central in Manhattan. -New York Transit Museum (87 E 42nd St)


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On November 20, 2014 in New York City, several organizations held a vigil to demand the end of immigration detention for children and families.
The United Nations met on November 20 in New York to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child which monitors implementation of the treaty has called for an end to child and family detention: "… The detention of a child because of their or their parents' migration status constitutes a child rights violation and always contravenes the principle of the best interests of the child. In this light, States should expeditiously and completely cease the detention of children on the basis of their immigration status."
The United States and other governments continue to violate children's rights by detaining and deporting parents and creating family detention centers. Advocates and migrant families will gather at the United Nations for a candle light vigil urging an end to detention, particularly child and family detention. This will be followed by a panel event exploring the impacts of detention on children and needed State actions to defend their human rights.
The vigil was sponsored by the Queer Detainee Empowerment Project, American Friends Service Committee ,Black Alliance for Just Immigration, DRUM – South Asian Organizing Center, First Friends of New Jersey & New York, Families for Freedom, Immigrant Defense Project, International Detention Coalition, Justice Strategies, Loretto at the UN, New Sanctuary Movement, Reformed Church of Highland Park, Terre Des Hommes, United Methodist Women, We Belong Together Campaign, & Women's Refugee Commission for Refugee Women and Children.
DWN Slams Obama Executive Action on Deportations for Not Including Critical Detention Reforms #ExposeandClose #EndtheQuota
Statement from Silky Shah, co-director of the Detention Watch Network, on news that President Obama has announced executive action on immigration and deportation relief for 4 million undocumented Americans:
"President Obama's action today to delay the deportation of roughly 4 million undocumented immigrants is an encouraging step that unfortunately does not fully address the glaring human rights violations occurring under his tenure. We are in the midst of a crisis– families are being locked up in jails, the largest detention center in United States history will open by the end of the year, and more than 34,000 people are forcibly detained every night across the U.S. due to the arbitrary detention 'bed quota.'
"Plain and simple, the U.S. government must end its reliance on immigration detention and eliminate the detention bed quota, which requires at minimum 34,000 immigrants be detained at any given time. President Obama's executive action will do nothing to protect both documented and undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions who have already paid their debt to society, and will instead intensify the dragnet in order to earn political points and maintain the corrupt and arbitrary quota."
For interviews with the Detention Watch Network, please contact Brett Abrams at 516-841-1105 or by email at email@example.com.
# # # # #
The Detention Watch Network works through the collective strength and diversity of its members to expose and challenge the injustices of the U.S. immigration detention and deportation system and advocate for profound change that promotes the rights and dignity of all persons.
New CIVIC Project Launch: "Drawing By Themselves: Portraits of America" #EndFamilyDetention @endisolation
Via Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement:
Today, CIVIC is releasing "Drawings By Themselves: Portraits of America," a multimedia that provides children and their parents in U.S. immigration detention with an opportunity to share their experience through drawings and stories. CIVIC produced the project in partnership with the International Detention Coalition, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and the Global Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children.
"Drawings By Themselves: Portraits of America" tells a story about America today. Through their artwork, the children and parents express their humanity and claim the United States as their own, even as the Obama Administration continues to expand family detention in response to the recent arrival of Central American women and children asylum seekers fleeing violence in their home countries.
"Immigration detention is a one-size-fits-all 'solution' that locks up mothers, fathers, and children in unimaginable isolation," said Christina Fialho, a California attorney and co-executive director of Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement (CIVIC). "Imprisoning children and families is a human rights violation."
For More Information: http://www.endisolation.org/child-detention-stories/
Action Alert: Nov. 20 International Day of Action Against Child and Family Detention #EndFamilyDetention #EndChildDetention
- Use #EndChildDetention and #EndFamilyDetention
- Join IDC's thundercalp to amplify your voice against child detention!
Educate your Community
DWN Members React to Artesia Closure and Opening of Dilley Facility #ExposeandClose #EndFamilyDetention
DWN members issued the following statements below (Check back for updates):
A child's letter of hope to kids inside a family detention center
ACLU of Texas: ICE to Transfer Mothers and Children to For-Profit Detention Center
American Immigration Lawyers Association: Administration's Shell Game Doesn't Change the Need to End Inhumane Family Detention
Grassroots Leadership: Closure of Artesia Facility Necessary, But Massive New For-Profit Detention Camp Should Not Replace It
Human Rights First: Administration Should Abandon Texas Family Detention Center Plan
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services: LIRS Statement in Response to Artesia Closure: End Family Detention
National Immigrant Justice Center: DHS to Close Controversial Artesia Family Detention Center, Open Largest Immigration Detention Center in U.S. History
Women's Refugee Commission: Women's Refugee Commission Responds to DHS Announcement to Move Families out of Artesia into the New Family Detention Center in Dilley, TX
Mission Presbytery Immigration Task Force:
Mission Presbytery Immigration Task Force celebrates the decision to close the Artesia detention facility. Unfortunately, this is just the first step in ending family detention in the United States. We will continue to advocate for the closing of this inhumane and abhorrent practice that runs counter to our faith and patriotism. Detaining children in the basis of their parents' immigration status is unacceptable and never appropriate. We will continue to advocate for an end to family detention everywhere including the close of the for profit Karnes Family Detention Center in Karnes, Texas. We also believe plans to expand family detention through the construction of a new facility in Dilley, Texas are unacceptable. We pause to celebrate the closing of Artesia, but only in the context of the destructive and offensive policy of detaining mothers and their children in jail.
DWN Slams ICE Plans to Open New Family Detention Facility in Dilley TX, Applaud Closing of #Artesia #EndFamilyDetention
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Brett Abrams : firstname.lastname@example.com
Statement from Silky Shah, co-director of the Detention Watch Network, on the announcement that ICE plans to transfer women and children currently held at the Artesia Family Detention Center to Dilley in December.
"News that the White House plans to double-down on their failed, inhumane, and alarmingly punitive response to refugee families arriving at the border by opening a new facility to incarcerate families and children in Dilley, Texas is deeply disappointing.
While we have long advocated for the closure of the Artesia Detention Facility, ICE's decision to transition detained women and children to a new facility in Dilley completely misses the issue at hand. Family detention is an abusive, and inhumane practice that erodes family bonds, and undermines children's well being. Read more…
New Report from DWN members, Grassroots Leadership and Justice Strategies
For-Profit Family Detention: Meet the Private Prison Corporations Making Millions by Locking Up Refugee Families
A new report, For-Profit Family Detention: Meet the Private Prison Corporations Making Millions by Locking Up Refugee Families, authored by Grassroots Leadership and Justice Strategies details the long history of abuse and misconduct in facilities owned by private prison companies and the need to end family detention now. Excerpt from the report:
The GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America have exceptionally troubled histories when operating facilities detaining children, immigrants, and families. The unprecedented move to expand immigrant family detention – largely relying on these same for-profit prison corporations – raises many concerns about ICE's policies related to asylum-seeking families.


