text:
Although the majority of Australians diagnosed with breast cancer are women, many people are surprised to learn that men can develop breast cancer too. Breast cancer in men is rare, accounting for less than 1% of all cancers in men, and less than 1% of all breast cancers.
The average age of diagnosis in Australian men is 69, although men of all ages can be affected.
Most men survive breast cancer. In Australia, 85 per cent of men diagnosed are alive five years later. The majority of men recover and the breast cancer does not return.
'I am grateful for the lessons learnt through my illness and know that I will live the rest of my life wisely and well.' – Ron
Why do men get breast cancer?
Like women, men have breast tissue, although in smaller amounts. This means that men can develop breast cancer, although it is not common. The risk of a man being diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 75 is one in 1,258. The risk of a woman being diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 85 is one in eight.
There are a number of factors that increase a man's risk of developing breast cancer:
- Age – a man's risk of developing breast cancer increases with age
- A known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation or a strong family history
- Higher oestrogen levels (caused by obesity, long-term liver conditions, or some genetic conditions such as Klinefelter's syndrome)
- Past radiotherapy treatment particularly of the chest area.
Breast cancer treatments
Just as there are many different types of breast cancer, there are many different treatments. The treatment recommended for you will depend on a number of factors.
The aim of surgery is to remove all the cancer cells from the breast. The most common type of surgery for men is a mastectomy, where the whole breast (including the nipple and area around the nipple) is removed. Breast conserving surgery (also called lumpectomy), where only the part of the breast with the cancer is removed, is often not suitable for men because of their lack of breast tissue.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells that may have started to spread to other parts of the body. It is usually given through a drip in the arm which slowly releases the drug into the bloodstream. Not all men will need chemotherapy.
Radiotherapy (also called radiation treatment) is the use of X-rays to kill any cancer cells that may be left after surgery. It is often recommended after breast conserving surgery, and sometimes after a mastectomy. Radiotherapy is usually given five days a week for around 5–6 weeks. Each radiotherapy session lasts around 20 minutes.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy drugs are used to treat hormone receptor positive breast cancer. They are tablets taken every day for five years or more. The most common hormone therapy recommended for men with breast cancer is tamoxifen. Rarely, an aromatase inhibitor (Arimidex, Femara or Aromasin) may be recommended although research on the use of aromatase inhibitors in men is very limited.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapies are drugs used to treat certain types of breast cancer. Herceptin is a targeted therapy often used to treat men with HER2-positive breast cancer.
'I was on tamoxifen for five years. I had some uncomfortable side effects during the first six months. After that, it settled down. I suffered little discomfort.' – Gavin
Breast reconstruction
Breast reconstruction is not common in men, however it is sometimes possible.
Your surgeon may be able to perform a reconstruction using your own tissue from your back, abdomen or buttock. Reconstruction using breast implants is not possible for men because currently, breast implants are specifically designed to recreate the look of a woman's breast, and are not suitable for men.
A nipple reconstruction may be an option for some men. This involves the rebuilding of the nipple and the areola (the area around the nipple), which can then be tattooed to match the colour of the other nipple.
If you prefer not to have further surgery, a nipple and areola tattoo can be performed by itself. You can also opt for a special stick on nipple prosthesis which stays in place for a few days. These are available to buy from breast prosthesis suppliers.
Coping with your diagnosis
You may have been unaware that men can develop breast cancer, and may feel shocked, anxious and scared. As breast cancer is often considered a 'women's cancer', your diagnosis may leave you feeling embarrassed.
There tends to be little awareness of male breast cancer. It can be challenging to connect with other men in a similar situation, and this can leave you feeling isolated and alone. There are also very few information resources specifically for men with breast cancer, which can leave you feeling desperate for information.
'My surgeon gave me a pile or brochures about breast cancer but only one was for men.' – Ron
It can help to talk with someone about how you are feeling rather than trying to cope by yourself. Your GP, breast care nurse or hospital social worker may be able to provide you with some strategies to help you cope with your diagnosis. If you think it will help, your GP can refer you to a counsellor or psychologist. Some men tell us that talking with a counsellor or psychologist in private helps them feel like a burden has been lifted.
Sharing your diagnosis with others
You may also find it difficult to tell others about your diagnosis. People may find your diagnosis surprising, especially if they didn't know men can develop breast cancer. You may find it helpful to start by telling family and close friends to help you become familiar with people's reactions.
You may find that you receive questions about breast cancer in men. It may help you to have some answers prepared to common questions.
'People seemed stunned, and asked questions like 'does it run in the family?' A few commented that it's very rare.' – Matthew
Many people diagnosed with breast cancer find that friendships can be affected by their diagnosis. Sadly, friends and family sometimes do not know how to cope with the news of a breast cancer diagnosis and respond by stepping back. Sometimes, the opposite can happen – those who do not keep in regular contact with you can respond by making contact with you after your diagnosis. There is no right or wrong way to respond to this issue – find a way that works for you and your own situation.
Comprehensive booklet for men
BCNA's Men get breast cancer too booklet provides information specifically for men diagnosed with breast cancer about the disease, its treatments, and ways to deal with some of the common challenges that they may face after a diagnosis. The booklet also mentions other resources and counselling services available for men diagnosed with breast cancer. The booklet was developed with men diagnosed with breast cancer and their family members, health professionals and researchers.
More information
Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA)
BCNA provides a range of information resources on breast cancer treatment and care. While we refer to women with breast cancer throughout our publications, much of the information is relevant to men diagnosed with breast cancer.
- The Men get breast cancer toobooklet provides information for men diagnosed with breast cancer about the disease, its treatments, and ways to deal with common challenges they may face after a diagnosis.
- My Journey Kit for people newly diagnosed with early breast cancer.
- Hope & Hurdles for people diagnosed with secondary breast cancer.
- Our website has reliable, accurate information about breast cancer treatment and care, including information on treatment-related side effects.
- Personal stories of men diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Fact sheets and booklets on a variety topics such as breast cancer pathology, hormone therapies and their side effects, hair loss, lymphoedema, the practical and financial issues relating to breast cancer, patient assisted travel schemes.
Other organisations
- Cancer Australia's Breast cancer in men website.
- Cancer Council SA's Breast cancer in men webpage.
- Breast Cancer Care UK's Men and breast cancer webpage and booklet (UK based).
- Cancer Research UK's Breast cancer in men webpage (UK based).
- American Cancer Society's Breast cancer in men website (USA based).
- The Breastcancer.org Male breast cancer webpage (USA based).
- National Cancer Institute Male breast cancer treatment webpage (USA based).
- Cancer.net's Breast cancer – male webpage (USA based).
Support and services
- Join BCNA's online network to connect with other men diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Medicare-subsidised mental health plans – your GP can refer you to an appropriate specialist, e.g. a psychologist, and you will be entitled to up to 10 Medicare-subsidised appointments. For more information, speak with your GP.
- Cancer Council Helpline (13 11 20) – a free telephone information and support service run by Cancer Councils in each state and territory. Trained health professionals can speak with you about breast cancer treatment and care, the financial and practical issues on cancer, and arrange for you to speak with a counsellor.
- Cancer Connect (13 11 20) – a free service run by the Cancer Council in each state and territory. People diagnosed with cancer, or family and friends are able to connect with someone who has been through a similar cancer experience.
- Relationships Australia (phone 1300 364 277) offers face-to-face, online and phone counselling services.
- MensLine Australia (1300 789 978) is a telephone support and information service for men with relationship issues.
- MindSpot is a free telephone and online service for Australians experiencing stress, worry, anxiety, low mood or depression. The website provides useful information and practical skills to help manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Look Good ... Feel Better offer a 'Gent's Grooming' program to help men manage the side effects of cancer treatment such as hair loss and changes to the skin. For more information visit the Look Good… Feel Better - Gent's Grooming listing in BCNA's Local Services Directory. You can also read tips on managing these side-effects by visiting the US-based Look Good... Feel Better For Men website.
- Entering a World of Pink is the personal blog of an American man diagnosed with breast cancer. In the blog, he shares his experiences with his diagnosis, treatment and beyond.
'Seek out support that is available to you like family, friends, doctors and nurses. Ask lots of questions and get as much information as you can to understand the disease. I found reading online forums, books and pamphlets helpful.' – Matthew


text:
A big loss to Hays
A big loss to Hays
The Brownback ideology has taken down one more service to low-income families of Kansas, Planned Parenthood.
They are being forced to close the Hays health center in order to save clinics in Wichita because their federal family planning funding through the Title X grant program has been cut, by Kansas, because they believe Planned Parenthood provides abortions with Title X monies -- which is not true.
This did not have to happen, but Kansas intentionally left Planned Parenthood out of those receiving funding. Title X, which is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to family planning and reproductive health services for low-income and uninsured patients, has nothing to do with abortion. Cutting Title X funding could actually result in an increase in abortions.
In a study by Guttmacher Institute, family planning services at Title X-funded clinics helped prevent 973,000 unintended pregnancies in 2008, which would have caused more that 400,000 unintended births and more than 400,000 abortions. Without adequate birth control and family planning services these numbers easily could increase, and Planned Parenthood is a provider of these services.
More than 90 percent of Planned Parenthood services are preventative and primary care. More than 1 million youth and adults participate in Planned Parenthood educational programs every year. President Richard Nixon enacted Title X in 1970 to provide funding, free of charge, to patients at or below the poverty level. There is a sliding fee scale for low- to moderate-income patients. The crucial services provided are breast and pelvic exams, pap smears and other cancer screenings, HIV testing, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing, counseling, and affordable birth control.
Again, Planned Parenthood long has been banned from using federal money for abortions, but rather they provide services to prevent them. In a report from the National Family and Reproductive Health Association, stated Title X funding loss hurts a highly effective program that serves more than 5 million men, women and children annually and has prevented 20 million unintended pregnancies and 9 million abortions during the past two decades. The report further states every $1 invested saves approximately $4 in Medicaid costs for pregnancy-related and newborn care alone.
Every citizen of Kansas should ask themselves if we could afford this risk.
Shelley Dunham,
Council Grove

