text:
The name Biddle has been synonymous with the sport of polo in Aiken for more than four decades.
The patriarch of the family is Tom Biddle Sr. The elder Biddle's company, Biddle Realty, has been a fixture on the local landscape for years, but it's his passion for polo, a love that he was able to pass on to his sons, and the respect he's earned from other horsemen that has made him one of the most influential names in the sport. Tom Biddle Sr. relocated to Aiken from Charlotte, N.C., in 1969 after deciding the historic polo Mecca was the place to raise his family.
Biddle's sons Tommy Jr. and Bradley, would be introduced to the game at a young age, not knowing at the time the sport with which they became involved would eventually become a passion and, for both, their chosen vocation. Tom Biddle Sr. has been an outstanding motivator, compelling his sons to strive for success and to reach for their goals. It was through his influence that his sons would develop a strong foundation, shaping them not only as polo players but as men.
Tommy Biddle Jr. is the older of the two brothers and has reached the elite level of the sport, achieving a handicap as high as 8-goals outdoors, but he would become only the fourth player in history to earn the distinction of a 10-goal handicap indoors, for his dominating play in the arena.
Aiken was the perfect place to be introduced to the sport, said Tommy Jr.
"It was a new time during the early '80s, when Dad and Mr. (David) Widener started a lot of local people," said Tommy Jr. "I was proud to be a part of it, and it gave younger guys like myself and Tiger (Kneece) an opportunity to play. I'm proud to see how Aiken has evolved and grown into the polo center it has become."
The younger of the Biddle brothers' career path has found him becoming a USPA official. Bradley Biddle is a USPA umpire, and finds himself officiating nationwide, but also has been working with prospective umpires in order to get them certified as USPA officials.
"The polo resources really came from my dad, opportunities and horses," said Bradley, who started playing when he was 7 years old, and played in his first game at age 12. "Tommy and I would do the majority of the work at the barn when dad was working. We'd practice at the club twice a week and then match games on Sundays."
Tom Biddle Sr. had the opportunity to play with Tommy Jr. at the 20-goal level, and at the 12-goal level with both Tommy Jr. and Bradley.
However, it was through Tom Biddle, Sr.'s influence that the sport of polo became the third jewel in Aiken's Triple Crown.
"I came up with the idea to add polo when the trotting track dropped out of the event," said Tom Sr. "Polo probably should have been part of the event in the first place because of the sport's long history in Aiken."
Want to go?
Tom Biddle, Sr., Tommy Biddle, Jr. and Bradley Biddle have left an indelible imprint on the sport of polo. (Photo by Ben Baugh)×
Notice about comments:
Aiken Standard is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point.
We do not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click the X that appears in the upper right corner when you hover over a comment. This will send the comment to Facebook for review. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full terms and conditions.


text:
I have a 2003 SAR-1 that I've decided to part with. It was my first AK, and with all the kits I have I better do a little thinning before the wife has my you-know-whats lopped off.
She originally came with a welded side folder, but unfortunately it was not one of the ones that could be dremeled into functionality--the weld bead was sloppy (to say the least). I replaced that with a Romanian "G" kit stock set that I refinished. I also removed the neutered gas block and replaced it with a bayo lug equipped block. The muzzle was threaded 14x1LH and a U.S.-made slant brake was added (not marked, bought from Global). G2 Trigger group and RSA retaining plate included as well. The rifle will be shipped to the buyer with a black u.s. pistol grip. Century gas piston is on it as well (not marked, but it's the original gas piston that came with the rifle). Recap of U.S. parts: P-grip, FCG, brake, gas piston. Also comes with "standard" ak scope rail.
I polished the bolt and refinished the rifle with semi-gloss black molyresin, and used red and white paintsticks in the rear sight markings and the selector markings. Unfortunately, the metal "bled out" a little oil that apparently didn't come out the first 3 times I baked it prior to molyresin application, and so the finish is a little "odd" in a couple places. Obviously this doesn't affect function of the rifle in any way, shape, or form, it just looks "different" in those 2 places than everywhere else.
The front sight is canted, and as a result the post is adjusted to the right a good deal. She still shoots great. There's a little wear around the front sight block as well as on the lower handguard retainer where the sling attaches. The finish is slightly rubbed also toward the back of the receiver, where the top cover contacted it before it was fully cured (my fault).
I know I've listed a lot of "bad points" with the rifle, but I assure you guys, anything that one may find "wrong" with it is purely cosmetic. from 3 feet away she still looks fan-freakin-tastic, and shoots like it's nobody's business.
I've put about 500 rounds through her (spent most of my x39 through my SKS collection), about 100 at a time. Cleaned the living poo out of her every time too. She's seen some use, as has any AK, but she's also been my baby.
I just have a lot more that I'll be building, and it's time to have a couple "new" babies (m92 SBR anyone). Rifle comes with sling, 40-round mag, and 10-round mag. Neither mag really saw much use; i was mainly a fan of the 30's.
SPF to a Marine in Iraq.
Attached are photos of the rifle as you'll receive it (minus bubble wrap and a box, of course ), and a close-up of the selector markings and the buttstock. Wood was bleached, then refinished with iodine, minwax red mahogany (cut with mineral spirits for more control over how dark it went on), and 3 thin coats of zinsser amber shellac topped it off. In the first photo, you'll notice a "dull" area in the finish just behind the selector markings. this is one of the two "odd" portions of the finish I mentioned. the other area is on the other side, around the scope rail. If you would like a photo of another part of the rifle, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll get the best photo my POS digital camera will allow me to take.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Llama Llama ZIP!
Llama Llama ZOOM!
Llama Llama Red Pajama
On the playground, Llama goes fast! Llama zips by on his scooter and swishes down the slide--whoosh! These board books are more than great read-alouds--they're great act-alongs, too! Younger audiences will love doing as Llama does in these supremely adorable, incredibly engaging new board books.
ISBN 9780670013289 | 14 pages | 01 May 2012 | Viking Children's | 9.25 x 6.25in | 0 - 3 years


text:
Richard Puntillo, Professor Emeritus, is a highly regarded
business professional and a committed teacher whose personal value
for high academic standards aligned with the University's
vision to equip students to lead and succeed. He is the four-time
recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award and has twice received
the student nominated Teaching Excellence Award for the Executive
MBA Program. Additionally, he was given the honors of Outstanding
Research Award and Outstanding Service Award. Throughout his
teaching trajectory, Professor Puntillo brings real world
experience in due diligence and teaches corporate financial
decision making within his MBA finance courses. His constant
dedication to give students the opportunities and tools to leverage
their success as business professionals is recognized by both
faculty and students.
Professor Puntillo draws upon over two decades of
executive-level roles in investment and commercial banking firms
and significant experience on boards of directors in SEC-reporting
companies. As an expert witness in numerous litigation matters
involving initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions
(M&A) transactions, venture capital, and private equity deals.
Learn more about his expert witness experience by visiting his
website at richardpuntillo.com.
Professor Puntillo is widely recognized for his expertise in the
field of finance and uses his personal experiences to expand upon
what he teaches in the classroom. A faculty member since 1986,
Professor Puntillo believes San Francisco, with its diverse
business economy, serves as the ultimate laboratory for students to
rigorously explore the finance skills learned at USF.
M.B.A., Finance and Economics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 1969B.S., Business Administration, Emphasis in Economics and Mathematics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, 1967
"An Institutional Analysis of Poland's Mass Privatization Program,"Osteuropa Wirtschaft (Eastern European Economies), Vol. 42, No. 2, 1998 (with Dirk
"Poland's Mass Privatization Program,"The European Journal of Finance, Vol. 2, 1996 (with Dirk Ipsen)
"Mass Privatization in Poland and Russia: The Case of the Tortoise and the
Hare?," Journal of Emerging Markets, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1996
Honors and Awards
Outstanding Teaching Award, USF School of Management, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2006
EMBA Student Awards for Teaching Excellence, USF School of Management, 1992, 1999
Outstanding Research Award, USF School of Management, 1996
Outstanding Service Award, USF School of Management, 1991
University of San Francisco
School of Management
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117


text:
- Home
- HVLP Paint Gun - Eastwood Evolution
HVLP Paint Gun - Eastwood Evolution
Item #12776 Evolution
beautifully...and saves you set-up time
- Paint longer with less fatigue! High-tech, ergonomic composite body is precision-balanced and lightweight
- Save set-up time! Indicators on the air/paint adjustment knobs let you revert back to your favorite settings
- Latest spray atomization technology and HVLP transfer efficiency
- Includes 1.4mm nozzle and needle (other sizes available)
- Built to last, even in professional environments
- Available in multiple configurations featured below.