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News & Public Affairs
Activists at Port Tampa Bay rally, but are unable to stop an Israeli ship from unloading its cargo listen09/02/14 Tom Baur
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Block the Boat, Block the Boat Tampa, BDS, Israel, Zim, Port Tampa Bay, Port of Tampa, Tampa, Palestine
Protesters greeted a ship from an Israeli company on Saturday.
They join others at ports around the country drawing attention to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The dozen or so activists were not able to stop the ship from unloading its cargo, but raised awareness of the campaign to protest the Israeli shipping company.
About 40 non violent peace activists braved the intense noon day August sun to protest the unloading of the Israeli cargo ship Zim Alabama. They set up along ...Be the first to comment
Activists hope to block ship from Israeli company from unloading at Port Tampa Bay listen08/26/14 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Palestine, Israel, BDS, Block the Boat Tampa, Tampa, Port Tampa Bay, Port of Tampa
Local activists are taking the struggle for Palestinian rights to Port Tampa Bay. An Israeli ship, the Zim Alabama, is scheduled to dock there this week, but a new group called Block the Boat Tampa wants to stop it from being unloaded here. It's part of the nonviolent struggle for Palestinian rights called BDS or boycott, divestment and sanctions.
WMNF's Seán Kinane interviewed Bettejo Indelicato, who is helping to organize [Block the Bo...Be the first to comment
Tampa car dealership makes it easier for women to be auto technicians listen08/19/14 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Women's rights, Tampa, labor
Next Tuesday is recognized as Women's Equality Day; a local car dealership is marking the occasion by making it easier for women to be automotive technicians with separate accommodations.
WMNF News' Seán Kinane interviewed Rob Elder, president of Elder Automotive Group based in Tampa.
Be the first to comment
"Pretty much jobs in the automotive world in general are very, very tight [for women]. The obstacles are numerous from not having theown proper facilities for the technicians -- if we are just talking ab...
Tampa crowd rallies to support Israel during attacks on Gaza listen08/01/14 Brenton Honeywell and Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Israel, Palestine, Tampa, Gaza, War, militarism
Supporters of Israel rallied this afternoon in downtown Tampa. Fifty or so people gathered holding signs and playing Israeli music.
Detlef Borges from Sebring says the U.S. is right to keep shipping ammunition to Israel.
Another attendee at the rally, Amy Nash, came from Lakeland to support Israel.
In news from Gaza, Israeli forces are moving deeper into southern Gaza, searching for a soldier who was apparently captured during a clash with Hamas militants earlier in the day. The forc...Be the first to comment
Tampa teenager beaten up by Israeli police but sentenced to house arrest: "I was so mad" listen08/01/14 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tariq Abukhdeir, Tariq Khdeir, Palestine, West Bank, Israel, Jerusalem, Tampa, Gaza
The Tampa teenager who was beat up by Israeli police last month shortly after his cousin was killed in the West Bank was sentenced to house arrest while recovering from his injuries. I sat down with Tariq Abukhdeir last week at his house and asked what it was like to be sentenced to house arrest.
I asked his mother, Suha Abukhdeir about Tariq's injuries.Be the first to comment
Tampa state Rep criticizes Scott administration over All Aboard Florida listen07/31/14 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: All Aboard Florida, rail, passenger rail, high-speed rail, Tampa, Orlando, miami, Rick Scott, Mark Danish
A passenger rail project that would link some of Florida's biggest cities is coming under fire from an unexpected source – transit advocates.
All Aboard Florida is a private rail line proposed to link towns from Orlando to Miami. But there are connections between the company and Governor Rick Scott's Chief of Staff. Before word of this private venture, Governor Scott rejected federal funding for high-speed rail from Tampa to Miami, through Orlando, killing the project.
Tampa state [Rep...Be the first to comment
Voters could see new Hillsborough transit tax proposal in 2016 listen07/29/14 Lisa Kauffman
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Policy Leadership Group, transit, Mike Merrill, Hillsborough County, Tampa, Transportation, rail
A transit policy group wants Hillsborough County residents to be able to vote again on a tax for transportation improvements as soon as 2016.
Tuesday the Policy Leadership Group announced its proposal to connect USF, downtown Tampa, Westshore and Brandon. It wants to aid commuters with bus rapid transit and circulator systems, widening and repaving roads, improving intersections and eventually implementing a rail system. County Administrator Mike Merrill is part of the team that spent ove...Be the first to comment
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn proposes $876 million 2015 budget listen07/24/14 Janelle Irwin
WMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Bob Buckhorn, 2015 budget, Tampa, Tampa City Council
Tampa's mayor is proposing a budget that is $45 million more than this year. Bob Buckhorn delivered his plan for 2015 Thursday during a city council meeting.
"About 11 million of that is just the growth of government. That is a 1.2% increase in the cost of government. I think that's pretty darn good."
During the Great Recession, Tampa saw one of its primary sources of revenue – property taxes – dwindle from $166 million to $119 million. Revenue is increasing as home values rise, but s...Be the first to comment
Tariq Khdeir enthusiastically welcomed home to Tampa; he says remember Palestinians who died listen07/17/14 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tariq Khdeir, Palestine, Tampa, tampa international airport, Israel, CAIR, Hassan Shibly
Tariq Khdeir has returned home to Tampa; the teenager who was beaten unconscious by Israeli police was welcomed by dozens of exuberant friends, family and supporters late Wednesday night at Tampa International Airport. photos here
In videos and photos taken shortly after his beating two weeks ago, Khdeir's face appeared bruised and swollen. But as he and his immediate family walked off the airport tram into the welcoming arms o...Be the first to comment
Activists to protest outside Sen. Nelson's Tampa office for end to Israeli attacks listen07/11/14 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Palestine, Bill Nelson, Israel, Gaza, Tariq Abu Khdeir, Tampa, Jared Hamil, Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Supporters of justice in Palestine will demonstrate Friday beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the downtown Tampa federal courthouse on Florida Avenue.
For a preview, WMNF spoke with Jared Hamil, an organizer with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression in Tampa.
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jiggery-pokerySyllabification: jig·ger·y-pok·er·y
Pronunciation: /ˌjiɡərēˈpōkərē /
Definition of jiggery-pokery in English:
nouninformal , chiefly British
Deceitful or dishonest behavior.