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Pronunciation: күні
Added on: 2012-07-31
Listened: 3 times
Add categories to күні
Pronunciation in Kazakh [kk]
- Pronunciation by Alash (Male from Kazakhstan)
- Could you do it better? different accent? Pronounce күні in Kazakh
Accents & languages on maps
- Random word: адырайту
by Yandex Translate English translation:
күні = CN
Not satisfied?
Modify word:
· Add languages
· Add categories
Report word:
Is there anything wrong with this word?
Please report it here.


text:
While some people use chopsticks, others use forks or their own hands to eat food.
Nonetheless, the fact that they are all eating something does not change.
Likewise, although the tone of our skin, what we wear, and the languages we speak differ,
the fact that we are still friends do not change.
Different, yet same, this makes the planet we live in such an exciting place.
Cultural diversity must be preserved.
Whole concept represented this story.
This logo is the shape of an exclamation mark. That means festival has exciting and pleasure.


text:
Fabric Circuit Board Technology Video
Fabric Circuit Board Technology
What Do You Think?
Verizon, Sprint, AT&T Respond to Net Neutrality Ruling
The FCC just ruled in favor of an open Internet. Here's how providers are responding.
We Want This Beautiful Maple Heart Longboard
Warren Pieces boards are handmade in Vermont by Whitney Phillips and Matt Groom.
7 Things to Know About the FCC's Historic Net Neutrality Decision
The commission voted 3-2 to approve new rules calling the internet a public utility and forbidding fast lanes
More From Technology


text:
For Sale is my 1966 Shelby GT350H. We completed the restoration in 2006. this car is a real head turner and always attracts a big crowd... More
Shelby American created just 50 examples of this car to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 289 FIA Cobra. It is eligible for... More
If you'd ever wanted to step back in time & buy your favorite modern Muscle Car you may have just missed a few years... More
Ultra Rare Factory Black - KING of the ROAD 428 Cobra Jet Mustang was introduced in April 1964 as a mid-year sensation and... More
1966 Shelby GT350, All original with minor repairs for aged gaskets, rubber etc. Original engine, transmission, shocks, interior etc. Third or fourth owner. In... More
1970 Shelby GT500, PRICE REDUCED!!! Hello and Thank You for checking out our latest listing of a Classic Car by The Motor Masters! Folks,... More
This 1968 Shelby GT350 has a 302 C.I. Date Code Correct V8 w/ Holley 4BBL Carb, 4 Speed Manual Transmission, Correct Wimbeldon White Exterior,... More
For Sale: Superformance MkIII 427S/C Cobra (built in 2000), SP00536 [Florida Title MI0129A118L090700]. GUARDSMAN BLUE/ WHITE STRIPES Under the hood: Ford Racing 460 Cobra... More
For Sale: Superformance MkIII 427S/C Cobra (built in 2008), SP02259 [New York VIN NY69740]. Iconic Blue/White Stripes Under the hood: Roush 402 R with... More
For 1966, Shelby was able to boost GT350 production from the 512 cars built in 1965 to 2,369 cars in large part... More
Stemming from the immediate inclusion of Fords then-new small-block V-8 engine in Carroll Shelbys Cobra sports car, and extending through the development of the... More
1965 Shelby Cobra Midstates1965 Shelby Cobra Midstates model in mint conditionSpecifications for the Cobra.- Showroom Condition- 427 SC- Midstates 427 high performance engine- Type... More
THIS IS A 2008 SHELBY GT500KR MUSTANG. IT IS A ONE OWNER VEHICLE, IN CALIFORNIA SINCE NEW WITH ONLY 03146 MILES. THE CAR HAS:... More
Motorcar Studio is pleased to offer this Factory Five Type 65 Coupe, an exquisitely-built replica of the legendary Shelby Daytona. The car was assembled... More
1966 SHELBY GT350H VIN 5FM6S1152 IVY GREEN BLACK BUCKET SEATS GOLD LEMANS STRIPES FACTORY AIR CONDITIONING AUTOMATIC FIBERGLASS WITH STEEL FRAME HOOD 14 CHROME... More


text:
I came across these interesting early 20th century Omega watches a few weeks ago on ebay, and it was fun to watch the auctions where prices went as high as $1150. Background reading on Omega SA.
Recent Posts
45rpm Alden Barbour Brooks Brothers Coffee Drake's of London eBay Engineered Garments Filson Fishing Free & Easy Google Books Horween Hunting Iceland Illustrations J.Crew J.Press Knitwear L.L. Bean Leon Levi's LIFE Made in USA Margaret Howell Men's Ex Men's File Mister Freedom Motorcycles News Nigel Cabourn Panama Hat Pitti Uomo Ralph Lauren Rin Tanaka RRL Seattle Steve McQueen Superior Labor ts(s) Tweed Vintage Waste(twice) Woolrich Woolen Mills Yuketen