About HVLP Paint Gun - Eastwood Evolution
Internal stainless steel components let you work with all types of coatings, including waterborne and solvent-based paints. Lower air inlet knob allows quick on-the-fly adjustments. Wide spray range (up to 8") for small to large surfaces. 1/4" NPT air fitting. Requires 7.5 cfm at 43 psi. Final product imported.
Evolution™ HVLP Paint Gun
1.4mm Air Cap, Stainless Steel Needle/Nozzle Set
600cc Plastic Cup (solvent-resistant)
Tool Kit
DeKups Adapter for Evolution gun
3M PPS Adapter for Evolution gun
SAS Bandit Respirator
50040ZP Master Paint Kit
10041Z PRE Painting Prep
51559 Digital Regulator
20474 4-Stage Air Dryer System
Click Here for product instructions
Always wear eye, skin and respiratory protection when painting. Always paint in a well-ventilated area. Follow paint manufacturer's instructions and MSDS for specific safety warnings and precautions.
3-year warranty. Designed, engineered and tested to Eastwood specifications.
Customers also viewed:
The WS400-1301HD is ideal for nearly any type of refinishing clear coat work.Only $797.99
Affordable paint guns for primer and top-coats.
Starting at: $24.99


text:
Our History
Palmetto Health Richland, originally founded in 1892 as Columbia Hospital,has a history rich in service to the community. As one of the state's oldest, largest and most respected healthcare providers, it serves patients from every county in the state and beyond. It is a regional community teaching hospital with more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties represented on its medical staff and is a major referral center for patients who require specialized medical care.
On February 8, 1998, Richland Memorial Hospital merged with Baptist Healthcare System of South Carolina to form Palmetto Health, the largest healthcare delivery system in the state with two hospitals in Columbia and one in Easley, South Carolina. The creation of Palmetto Health brought with it many changes. A new name and a new mission and vision together with a new commitment to improving healthcare and community wellness. It also has inspired an outpouring of innovative ideas that address community health issues in positive and proactive ways. And still, many things have remained the same, namely the caring, dedicated physicians, staffs and volunteers of our respective hospitals.


text:
Everyone entering the John C. Hitt Library during March will see a remarkable display of art from a UCF professor.
UCF's own Walter Gaudnek has compiled and selected some of his works in the exhibit entitled:
**** Rolling Gaudnek: from four wheels to no wheels ****
Monday, March 25, learn more about the artist and his art.
At 11.00 a.m., in Library room 223, Professor Gaudnek will host a discussion of this work.
And at 2.00 p.m., at the Art Wall, on the main floor, Professor Gaudnek will give a tour of the exhibit.
By the way, the subtitle of this exhibit is Roll over, Holbein. Holbein is a sixteenth century artist, just in case you forgot.
During March, take a look at this provocative, visually exciting display. It could only happen at UCF.


text:
Vacuum Cleaner Bags
Vacuum cleaning systems that offer the best cleaning ability – is that what you are seeking? It's also likely that you believe that cleaning ability is related to power or suction. Actually, it's not. While there's no single factor that determines the cleaning ability of the vacuum cleaner you use, understanding how vacuums work and how you can help maintain your vacuum cleaner to perform its best is important. Changing your vacuum cleaner bag is an important step in maintaining the efficiency of your vacuum cleaner. While most vacuum cleaners come with an indicator to help you determine when your cleaner's dust bag needs to be changed, you can perform a check yourself to see if it is over 50% full as that's when you need to replace it. Don't wait until the dust bag in your vacuum cleaner is completely full as it can reduce the suction and cleaning capacity of your vacuum cleaning system. If you use your vacuum cleaner frequently, it is recommended that you change vacuum cleaner bags once a month, especially if you are cleaning a large area over 2000 square feet or if your pet sheds a lot.
What you need the most when you are considering vacuum cleaner bag replacement is a bag that is well-matched with the model of your vacuum cleaning system. You can find original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or replacement type bags online. While both serve the purpose, that is enhancing the cleaning capacity of your vacuum cleaning system and providing you an easy way to get rid of all the dirt that you vacuum cleaner collects, you can choose one according to your budget and cleaning needs. At GoVacuum, we have got a vast range of vacuum cleaner bags from the biggest and the best brands around. You'll find them here at great prices and shipping offers. We are the vacuum cleaning system experts and can recommend the right bag for your existing system all while staying within your budget.
Evolution 6000 Series H13 HEPA Filtration Vacuum Cleaner Bags, 5pk.$22.50Genuine Evolution EZT 6000 Series H13 HEPA Filtration vacuum cleaner bags, 5 bags per package. H13 is the highest certification for HEPA standards. These bags will drastically reduce the amount of dust exhausted into the air you breathe, and also keep you Learn More
Evolution Lite Upright Model DCC-658 Vacuum Cleaner Bags, 5 Pack.$12.95Evolution lite upright vacuum cleaner bags fits model dcc-658 Learn More
Evolution DCC-358 Vacuum Cleaner Bags, 5 Pack.$11.99Evolution DCC-358 Vacuum Cleaner Bags, 5 Pack Learn More
Dust Care Evolution Upright Vacuum Cleaner Bags$9.10Works with: Evolution 6000, Evolution Prestige, Evolution 6100E, Evolution 6709Z, Evolution 6706Z, Evolution 6502Z, Evolution 6707Z, Evolution 6100C, Evolution 6500C, Evolution 6508CZ Learn More
Dust Care Evolution Lite Vacuum Cleaner Bags$5.46Works with: Dust Care Evolution Lite DCC-658 Learn More
Bernina Evolution Micro-lined Upright Vacuum Cleaner Bags 6000 Series +$34.84This is a bulk mega vacuum bag deal for the Bernina, and Evolution series upright vacuum cleaners. These bags will fit all Bernina upright models including: 6100, 6300, 6500, 6700, 6100C, 6500C. These bags are also designed to fit Evolution upright vacuum models; 6100E, 6709Z, 6706Z, 6502Z, 6707Z, 6300E, 6500E, 6705E. These bags also fit EVERY Cirrus upright model as well as the ProGrade series. Each package of bags contains 5 bags, and there are 7 packages of bags included with this item. Learn More
Bernina Evolution Type H13 Hypo-Allergenic HEPA Synthetic Vacuum Cleaner Bags - 5 pack - Genuine$16.01Bernina Evolution Type H13 Hypo-Allergenic HEPA Synthetic Vacuum Cleaner Bags with Dust Seal & Closure 5 pack Fits:for Models 6000, 6100, 6300, 6400, 6500, 6600, 6700 & 6502 Prestige EZT Series Uprights Learn More
Bernina Evolution Vacuum Cleaner Bags - E845$11.01Evolution Dominate Dirt vacuum cleaner Bags fits all upright 6000 series models. Microfiltration bags are 99.7 efficient down to 5.0 microns. Captures particles as small as 0.1 micron. Genuine E845 Bernina 5 pack of vacuum bags. Learn More
Mastercraft 406783 Vacuum Cleaner Bags 5 pack$14.99these are a 5 pack ofMastercraft 406783 Vacuum Cleaner Bags. Learn More
Results 1 - 9 of 9


text:
Jen, thank you for the wonderful March Gallery. It is always so good to see all the artwork and you did such a great job in setting them up so nicely.
Bonnie C & C most welcome / appreciated
Karen the motorcycle painting is wonderful, you must be very proud of this piece.