Example sentences
- But this bit of scientific jiggery-pokery leaves my mind in an even more boggled state than usual.
- However, they only managed to conjure this up by jiggery-pokery.
- Why does that require 'work', unless there's some jiggery-pokery going on to ensure that the chart doesn't actually reflect the real numbers?
late 19th century: probably a variant of Scots joukery-pawkery, from jouk 'dodge, skulk', of unknown origin.
Definition of jiggery-pokery in:
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Word of the day Sprachgefühl
Pronunciation: ˈʃprɑːxɡəˌfuːl
intuitive understanding of a language's natural idiom…


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If you're a parent wondering what your child will look like as an adult, now you don't need to wonder anymore. Researchers at the University of Washington claim to have developed software that can accurately predict what a child will look like as an adult, up to the age of 80. The technique can even work from poorly lit photos, and could prove a big help in missing persons cases. Read More
Researchers at Lancaster University, UK have taken a hint from the way the human lungs and heart constantly communicate with each other, to devise an innovative, highly flexible encryption algorithm that they claim can't be broken using the traditional methods of cyberattack. Read More
Pressure makes diamonds, but according to recent findings, there may also be a much quicker, hassle-free way. A team of researchers at Stanford University has stumbled upon a new way of turning graphite (the material used for pencil leads) into a diamond-like carbon structure simply by applying hydrogen over a platinum substrate, without the need to apply external pressure of any kind. The discovery could lead to easier and more flexible manufacturing of diamonds used in cutting tools and other industrial devices. Read More
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has become a widely used technique for reaching into a person's brain and altering the way in which it functions. Vanderbilt psychology Professor Geoffrey Woodman and graduate student Robert Reinhart have just published the results of a new study in the Journal of Neuroscience in which they found that tDCS stimulation of the mediofrontal cortex for a period of minutes can change one's ability to recognize and learn from error for a period of several hours. Read More
Astronauts, get your welding goggles on – the space station is going into the foundry business. The International Space Station is set to do a spot of industrial research this June, when ESA's Materials Science Laboratory-Electromagnetic Levitator heads for the station aboard Europe's' ATV-5 Georges Lemaître unmanned space freighter as part of a program to study the casting of alloys in a weightless environment. Read More
Volkswagen leads "AdaptIVe" research project into autonomous cars
There's more to putting self-driving cars on the road than technology and algorithms. There's also some very basic thinking that needs to be done as to what autonomous vehicles are and what their implications are. Towards this end, Volkswagen has announced the start of Automated Driving Applications & Technologies for Intelligent Vehicles (AdaptIVe); a 42-month project by a consortium of 29 partners, including ten major automotive manufacturers, aimed at developing more efficient and safer autonomous systems. Read More
World first acoustic circulator puts sound on a one-way street
A team of researchers at the University of Texas At Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering has effectively disproved the adage that, "if you can hear you can be heard" by creating the world's first one-way acoustic circulator. The simple, compact device, which controls the direction of sound waves, allows the user to hear without being heard. Read More
A team of international researchers has turned to stem cells in a quest to find an a more effective treatment for patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis. The new method being investigated involves using the patients' own bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to boost immune response and heal damaged tissue. Read More
New materials mimic electronic properties of graphene in 3D
Exciting times are ahead in the high-tech industries with the discovery by three independent groups that a new class of materials mimic the special electronic properties of graphene in 3D. Research into these superfast massless charge carriers opens up a wide range of potential applications in electronics, including smaller hard drives with more storage capacity, faster transistors and more efficient optical sensors. Read More
In the field of exotic new materials, we've examined one of the strongest ones and another declared to be impossible; scientists now report creating "forbidden" materials, out of ordinary table salt, that violate classical rules of chemistry. Not only does the development challenge the theoretical foundation of known chemistry, but it is also expected to lead to the discovery of new exotic chemical compounds with practical uses and shed light on the composition of early planetary cores. Read More
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Analytical chemistry
- Print ISSN
- 0003-2700
- Electronic ISSN
- 1520-6882
- Impact factor
- 5.874
- Publisher
- http://pubs.acs.org/journals/ancham/index.html
- Usage rank
- 112
- Article count
- 21100
- Free count
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- Free percentage
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Single-cell copy number analysis of prostate cancer cells captured with geometrically enhanced differential immunocapture microdevices.
Analytical chemistry 86(22):11013 (2014) PMID 25363873We present a one-step controllable chemical extraction of whole nuclei from prostate cancer cells captured using geometrically enhanced differential immunocapture (GEDI) microdevices. We have successfully used copy number profile analysis to differentiate between two unique cancer cell line populati...
Template-oriented genetic algorithm feature selection of analyte wavelets in the Raman spectrum of a complex mixture.
Analytical chemistry 86(21):10591 (2014) PMID 25260090We introduce a fast computational method for feature selection that facilitates the accurate spectral analysis of a chemical species of interest in the presence of overlapping uncorrelated variance. Using a genetic algorithm in a data-driven approach, our method assigns predictors according to a tem...
Creation of libraries of recurring mass spectra from large data sets assisted by a dual-column workflow.
Analytical chemistry 86(20):10231 (2014) PMID 25233296An analytical methodology has been developed for extracting recurrent unidentified spectra (RUS) from large GC/MS data sets. Spectra were first extracted from original data files by the Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System (AMDIS; Stein, S. E. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 19...
1,5-diaminonaphthalene hydrochloride assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging of small molecules in tissues following ...
Analytical chemistry 86(20):10114 (2014) PMID 25247713Our results suggested that the newly prepared matrix possessed brilliant features including low cost, strong ultraviolet absorption, high salt tolerance capacity, and fewer background signals especially in the low mass range (typically m/z < 500), which permitted us to visualize the spatial distribu...
Ratiometric Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe for Quantitative Detection of β-Galactosidase Activity in Senescent Cells.
Analytical chemistry 86(20):10001 (2014) PMID 25293957We reported a ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe (SG1) for β-galactosidase (β-gal) and its application to quantitative detection of β-gal activity during cellular senescence in live cells and in aged tissues. This probe is characterized by a significant two-photon excited fluorescence, a marke...
Depth Profiling of Element Concentrations in Stratified Materials by Confocal Microbeam X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry with Polychromatic E...
Analytical chemistry 86(22):11275 (2014) PMID 25307861The confocal microbeam X-ray fluorescence technique is a well-established analytical tool that is widely used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of stratified materials. There are several different reconstruction methods dedicated to this type of samples. However, these methods are applicable...
LipidBlast Templates As Flexible Tools for Creating New in-Silico Tandem Mass Spectral Libraries.