text:
i have a problem that Due to the implementation of HTTPS over the entire site Google maps gives a warning of unsecured content. If anyone have solutions please send to my email
In a previous blog post, we talked about the problem of using HTTP based resources, such as images, on a secure HTTPS page. Internet Explorer interrupts the download and displays a confirmation dialog whenever it detects the use of mixed content on a secure page.
In IE 7 and ealier, this dialog would cause annoyance to users but generally didn't cause any other significant problems. This was because it was worded in such a way that most users would click on the Yes button and allow non-secure content to be downloaded.
However, the wording in the IE 8 version of this dialog has changed:
To download the content a user would now have to click on the No button. As we know, most people using the web only scan text and avoid reading it if at all possible! They will usually go for the Yes button if there is not an OK button.
Some sites are going to find that their secure pages in IE 8 have the following problems:
Therefore, avoiding mixed content on HTTPS pages is even more important now that IE 8 has been released. It often becomes an issue when using third party services such as analytics or Content Delivery Networks (CDN). For example, we avoided the use of Google hosted Ajax libraries on our site until Google added HTTPS support.
As mention in the previous blog post, an IE user you can disable this warning by:
However, if you are developing a web site you can't expect your visitors to do this. It is better to fix the cause of the problem so that the warning is not displayed by default in IE 8. The only way to do this warning is to ensure that your HTTPS pages only access embedded resources using the HTTPS protocol. You can do this by following these steps:
EDIT #1: If you are a web developer trying to track down why your page causes this warning please also take a look at http://blog.httpwatch.com/2009/09/17/even-more-problems-with-the-ie-8-mixed-content-warning/ where we cover some javascript snippets that can also trigger this warning. The comments section of both of these posts also contain useful information where people have found and solved related issues.
EDIT #2: Updated instructions to apply the change to all network zones
Posted on April 23, 2009 in HTTPS,Internet Explorer Tags: HTTPS,HttpWatch,IE8
i have a problem that Due to the implementation of HTTPS over the entire site Google maps gives a warning of unsecured content. If anyone have solutions please send to my email
This issue is also caused by viewing websites in compatability view. I have a website I know 100% all items are secured over https but still I was prompted that it was mixed content. I want to be prompted when there is mixed content on a page so I didn't switch this off in IE8. As soon as I switched off compatability mode, I was no longer prompted :)
Hey, thanks for the solution. Stupid pop up box was annoying. Life is short, saving some time. Problem solved. Thanks again.
Thank you! This message is a waste of time; glad I found this way to disable it.
Thanks for the easy fix! The pop up eventually came back, but I knew how to fix it.
Personally I think it's a great idea that MS has incorporated this feature into IE. It may be annoying but it sure is foolish to turn it off. As a developer I am having to deal with this issue for a login page to a secure payment site. Would you as a user really want to go to a login site that has a JS file embedded in it from HTTP site? I wouldn't, and if you turn off this feature in IE then you will never even know that some one just grabbed your credentials. Ignorance is bliss so they say :)
Thanks, the solution for me was the HTML for embedding a Flash file that had a http:// link to download it Flash.
@john, the code base guy.
Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you.
THanks, that's great! I still use IE despite all the other fancy browser out there… i just cant get used to them.
For WEB DEVELOPERS:
HTTP (instead of HTTPS) in the CODEBASE tag for Flash is not the only cause of this issue. In fact, referencing ANY non-SSL file or location will prompt this error.
Keep in mind that even if you reference an external .js file (such as for Google Custom Search or other Google services), the external .js file may contain code that references non-SSL resources. This is precisely what was happening in my case: Google Custom Search's external .js file ( https://www.google.com/uds/api/ads/2.0/71b547d3958f7b56072a3e9c6964a9ee/search.I.js ) was referencing the Google logo over HTTP ( http://www.google.com/coop/intl/en/images/google_custom_search_watermark.gif ).
To find the cause of the problem, install the Basic version of http://httpwatch.com (as the original article states) and right-click the page in IE, choosing "HttpWatch Basic".
Clear IE's history (Tools -> Internet Options -> General tab -> Browsing history -> Delete… -> Check Temporary Internet files -> Click "Delete" button); this prevents cached objects that you may already have addressed from causing the error.
Then, hit the red "Record" button in HttpWatch before refreshing the troublesome page. Wait until IE throws the error dialog, and take note the last file that loaded in HttpWatch's topmost pane before the warning. After pausing for 10+ seconds, click the "No" button in IE's warning dialog. If you waited long enough before clicking "No", HttpWatch should have put somewhat of a "gap" between the last file that was loaded over SSL, and the file that's causing the problem (because the logged entries are separated when there's a sufficiently long pause between the requests).
Even though I've determined the issue to be with Google's AJAX-driven Custom Search files, I have not yet found a solution. I'll post back if I do…
this was very helpful…i am a novice…thank you
This error is the bane of my existence. I hate IE! 99.99% there is no security threat and all you have to do is change the image/file source from http to https; that does not really make it more "secure".
At least it would be helpful for the dialog box to point out what's causing the error.
Cheers, this has been a helpful article! Couldn't get rid
of that security warning, was very irritating!!
Good thread fixed my headache. Maybe Microsoft / MSN should
get its act together as that is the reason i came across this
thread to destroy that annoying popup everytime i went to check my
Hotmail :P
Thank you so much that warning was getting on my klast
God Thank You so much this was driving me nuts, pretty much
every page besides google was bringing up that popup… drove me to
d/l Firefox and Chrome just to avoid it… lol ty again
thank you thank you thank you1
Of course one could start to use a decent browser…
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and ditch IE
thanks for the info :) ( problem fixed )
I don't know if part of my problem is that I'm still using Windows XP Home, but this problem has more recently extended to Yahoo Mail's sign in page! I'm fairly certain that the security of their entire webpage is too liable to be threatened by allowing the "unsecure" content to download!! By following the directions near the top of this page did indeed fix this issue. Of course, that still leaves the problem that many less tech minded individuals (my wife is included amongst them) won't have the patience to try and fix the problem. Instead, there should be a "never display message" again checkbox on the alert itself. That would be a much more practical solution!
change "Display mixed content" to Enable
this suggestion helped me. thank you.
Thanks for the secuity pop up fix.
Cheers, Dave
Well, i changed these settings in Internet Zone & the Trusted Sites Zone. Even though i was facing issue in Trusted zone, i had to change it in both of them to take effect.
Interestingly though, i never saw these pop-ups before installing DivX on my system. Probably it triggers some security check mechanism that is not known.
Pingback: gonnalearn.com
Pingback: Merlin Fix
I still can't to where I need to go even after enabling the mixed content option. So frustrating. Any words of wisdom?
Can you do that in IE8 running Windows 7? I do not see the misc. section under the security tab.
The simplest fix is to use firefox.
The "enable" mixed content fix DID NOT work for me. Check under Tools-> Manage Add-ons-> Toolbars and Extensions. I would disable any toolbar that is listed "Not Verified". The one that got in my browser is "Superfish – Window Shopper". I've reported it to Microsoft, probably malicious.
Thank you for this post!
This was amazing, I was running this issue for long time but you help me in less than one minutes…
Thanks for the solution.
I was going crazy with this one popping up several times a day
Thank you very much for your solution. I was facing the pop up for a long time. It was very disgusting to me.
Thank you very much, it's fixed. The message was driving me crazy.
Sorry! But I didnt understand anything.When this message pops up in IE8 then what to press YES/NO?If I dont want to compromise with my security,then should i press YES?
thanks a lot it works of IE 8
Oh! I Love You!!!
Seriously. I've been dealing with this obnoxious mixed content thing for ages and ages…
thanks a lot it took care of that annoying security sign.
I find it interesting that a lot of people have this problem with their home computers… when a simple fix is to install a better browser. I have never had a similar problem with Opera, Firefox, or Chrome! I can understand if you're in a corporate environment though, as I am the only times I use IE8… and they dont want anything better installed. Bah, knuckleheads.
Anyone know if IE9 has the same problem? It actually looks to be a pretty decent browser (the last decent one MS has done was IE4 imo) It's still not quite to my own tastes (variety is wonderful!) but that's just me :)
thanks this helped!
This was Pretty helpful in getting rid of this annoying pop up!
Thanks for such resourceful Stuff!!!
Nitin Singh
this worked great thanks so much
thanks lot this fixed my issue .
Thanks. The pop up from microsoft was annoying. But overall security has improved and i havent had a virus attack for a long time. So microsoft deserves some credit too. But the pop up at frequently used sites like gmail was a pain and i changed it by enabling the miscellaneous content as described here.
Thanks this was driving m crazy … it was always on a site i use all the time for my bussness.
The firefox show "This web site does not supply ownership information"
This has help me and my coworkers out immensely.
Many thanks,
Louie P.


text:
Metropolitan DataVac 120V Electric Duster
Newegg offers the Metropolitan DataVac 120-volt Electric Duster, model no. ED500, for $54.50 with free shipping. (Amazon and B&H Photo-Video charge the same.) That's the lowest total price we could find by a buck. Designed to clean computer and electronic equipment, this compact handheld vacuum features a 500-watt motor and several nozzle attachments.