Hello Jen,
thank you for the wonderful march gallery. I feel bad not taking part much last month.
No, the window is not done yet.
I was busy with various things. Most of them are fun. One and this one deals with art is, that I was aked to help paint some eggs for the easter fountain in town.
All eggs are blown out (hints, a few break every year) and handpainted. The pictures I post here are from my camera a couple years ago, so none of the eggs are painted by me. The guy who painted these is over 80 now and he wants some younger people to keep the tradition going. I will post one of the eggs in the april challenge, I believe that will fit the theme.
Jen, I also love your clay work, th dragon looks like a friendly fellow.
I did some clay work myself and totally got carried away with a ballerina princess. She is in the kiln right now.
Hope to be back soon to post more
C&C always welcome
Claudia thank you for the comment on the motorcycle painting. Wow that fountain is fantastic. My cousin used to paint pysanka eggs and I always wished he'd teach me.
C&Cs always welcome
Claudia the post sent before I finished. I can't wait to see your painted eggs. They are a perfect fit in the April challenge.
Claudia what wonderful eggs! I can't wait to see your version. Glad to see you are maintaining an old tradition.
thank you for the knd words on the gallery and my dragon who I think is a little wild and confused as he has just hatched!!
Jen C & C's always welcome
just looked at the Gallery...good display of all our work. Thanks for all your hard work as Hostess.
feel free to make constructive c/c...no digital alterations please
You are welcome Sarah!
Well I did a bit more on the dragon. You probably can't see much. He didn't release easily so I am letting him dry and get leather hard so I don't risk knocking bits off him. I have no idea if the egg is going to support him without the mold! Hope so as I quite like him!! Also I need some moisture in the egg to fix any outside cracks and such! I am going to a party instead of art on Saturday (gasp) so wont go back until Monday. Hopefully this round of spring thunderstorms wont blow us all away. Ahh Spring in Arkansas!
Jen the dragon is looking great. I hope he holds.
Claudia, wonderful to see this traditional egg display. It is good that you are getting involved to carry the tradition on. I am looking forward to seeing your eggs for this year.
Jen, your dragon is really looking good. Be careful with the storms. Our weather today is to be freezing rain, so dangerous driving conditions and I don't suppose it will take away much snow. We have many birds coming back now on a daily basis so Spring has to come now.
Bonnie, thanks. The storms gave the weatherman some excitement but really we had more thunder and a lot of lightening keeping me offline but fortunately we had none of the nasty tornadoes or hail. Then I was busy this weekend. I hope to get some sketches done if Jinx behaves!!
You stay warm and I hope you get rid of all that ice and snow soon!
Claudia ~ Thanks for posting the Easter display photos - so cool! Can't wait to see your own painted eggs!
Comments and critiques are welcome.
Well today I finally got the dragon out of his egg and in one piece! So far so good. A bit od running repairs on a finger and a bit of egg and then a base so it will stand up. hopefully it will all stay together. last time I promise!
Jen ~ Your dragon is really coming along ~ very complicated structure!!
Jen, your dragon twisting around in the egg does look complicated. Looks like a big project.
I got my last pottery project today. This princess ballerina weights 4 kg. I got carried away on that one.
Claudia she is marvelous. How do you support her?? Love the underwear.
C and C always welcomed
© 2015 F+W All rights reserved.Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms and Privacy Policy, updated March 2007


text:
A system for programming the automatic operation of a video recorder over an extended time period uses an associated television receiver as a display device for alphanumeric messages to the operator to provide a self-explanatory, interactive programming routine. The video recorder system includes a digital memory, a real time digital clock, and an alphanumeric character generator, all connected to a central digital controller. A keypad allows the operator to initiate a programming routine in which previously stored programming messages are called up from memory and generated on the TV receiver's display tube using the character generator. The operator's responses entered via the keypad are stored in the memory and are called up at future times to generate control signals for the video recorder. The video recorder system further includes a memory storing digital data representing a schedule of programming available for a future period. The video system permits this schedule to be recalled and displayed on the TV receiver for review by the user.
1. A television program selection system connected to a television receiver and a remote source of television programming coupled to the receiver, the system comprising:
a first randomly addressable memory disposed in proximity and directly coupled to the television receiver and digitally storing a database of information relating to the television programming available to the receiver from the source, said information including program titles;
a second randomly addressable memory disposed in proximity and directly coupled to the television receiver and digitally storing a plurality of operator prompts;
a video display generator connected to the television receiver;
an operator input device for outputting commands in response to operator inputs;
a real time clock; and
a controller connected to the first memory, the second memory, the operator input device, the real time clock and the video display generator, the controller being operative to receive commands from the operator input device and being operative in response to said commands to: (a) select prompts from the second memory for display on the television receiver via the video display generator; (b) display at any time, an operator selected portion of the information contained in the database stored in the first memory; (c) enable entry into the system of the operator's selections; and (d) select operator prompts for display from the second memory as a function of one of said operator inputs and said real time clock.
2. The television program selection system of claim 1 wherein said operator input device comprises a keypad including a key operative, when depressed, to output a command to initiate a program selection sequence and wherein said operator prompt selected for display by said controller upon receipt of said command to initiate a program selection sequence is also a function of the state of said real-time clock.
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/527,417, filed Sep. 13, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,815, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/384,442, filed Feb. 2, 1995 abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/149,386, filed Nov. 9, 1993 abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/595,393, filed Oct. 10, 1990 abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/484,175, filed Feb. 23, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,994, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/213,162, filed Jun. 29, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,713, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 06/634,179, filed Jul. 24, 1984, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 06/330,111, filed Dec. 14, 1981, now abandoned.
This invention relates to automatic control systems for video recorders of the type used with television receivers and more particularly to a system for using the television receiver as a display device for an operator interactive system for programming future automatic operation of the recorder.
Magnetic video recorders are commonly used as accessories for television receivers to record broadcast television programs for later replay over the receiver or to record the output of a TV camera so the users may produce their own programs.
Frequently it is desirable to make recordings of broadcast or cablecast video programs which originate at times when the operator is not available to control the recorder and many commercially available video recorders are equipped with programming devices that enable the video recorder at a predetermined future time. Some of these video recorders include built-in tuners and a program can be established that specifies the time at which a recording is to start and stop as well as the channel to be recorded. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,120 discloses a video recorder with this capability.
The programming of these devices is usually accomplished through use by the operator of a series of pushbuttons and multiple selector switches with the aid of a numerical display incorporated in the video recorder. In systems in which a plurality of recording instructions relating to a number of programs on different channels at different times can be recorded, the programming sequence is complex and difficult to remember and achieve. The process is susceptible to error and it is difficult or impossible to determine the sequence of programming commands that have already been recorded. Moreover, the control panels of these programmable recorders are complicated, including a number of separate input devices and displays and are accordingly expensive to manufacture and susceptible to failure in use.
The present invention is accordingly directed toward a programming control for video recorders that is easier to use and less complicated and expensive than existing systems. This simplification is achieved by using the television receiver associated with the video recorder as a display device and providing the video recorder with a digital memory that stores an interactive programming routine for directing the operator through the programming sequence on a simple-to-follow, step-by-step basis. The operator initiates the routine by actuating a control that places the system in its programming mode. Programming instructions are then displayed to the operator on the TV receiver picture tube in alphanumeric and/or graphic form. The instructions direct the operator in the use of the controls to record a desired programming sequence on a step-by-step basis and display the sequence to ensure proper programming.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, which will subsequently be disclosed in detail, the operator input device consists of a simple keypad for the decimal numerals and several mode selection keys. This keypad supplants all of the pushbuttons, selector switches and digital displays employed in prior art video recorders, lowering the cost of the system and simplifying its maintenance.
The programming control of the present invention employs a random access memory for storing alphanumeric statements to be displayed on the TV receiver and future programming responses entered into the system by the operator. A character generator forming part of the system receives the stored command statements in digitally encoded form and generates luminance control signals for the television receiver. These signals are generated in timed relation to horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals generated by a digital clock that also provides an output indicative of real time as opposed to machine time. The synchronizing signals and the output of the character generator are fed to the same RF modulator which is designed to switchably receive video signals played back from the tape. The modulator produces a signal that is provided to the antenna terminals of the TV receiver.