Analytical chemistry 86(22):11024 (2014) PMID 25340521We here show the versatility of in-silico or computer generated tandem mass spectra that are directly obtained from compound structures. We use the freely available LipidBlast development software to generate 15 000 MS/MS spectra of the glucuronosyldiacylglycerol (GlcADG) lipid class, recently disco...
Poly β-Cyclodextrin/TPdye Nanomicelle-based Two-Photon Nanoprobe for Caspase-3 Activation Imaging in Live Cells and Tissues.
Analytical chemistry 86(22):11440 (2014) PMID 25347212We have designed a TPdye/βCDP nanomicelle-based TPA fluorescent nanoconjugate for enzymatic activity assay in biological fluids, live cells and tissues. This sensing system is composed of a trans-4-[p-(N,N-diethylamino)styryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (DEASPI)/βCDP nanomicelle as TPA fluorophore an...
Characterization of small protein aggregates and oligomers using size exclusion chromatography with online detection by native electrospray ...
Analytical chemistry 86(21):10692 (2014) PMID 25310183Self-association of proteins is important in a variety of processes ranging from acquisition of native quaternary structure (where the association is tightly controlled and proceeds in a highly ordered fashion) to aggregation and amyloidosis. The latter is frequently accompanied (or indeed triggered...
Credentialing features: a platform to benchmark and optimize untargeted metabolomic methods.
Analytical chemistry 86(19):9583 (2014) PMID 25160088 PMCID PMC4188275We introduce an alternative approach to benchmarking metabolome coverage which relies on mixed Escherichia coli extracts from cells cultured in regular and (13)C-enriched media. After mass spectrometry-based metabolomic analysis of these extracts, we "credential" features arising from E. coli metabo...


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President Obama's new executive actions to change immigration policy are unwise and threaten the growing consensus for reform, said the Southern Baptist Convention's lead ethicist.
Obama announced in prime time Nov. 20 his actions, which include most controversially a plan to protect nearly five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. The president's use of executive authority came after the Senate approved comprehensive immigration reform in the last Congress but the House of Representatives failed to do.
Russell D. Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said he disagreed with Obama's unilateral act. Moore noted he supports immigration reform, but the president's decision is an "unwise and counterproductive move."
Writing in a post for Time magazine online, Moore said, "It's because of my support for immigrants and for immigration reform that I think President Obama's executive actions are the wrong way to go.
"On more than one occasion, I asked President Obama not to turn immigration reform into a red state/blue state issue," he said. "People across the political spectrum support fixing this system, and it shouldn't be a partisan wedge issue. I also asked him not to act unilaterally, but to work for consensus through the legislative process.
"My hope is that the Republicans in Congress will not allow the President's actions here to be a pretext for remaining in the rut of the status quo."
Obama defended his decision to act without congressional approval, saying he continues "to believe that the best way to solve this problem is by working together to pass" a common-sense law. Until then, he has the authority to take steps "that will help make our immigration system more fair and more just," the president said.
Flaws in both the immigration system and its enforcement have resulted in an estimated 11 to 12 million undocumented immigrants living illegally in the United States.
In 2011, messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix approved a resolution on immigration reform that called for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus while pursuing justice and compassion.
(EDITOR'S NOTE – This story will be updated at BPnews.net. Tom Strode is the Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service.)
Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Ronnie Floyd has released a motivational tool book to help pastors and churches across the SBC engage in concerted prayer for the next great awakening in advance of the 2015 annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
Floyd announced the release of his ebook in a press conference call Nov. 19, joined by Southern Baptist editors, writers and state convention leaders. The announcement also marked the release of the annual meeting theme, "Great Awakening: Clear Agreement, Visible Union, Extraordinary Prayer," based on Romans 13:11, for the June 16-17 gathering.
During the conference call, Floyd highlighted several recommendations from his ebook: intercessory prayer for pastors on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings in advance of weekly sermons; a month of preaching on the subjects of repentance, extraordinary prayer, revival, awakening and teaching on God's word; the dedication of a full Sunday morning worship service to congregational prayer; a day of prayer and fasting in May, and attendance at the Columbus meeting.
Floyd's ebook, "Pleading with Southern Baptists To Humbly Come Together before God in Clear Agreement, Visible Union, and in Extraordinary Prayer for the Next Great Awakening and for the World to Be Reached for Christ," is available for free download at pray4awakening.com, sbc.net, RonnieFloyd.com, ibookstore.com and other sites. Additional tools and resources to promote the call to prayer are available on pray4awakening.com, including sermons from SBC pastors, encouraging pastors to learn from one another, Floyd said.
"I believe pastors need handles," he said of the ebook. "I think sometimes we operate in generalities, like you should do this, or you should do that. But I also believe there's historical precedence set in the awakenings, of them coming to agreement about a certain thing.
"I mean for example, let's just say that a few hundred of our churches would really try their very best to have a month where they're preaching on matters like repentance, and revival and awakening and reaching the world for Christ, and fasting and those kind of matters," he said. "I mean that makes a major difference."
Southern Baptists need to be in prayer for their churches, for their pastors, Floyd said. He called for three minutes of prayer each Saturday evening and Sunday morning for the anointing of God to come upon pastors as they preach His Word.
"I think we'll have less conflict if we learn how to pray together," he said. "And we'll have a greater force of the Holy Spirit and His power in our churches if we pray regularly. And the sunrise and sunset is an image; that's all it is. It's a reminder to pray, either one or the other, when people get up or when they go to bed at night."
Floyd compiled the book in consultation with theologians and leaders across the SBC, and referenced such stalwarts as Billy Graham, Jonathan Edwards, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Jeremiah Lanphier, Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody and William Booth.
"Surely we can embrace with clear agreement that spiritual revival personally, spiritual revival in the church, and spiritual awakening in the nation are all needed so we can accelerate our pace in reaching the world for Christ," Floyd wrote in the book. "Certainly we can deny ourselves, defer our own preferences, and visibly unite in extraordinary prayer for the next Great Awakening and for the world to be reached for Christ."
At the multisite Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, where Floyd is pastor, he will reserve January and early February for sermons on repentance, extraordinary prayer, revival, awakening and reaching the world for Christ, as he is asking every pastor to do for one month between January and May, 2015.
"We will end that probably with our major prayer gathering on Sunday morning," he said of Cross Church, "which we had one last October and it was incredible and blessed. And we will find a day, or we will just call our people to a day of fasting in the month of May."
Floyd is accepting sermons from pastors and Christian leaders to post on the pray4awakening website. He also noted the June 16 evening service at the 2015 SBC annual meeting will be a nationwide prayer gathering, and he hopes to engage Southern Baptists in attendance in Columbus and at home.