text:
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 week 3 days ago
Chances are you'll see a bunch of folks walking around with shmutz on their foreheads this Wednesday. The 'Splainer asks what having a dirty forehead has to do with being a Christian and why this ritual is gaining in popularity.Q: Excuse me, but why do you have dirt on your forehead?A: Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the day many Christians mark as the first day of Lent, the time of reflection and penitence leading up to Easter Sunday. Clergy all over the world dispense ashes, usually made by burning the palm fronds distributed on last year's Palm Sunday, making the sign of the cross on the bowed foreheads before them. As they "impose" or "dispense" the ashes, the pastor or priest reminds each Christian of Genesis 3:19: "For dust you are and to dust you shall return."Q: Well, that's cheerful. Why would anyone want to start a workday on such a downer?A: It isn't intended to be a downer. It's supposed to be a reminder that our lives are short and we must live them to the fullest. OK, maybe it's a little bit of a downer — that verse from Genesis is what God said to Adam and Eve when he expelled them from the Garden of Eden for their sins. But there's a big party the night before Ash Wednesday. That's Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," a secular observance that evolved out of "Shrove Tuesday," the last hurrah – usually marked by eating of pancakes or other sinfully sweet foods – before the solemnity and penance of Lent set in.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 6 weeks 1 day ago
It was a good thing for Trinitas Cellars that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio took the name Pope Francis, and not, say Pope Malbecius.When the Argentine cardinal became pope in 2013, Trinitas didn't have any malbec — the famous Argentine grape — in its cellars. But it happened to have a few barrels of cabernet franc.Behold! Thus was born "Cabernet FRANCis," a 2012 red wine from Trinitas, a Catholic-owned winery nestled behind the iconic grape crusher statue at the southern foot of the Napa Valley."People kept asking me, 'Why didn't you make the pope a malbec?'" said Garrett Busch, the 28-year-old CEO of Trinitas, as he spoke in the winery's book-lined library tasting room, a bottle of the wine before him. "And I'm like, 'Come on guys, he made it easy on us.'"Actually, the story is a bit more complicated. Trinitas, which is owned by Garrett's parents, Tim and Steph Busch, made the family's Catholic faith a part of business since its founding in 2002. Meetings and special events begin with prayer, winery dinners start with grace, and the winery's website announces the family's intention to "serve God in all they do."Even its name is Latin for the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 10 weeks 2 days ago
It's a common ritual in religious observances this time of year: Light a candle against the darkness, the winter, the uncertainty of the world.But a newly minted observance called Secular Solstice adds its own spin. Those lighting the candles are nonbelievers — humanists, atheists, skeptics, and other freethinkers — and the candles represent no unseen divinity, but the actions and intentions of those who light them to make the world a better place."We live in a world beyond the reach of God," one of the service's many readers said as 130 or so people gathered huddled over white candles in glass votives at Humanist Hall — a purple-painted house near downtown Oakland. "It is a hard universe. If we want to build a softer universe we will have to do it ourselves." As a choir broke into "Here Comes the Sun," an inscription painted on the wall beamed down upon the gathered, "The world is my country, to do good is my religion."Secular Solstice is the handiwork of Raymond Arnold, a 28-year-old Catholic-turned-humanist who wanted to do something meaningful with friends in mid-December. He put together the first Secular Solstice — a two-hour blend of music and readings by candlelight — last year in New York, where he works as a web developer.He struck a nerve — the first Secular Solstice was packed, and this year there will be Secular Solstices in New York, Seattle, San Diego, and Leipzig, Germany.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 12 weeks 3 days ago
Two years ago, "Max" was a devout Catholic who loved his faith so much he would sometimes cry as he swallowed the Communion wafer.Then came the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, where 20 schoolchildren and six adults were murdered by a troubled gunman. At that moment, a bell went off in his head, he said, ringing "there is no God, there is no God."Now, Max goes by his online handle "Atheist Max." A 50-something professional artist from the Northeast, some days he now spends two or more hours online trying to argue people out of their religious beliefs in the comments section of Religion News Service.Max left more than 3,600 comments in the past 12 months, making him RNS' top commenter. Many of his remarks can be interpreted as angry, hostile, and provocative, casting him in some minds as an Internet "troll" — a purposely disruptive online activist who delights in creating comment chaos.He's written "Jesus is despicable" or its equivalent more than once — red meat to some readers who come back at him with fervor. Other users have called him "mean-spirited" or "angry."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 14 weeks 1 day ago
"There are lots of books out there about why you should not believe in God," Bayer said. "But there aren't any about what do secular people believe in. I think that's the question John and I felt hadn't been adequately addressed."In exploring that, the two men — both whom have studied philosophy and logic — came up with 10 essentials. For the extra-nerdy, there's even "a theorem of belief" in the appendix that looks like something a mathematician might scribble.The result is 10 "non-commandments" — the authors' irreducible statements of atheist and humanist belief.First up: "The world is real, and our desire to understand the world is the basis for belief."No. 2 on the list: "We can perceive the world only through our human senses."Halfway through, at No. 5, the authors conclude: "There is no God." Once over that hurdle, the non-commandments become less controversial — an ethical society is good, as is moral behavior.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 14 weeks 2 days ago
As the world's most famous atheist, Richard Dawkins is no stranger to criticism from religious believers.But in recent months, a few of his opinions have riled many in the atheist community as well. Remarks he made on Twitter and elsewhere on subjects ranging from sexual harassment ("stop whining") to Down syndrome fetuses ("abort and try again") have sparked suggestions from some fellow nonbelievers that he would serve atheism better by keeping quiet.When asked about his controversial July tweets on pedophilia — Dawkins opined that some attacks on children are "worse" than others — the 73-year-old British evolutionary biologist and best-selling New York Times author declined to be interviewed.But on a speaking tour through the San Francisco Bay Area in support of his new memoir, "An Appetite for Wonder," he invited a reporter to sit down with him and explore the thinking behind his remarks.Bottom line: He stands by everything he has said — including comments that one form of rape or pedophilia is "worse" than another, and that a drunken woman who is raped might be responsible for her fate.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 20 weeks 1 day ago
Absolutely, say organizers of a first-of-its-kind conference to be held by atheists of color in Los Angeles this weekend. And, they add, it's about time those issues got some attention.Called "Moving Social Justice," the conference will tackle topics beyond the usual atheist conference fare of confronting religious believers and promoting science education. Instead, organizers hope to examine issues of special interest to nonwhite atheists, especially the ills rooted in economic and social inequality."Atheism is not a monolithic, monochromatic movement," said Sikivu Hutchinson, an atheist activist, author and founder of Los Angeles' Black Skeptics, one member of a coalition of black atheist and humanist groups staging the conference."By addressing issues that are culturally and politically relevant to communities of color, we are addressing a range of things that are not typically addressed within the mainstream atheist movement."The conference is unusual for an atheist gathering in another important way — its lineup of speakers includes members of the religious community. Hutchinson, often an outspoken critic of religion, described the conference as "effectively an interfaith conference."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 20 weeks 4 days ago
What does a map of the U.S. religious landscape look like in 140 characters?A new study of Twitter finds that self-identified religious users are more likely to tweet to members of their own faith than to members of a different one. The study examined people whose Twitter profiles identified them as Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and atheist.And while adherents of all six groups studied tweet frequently, atheists — among the smallest populations in the U.S. — are the most prolific."On average, we can say the atheists have more friends, more followers, and they tweet more," said Lu Chen, a doctoral candidate at the Kno.e.sis Center at Wright State University who co-authored the study with Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn of Rutgers University-Camden. They will present their findings in November at the sixth annual International Conference on Social Informatics.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 22 weeks 2 days ago
A new coalition of atheists, humanists and other nonreligious groups is taking a page from the gay rights movement and encouraging people to admit they are "openly secular."The coalition — unprecedented in its scope — is broadening a trend of reaching out to religious people and religious groups by making the secular label a catchall for people who are not religious."We wanted to rise above who is an atheist, who is an agnostic, who is a humanist, who is a secular Jew," said Todd Stiefel, founder of the Stiefel Freethought Foundation and a main force behind the coalition. "This needed to be about something everyone could rally behind so we intentionally used the word secular because it was one thing we could all agree on."The campaign, "Openly Secular: Opening Minds, Changing Hearts," was unveiled at the 65th annual gathering of the Religion Newswriters Association here on Sept. 20. It includes a website, resources for families, employers and clergy, and a YouTube channel featuring both prominent and rank-and-file nonbelievers announcing their names followed by the declaration, "I am openly secular."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 22 weeks 2 days ago
Happy 5775! At sundown on Sept. 24, Jews around the world will turn the page on the Jewish calendar to begin the new year, Rosh Hashanah. What starts with a feast at home will end 10 days later with a fast in the synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This time is referred to as "The Days of Awe" as Jews move between repentance and forgiveness, reflection and renewal.Here's everything goyim need to know about the High Holy Days so they can holler "L'shanah tovah!" — or "Happy New Year!" — without looking like a shmendrick.Q: What do Jews celebrate on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?A: The new year is celebrated with family and friends, but Jews are also expected to think about the meaning and direction of their lives. How could they have been better Jews? Better human beings? That comes full circle on Yom Kippur, when Jews fast for a whole day and reflect on their faults and the ways they have wronged people throughout the year. It is a holiday for making amends, for seeking and giving forgiveness.Q: Well, ain't that a party? Sign me up. KIDDING!
Posted by Kimberly Winston 23 weeks 3 days ago
It was a gathering that would have been unthinkable just five years ago.On a cool summer evening, in a borrowed classroom overlooking San Francisco Bay, about 150 men and women gathered to screen a short documentary about a Mormon family whose 13-year-old son came out as gay.The Montgomerys, who accepted their son and his news, were ostracized by church members, some of whom refused to accept Communion distributed by the young man in church. Like many conservative Christian denominations, the 15 million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bans homosexual activity and considers it grounds for exclusion from Mormon rites, rituals and even the afterlife.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 23 weeks 4 days ago
A campus appearance by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the outspoken Muslim-turned-atheist activist, is being challenged again, this time at Yale University where she is scheduled to speak Sept. 15.While her previous campus critics have included members of religious groups, especially Muslims, this time the critics include Ali's fellow ex-Muslims and atheists."We do not believe Ayaan Hirsi Ali represents the totality of the ex-Muslim experience," members of Yale Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics posted on Facebook Sept. 12. "Although we acknowledge the value of her story, we do not endorse her blanket statements on all Muslims and Islam."Those statements include calling Islam "the new fascism" and "a destructive, nihilistic cult of death." She has called for the closing of Muslim schools in the West, where she settled after immigrating from her native Somalia, and is a vocal advocate for the rights of women and girls in Islam.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 24 weeks 2 days ago
Uber-atheist Sam Harris is getting all spiritual.In his new book, "Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion," the usually outspoken critic of religion describes how spirituality can and must be divorced from religion if the human mind is to reach its full potential."Our world is dangerously riven by religious doctrines that all educated people should condemn," he writes in the book, but adds: "There is more to understanding the human condition than science and secular culture generally admit."The prescription, Harris holds, is Buddhist-based mindfulness meditation. A Stanford-trained neuroscientist, Harris is a long-time practitioner of Buddhist meditation. He said everyone can, through meditation, achieve a "shift in perspective" by moving beyond a sense of self to reach an enlightening sense of connectedness — a spirituality.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 24 weeks 2 days ago
Sit down and shut up.That's the message of a campaign launched Sept. 8 by the American Humanist Association, asking Americans to refrain from standing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance until Congress removes the phrase "under God."The 29,000-member humanist activist group, which also advocates on First Amendment issues, holds that the phrase "under God" is an unconstitutional establishment of religion."Until the Pledge is restored to its inclusive version, we can take it upon ourselves to refuse to participate in what's become a discriminatory exercise," the campaign's website, Don't Say the Pledge, says. It also describes the current pledge as "twisted, with divisive religious language that implies true patriots must be believers."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 24 weeks 3 days ago