The system operates under the supervision of a controller which preferably takes the form of a microcomputer and includes a read-only memory storing the operating program for the system. The controller receives the output of the keypad and uses it to control the display of messages on the TV receiver, the storage of operator-entered control signals into the random access memory and the automatic, unattended operation of the video recorder under control of the future programming commands stored in the random access memory for use in the system.
The character generator can also be used to generate a display of alphanumeric information stored on the magnetic tape of the video recorder. Alphanumeric information can be stored on the magnetic tape with a much higher density when it is digitally encoded rather than in video form.
The present invention also incorporates means for recording a future program schedule which may either be provided via airwaves or cable broadcast or alternatively may be inserted into the device in the form of a throw-away read-only memory. These schedules may be displayed as an assist to the programming of the video recorder.
Other objectives, advantages and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a video recorder forming a preferred embodiment of the present invention connected to an associated TV receiver;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the system; and
FIG. 3 is an illustration of the keypad used with the preferred embodiment of the invention.
The programming control device of the present invention may be embodied in a separate unit adapted to be connected to a conventional video recorder and to a television receiver, but in the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 1, the programming control is incorporated within a video cassette recorder system, generally indicated at 10. Video recorder system 10 is illustrated as being connected to a conventional television receiver 12 through cable 14 that preferably connects to the antenna terminals of the receiver 12. The video recorder system 10 is powered through a conventional alternating current line cord 16.
Operator input to the video recorder system 10 is provided through a keypad 18 connected to the video recorder system by a flexible cable 20. In alternative embodiments of the invention, keypad 18, or its equivalent, could be built into the chassis of the video recorder system 10 or could be connected to the recorder by a conventional communication link such as telephone, radio or an infrared transmitter incorporated in the remote unit and a corresponding receiver disposed in the video recorder system 10. These wireless links may be of the same type used for the remote control of television receivers.
Video recorder system 10 includes an access panel 22 which may be manually opened to permit insertion or removal of standard video tape cassettes and a socket (not shown) for receipt of program schedule disposable memories. The video recorder system 10 will typically include a record-playback head, spindles for transporting the tape between take-up and supply reels of the cassette, and other hardware typically associated with such a machine, which are not shown.
The broad electrical arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in block form in FIG. 2.
The system includes a digital, random access memory 24. The memory 24 is supervised by a digital controller 26. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the controller takes the form of a microprocessor such as Zilog Z-80 or Intel 8080. In alternative embodiments of the invention the controller could be implemented with discrete components. A read-only memory 28 is connected to the controller and provides the operating program for the video recorder system 10. In alternative embodiments of the invention the operating program could be stored in part of the digital memory 24 so that only a single memory chip would be required for the video recorder system 10.
A clock 30 is driven by pulses from a high frequency Quartz oscillator 32 which is used to generate real time signals for use in programming the video recorder system 10 as well as synchronizing signals which are used to control the generation of display signals and the raster of the television receiver 12. The oscillator 32 preferably has a frequency of about 15.75 MHz and includes conventional dividers used to generate dot, character and row signals for provision to a character generator 34, forming part of the system, as well as horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals which are provided to a radio frequency modulator 36. The modulator operates on the output of a radio frequency generator 35. The video recorder system 10 further includes an electronically adjustable TV channel tuner 38 connected to the TV antenna 60 through cable 62, to the video record/playback unit 40, and to the modulator 36.
The arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the keypad 18 is illustrated in FIG. 3. It should be recognized that other manual input control devices could be used and other keypad configurations could be employed in alternative embodiments of the invention. The preferred embodiment of the keypad 18 incorporates fourteen keys. Ten of the keys designate the decimal numerals and also have legends representing alternate functions. For example, the key that represents numeral 0 also has a designation "play" and is used to control energization of the video record/playback unit 40 (FIG. 2) when the system is in the proper mode.
The keypad also includes four mode keys 42, 44, 46 and 48. The key 42 is labeled "off" and allows the operator to de-energize the system. The key 44 is labeled "operate recorder". Depression of this key enters the video recorder system 10 into a mode in which the video record/playback unit 40 may be controlled through energization of the numeric keys of the pad. For example, key 0 is designated "play" and enables forward operation of the video record/playback unit 40 at normal speed. Numeric key 1 is labeled "reverse" and depression of this key causes reversal of the tape. Similarly, numeric key 2 is designated "fast forward"; numeric key 3 is designated "pause"; numeric 4 is designated "frame freeze"; and numeric key 5 is designated "slow". Each of these keys implements the designated operation of the recorder. These operations are achieved by control signals provided to the video record/playback unit 40 from the controller 26 over line 50 (FIG. 2). These operating modes are part of the normal complement of modes of operation of conventional, commercially available, video recorders and any new modes of operation incorporated in recorders in the future could be similarly controlled.
Keypad button 46, when depressed, enters the video recorder system 10 into an "operate TV" mode wherein the channel selection of the TV may be controlled by depression of pairs of numeric keys. For example, to tune channel 7 the keys 07 would be depressed. This key sequence causes the controller 26 (FIG. 2) to provide signals to the tuner 38 causing it to tune channel 7. The output of the tuner 38 is then provided to the modulator 36. The modulator uses these signals to modulate a radio frequency signal produced by the generator 35 and having the wavelength of an unused channel on the television receiver 12. For example, if there is no local television station broadcasting on channel 5, the frequency of that channel may be produced by generator 35. The television receiver 12 may be used in the normal manner by operator actuation of its controls 52. When operation of the TV receiver 12 in connection with the video recorder system 10 and its programming system is desired, the manual channel control of the receiver 12 is turned to, say channel 5 and it is then capable of receiving signals outputted by the modulator 36. In this manner the internal tuner of the receiver 12 is not used for active channel control.
In alternative embodiments of the invention the remote control unit could be equipped with the capability of controlling other functions of the TV receiver 12 such as its volume, contrast, etc. This mode of control would require a more complex set of connections between the video recorder system 10 and the TV receiver 12. Electrically powered devices other than the TV receiver 12 could be similarly controlled.
Depression of the keypad button 48 places the video recorder system 10 in the program mode in which the operator may specify a future operating program for the video recorder system 10. This mode uses the interactive capabilities made more easily possible by using a television receiver 12. The nature of this interactive programming machine will be subsequently specified in greater detail.
The television receiver 12 power cord is preferably plugged into a unit 54 that also receives the unit line cord 16 and provides electrical power to video recorder system 10. The unit 54 operates under supervision of the central controller 26. The television receiver power switch is left in the "on" position when the programmer is to be used and the application of power to the TV receiver 12 is controlled by the unit 54 under supervision of controller 26. When the modes controlled by the switches 44, 46 or 48 are entered, the TV receiver 12 is energized and when the button 42 is depressed the TV receiver 12 is de-energized. The TV receiver 12 need not be energized during operation of the video operation of the video recorder system 10 in accordance with a program stored in the system.
Alphanumeric or graphic messages to be displayed on the face of the TV receiver 12 are initiated by the controller 26 by providing digital codes representative of the character sequences to the character generator 34. The character generator stores the appropriate dot matrix characters and outputs Z axis control signals to modulator 36 in timed relation to the generation of the dot, character and row signals by the clock 30. This is the conventional arrangement for generating alphanumeric information on a TV raster scan display and the arrangement may take the detailed formed disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,877.
The alphanumeric messages to be displayed may be stored in the memory 24 and called up by the controller 26 or they may be recorded on a magnetic tape played in the video record/playback unit 40. In the latter case the recorded information should contain codes specifying the formatting in terms of lines and paragraphs so that the system can generate the material in timed relation to the synchronizing signals provided to modulator 36 by the clock 30.