(EDITOR'S NOTE - Diana Chandler is general assignment writer/editor for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service.)
Nearly 100,000 people have signed an online petition asking the TLC network to cancel the popular reality show "19 Kids and Counting," contending that its stars, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, use their fame "to promote discrimination, hate, and fear-mongering against gays and transgendered people."
The Duggars have 19 children and are outspoken advocates of their Christian faith as well as pro-family public policies. Their television show debuted in 2008 as "17 Kids and Counting," since which time they have had two more children. Speaking at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary last year, the Duggars said they stopped using birth control pills after the drugs caused Michelle to experience a miscarriage years ago.
The petition to cancel the Duggars' show was launched by Jim Wissick of San Jose, Calif., at the website change.org and apparently stems from the Duggars' opposition to a Fayetteville, Ark., ordinance that provides civil rights protections for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) individuals. Fayetteville's city council approved the ordinance in August, but opponents gathered enough signatures from city residents to place the ordinance before voters during a special election Dec. 9.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
A counter-petition in support of the Duggars was launched Nov. 20 at LifeSiteNews.com. According to that petition, "We need to launch a counter-attack, letting TLC know that the American people stand by the Duggars and their defense of traditional family values. Rather than being extreme, the Duggars represent the majority of people in state after state who have stood up for the traditional family. The real extremists are those who are demanding that a TV network penalize America's beloved family because they support the truth about family, which they have always expressed in a loving, compassionate fashion."
Prior to the city council's approval of the ordinance, Michelle Duggar placed a robocall to northwest Arkansas residents warning, as quoted by Wissick, "The Fayetteville City Council is voting on an ordinance this Tuesday night that would allow men – yes I said men – to use women's and girls' restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping areas and other areas that are designated for females only. I don't believe the citizens of Fayetteville would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls."
Duggar's words "reek of ignorance and fear mongering," Wissick wrote. "Just because someone is transgendered doesn't mean they are a child predator or a rapist."
Wissick added, "The Duggars have thrown massive amounts of money to repeal this law so business owners and land lords can evict and fire people solely over gender identity and sexual orientation! They need to be taken off the air!"
The Duggars' oldest son Josh, who is executive director of the Family Research Council's legislative group, drew criticism from Wissick for being employed by "a hate-filled, anti-gay organization."
The Duggars' Facebook page also has been the subject of criticism from gay activists, according to CBS News. Earlier this month Jim Bob and Michelle posted a photo of themselves kissing along with the caption, "God designed marriage to be a loving, dynamic relationship between a husband and wife for a lifetime. God loves marriage and it is supposed to be full of love, joy, fun and romance. We challenge all married couples to take a happily married picture and post it here."
John Becker, of the LGBT blog The Bilerico Project, posted a photo of himself kissing his homosexual partner along with a message advocating gay marriage. The Duggars removed the photo and banned Becker from their Facebook page, CBS News reported.
On Twitter, Josh Barro, a reporter for a New York Times section called TheUpshot and an MSNBC contributor, wrote, "Anti-LGBT attitudes are terrible for people in all sorts of communities. They linger and oppress, and we need to stamp them out, ruthlessly."
Evangelical blogger Samuel James responded at the Patheos website in a blog titled "The Salem Duggar Trials," noting:
"So let's lay all the facts out as simply as possible:
"1. The Duggar family has a popular television program that many Americans enjoy
"2. The Duggar family have personal beliefs about sex and religion that are shared by a very large number of other Americans
"3. According to Jim Wissick and the petition signees, the Duggars' beliefs – and by extension, the beliefs of tens of millions of Americans – are evil.
"4. Entertainment companies like TLC have a moral duty to not give employment or platform to people whose beliefs about sex are evil.
"5. Therefore, TLC should behave morally and cancel the Duggars' popular show in order to avoid spreading evil beliefs among the viewing public.
"Read over that sequence carefully, and then ask yourself: Who is trying to force their beliefs on others here?"
TLC has not commented on Wissick's petition, according to the Huffington Post.
(EDITOR'S NOTE - David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. Art Toalston is BP's editor.)
"Giving Tuesday," a global effort to support charitable giving following "Black Friday," "Small Business Saturday" and "Cyber Monday," can be an special opportunity to support Mission:Dignity, officials of GuideStone Financial Resources say.
Mission:Dignity is Southern Baptists' ministry that provides financial assistance for retired Southern Baptist pastors and their widows.
Giving Tuesday falls this year on Dec. 2.
The GuideStone ministry, which recently approved special $250 Christmas gift checks for each recipient, also increased its monthly assistance amount by 12 percent, effective in October. Mission:Dignity accepts gifts of any amount. Nothing is taken out for administrative expenses; an endowment funds Mission:Dignity's operating expenses.
"We appreciate so much the faithful giving of churches, Sunday School classes, individuals and other groups that help underwrite this ministry," said John Ambra, GuideStone director of financial assistance. "This ministry serves as Christ's hand to so many of these 'soldiers of the cross,' allowing them to live in vocational retirement with a much-deserved sense of dignity and well-being."
Many of Mission:Dignity's nearly 2,000 recipients report that their monthly assistance means the ability to pay an electric bill, buy medicine or groceries, or even the ability to continue to live independently.
"More than 60 percent of the people we serve are widows – with one in four being a pastor's widow over age 85," Ambra said. "The book of James talks about serving orphans and widows as a sign of pure and undefiled religion. So many great ministries exist for orphans; Mission:Dignity is one of the few focused on the widows of pastors.
"We all love the Christmas season," Ambra continued. "It is more blessed to give than to receive, so after taking advantage of the sales on tinsel and trinkets, we're asking that our Southern Baptist family prayerfully consider remembering those pastors and their wives and widows who so often served in rural, out-of-the-way places, on Giving Tuesday and any other time the Lord may lead.
"These families went where the Lord led them, without regard to their salary or benefits," Ambra said. "Now, they have reached vocational retirement with financial needs. Mission:Dignity is a way to serve as Christ's hand extended to these faithful servants of His."
Gifts to Mission:Dignity are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and can be made online at www.MissionDignitySBC.org.
(EDITOR'S NOTE - Roy Hayhurst is department head of denominational and public relations services for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.)
Southern Baptist ethics and leadership training entities are partnering to help pastors and churches address ethical issues from a gospel perspective.
The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) announced Nov. 6 a partnership with Ministry Grid, a service of Lifeway Christian Resources, to provide training for pastors and other church leaders. Ministry Grid is LifeWay's year-old, web-based video service that enables churches of all sizes to train pastoral staff and lay leaders in customizable ways.