A well-established international Christian student group is being denied recognition at almost two dozen California college campuses because it requires leaders to adhere to Christian beliefs, effectively closing its leadership ranks to non-Christians and gays.California State University, which has 23 campuses, is "de-recognizing" local chapters of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an evangelical Christian group with 860 chapters in the United States. The university system says InterVarsity's leadership policy conflicts with its state-mandated nondiscrimination policy requiring membership and leadership in all official student groups be open to all."For an organization to be recognized, they must sign a general nondiscrimination policy," said Mike Uhlencamp, director of public affairs for the California State University system. "We have engaged with (InterVarsity) for the better part of a year and informed them they would have to sign a general nondiscrimination statement. They have not."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 24 weeks 4 days ago
The American Humanist Association said Sept. 4 that an airman at Nevada's Creech Air Force Base who crossed out "so help me God" in the oath the Air Force requires servicemen and women to sign was told in August he must sign it as is or leave the Air Force.The AHA's Appignani Humanist Legal Center sent a letter to the Air Force on the airman's behalf demanding he be allowed to sign a secular version of the oath. The U.S. Constitution allows freedom of religious beliefs and prohibits religious tests for holding public office or public trust, the letter states.The airman's name is being withheld by AHA."The Supreme Court has held on a number of occasions that it is unconstitutional to force anyone to take an oath that affirms the existence of a supreme being," said Monica Miller, an attorney for AHA and author of the letter. "Numerous federal courts have specifically held that forcing an atheist to swear to God violates the Free Exercise Clause as well as the Establishment Clause."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 25 weeks 2 days ago
The atheist community is mourning the death of Victor Stenger, a prominent physicist who championed rooting out religion from the public sphere and was best-known for quipping: "Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings."Stenger, who also graced a very short list of authors who hit the New York Times best-seller list writing about atheism, died August 25 in Hawaii. He was 79.Atheist, skeptic and science blogs, in the U.S. and in England, were filled with tributes and remembrances over the long holiday weekend."Vic was an unassuming physicist and teacher who took on the challenge (of) taking science out of the classroom and applied it to some of our most sacred cows, from psychics and New Age belief to Intelligent Design creationism," skeptic D.J. Grothe said on The Friendly Atheist blog.Ron Lindsay, CEO of the Center for Inquiry, a humanist organization with a long association with Stenger, said on the same blog, "With Vic Stenger's death, the secular and skeptic communities have lost an articulate, knowledgeable, and relentless defender of the naturalistic, scientific worldview."Though best-known in recent years for his atheism, Stenger was also a well-known particle physicist who contributed to groundbreaking work on gamma rays, quarks and gluons. One of his last projects was working on an underground experiment that showed the neutrino, a subatomic particle, has mass. He held professorships in physics, astronomy and philosophy.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 27 weeks 2 days ago
Kris Ozar, 37, is in charge of programming for Catholic Relief Services in Egypt and is now in northern Iraq coordinating the charity's emergency efforts with other groups, such as Caritas Iraq. He has been working with Christians and Yazidis forced to choose between conversion to Islam or death by the Islamic State.Ozar spoke with Religion News Service's Kimberly Winston from Irbil, Iraq, about the challenges refugees face. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.Q: The Christian and Yazidi refugees have been rescued from Mount Sinjar. What is the situation where you are right now?A: From my window, I can see a church compound and it is filled with tents and there are hundreds of people inside those tents. Everyone talked about getting (the displaced people) off Mount Sinjar, and that was an amazing challenge, but what we forget is that the most amazing challenge lies ahead.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 29 weeks 6 hours ago
It was 2006's "The God Delusion" that many credit with sparking a growing interest in atheism in the U.S. Along with best-selling books by the other members of the "Four Horsemen" of atheism—the late Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett—Dawkins' rising star mirrored the growth of atheism in the last decade.In 2012, the Pew Research Center found 5.7 percent of Americans identified as either atheists or agnostics, up from 3.7 percent in 2007."Richard Dawkins has done a lot to bring atheism to a whole new generation," said Phil Zuckerman, a sociology professor who studies atheism and who also credits Dawkins with speaking out against the pedophilia scandal within the Catholic Church. "On the other hand, Dawkins seems to embody everything that people dislike about atheists: He is smug, condescending and emits an unpleasant disdainfulness. He doesn't ever seem to acknowledge the good aspects of religion, only the bad. In that sense, I think he doesn't help atheism in the PR department."One of Dawkins' biggest missteps came in 2011, when he blasted Rebecca Watson, a young atheist activist who wrote about feeling sexually harassed at a freethought conference. In a now infamous series of comments posted to the blog Pharyngula, Dawkins wrote in a message titled "Dear Muslima," "Stop whining, will you? ... For goodness sake grow up, or at least grow a thicker skin."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 31 weeks 3 days ago
The Internal Revenue Service said it will monitor churches and other houses of worship for electioneering in a settlement reached with an atheist group.The settlement was reached Friday in federal court in Madison, Wis., where the initial lawsuit was filed in 2012 by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based atheist advocacy group that claims 20,000 members nationwide.The suit alleged the IRS routinely ignored complaints by the FFRF and others about churches promoting political candidates, issues or proposed legislation. As part of their tax-exempt status, churches and other religious groups are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 31 weeks 4 days ago
Some called it "The Great War." Others called it "The War to End All Wars." History proves it was neither.As the world marks the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I — a conflict that left 37 million dead or wounded and reshaped the global map — a number of scholars and authors are examining a facet of the war they say has been overlooked — the religious framework they say led to the conflict, affected its outcome and continues to impact global events today.More than that, they argue, today's religious and political realities — ongoing wars, disputed borders and hostile relationships — have their roots in the global conflict that began when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 34 weeks 3 days ago
The decades-long battle over a cross erected on public land in California will drag out even longer now that the Supreme Court declined Monday to hear the case.In the last full day of the current session, the court said the case must first go to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals before the high court will consider it.The conflict in Mount Soledad Memorial Association v. Trunk, is over a 43-foot cross that sits atop Mount Soledad on public land in San Diego. The cross was erected in the 1950s and has since become a veterans' memorial.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 36 weeks 4 days ago
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let stand a lower court ruling that a Wisconsin high school acted unconstitutionally when it held its graduation ceremonies in a local megachurch.The case, Elmbrook School District. v. Doe, involved a high school in a suburb of Milwaukee that rented the nondenominational Elmbrook Church for its graduation exercises in 2009. In 2012, the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals called the event was "offensive" and "coercive." The church's banners, pamphlets, Bibles, and other religious materials remained in the sanctuary during the graduation.As is their custom, the justices did not give a reason for declining to hear a challenge to the 7th Circuit ruling.Monday's decision may be a signal by the court that despite its approval of sectarian prayers at public meetings in the Town of Greece v. Galloway decision in May, it draws the line at exposing children to religious symbols when they have not choice about it.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 37 weeks 3 days ago
As the Secular Coalition for America prepares for its biggest event of the year this week in Washington, D.C., atheist groups are recovering from the sudden departure of the coalition's highest officer and confronting renewed charges that nonbelief groups have a shortage of women leaders and are suspicious of conservatives.The SCA, which lobbies on behalf of more than a dozen secular groups, announced that its executive director, Edwina Rogers, was let go after employees embezzled $78,000 from the organization.The story was first reported by The New York Times and referred to a leaked internal audit.The SCA said Rogers, who was hired about two years ago, was in no way connected to the missing funds. She dismissed the two employees allegedly responsible and reported the matter to the police and the organization's board.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 37 weeks 4 days ago
If interfaith marriages are supposedly doomed, Dale McGowan's should have been toe-tagged from the start.He's a committed atheist; his wife comes from a line of Southern Baptist preachers. Yet 23 years and three kids later, they are still happily married.What's their secret? McGowan, 51, has just written "In Faith and In Doubt: How Religious Believers and Nonbelievers Can Create Strong Marriages and Loving Families," to help other couples considering what he calls a "religious/nonreligious mixed marriage" succeed."The key is to talk about your values," McGowan said from his home in Atlanta. "A lot of time we mix up the words 'values' and 'beliefs.' Beliefs are what you think is true about the universe. Is there a God? Where do we go when we die? But values are what you believe are important and good. When you get couples talking about values they find out they share a tremendous amount, even if they don't share beliefs."That's what McGowan and his wife, Becca, did. While she believed in one God, she did not believe salvation could be had only through belief in Jesus. And he agreed that he could go to church with her — and did, for many years, with their children.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 38 weeks 1 hour ago
Just in time for the 70th anniversary of D-Day Friday, the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent passed a bill to include a prayer plaque at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.The prayer to be included on the plaque was delivered over the radio to millions of Americans by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the morning of the D-Day invasion, the Allied push into Europe that eventually led to the end of the conflict."O Lord, give us Faith," the prayer reads in part. "Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade." It concludes: "Thy will be done, Almighty God."The U.S. House will have to approve the bill, known as the World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2013, before it heads to President Obama's desk for his signature. But political pundits say there is little doubt the House will approve the measure since it passed a similar version of the bill last year.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 40 weeks 2 days ago
An interfaith coalition has again asked the U.S. House of Representatives to reject a prayer plaque at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.The proposed plaque, which is under the consideration of a House subcommittee, would feature a prayer spoken by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the radio on D-Day, June 6, 1944."O Lord, give us Faith," it reads in part. "Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade." It concludes with, "Thy will be done, Almighty God."The coalition — a mix of religious and secular organizations that includes the Center for Inquiry, a humanist organization; three Jewish groups; the Hindu American Foundation; and the United Methodist Church – said the prayer does not reflect the religious diversity of the United States.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 42 weeks 1 hour ago
The highest court in Massachusetts upheld the legality of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance on Friday, dealing a blow to atheist groups who challenged the pledge on anti-discrimination grounds.The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said the daily, teacher-led recitation of the pledge in state public schools does not violate the state's equal rights amendment and is not discriminatory against the children of atheists, humanists, and other nontheists."Participation is entirely voluntary," the court wrote as a whole in the decision of Doe v. Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, brought by an anonymous humanist family. "[A]ll students are presented with the same options; and one student's choice not to participate because of a religiously held belief is, as both a practical and a legal matter, indistinguishable from another's choice to abstain for a wholly different, more mundane, and constitutionally insignificant reason."The ruling marks the second legal loss for atheists this week. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sectarian prayers given before government meetings were not a violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of separation of church and state.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 42 weeks 1 day ago
This week's Supreme Court ruling allowing sectarian prayers at public meetings dealt a body blow to atheist organizations.That was the assessment of David Silverman, president of American Atheists, speaking Tuesday to a group of nonbelievers at Stanford University. He then described a scenario that may raise eyebrows among some atheists: working with religious groups to fight against the ruling."That's what we have to do, not only organize the atheists, but the Satanists, the Scientologists," he said. In a conversation before his talk, he added Muslims, Jews, and Hindus. "We as atheists have the responsibility to urge them and push them and get them in there to get their prayers" said at public meetings.That's a change for a man who has famously described religion as a "poison." And it is emblematic, observers say, of the change that may result from the majority opinion in Greece v. Galloway, which found that prayers citing "the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ" are permissible before government business.Other secularists are likewise convinced that now is the time for atheists to join forces with members of minority faiths.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 42 weeks 1 day ago
Move over, Christian televangelists. Atheism is coming to television.Speaking at a gathering of local atheists, humanists, freethinkers, and other nontheists in a chemistry lecture hall at Stanford University, David Silverman, president of American Atheists, a national advocacy group for nontheists, announced Tuesday (May 6) that his New Jersey-based organization would launch the first television channel dedicated to atheism in July."Why are we going to television?" he asked the audience, a mix of about 100 students and people from the local community. "It's part of our strategy of going where we are not."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 45 weeks 2 days ago
"On the third day, he rose again."That line, from the Nicene Creed, is the foundational statement of Christian belief. It declares that three days after Jesus died on the cross, he was resurrected, a glimmer of the eternal life promised to believers. It's the heart of the Easter story in seven little words.But how that statement is interpreted is the source of some of the deepest rifts in Christianity — and a stumbling block for some Christians and more than a few skeptics.Did Jesus literally rise from the dead in a bodily resurrection, as many traditionalist and conservative Christians believe? Or was his rising a symbolic one, a restoration of his spirit of love and compassion to the world, as members of some more liberal brands of Christianity hold?