Alternatively, the synchronizing signals could be derived from the horizontal and vertical sync generators of the TV receiver 12. This arrangement allows alphanumeric information from the video recorder system 10 to be displayed superimposed over broadcast programs being displayed on the receiver.
When the video recorder system 10 is in operation in either the "operate recorder" or "operate TV" mode, the character generator may be used to display alphanumeric information in superposition with the video picture generated from either the video record/playback unit 40 or the tuner 38. Information might include the present time, the tuner channel in use, a reminder to change programs or do another task, or the title of a prerecorded program, with the title information either being broadcast in a coded form or entered via an appropriate keyboard (not shown).
The video recorder system 10 may be configured to accept a plug-in read only memory 56 containing a program schedule for some future period such as a week or month. These ROM's might be sold on a subscription basis, in the same way as magazines, and contain digitally encoded alphanumeric and graphic information that could be displayed on the TV receiver 12 to assist the operator in selecting a program from the contained program schedule for future recordings. The ROM 56 could simply contain a schedule showing the programs available during the scheduled period on each channel, or might additionally include text describing the program or even segments of the program for display.
In alternative embodiments of the invention the schedule information might be broadcast at a particular time and the video recorder system 10 could be programmed in accordance with this invention to record that information during the broadcast time for later display and use.
When the video recorder system 10 is in the "off" mode the controller 26 interrogates the memory 24 to derive the start time of the next program to be recorded. This start time is continually compared with the real time as generated by the clock 30 and when the two are in coincidence the controller 26 interrogates the memory to derive the number of the channel to be recorded, controls the tuner 38 to select that channel and initiates the video record/playback unit 40. At the end time of the recording the controller 26 turns off the video record/playback unit 40 and the system. This arrangement is conventional, and is disclosed, among other places, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,120.
When the video recorder system 10 is in the "operate recorder" mode enabled by depressing the pushbutton 44 the recorded TV signals are provided by the video record playback unit 40 directly to the modulator 36 and there is no need to modulate the sync pulses generated by the clock 30.
In the "play recorder" mode it is possible to have playback of alphanumeric information encoded on the tape in digital form. For this purpose the output of the video record/playback unit 40 is provided to the character generator 34. The signals from the clock 30 are used to generate the sync signals which are provided to the modulator 36 as well as dot, character and row signals which are provided to the character generator 34 so that the alphanumeric information can be encoded on the appropriate carrier and provided to the TV receiver 12.
In the "program" mode, initiated by the operator by depressing key 48, the controller 26 supervises transfer of coded alphanumeric statements which are displayed on the television receiver 12 through action of the character generator 34 and the modulator 36. The displayed statements will request the operator to provide the video recorder system 10 with information relative to his programming choices by hitting appropriate keys on the pad 18. Following each choice the information will be displayed to allow verification, and then a further item of information will be requested. The operator need only follow the sequence of commands to achieve the desired program. If the operator depresses keys which signify an inappropriate response, such as starting a programming selection at 14:01 p.m., the controller will choose a display statement that will advise the operator of his error. The programming choices are displayed so the operator has the opportunity to correct erroneous choices.
The video recorder system 10 may maintain a total of programmed recording time and display the result so that the operator will recognize the total length of tape required.
The command statements are preferably arranged in such a simple and self-correcting manner that the operator need only have the knowledge to enter the system into the programming mode in order to successfully complete the program.
The video recorder system 10 of the present invention is therefore operationally simpler than previous programming devices and results in a simple and error-free program routine.
Citas de patentes
Otras citas
Citada por
Eventos legales
Imagen original


text:
Ruth Virginia McCoy, 92, of Williamson, passed away on Sunday, January 13, 2013, at the Appalachian Regional Hospital in South Williamson, Ky.
Born December 19, 1920, in Yeager, she was the daughter of the late Ernest Wright and Mamie VanDyke Wright.
In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her husband, Robert McCoy: a son, Dale McCoy; a daughter-in-law, Jackie McCoy; a granddaughter, Elissa McCoy, an infant; and four brothers, Harold, Lee, Jack, Danny Wright.
Ruth was a devout Christian. She had been an active member of the Fifth Avenue Church of Christ since 1944. She was involved in numerous church ministries and she taught Sunday school for a number of years. She loved and cherished her church family so very much.
In addition to raising her family, Ruth also worked outside the home for many years.
She was formerly employed by Falls Branch Market and the Justice Drive In.
She had also worked for quite some time in the medical offices of Dr. Shafer at the Highlands Clinic in South Williamson, Ky.
Ruth was a beloved mother, grandmother and friend. She will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed always.
Ruth is survived by her son, Robert "Bob" McCoy of Williamson; a grandson, Robbie (Kristie) McCoy of Williamson; three great-grandchildren, Daylan, Dyllon and Jayden McCoy; and her special friend, Louise Gibson of Point Pleasant.
The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening, January 15, at Weaver Mortuary in West Williamson. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 16, at the mortuary. Ronnie Ferrell will officiate Interment is in the Mountain View Memory Gardens at Maher. Family members and friends will serve as pallbearers.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Fifth Avenue Church of Christ in lieu of flowers.
Express online condolences at www.weavermortuaryinc.com. Weaver Mortuary of West Williamson is serving the McCoy family.


text:
Stripe Colorblock Shorts
Style # 213138
Made from our new BE-FIT fabric and sporting a cool mix of pop-bright yellow and stripes, these comfy bebe shorts are sure to keep you looking stylish throughout your workout. Try it with the matching tank to complete the look.
- 77% nylon, 23% spandex
- BE-FIT fabric
- Rise: 8" (20 cm)
- Inseam: 3" (8 cm)
- Leg opening: 20" (51 cm)
- Machine wash
- Made in USA with imported materials
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Rated 5 out of 5Āby 1 reviewer.
Rated 5 out of 5Āby habibi the colors and fit very nicely fits very nicely and looks very athletic and the combination of colors perfectly beautiful. May 10, 2013
1-1 of 1


text:
Paul Baumann on George Weigel
Dominic Preziosi May 17, 2013 - 2:00pm
Commonweal editor Paul Baumanns review of George Weigels Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st Century Church is now available at the website of The Nation. Excerpts follow:
When President Obama was invited to give the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame in 2009, more than eighty bishops condemned the university. That a duly elected president of the United States should be regarded as a moral monster unworthy of being given a hearingespecially at a school as steeped in American patriotism as Notre Dameis bizarre. The uproar and the bitter recrimination that followed Obamas speech revealed how deeply divided and directionless the once formidably cohesive American Catholic Church has become. And if George Weigels new book is any indication of where the churchs hierarchy is headed, the divisions promise to grow deeper. Indeed, a good deal of the blame for the bishops belligerent public posture can be laid directly on the desk of the author of Evangelical Catholicism. ...According to Weigel, the evangelical Catholicism of his books title represents a necessary departure from the Counter-reformation or so-called tribal Catholicism of recent centuries. In his view, a Catholicism held together by ethnic affinities possesses neither the fervor nor the missionary commitment needed to meet the challenges of postmodernity. In place of the bricklayer bishops who built a Catholic subculture of schools, hospitals and civic associations across America, whats needed today are bishops like the late John Paul II, men who speak of their faith in compelling, adamantine and fearless ways. These bishops will be disciplinarians, unabashed in demanding doctrinal obedience from priests, women in religious orders and those in the pews. Theologians and politicians who publicly dissent from church teaching must be told that they are no longer Catholic in any meaningful sense. Catholics who do not believe everything the church teaches should leave. (It will be interesting to see how this new breed of priests and bishops responds to the leadership of the recently elected Pope Francis, who seems to take a less confrontational approach to secular culture than Weigel does.) ...Why would Weigel assume that the deep reform of the Catholic Church is relevant to the political and cultural life of most Americans? Because he thinks that, as with Poland under communist domination, Americas fate is now intimately linked to that of Catholicism. The Catholic Church is now the worlds premier institutional proponent of human rights and democracy, he claimsby which he means that the churchs social doctrine offers a principled framework for the preservation of the Wests failing democracies. As far as Weigel is concerned, no other options are available.What to make of these grandiose claims? In one sense, Weigel is repeating what the Catholic Church has always taught. Conversion is what Christianity is about, and so Catholicism, often married to Aristotelian and Thomist notions of natural law and natural rights, remains a vital force in the American political tradition. But the resources of that tradition are broader than the abstract and self-evident truths, invoked by the Declaration of Independence, on which Weigel places such emphasis. The tradition has made use of a variety of philosophical resources, including Enlightenment rationalism, civic republicanism, secular liberal rights theory and pragmatism. It is unlikely we will succeed in forging a more perfect union if we do not make use of all the political resources at our disposal.