The first three ERLC courses provided through Ministry Grid offer training on sexual ethics, addressing such issues as marriage, homosexuality and pornography. Those courses are: "Embracing Sexuality in a Sex-saturated World;" "Ministry in a Sex-saturated World;" and "Family Matters in a Sex-saturated World." Another course on sexual ethics is scheduled to be available early in 2015, according to the ERLC.
The videos feature training by ERLC President Russell D. Moore and members of the ERLC Leadership Network Council, such as J.D. Greear, lead pastor of The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area, and Matt Carter, pastor of preaching and vision at Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas.
The ERLC is "delighted to work with Ministry Grid to produce high-quality, low-cost training to pastors and church leaders on sexual ethics," Daniel Darling, the ERLC's vice president for communications, said. "Our mission is to serve the church by helping leaders apply the gospel to moral and ethical issues in the culture. Ministry Grid is the best platform for allowing churches of all sizes to access this training."
Todd Adkins, LifeWay's director of leadership, said Ministry Grid is "excited to partner with Dr. Moore and the ERLC to provide much needed training to pastors and churches on some of the most important issues facing the church today. "
Ministry Grid already has about 400 courses (4,000 individual videos) on a wide variety of topics for churches to use in their training, Barnabas Piper said at a dinner introducing the service during the ERLC's National Conference on marriage and homosexuality Oct. 27-29 in Nashville. Each course includes from four to a dozen videos, he told about 30 pastors and others attending the conference.
"We exist to serve churches by facilitating training and making it more accessible for every role in the church," said Piper, brand manager for Ministry Grid.
Only one in four churches in the United States has some form of training or development, according to a LifeWay survey. Ministry Grid seeks to solve the problems that prevent churches from providing training, Piper said.
He said churches report that the major problems with conducting training are:
Leaders don't know how to develop a plan for training.
Neither trainers nor trainees have time.
The perceived cost is prohibitive.
Ministry Grid addresses those concerns, Piper told the attendees, by providing skillful training through videos that can be accessed at any time by trainees while making it affordable through tiered pricing based on a church's average weekly attendance. It also enables a pastor or church leader to customize the training for his church and to facilitate and supervise it, he said.
Such training is necessary, Piper said in citing Eph. 4:11-13, because God has uniquely gifted each Christian and given pastors and other church leaders the responsibility for equipping believers to carry out ministry. Also, training has "a direct impact on the health and the unity of the church," he said. Trained members are better equipped and have a sense of both engagement and investment in the church, he said.
Information on Ministry Grid is available at http://www.ministrygrid.com.
(EDITOR'S NOTE - Tom Strode is the Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service.)
Reading religion surveys can seem like confronting the Tower of Babel: stacked questions, confusing terms, unscientific methodology.
It gets even crazier when results are contradictory. How does that happen?
Let us explain
The Pledge of Allegiance is a perfect example.
There's almost always a flap over how many Americans do – or don't – want the words "under God" kicked out of the Pledge of Allegiance. Indeed, On Nov. 19 a court in Monmouth, N.J., will hear the case of the American Humanist Association battling the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District to have schools edit out mention of God.
The humanists claim 34 percent of Americans agree with their view. But, wait. What about a survey conducted earlier this year by LifeWay Research, a Christian research agency? It found that only 8 percent would cut God from the Pledge.
Why four times the difference? Look to the poll language.
LifeWay asked: "Should the words 'under God' be removed from or remain in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America?" That's a straight-up question with no preface.
The humanists' survey, however, began with a bit of pointed Pledge history – before getting to the (loaded) question:
"For its first 62 years, the Pledge of Allegiance did not include the phrase 'under God.' During the Cold War, in 1954, the phrase 'one nation, indivisible … ' was changed to read 'one nation, under God, indivisible … '. Some people feel this phrase in our national pledge should focus on unity rather than religion.
"Do you believe the Pledge of Allegiance should:
Return to the unchanged version: 'one nation, indivisible … '
Continue with the changed version: 'one nation, under God, indivisible … '"
This is not kosher poll methodology, say experts.
"Always ask yourself why this group sponsored this survey," advised David Kinnaman, president of the Christian research company Barna Group. "Read the questions and see if the responses are prompted. What is the information asking me to fear or to love? Are they trying to elicit one of those emotions from me?"
Researchers on religion and politics are fascinated with the evangelical vote. Is it growing? Shrinking? Trending X or Y direction?
But "evangelical" is one of the slipperiest words out there. Since every survey group sets its own definition, results can confuse more than they enlighten.
This has long been true. In 1998, Gallup asked people if they were "evangelical or born again" and came up with 47 percent, says survey research veteran Conrad Hackett, a demographer at the Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project.
But University of Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith came up with 7 percent that same year. Smith counted as evangelical only Protestants who attend church regularly or say religion is extremely important in their lives and who choose evangelical from a list of possible identities including fundamentalist, mainline, liberal or something else, said Hackett.
Pinning down religious identity in an era when 20 percent are "nones" – people who say they have no particular faith brand – is like trying to climb a greased pole. Neither can you assume that a label reflects reality, or that identity, belief and actions align. Oy!
Speaking of "Oy"… Pew Research dealt with the complex question of "who is a Jew" by allowing people to define themselves by religion, culture and family ancestry. However, there's no parallel spot for cultural Christians who have little or no commitment to Christian theology or religious practice.
No survey has a "Christian Lite" category. Maybe they should. When Kinnaman at Barna Group looked at the mix of belief and behavior and church involvement, his organization's survey found that 38 percent of self-labeled Christians were essentially like nones in their political and cultural outlook.
Raise your hand if the weight listed on your driver's license is correct – or ever was. Well, we fib on surveys, too.
When Philip Brenner, a University of Michigan research fellow with the Institute for Social Research, examined hundreds of surveys and time diaries, he found Americans over-report their church attendance by 10 percent to 18 percent.
Why? We give answers that fit our self-image, Brenner said. We reframe the question to be: "Are you the sort of person who attends religious services?" Sure we are.
We're all bombarded with online opportunities to answer surveys. Fun – and totally unscientific. Put no credence in the results because they're in no way representative of anyone except people who are online (no surveying the Amish) and who may have a point of view to promote.
4chan, the anonymous online forum that delights in provoking mischief, recently upended Time magazine's fourth annual "word banishment" online poll by encouraging people to hate on the word "feminist."
The magazine editor later apologized for including the word "feminist" – but not for employing a survey method that's a gateway to troll heaven.
The old-fashioned randomly dialed phone survey is biting the dust. Why? For one, consider whether you even use your smartphone for phone calls anymore. And if you're under 30, start by Googling "landline."
So major research firms are moving to elaborately devised panels of people drawn randomly to represent American diversity who are willing to reply online or by mail to surveys. Pew Research devised an American Trends Panel, carefully assessed so everyone isn't the same age or inclination.