Posted by Kimberly Winston 47 weeks 2 days ago
If some secular organizations had their way, much of the current class of lawmakers would flunk out of Congress.The Secular Coalition for America, an umbrella organization of 13 nontheistic groups including American Atheists and The Freedom From Religion Foundation, issued a "report card" on members of the U.S.House of Representatives and Senate based on their votes on recent legislation involving church-state issues.More than half of lawmakers received F's, meaning, in the coalition's eyes, they fail at upholding the separation of church and state.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 49 weeks 2 hours ago
Nathan Phelps, the estranged atheist son of anti-gay Kansas pastor Fred Phelps who died Wednesday, is asking people to look beyond his father's legacy of hate."I ask this of everyone," the younger Phelps said in a statement issued Thursday about his father's death at age 84. "Let his death mean something. Let every mention of his name and of his church be a constant reminder of the tremendous good we are all capable of doing in our communities."The younger Phelps, who is 55 and goes by Nate, is one of four of Fred Phelps' 13 children who renounced their father's activities, which included picketing the funerals of veterans, AIDS victims, and celebrities and left his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. The church of approximately 40 members of the Phelps clan is best known for its public protests and colorful signs declaring, "God hates fags."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 50 weeks 2 days ago
A California resort town, already reeling from a legal fight over the placement of memorial crosses at a minor league baseball stadium, is now engaged in another round of bitter acrimony over the display of crosses on public land.On Thursday, AnnMarie and Chad Devaney reluctantly removed a roadside memorial cross in Lake Elsinore, Calif., near the site where their 19-year-old son Anthony was struck and killed by a car in May 2012.Not long after, another family appeared at the scene to erect six smaller wooden crosses at the same site. Each bore a handwritten message, including "What if this was your child?", "To each his own," and "Get a life."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 51 weeks 55 min ago
America's vaunted Protestant work ethic is getting a makeover: Now it might be more of an atheist work ethic.A new study has found an inverse relationship between the religiosity of a state's population and its "productive entrepreneurship." That's professor-speak for "entrepreneurial investment responsible for real economic growth."In other words, the less religious a state's population, the more likely it is to have a healthy economy.The study, titled "Religion: Productive or Unproductive?" by economists Travis Wiseman of Mississippi State University and Andrew Young of West Virginia University, was published in the March edition of the Journal of Institutional Economics.In the study, Wiseman and Young find that the "measure of total Christian adherents is robustly and positively correlated with states' unproductive entrepreneurship scores" in a given state.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 51 weeks 2 days ago
Many viewers may be hoping that Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey lives up to the original series created by astronomer Carl Sagan 35 years ago.But no one will watch the program, airing Sunday on Fox, with greater anticipation than nonbelievers — atheists, agnostics, humanists, and other "nones."Among this group, many credit Sagan and the original Cosmos with instilling in them skepticism of the supernatural and a sense of wonder about the universe. Both, they say, encouraged their rejection of institutional religion.Humanists are especially eager. They claim Sagan as their own, and see in the Cosmos series — a multipart journey to the outer reaches of our universe — and in his dozen books a vibrant strain of their own philosophy. That philosophy favors reason over religion and holds human beings as both good and responsible for the Earth's plight.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 52 weeks 23 hours ago
A California federal judge has rejected a proposed religious memorial at a publicly owned baseball stadium as a violation of both federal and state laws.On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson of California's Central District ruled that a granite monument depicting a soldier kneeling in prayer before a cross lacked "a secular purpose" and has "the unconstitutional effect" of endorsing religion over nonreligion.The decision came nine months after a lawsuit was filed by the American Humanist Association, a national organization of nonbelievers. The memorial was planned for city property in Lake Elsinore, Calif., a community of about 53,000 people in Southern California's Riverside County.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 2 weeks ago
A new film charting Charles Darwin's passage from Christian to nonbeliever propelled its maker on a similar journey."Questioning Darwin," a new, hourlong documentary airing on HBO throughout February, juxtaposes the story of the 19th-century British naturalist with looks into the lives of contemporary American Christians who believe the world was created in six days, as described in the Book of Genesis.Antony Thomas, the 73-year-old British filmmaker behind the camera, said while his goal was to highlight the way his subjects answered big questions about the origins of life, a loving God, and the purpose of suffering, he found his own answers to those questions changing."This is a personal feeling, but I do believe the two [a belief in God and in evolution] are not compatible," Thomas said by telephone from New York, where he is working on another documentary. "And that is what made this worthwhile for me."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 2 weeks ago
Happy Darwin Day! A time to play pin the tail on the sparrow, partake of "phylum feasts" (potluck dinners where the ingredients come from many different species), and generally give a thumbs-up to evolution's godfather, Charles Darwin, on his 205th birthday, Wednesday.A growing number of Americans of varied religious backgrounds are marking the 1809 birthday of the British naturalist whose masterpiece "On The Origin of Species" has never been out of print since its publication in 1859.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 4 weeks ago
Bill Nye may be "The Science Guy," but Ken Ham is the "Answers in Genesis" man, and a debate between the two over the origins of life has nonbelievers and Christians wringing their hands.Nye, host of a beloved television science series, and Ham, president of a creationist apologetics ministry, will meet at the Creation Museum, where Ham is also the president, on Feb. 4. In what some wags are calling "the Ham-on-Nye debate," they will weigh this question: "Is creation a viable model of origins?"In truth, both sides answered that question long ago — Nye with Charles Darwin's work on the origin of species and Ham with the first book of the Bible. Yet many observers — both religious and nonreligious — say the debate is a very bad idea.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 5 weeks ago
Leslie Zukor was a 19-year-old student at Reed College studying prison rehabilitation programs when something jumped out at her."Not all prisoners are religious, and I wanted them to know that to turn your life around and be a good and productive member of society does not require a belief in God," she said. "I just thought, wow, it is time to see about getting other perspectives in there." While there were programs tackling drug abuse, physical and sexual abuse, technical training, and more, all of them were offered by faith-based organizations. Where were the options for those behind bars who are atheists, like her?So Zukor launched the Freethought Books Project, collecting books about atheism, humanism, and science and sending them to interested prisoners. She estimates that since her first book drive in 2005, she has given out 2,300 books, magazines, and newspapers to perhaps hundreds of prisoners across the country.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 7 weeks ago
California pastor Ryan Bell has a novel New Year's resolution. For one year, he proclaimed, he will "live without God."It's an odd resolution for an ordained minister, former church pastor, teacher at two highly regarded Christian universities, and church consultant. Yet for the next 12 months, Bell, 42, plans to refrain from praying, reading the Bible, and thinking about God at all.Instead, he will read atheist authors, attend atheist gatherings, and seek out conversation and companionship with unbelievers. He wants to "do whatever I can to enter the world of atheism and live, for a year, as an atheist."Still, his resolution is only an experiment — he is not, he said, an atheist. "At least not yet," he wrote in an essay for The Huffington Post, where, on New Year's Eve, he announced his plan and a new blog to document it.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 15 weeks ago
An organization of nonbelievers is threatening legal action against public schools that participate in an evangelical Christian charity that delivers Christmas toys to poor children.The American Humanist Association, a national advocacy organization with 20,000 members nationwide, sent letters this week to two public elementary schools after parents complained their children were being asked to collect toys and money for Operation Christmas Child.Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical relief organization founded by Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham. Its stated mission is "to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel."The toys collected by Operation Christmas Child come with an invitation for recipients to accept Christianity. Since its founding in 1993, Operation Christmas Child has sent 100 million boxes of toys to poor children.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 16 weeks ago
Like lots of college students, Lauren has a smartphone loaded with some of the most popular apps around — Facebook, Twitter, and eBay. And like a lot of unbelievers, she asked to not use her full name because her family doesn't know about her closet atheism.One of the apps she uses most regularly is YouVersion, a free Bible app that puts a library's worth of translations — more than 700 — in the palm of her hand. Close to 115 million people have downloaded YouVersion, making it among the most popular apps of all time.But Lauren, a 22-year-old chemistry major from Colorado, is not interested in the app's mission to deepen faith and biblical literacy. A newly minted atheist, she uses her YouVersion Bible app to try to persuade people away from the Christianity she grew up in."I know of a lot of atheists who have come to their nonbelief by actually reading the Bible rather than just the fluffy stories they choose to tell you about in church," she said. "Reading the full story with all its contradictions and violence and sexism, it should make you think, 'Is this really what I believe in?' At least it did for me."Lauren is not alone. No one knows how many atheists have downloaded YouVersion and other smartphone and tablet Bible apps, but it is enough that word of the phenomenon has reached the Edmond, Okla., headquarters of LifeChurch.tv, the evangelical megachurch that created the app.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 17 weeks ago
Air Force Academy cadets will no longer be required to include the words "so help me God" when taking their annual Honor Oath.On Friday officials at the Colorado Springs, Colo., campus announced its 4,000 current cadets would be allowed to opt out of the final phrase of their honor code, which they reaffirm each of their four years of study and training."Here at the Academy, we work to build a culture of dignity and respect, and that respect includes the ability of our cadets, Airmen and civilian Airmen to freely practice and exercise their religious preference — or not," said Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, the academy's superintendent, in a statement."So in the spirit of respect, cadets may or may not choose to finish the Honor Oath with 'So help me God.'"The current oath reads: "We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does. Furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and to live honorably, so help me God."
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 18 weeks ago
What was supposed to be a touchy-feely, one-on-one interview by Oprah Winfrey with long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad has morphed into a broader, sometimes angry exchange about what it means to be an atheist.Earlier this month Winfrey, 59, hosted Nyad on "Super Soul Sunday," her weekly talk program on cable's Oprah Winfrey Network. Nyad, 64, recently completed a 53-hour solo swim from Cuba to Florida.During the hourlong segment, Nyad declared herself an atheist.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 19 weeks ago
The number of Hispanic-Americans who say they adhere to no religion is growing and now rivals the number of Hispanic evangelicals, a new study has found.The share of Hispanics living in the U.S. who say they are atheist, agnostic, or have no religious affiliation has reached 12 percent, according to the 2013 Hispanic Values Survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute. That is double the rate reported in 1990 by the American Religious Identification Survey.Researchers say Hispanic "nones" are now statistically equal to the number of U.S. Hispanic evangelical Protestants — 13 percent — and warn of a religious divide in the Hispanic community that will be felt for decades to come.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 21 weeks ago
A former United Methodist minister-turned-atheist was dismissed from her high-profile position at Harvard University on Thursday after it was revealed she falsified her resume.Teresa MacBain, one of the most high-profile nonbelievers in the country after profiles by NPR, The New York Times, and Religion News Service, was fired from her newly created position with the Humanist Community at Harvard.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 23 weeks ago
Few outside the atheist community — and even many inside it — would argue that atheism has an image problem.Every challenge to the First Amendment seems to bring to the airwaves some version of an angry atheist versus a sputtering religious pundit. Cooler, calmer heads seldom make an appearance.Now, a new feature-length documentary from a first-time filmmaker hopes to put a more human, middle-of-the-road face on American atheism. Called "Hug an Atheist," the film will made its debut Saturday at the fifth annual San Francisco Atheist Film Festival before seeking wider distribution at other film festivals and on television.
Posted by Kimberly Winston 1 year 25 weeks ago
Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday will consider whether the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is a violation of students' rights.Since the addition of the phrase "under God" in 1954, the pledge has been challenged repeatedly as a violation of the separation of church and state. In 2004, one case reached the Supreme Court, but ultimately failed, as have all previous challenges.But the current case before the state's Supreme Judicial Court, Doe v. Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, is different because lawyers for the plaintiffs, an anonymous atheist couple, won't be arguing about federal law but rather that the compulsory recitation of the pledge violates the state's equal rights laws. They argue that the daily recitation of the pledge is a violation of their guarantee of equal protection under those laws.