You can read the whole thing here. (Update: We earlier noted the inclusion of a link at the end of The Nation's online version of the review; that link has since been removed.)
Commenting Guidelines
Anne Chapman @ 9:34,I think that's a fine question. A personal relationship with Jesus can be understood in a variety of ways, of course, but I would point to three features which, pace Jim McK, have important connections to both emotions and intellect and are not simply a function of the will. 1. In a personal relationship, one's subjectivity is engaged. You have to be personally invested for it to be a personal relationship. The contours of one's life, thoughts, feelings, aspirations, and identity enter into the relationship. If I am conscious of a personal relationship, I am saying that my real self, not an idealized self or some abstract principle is what "matters" in relationship to God. 2. In a personal relationship, one takes the trouble to get to know the person of Jesus through accounts of his words and deeds in the scriptures (and other ways as well), and through active listening in prayer. A personal relationship presumes there is an "other" who wishes to communicate and share himself with you. This needn't devolve into a warm-fuzzy or "me and Jesus" feeling. It's not a thought projection. Yet, to have a personal relationship we have to want to know Jesus, not as a concept but as a real and living person, who discloses himself to us in a variety of ways. 3. A quality of the personal presence of the post-resurrection Jesus is that it is expressed in sometimes ambiguous ways. We see this repeatedly in the gospels. Although the disciples on the road to Emmaus walked and talked with him, they only recognized him "in the breaking of the bread." Mary mistakes him for the gardener, until he calls her name. It's only after pulling in the great catch of fish that they perceive who the stranger is. The resurrection appearances are full of the ambiguity of recognition. One's personal relationship with Jesus thus is not strictly analogous with other personal relationships, although it remains personal. The risen Christ can be encountered and recognized anywhere. Yet the person one encounters in all these ambiguous and non-verbal ways is continuous with the person of Jesus, who was crucified and raised up. So, actually, a personal relationship with Jesus is fostered through works of mercy ("when you did this for the least of these, you did it for me") and Eucharist ("this is my body") and in the church ("you are the body of Christ").
I would like very much to echo Ann Chapman's question: "Could someone please describe what this kind of 'personal' relationship actually is?" Benedict spoke not only of friendship with Christ but friendship with God. A "relationship" is one thing. A friendship is another. I waver often between believing what Catholics believe about Jesus andhow should I put this?believing what Jews believe. I waver often between believing what theists believe about God and being at least an agnostic, if not an atheist. I am at least willing to say it is distinctly in the realm of possibility that Jesus died quite definitively about 2000 years ago, and that it is also distinctly in the realm of possibility that God (at least the personal God of Christianity) doesn't exist. How am I to think, then, of people who claim to have a personal friendship with Christ or with God? I have to at least consider the possibility that they claim to experience friendship with nonexistent beings. At my moments of littlest faith, I would not deny that people who claim friendship with Jesus or God are not having some kind of meaningful experience (as opposed to merely fooling themselves), but I do have to wonder what it can possibly mean to claim friendship with persons who might not exist. People may believe that Jesus or God is communicating with them, but I think (or certainly hope) even the most devoutly religious person would acknowledge that no one can be certain he or she has received a communication from God or Jesus. Also, much of this talk makes me think of Mother Teresa, who went for decades with no experience of the presence of God. Could she have thought of that experience as friendship?
Thanks Frank Gibbons, but I wasn't talking about the Charismatic renewal, rather a broader trend in catechetics and worship, which is being pushed aside by concern for catechism answers and suppression of liturgical and musical creativity. Though maybe the Charismatics are considered evangelical by some, so your point is relevant in that sense.
David Nickol,your comments and Rita's passed in the cloud (or wherever these things go). I would add that "friendship" with Jesus entails both spending time with the other (hence prayer -- "where two or three are gathered ...") and putting oneself at the other's disposition ("if you love me, keep my commandments").I suggest that Mother Teresa's acute sense of the absence of Jesus was another moment in her relationship with him, and was characterized by her hope for the friend's return.
David N,That's the thing about Mother Teresa - she didn't have any *experience* of Jesus/God in those years she describes. I think that "dryness" is pretty antithetical to Ignatian spirituality.And about the possibility that people think they are having experience of God but are imagining it, Ignatius did have a system to help people "discern" if their experience was valid. Sure, it's all seems subjective, but I think this idea is a reflection of a desire to shape and control experience. The God of Ignatius can surprise people and many aren't comfortable with that.
Greg @ 5:45 on 5/17:You're misreading what I wrote. I'm describing Weigel's argument, which does in fact urge Catholics to put aside their traditional suspicions about the emphasis most evangelical Protestants place on developing an intimate personal relationship with Jesus. That's the point behind the novelty of marrying "evangelical" and "Catholicism" in the book's title. In the counter-reformation or tribal Catholicism of the last century, Weigel notes, the emphasis was more likely to be placed on being formally in communion with the church rather than on one's personal relationship with Jesus.Do I think this adoption by Catholics of an evangelical Protestant idiom is a good thing? We will know them by their fruits. (I'm not disputing that the idea of friendship with Jesus also has a Catholic pedigree.)What I do resist is Weigel's attempt to separate the sheep (those who profess to have a deep personal relationship with Jesus) from the goats (those he claims are merely in communion with the church in some legalistic sense). I'm sure Bob Imbelli would agree.I believe Bill Portier was one of the first to comment on the evangelical Catholic phenomenon. His review of Weigel's book for Commonweal is here:http://commonwealmagazine.org/more-mission-less-maintenance Bill thinks so-called liberal Catholicism (admittedly a slippery term) doesn't have the "juice" to reproduce itself. That is a concern we all share, but it is not clear to me that there is much juice at the other end of the ideological spectrum either. In any event, there is zeal and then there is zeal (see Bob Imbelli's reference to the Commonweal editorial), and I think I demonstrated in the review that Weigel's zeal is to be taken with a grain of salt.
I skimmed the first chapter. Judging by what Weigel says there, his program is a matter of allowing oneself a greater closeness with Jesus, a greater Biblical understanding, greater conformity to the magisterium, and separating the sheep from the goats. Except for the deeper friendship with Jesus and deeper understanding of the Bible, it sounds to me like the old tribalism writ large, The big questions are: does one become a better friend of Jesus by throwing out the goats and does the Bible really require greater conformity of theological thinking?
As to friendship and experience of one's friends, there are many different kinds of experience of friends. Ordinary friendship with other folks doesn't require any sort of mystical experience to be clear, sure, and precious, and neither (I would say) are all awarenesses of God's friendshp for us in any sense "mystical". Some say God sends them little signs and symbols, physical events that communicate meaning. I say, why not? And there are outside-the-ordinary, purely subjective religious experiences which come in many different kinds and levels. I'd say that a common kind is the experience of the presence of God's grace within us when we need the strength/grace to do what needs doing. There are also, it seems, a rather common sort of awareness of the presence of God within us. Then there are the extraordinary, mystical ones (in the usual sense of "mystical"). These are the awareness of the presence of God Himself within the mystic. There also seem to be experiences of the presence of God within the things of the world, especially particularly beautiful ones. What Crystal says about such experience bears repeating:"The problem that often arises is people worrying that they are making everything up, that these experiences are not real. But if you believe in God and believe in the resurrection, then youre already in supernatural territory believing that God loves you, wants to interact with you, and that the risen Jesus can and will do this, is not such a leap, after that."But for many contemporary people even the *possibility* of outside-the-natural experience is unthinkable to them. The words "soul" and "supernatural" have been banished by scientism as metaphysically impossible. This, I must repeat, is why Nagel's new book is historically so important -- it seems to be opening the door for many skeptics to the *possibility* that, yes, we might have souls where God just might talk with His creatures. I ask: why wouldn't He talk to His children?