There's a hitch, however. You can't track change over time in surveys if the researchers changed methodology, too.
Pew Research recently released a panel-based survey on online and offline religion that found 46 percent of U.S. adults say they saw someone sharing "something about their faith" on the Internet in the last week.
Is that a greater number than five years ago? We can't tell. Earlier surveys about religion and online behavior were phone surveys.
(EDITOR'S NOTE - Cathy Lynn Grossman is a senior national correspondent for Religion News Service, specializing in stories drawn from research and statistics on religion, spirituality and ethics, and manager for social media.)
Tony Mathews had thought international missions wasn't for everyone, that as a pastor his focus should be on the local church.
North Garland Baptist Fellowship, where he has served for 22 years, supported Southern Baptist missions and ministries through the Cooperative Program. Members of the Texas church had gone on international missions trips, which the pastor had supported – from a distance.
That changed in 2012 when he went on his first missions trip to help lead activities for children of Southern Baptist missionaries in Africa.
IMB Photo by Elijah Wilson
Pastor Tony Mathews is leading North Garland Baptist Fellowship in Texas to greater involvement in missions, by partnering with IMB missionaries to reach people groups in Madagascar and Ecuador, as well as supporting them collectively through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program.
Trying to fathom what it was like for them to live away from the comforts and familiarity of home, Mathews asked one of the children if she wanted to live in the United States again to have closer access to places like restaurants and theme parks. The 9-year-old girl said no. When he asked why, she responded: Because my best friend here doesn't know the Lord.
Hearing that clarity of purpose from one so young impacted Mathews. While he was still in Africa, he rewrote North Garland's new members packet to re-emphasize missions, "to build it into our DNA, not just in the church but within each member: 'We do missions.'"
Talking with the children's parents, the missionaries, face to face also changed how Mathews saw the world, and himself.
"I was overwhelmed hearing the missionaries' stories – hearing about the lives they've touched and going places where others didn't go," Mathews said. Through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, "our pennies, our nickels, our dollars enable them to share. And through that, we're a part of what they're doing."
International Mission Board (IMB) missionary Adam Hailes showed the pastor photos of a people group in Madagascar and told him about the opportunities and challenges of reaching them. It was the same people group, the Antandroy, that Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth had recently adopted. Mathews' church in Garland, a suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth, decided to partner with the Hailes to reach the Antandroy and send ministry teams to Madagascar.
When Mathews returned from Africa, he made it his mission to enlist other African-American pastors in missions trips, knowing from personal experience how enriching a pastor's personal involvement in international missions could be to a local church.
As a result, Mathews and a group of other Dallas-area African-American pastors began partnering with IMB missionaries Johnny and Donna Maust to reach Afro-Ecuadorians along the South American country's coast.
Again, it was that personal connection with a missionary that made missions real for Mathews.
"Just getting to know Johnny and to see his heart for the Afro-Ecuadorians is encouraging – he'll go anywhere and talk with people about the Lord," said Mathews, realizing that willingness is what embodies missions.
"Now, I desire that everyone craves to be a part of it," Mathews said. "I want to show my people that God is not only their personal God, but He is also a global God and we need to be there to share that news with others."
Read related story "Reaching 'the people of the thorns' in Madagascar" here.
Watch Pastor Tony Mathews discuss his church's involvement with missions around the world:
(EDITOR'S NOTE - This year's Week of Prayer for International Missions in the Southern Baptist Convention is Nov. 30-Dec. 7 with the theme of "One Sacred Effort – Find your place in God's story" from Matthew 28:19-20. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions in tandem with Cooperative Program gifts from Southern Baptist churches support approximately 4,800 international missionaries in seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. Gifts to the Lottie Moon offering are received through local Southern Baptist churches or online at imb.org/offering, where there are resources to promote the offering. This year's goal is $175 million.)
Christians must defend marriage by facing opponents winsomely and demonstrating that God's plan of one man and one woman for life promotes human flourishing, Rick Warren told international religious leaders at the Vatican Nov. 18.
Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in the Los Angeles area, said he supports God's unchanging model for marriage and opposes gay marriage because "the only way to always be relevant is to be eternal. What is in style goes out of style. But no revolution lasts. Every lie eventually crumbles under its own deception. Cultures rise and fall. Cultures come and go. It isn't necessary to be on the right side of culture. It is necessary to be on the right side."
Along with Russell D. Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Warren provided an evangelical Protestant viewpoint on the complementarity of man and woman during the second day of a Vatican-sponsored colloquium on marriage. About 350 religious, academic and civil society leaders from 23 countries and various world religions gathered at the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church for the Nov. 17-19 event.
Warren said he planned to speak on "Why Marriage Matters" but changed his topic to "What Must We Do?" after the 27 speakers on the program before him explained thoroughly the importance of traditional marriage. He outlined action steps for leaders to take in defense of marriage following the Vatican gathering. Among them:
Rick Warren (bottom right) was among 350 international religious leaders gathered at the Vatican Nov. 17-19 to discuss the defense of traditional marriage.
Male-female marriage is God's idea, not man's, and sex was created for marriage, Warren said.
"Even if you disbelieve the Bible, every human body, every living person, is a witness and testimony to God's intended purpose for sex," Warren said, according to his manuscript. "Sex was not created for recreation, but for the connection of a husband and wife and the procreation of life."
"We will convert more opponents by being winsome and positive about the beauty and joy of marriage than by being negative about immorality," Warren said.
Churches should encourage people with happy marriages to share their testimonies, he said. Highlighting the benefits of marriage is also important, including healthier children, increased safety for women and greater economic stability, Warren said.
"Right now, the church is being out-marketed by opponents of marriage," Warren said. "The minority view is getting the majority of media attention. Right now, Christians are known more for what we are against than for what we are for. Whichever side tells the best stories wins."
To stem the cultural tide in favor of gay marriage, Christians should promote "tasteful" movies and television shows that celebrate marriage, Warren said. Media produced by marriage proponents should portray "the joys and benefits of healthy marriages and the hard work it takes to maintain a great marriage."
Social media should be used "to mentor the next generation" regarding marriage, he said. Warren personally uses nine social media channels, he said.
"Culture has accepted two lies: that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must hate them or are afraid of them [and] that to love someone means that you must agree with everything they believe or do," Warren said. "Both are nonsense."
Citing the Bible's commands to "overcome evil with good" and "bless those who curse you," Warren said, "Attackers are not the enemy; they are the mission field. Jesus died for them."
To "stay winsome under attack" believers must be willing to face ridicule for the truth and remember that they "live for an audience of one," he said.