text:
Start learning with our library of video tutorials taught by experts. Get started
Maximize the power of Crystal Reports and import and analyze data from a variety of places, including Excel, Access, HTML/XML files, and more.
"IThis is a wonderful resource for me which I use almost daily in my personal education." —Virginia M.
more from our members »


text:
Vintage photos of golf in NJ
Monday, April 07, 2014 6:42 AM
President William Howard Taft is shown taking a break from a round at the Essex County Country Club to pose for this 1910 photo. Essex County CC was established in 1887 and is among the oldest country clubs in the United States. Courtesy of Essex County CC.


text:
New Roof for your Townhouse
Townhomes are prone to some unique roofing problems that the estimating staff at O'Hara's Son Roofing Company are experts in solving. We know that the difference between a single family home project and a townhouse roofing project are the size of the project and the community issues. The cost and materials of both residential and townhouses vary greatly depending on the townhouse association's regulations. When it comes to townhouses, the obligation of roof maintenance can either fall on the owner of the unit or on the townhouse association. When homeowners of individual units are responsible for repairs, we tend to see major issues. If a section of a complex's roof goes unmaintained, the entire roof may likely be ruined; when one portion of the roof weakens, additional damage typically follows. In most townhouse buildings, partial roof replacement is not an option. For these reasons, it's particularly important to understand your townhouse roofing responsibilities. Your own personal team of roofing experts at O'Hara's Son Roofing Company, repair and replace damaged residential and commercial roofing. No matter how big or small a project, we are here to "serve and protect". Call us today for your free roofing inspection at (847) 416-0693.


text:
Adventure lies at the edge of the galaxy.
Countless inhabitable worlds are scattered throughout the farthest reaches of the galaxy, each one home to its own secrets and surprises. From the droid factory on Geonosis and the cloning facilities on Kamino to the floating rock garden of Ryloth and the spice mines of Kessel, an endless variety of adventures, opportunities, and other entanglements await in the Outer Rim.
Other features


text:
Bush pushes for progress on immigration
POSTED: Sunday, July 7, 2013 - 11:21am
UPDATED: Monday, July 8, 2013 - 9:57am
(CNN) — As House Republicans convene this week to discuss their next steps on immigration reform, former President George W. Bush underscored the importance of fixing a "broken system." While noting the political controversy surrounding the bill, he said immigration reform "has a chance to pass."
"It's a very difficult bill to pass because there are a lot of moving parts, and the legislative process can be ugly, but it looks like they are making some progress," Bush told ABC in an interview taped in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Bush has been in Zambia to help renovate a clinic that serves as a cervical cancer screening and treatment center.
Asked if it will hurt the GOP if Republicans fail to pass the bill, Bush said, "The reason to pass immigration reform is not to bolster a Republican Party, it's to fix a system that's broken."
"Good policy yields good politics as far as I'm concerned."
Bush will deliver a speech on immigration at his presidential library in Dallas at an event titled "What Immigrants Contribute" on Wednesday, the same day House Republicans will meet to discuss their next steps on the issue.
Bush was also asked whether his views have evolved on same-sex marriage in light of recent Supreme Court decisions, but insisted he's "not going to wade back into those kinds of issues."
"I'm out of politics. The only way I can really make news is either criticize the president, which I don't want to do; criticize my own party; or wade in on a controversial issue," Bush said.
The former president met with President Barack Obama in Tanzania on Tuesday before the interview to talk about the Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, a program started by Bush during his first term. The two attended a wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the 1998 U.S. Embassy attack in Dar es Salaam, which killed 11 people, wounding hundreds. On the same day, a separate blast at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, killed more than 200 people and wounded close to 5,000.
Bush said when he spoke to Obama, he reminisced about similar, long trips during his own presidency.
"I remember how tired I used to get, and I said, 'You've got to be kind of worn out.' He said, well, he's had a great trip, looking forward to getting back home."
"And I asked him about his little girls -- were they having a good time? He said, 'You bet,'" Bush said of Obama's daughters, Sasha and Malia, who accompanied first lady Michelle Obama and the president on the trip.
"I remember bringing our daughters on some of these trips, and how meaningful it was to be with them," Bush said, adding that there was no talk of policy.
Comments News Comments
What illegal immigrants contribute, cheap labor for the rich, businesses, contractors, etc. What it costs us, tens of thousands of lost jobs for American citizens, dried up resources for Americans that need help, higher crime rates and no records of the offenders, etc. Just how are you going to take care of illegals when we can't even take care of our own citizens, oh, that's right we take care of illegals first and let our citizens fend for themselves like we have for the last decade.