A small note: there is a conversation--albeit not a very pervasive one--about the significance of a "personal relationship with Jesus" that is taking place in the Evangelical community. It centers, mainly, on the question of what that even means, with many people expressing relief that others are copping to what they had long felt: that it was just a big puzzle.
P.B.@3:53:"there is zeal and then there is zeal (see Bob Imbellis reference to the Commonweal editorial), and I think I demonstrated in the review that Weigels zeal is to be taken with a grain of salt."Kind of sounds like Weigel's doppelganger: there's their zeal and there's our zeal. Can we learn from one another's zeal?
Anne Chapman wrote that Weigels ideas seem mostly to reflect his desire for the church to reflect his own particular selections in the cafeteria." In other words, all Weigel, all the time. Along those same lines, Michael Sean Winters noted a recent column of Weigels which concluded,
"But, as I argue in [the book], thats precisely what orthodoxy is. . . . The 266th bishop of Rome would seem to agree." This brings to mind the comment of a monsignor who worked at the Vatican nunciature when I asked him what he thought of Weigel's biography of Pope John Paul II. "At the end of the book," my acquaintance observed, "one was left with the question: Who is that man in white standing next to George Weigel?"
Anne, "having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ" is fundie-gelical code for not having intermediaries like priests, saints, and the sacrament of private confession between the saved and the Savior. I.e., it means not being Catholic.Someone else above said that Weigel was more interested in bringing evangelicals into the Church rather than retaining "Commonweal Catholics." If so, Weigel really underestimates the extent to which most evangelicals utterly reject Catholic Holy Tradition as unBiblical, man-made rules. I enjoy one of my colleagues, a bright, hilarious, and articulate young woman, who is very gifted in evangelical apologetics. We've reached a very cordial detente about religion, and I frequently help her church group with some of its charitable activities. But I have no doubt whatever that she believes it's going to be nearly impossible for Catholics to get to heaven.
Some evangelicals can be convinced of the truths of the Catholic faith. Scott Hahn and Thomas Howard ("Evangelical is Not Enough") came over to the Catholic Church. Francis Beckwith, former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, reverted to the Catholic faith. Charles Colson, while remaining evangelical, had very warm relations with Catholics. He wrote the forward to Keith Fournier's 1990 book "Evangelical Catholics". Mike Bickle of International House of Prayer has even plugged Ralph Martin's book on Catholic mystics "The Fulfillment of All Desire". Martin has even delivered a speech on contemplative prayer to a gathering of Protestant charismatics.
"Ironically, what this call to evangelical (feeling oriented) approaches by Weigel reminded me of was CCD in the seventies- ha!"Exactly. What Weigel does not see is that he and the other neocons rejected Vatican II and now he is trying to restore Vatican II when the Evangelical Protestants show him what Vatican II wanted. It is the irony of Ironies. Ann Chapman. A relationship with Jesus is cultivated by praying/talking to him every day as often as one can. Search the NT again and pray over the words of Jesus. There is so much to invite us into a relationship. with him. David, because your faith is weak does not mean that you are right. Faith, hope and charity are leaps in which we bond with God through Jesus. Perhaps you are not seeking enough so you can find. Frank Gibbons. Your assertion that John Paul II and Benedict XVI enthusiastically supported the Charismatic movement is arrived at, I contend, on a superficial basis. What they did was take over that movement (and others) and deprived them of vitality so that they are shells of what they once were. It is similar to what the Vatican has consistently done with religious orders and congregations--Turn great movements into cheerleaders for Rome. Thus practically within many Founders lifetime, their creations were corrupted by the Empire builders. Unfortunately, the post Constantine era has produced few in Rome who preferred the Gospel over Empire. Despite flowery words.
Frank Gibbons --I have noticed other signs that some Protestants are becoming open to contemplative prayer and the possibility of mystical experience, and it's not just the ones who are starting to do Centering Prayer. Do you have any idea of why there has been such a shift in some Protestants thinking about this? I can't figure it out except as part of the current American openness to spiritual practices such as Buddhist ones, but why would those appeal to old-fashioned Protestants? Or maybe it's just the result of ecumenism?
Ann Olivier,When I was in the hospital five years ago, I was visited by a Protestant chaplain. He told me that he was reading "Revelations of Divine Love" by Julien of Norwich. We didn't talk long, and I have no idea if he was an Evangelical or not. So there is that interest in the Catholic mystical tradition among some Protestants. I eventually bought and read "Revelations of Divine Love" so I guess it was a fortuitous encounter. I forgot to mention the late John Wimber, the founder of Vineyard Movement, as someone who cooperated with Catholics in spreading the Gospel. Wimber fused elements of Pentecostalism with Evangelicalism. His goal was not to take Catholics out of the Church, but to help them put the Spirit in the Catholic Church. He even wrote a nice article on Mary in the now defunct New Covenant magazine. He was the contact between Mike Bickle and Ralph Martin. So there was some ecumenism in that situation where Bickle invited Martin to speak on contemplative prayer.Wimber and Bickle were controversial even in Pentecostal and Evangelical spheres and were accused of heresy, false prophecy, and cult-like activities. And the fact that they interacted with Catholics was further evidence for some that they were off the deep-end. There is some basis for these charges but I think they moved past their mistakes and tried to grow in their walk with Christ.
Protestants are certainly on board with mysticism - that's our shared Christian heritage and doesn't just belong to Catholics - you can find Ignatian spirituality, spiritual direction, and Ignatian retreats taught by Protestants.
TANGENT Here's a meeting of cultures that warms the heart. It's the Dalai Lama at the Super Dome getting an honorary degree from Tulane, along with jazz musicians Dr. John and Allan Toussaint, complete with second line. It was pandemonium as the Dalai Lama boogied with the students. http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2013/05/dalai_lama_talks_globall...
I haven't read Weigel's book, but I agree that the Catholic Church in the US needs to evangelize, which is another way of saying that it needs to proclaim the Good News to the culture. But the Catholic Church can only do it in ways that are Catholic. I don't think we would be very good at going door to door, ringing doorbells and inviting people to accept Jesus as their personal savior. For whatever reason, that's not really our style of spirituality.If we accept the notion that the church needs to evangelize, we face the question, 'What is to be the content of our evangelization?' Here is where we bark our shins on the difficult questions that divide Catholic from Catholic. As described here, Weigel's response seems to be, "Hey, you guys, shut up; I want MY content to be the content of our evangelization."Could the divisions within Catholicism agree on a common content of evangelization? One that doesn't become a least-common-denominator thin broth? Could someone like Weigel evangelize without making snide comments about his confreres on the left side of the room?
Jim P. =-Maybe there just can't be any successful evangelization until the divisions within the Church at least start to be healed. Rome assumes evangelization can be done, but that's because it thinks it has the right answers to the big questions. But what if the Church needs some changes in some of its teachings? Suppose the liberals are right -- that Vatican II really was only a beginning and that a number of important changes in doctrine are needed deseparately not only for those outside the Church but for those within it?Hmmm.
"Could someone like Weigel evangelize without making snide comments about his confreres on the left side of the room?"I'm so far left, I'm not even at the table anymore, but there are two things where Weigel and I might agree. One is on the saints. Why not blast this notion that the saints are intermediaries who carry our prayers because we aren't good enough. The saints are our friends in heaven who have left us a legacy of courage and example ... and are now our friends in heaven who add their prayers to ours. Two is the Catholic tradition that informs understanding of Scripture. If there are no new revelations, Catholics at least have the sense that our understanding of revelation is improving and growing. Catholics have been freed from the notion that Scripture is a science book even as many evangelicals and fundamentalists are still wasting time trying to reconcile or reject what has long been proved.This is no longer of much concern to me, but I think a third thing that most practicing Catholics would agree has to be part of any evangelization effort are the sacraments, but there are some challenges in this area. Explaining these mysteries is difficult. And so is the fact that many Protestants find them find them so exclusive as to be off-putting. Inviting non-Catholics to approach during communion for a blessing, in my view, would be a very good way to acknowledge that visitors are also children of God and that Catholics are happy to worship with them.