Traditional marriage advocates must also give people hope that a biblical marriage is attainable and teach the purposes of marriage, Warren said. He listed among marriage's purposes eliminating loneliness, channeling sexual expression and multiplying the human race.
But the deepest purpose of marriage is to illustrate "the mystery of Christ's love for His bride and body," the church, Warren said.
"No other relationship, including the parent-child relationship, can picture this intimate union," he said. "To redefine marriage would destroy the picture that God intends for marriage to portray. We cannot cave on this issue."
Warren concluded, "The church must never be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by applause, frustrated by problems, debilitated by distractions or intimidated by evil. We must keep running the race with our eyes on the goal, not on those shouting from the sideline. We must be Spirit-led, purpose-driven and mission-focused so that we cannot be bought, will not be compromised and shall not quit until we finish the race."
(EDITOR'S NOTE - Compiled by David Roach, chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service.)
Jon Gerwig* was discouraged – it had been 16 months of sharing the gospel, but not one person had put their faith in Jesus.
Gerwig, an International Mission Board (IMB) missionary, came to East Asia in 2004 to work with the Iron Pea* people group, which had no known churches and only a handful of believers. He and his coworkers use a new method of ministry called "Scripture planting," which integrates Bible translation with real-time church planting, evangelism and discipleship.
Although they used resources such as a chronological gospel story and Bible recordings, "it didn't seem like anyone was interested," Gerwig said.
In 2006, Gerwig took a team of Southern Baptist volunteers to share the gospel in an Iron Pea county – but the first day, no one responded. The next morning, the team prayed together and set out into a new area.
As they walked along a mountain path, they met a man named Solomon.* He asked the group what they were doing, and Gerwig told him they were just climbing the mountain and learning about his people's culture.
IMB photo by Laura Fielding
A man and woman work in their fields in an ethnic minority area of East Asia. Many of the Iron Pea* minority group live secluded in the mountains, where their poverty level is high and their education level is low, to eke out a living as farmers. Many Iron Peas, particularly women and children, do not speak the trade language.
"He looked at us straight away and said, 'That mountain behind me is boring, and besides, I think you came here to see me,'" Gerwig recalled.
Solomon invited the group into his home, and there they shared the gospel story – and he immediately believed in Jesus. Solomon then shared his own story.
"[Solomon] knew that there was a most high God, but he didn't know who He was," Gerwig said. "So every day for 20 years he had been praying, 'God, send somebody to me to explain who you are.'
"And he looked at me and he said, 'And God answered that prayer today when he sent you to me.'"
As they talked, interested neighbors crowded around to see the visitors. Solomon did not waste time – he told the crowd, "This is my friend from America. Now, look at me. I have a story I want to tell you," Gerwig recalled, and Solomon shared the gospel.
Over the next several months, Solomon led his wife and one of his children to faith in Jesus, and by the beginning of 2007 there were eight believers in his village. But the village's witch doctor saw these changes as a threat.
"He told Solomon that if he didn't stop sharing [the gospel], within three days he was going to put a curse on him, and Solomon would die," Gerwig said. "Solomon didn't stop sharing."
On day four – after he should have died – people in the village asked Solomon, 'What do you know that we don't know?' Again, Solomon shared the gospel, "this time with more power," Gerwig said, and 80 people believed in Jesus.
On day five, people from a nearby village came to Solomon and asked the same question. Again, Solomon shared – and 60 people believed.
Over the next nine months, Gerwig and his team trained these new believers in a basic discipleship plan and, in September 2007, the first church among the Iron Pea people was started.
Since then, the gospel has spread throughout Iron Pea communities. Multiple "second-generation" churches, which are churches started by Solomon's church, and several third-generation churches have been started. Today, there are 28 churches and approximately 3,000 believers among the Iron Peas.
"The power of the gospel was apparent in the life of Solomon," Gerwig said.
*Name changed
For the Iron Pea* people, hearing worship songs and Bible stories in their heart language can be a powerful experience. $1,000 helps provide a radio program that speaks to the hearts of the Iron Pea peoples. Give here.
Music ministers are responsible to teach their congregations theology through song, according to songwriter Keith Getty at the Doxology and Theology conference, Nov. 13-15, hosted on campus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Songs portraying the incredible beauty about God are what the church needs, Getty said. The conference featured well-known musicians and music ministers, including Getty, Matt Papa, Bob Kauflin, Matt Carter, Harold Best, Matt Boswell and many others. Various bands led worship throughout the event, including the seminary's Norton Hall Band, to Indelible Grace and others.
SBTS photo
Songwriter Keith Getty speaks during the Doxology and Theology conference at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Nov. 13-15.
Getty led both a brief talk and a breakout session during the conference. He discussed songwriting and ways music ministers can use the Christmas season to teach theologically rich hymns. A problem in the church today, Getty said, is that people think hymns, in their original length, are too dense for congregations to sing. If churches think that about music, he said, what does that teach the people about renewing their minds through study?
"Teach songs worth learning," he said, telling attendees that one way he writes is to teach theology through story, which becomes a bridge for his music and ministry. For songwriters, he encouraged them to "aim to write hymns you can carry with you through life." Hymns that endure time are not only rich with theology but a melody that transcends time.
"If we're going to be critical about our theology we have to be critical about our art, too," he said, noting the importance of writing good music and lyrics.
In his breakout session, Getty discussed ways music ministers can take advantage of the Christmas season in their local congregation. He discussed five things to remember about Christmas music: churches need to sing the gospel through the songs they choose, immerse themselves and build the traditions of the church, target congregational singing, promote art, and reach beyond the walls of the church.
Best, emeritus professor of music and dean emeritus of the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music and led a session about the labor of a musician. He told attendees the "true labor of a church musician means first of all returning to the basics. There's a difference between labor and what labor produces. It varies from person to person, talent to talent, parish to parish," he said.
Best, author of Music Through the Eyes of Faith, encouraged music ministers to ask themselves if they are laboring in worship or management.
"Examine your labor," he said.
"It'll always be daunting, but you will find rest, Christ's rest, if and when you submit your labor to him for instruction, for reproof and correction, so that each of you will be by his actual promise thoroughly furnished into every good labor."
Popular musician Matt Papa led a breakout session about aesthetics and music. "Good art always balances mystery and clarity," he said. He defined real art and ministry as incarnation, or taking the mysterious and making it accessible.
Papa offered 10 criteria for judging a work of art. These criteria included wonder, clarity, complexity, truthfulness, authenticity, excellence, story, suitability, helpfulness and worship. He encouraged artists and ministers to ask themselves how well they feed their congregations, noting, like Getty, the importance of doctrinally sound songs for churches.