text:
The Jamaican government, according to its Ministry of Justice, has officially refused to grant basic human rights protections for its gay and lesbian citizens and visitors, despite calls and formal objections from local and international groups, including the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and The Independent Jamaican Council for Human Rights.
The Jamaican decision comes on the heels of a very public protest staged by local church leaders in March in opposition to a performance by the pop vocal group The Village People. Church leaders said that performance highlighted "a behavior repugnant to the majority of people in this country." Prior to the March incident, Jamaica gained international attention in the summer of 1997, when prison inmates killed 16 fellow prisoners believed to be gay.
According to IGLTA Executive Director Agustin Merlo, speaking on behalf of his global board of directors, "The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association strongly condemns Jamaican authorities for failing to ensure the safety, welfare and comfort of gays and lesbians living on and visiting the island nation. We call on the government of Jamaica to ensure the safety of gay and lesbian citizens and tourists to Jamaica. The nation appears to be a leader in the region's emerging homophobia that has already shown its ugly face in the Cayman Islands and Costa Rica. That is a tragedy."
"The mission of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association is to expand the choices and travel opportunities for lesbian and gay consumers. Our members work very hard not only to offer quality and value, but also to make sure that the gay and lesbian travel experience is both rewarding and safe. We can only achieve this if governments, tourism authorities, and the private sector work together to end the climate that spawns these kinds of decisions."
"IGLTA stands with our members and with all of the travel sector to insist that this decision by the Jamaican government ultimately be reversed, and that steps are immediately taken to ensure that the nation's human rights protections are extended to gays and lesbians. If Jamaica is unwilling or unprepared to welcome gay and lesbian tourists to their shores, then IGLTA is prepared to warn all of our member companies and associations that our tourist dollars are no longer welcome in that country."
Founded in 1981, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association is committed to professional excellence in promoting travel opportunities, services, products and above all, choices for gay and lesbian consumers. Through its vast network with over 1,350 members today, IGLTA enhances its leadership by maintaining an effective, visible and growing association of professionals in travel, hospitality, and related businesses. Its worldwide headquarters are in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, its directors and members may be found on every continent in both hemispheres.


text:
WHITE CITY, Ore. — Two new apartment complexes have opened up to help homeless veterans and low income families.
The Housing Authority of Jackson County held an open house for the new Freedom Square complex in White City on Thursday. The apartment complex features 34 units, 18 of which are being used to help veterans who are homeless or have been homeless in the past.
Low income tenants and families are also eligible to rent the apartments. So far, they say nearly every unit in Freedom Square has been rented.
"I think it's very important. Having stable housing gets them situated in the community so they can again be productive members as they have been in the past, obviously," said Scott Foster of the Housing Authority of Jackson County
The Housing Authority is also opening 16 units in the similar "Liberty Place" complex in Central Point.


text:
This time of year people get wrapped up in dressing up their home for the holidays, but experts suggest while you're doing all that, don't forget to think safety first.
Go into any department store and you will find all types of Christmas decorations on sale. But one thing to remember while decking your halls with lights, bows and stockings is safety. Firefighters say accidents and house fires are common around the holidays due to improper use of decorations.
Holiday shopper, Shannon Pipkin, said one thing she does to be safe is turn off her holiday lights overnight. "I have all of my lights on a timer that they go off about the same time that I go to bed, so there's nothing burning at night," she said.
Lois Gay of Wilmington said, "When I leave home and make sure that I turn everything off, because when I get home I do want to have a home to come to."
Chuck Pinto works in the electrical department at Lowe's. He said be careful how you use holiday sockets. "Try not to overload circuits. That is real important. Don't put a lot of accessories on one plug," he said.
Experts also suggest these tips:
-Supervise kids and pets around small decorations or live trees that have small berries. They could be potential choking and toxic hazards.
-Make sure your Christmas tree is on a stable platform, so that it does not fall over and hurt someone.
-Make sure lights are in good condition. Bad lights or frayed cords could short circuit and electrocute someone.
-And it's always a good idea to keep holiday lights off when not at home.
"You just never know what could happen," said Pipkin.
Also, live trees only last about a month and a half before they start to turn brown. To keep them fresh you should water them ever 2 to three days.


text:
Gold Leaf Finish
Made of Resin
Hand Welded
Marbleized Finish
Antique Finish Ceramic
Hand Painted Porcelain Accents
10 fl. oz
8.1 fl. oz
Handmade By Marisa Mason
Decorative Tabletop Accessory
Cotton Flour Sack
Decorative Hanging Light
Matte Gold Finish
Parchment Bound
Decorative Tabletop Container
Decorative Tabletop Box
Edged in 24K Gold
Hand-Made in Brazil
Silver or Gold Edged Agate
Organic Calcite Stone
Decorative Lidded Containers
Bone and Wood
Black and White
White Marble
Natural Iron
Made in the USA
100+ Hours Burn Time
Decorative Bejeweled Accent
Ashley Childers
Iridescent Smoked Glass
Scented Room Accent
Tabletop Accessory
Moroccan Tea Glass
Written by Diane Dorrans Saeks
Photography by Xavier Béjot
Rules for Household Staff
Introduction by Mr. Carson
Purple, Yellow or Blue Agate
Distressed Brown Bronze Finish
Gold Verdi Finish
Glossy White Finished Porcelain
Matte Gold Finished Porcelain
Iron Mesh Fire Screen and Scrim
Clear and Frosted Glass
3 Separate Iron Square Sculptures
Designer Resource
As seen in Elle Decor magazine
Antique Brass Rivet Detailing
Container With Removable Insert
Natural Iron Tabletop Accessory
Designed By Barry Dixon
Porcelain Tray
By Hilary Geary Ross
Photography by Harry Benson


text:
3 bed, 2 full bath. For more information contact Judy Dempcy Homes 618-632-4030 or homes@dempcy. com. Must see before y More info |
4 bed, 3 full bath, 1 half bath. Wow will be your reaction as soon as you walk in! 4 bedroom, 4 bath open floor plan with finished l More info |
4 bed, 2 full bath, 1 half bath. Must preview this 4 bedroom home in O'Fallon located in cul-de-sac. Close to Scott AFB, shopping an More info |
4 bed, 2 full bath, 1 half bath. LAKE FRONT HOME ! 2 Story entry, Master suite on main level. Spacious living room with gas fireplac More info |
3 bed, 3 full bath. This well maintained Ranch, in an established neighborhood, boasts an excellent layout with an atte More info |
5 bed, 4 full bath, 2 half bath. 2 story Colonial w/ spacious 1st floor family room & 2nd flr master bedroom addition. Marble foyer More info |
4 bed, 2 full bath, 1 half bath. Custom built home on an acre+ of land with peaceful setting surrounded by nature. This home has bee More info |
2 bed, 2 full bath. The Villas of Braeswood, the "Brighton". Spacious open floor plan with vaulted ceilings, gas firepl More info |
5 bed, 4 full bath, 2 half bath. Art Deco Bungalow built by Frank Riester & Otto Rubach the premiere architect in the early 20th cen More info |
3 bed, 1 full bath, 1 half bath. Amazing updated home in Country Club Place! Freshly plastered walls! Beautifully refinished origina More info |


text:
Ford (F) Stock Still a "Buy," Says TheStreet Team
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Ford (F - Get Report) stock has been reiterated as a "buy" with a ratings score of B, TheStreet Ratings team said Monday.
Must read: Warren Buffett's 25 Favorite Stocks
TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
"We rate FORD MOTOR CO (F) a BUY. This is driven by some important positives, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, good cash flow from operations, increase in stock price during the past year and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:- F's revenue growth trails the industry average of 21.5%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 0.6%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.
- Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 952.13% to $2,220.00 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, FORD MOTOR CO has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of 41.21%.
- Compared to where it was 12 months ago, the stock is up, but it has so far lagged the appreciation in the S&P 500. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.
- Current return on equity is lower than its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a clear sign of weakness within the company. In comparison to the other companies in the Automobiles industry and the overall market, FORD MOTOR CO's return on equity significantly exceeds that of the industry average and is above that of the S&P 500.
- FORD MOTOR CO's earnings per share declined by 40.0% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. We feel it is likely to report a decline in earnings in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, FORD MOTOR CO increased its bottom line by earning $1.75 versus $1.42 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 24.0% in earnings ($1.33 versus $1.75).
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: F Ratings Report
Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
Action Alerts PLUS
Portfolio Manager Jim Cramer and Director of Research Jack Mohr reveal their investment tactics while giving advanced notice before every trade.
Product Features:
- $2.5+ million portfolio
- Large-cap and dividend focus
- Intraday trade alerts from Cramer
Quant Ratings
Access the tool that DOMINATES the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500.
Product Features:
- Buy, hold, or sell recommendations for over 4,300 stocks
- Unlimited research reports on your favorite stocks
- A custom stock screener
Stocks Under $10
David Peltier uncovers low dollar stocks with serious upside potential that are flying under Wall Street's radar.
Product Features:
- Model portfolio
- Stocks trading below $10
- Intraday trade alerts
Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
Dividend Stock Advisor
David Peltier identifies the best of breed dividend stocks that will pay a reliable AND significant income stream.
Product Features:
- Diversified model portfolio of dividend stocks
- Updates with exact steps to take - BUY, HOLD, SELL
Trifecta Stocks
Every recommendation goes through 3 layers of intense scrutinyquantitative, fundamental and technical analysisto maximize profit potential and minimize risk.
Product Features:
- Model Portfolio
- Intra Day Trade alerts
- Access to Quant Ratings
Options Profits
Our options trading pros provide over 100 monthly option trading ideas and strategies to help you become a well-seasoned trader.
Product Features:
- Actionable options commentary and news
- Real-time trading community