My guess is that progressive Catholics would prefer alliances with Obama endorsing evangelicals like Jim Wallis or Richard Cizek more than with former Anglicans in the new ordinariate. Their welcome for the latter is pretty tepid, if not hostile.
Or progressive Catholics might prefer alliances with Evangelicals like Steve Chalke and Rob Bell.
Jean Raber: Your comment about your Evangelical friend reminded me of this paragraph in an srticle on the Evangelical movement in England and of Robert Aitken in particular:
Thus it happened, in many instances, that a movement which seemed destined to give fresh life and vigour to the Established Church, and which has done much to infuse emotion and spirituality into the dry bones of High Church preaching, yet resulted, in the case of many of those who gave themselves up most unreservedly to the movement, in their coming into the Catholic Church; much to the grief of poor Mr. Aitken, whose lamentations and denunciations resembled the distress of a hen when she sees the ducklings, on whose hatching she had lavished a mothers care, taking naturally to the water. He had a great deal of the old anti-Catholic prejudice still strong in him, and he honestly believed that he was doing God service in striving to prevent people from submitting to the Catholic Church. Thus he concluded his farewell letter to Mrs. Leslie: You will be damned, I believe, eternally. I remain, yours affectionately, Robert Aitken.
From The Dublin Review (1899) 263.Gene Palumbo: Your quote from the nuntiature reminded me of the story told of a Cardinal who came to Dunwoodie to give a day of recollection. He recounted a dream in which Jesus appeared to him and began to speak to him with these words: "Your Eminence..."
"My guess is that progressive Catholics would prefer alliances with Obama endorsing evangelicals like Jim Wallis or Richard Cizek more than with former Anglicans in the new ordinariate. Their welcome for the latter is pretty tepid, if not hostile."Really? What are you seeing that makes you think that? As a former Anglican and "progressive" Catholic, I am happy about "closing the gap" between the Roman and Canterbury traditions that ought never to have occurred in the first place. Plus being able to keep the BCP = nothing but good. I feel very catholic when I use mine now.
Rita,The elements you discuss, "personally invested" and "taking time to", are choices. Certainly emotions and intellect shape those choices and are shaped by the choice, but tha language you use is the language of choice.And of course I unambiguously endorse your idea that God often communicates ambiguously. That is an important point, as the questions from David N show. Choice is only needed where there is ambiguity. I don't choose gravity when I walk, it is unambiguously there. I choose one path or another only because there are alternate paths. It is entirely possible for me to go down Center Street instead of Beech St. The certainty that comes from such choices is different from the certitude achieved by objectively considering both paths without choosing. If I take Center St I will be certain there is a supermarket nearby. If I take Beech I will know there are tree lined streets full of houses. Those certainties cannot be discovered by standing at a corner reading a map. Which is not to say I object to reading a map or otherwise trying to ascertain the objective truth of something. Sometimes a personal investment is needed.
"I have no doubt whatever that she believes its going to be nearly impossible for Catholics to get to heaven."Jean,This is probably a part of Evangelicalism that appeals to Weigel. I have no doubt whatever that he believes its going to be nearly impossible for some Catholics, whom he can point out, to get to heaven. That he and your colleague disagree on the specifics does not negate their agreement on the principles.
Assuming it is possible to have a personal relationship with Jesus or God, which I still find difficult to grasp, friendship is a very particular kind of relationship that seems an odd choice to describe that relationship. Were Jesus and the Apostles friends? It seems a stretch, even though I believe Jesus uses the word occasionally. There is perhaps something of friendship between Jesus and some of his women followers, but would we really describe Peter as a friend of Jesus, or Jesus as a friend of Peter? Do you call a friend Master, Rabbi, or Lord? Friendship seems to me reciprocal in a way that it makes the idea of friendship with a divine person problematic.
"You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:14&15)
You will be damned, I believe, eternally. I remain, yours affectionately, Robert Aitken.Poor Mr. Aitken. It sounds like something Trollope might have put in the mouth of Mrs. Proudie or one of the other awful evangelical types in the Barsetshire cycle.
David Nickol, I do see what you mean. I think of Jesus as the Eternal Scold: "Jean, the world is really messed up, and you are not doing enough to fix it." I've tried Ignation exercises, but every time I imagine Jesus sitting next to me, I imagine he's just pissed.The saints are my Eternal Encouragers: "OK, well, let's just see if we can get a little something done today. You could start by only complaining about half as much as you'd like to."
Jesus had close friends: Mary and Martha and Lazarus of Bethany. And in the many years he worked with his fathers and brothers in the building trades (probably at Sepphoris), he surely had friends. In the many years he attended the synagogue before beginning his public ministry, he surely had friends. Were the bride and groom at Cana his friends (or his siblings)? Etc. Was Peter his friend? He showed his sense of humor with his remark about Peter's name. When it was time to prepare for the Passover, he sent Peter and John (whom he loved) to take care of it.And when he washed the feet of his apostles as they lay at the triclinium, Peter was in the second place of honor. http://blog.adw.org/2010/01/the-seating-plan-at-the-last-supper/Etc.
Jim McK,I find your response (@ 11:19) to my comment patronizing, and I think you have missed the point. You do not need to argue the volitional aspect of entering or maintaining human relationships. These are obvious. The issue is "person" and how does one relate as "friend" to a person whom one cannot see, touch, hear, etc. Saying you have a personal friendship because you decide to is missing much of what's important here. It's not that will is unimportant. But you can "decide" in favor of a fantasy relationship, and that doesn't make it real.
"I have no doubt whatever that he believes its going to be nearly impossible for some Catholics, whom he can point out, to get to heaven. That he and your colleague disagree on the specifics does not negate their agreement on the principles."Sure, nothing bonds a certain brand of Christian, regardless of denomination, more than agreement over who's going to get theirs in hell.But will it make converts? I can't see it. Evangelicals are often much better able to articulate their theological views than Catholics. Moreover, evangelical/fundamentalist theology is, to a large extent, a response against Catholicism. Finally, evangelicals are just plain enthusiastic. I can't see Catholicism (and certainly not Catholics of the garden variety, who feel very ambivalent about some Church teachings) appealing to any enthusiastic evangelical.
"This is probably a part of Evangelicalism that appeals to Weigel. I have no doubt whatever that he believes its going to be nearly impossible for some Catholics, whom he can point out, to get to heaven."Jim McK --I fear you're right. Too bad he doesn't realize how off-putting he is at times. I read the first chapter of the book, and I was surprised -- it mostly wasn't bad. But knowing what he thinks of me, I'm not in the least bit inclined to read more. But I do think he's made some progress in his thinking. At least he admits that some things needed to change.
(John 15:14&15)Fr. Imbelli,Or Raymond E. Brown's rendering from The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI, p. 659):
And you are the ones I lovewhen you do what I command you.No longer do I call you servants,for a servant does not understand what his master is doing.Rather, I have called you my beloved,for I revealed to you everything I heard from the Father.
From the notes:
The noun that we have translated in 13-15 as "those he loves" is philos, "friend," a cognate of the frequent Johanine verb philein, "to love." The English word "friend" does not capture sufficiently the relationship of love (for we have lost the feeling that the word "friend is related to the Anglo-Saxon verb freon, "to love"). In Johannine thought Jesus is not addressing the disciples as casually as he addresses them in Luke xii:iv: "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body"the only Synoptic use of philos for the disciples.
But I don't really think we need Raymond Brown to tell us that the use of friend in this context does not correspond to what we usually mean when we employ the word. After all, what kind of friendship is it in which one person says to another, "You are my friends if you do what I command you"? It is not the kind of thing one friend says to another. Friends don't issue commands to friends. So for me, the idea of friendship with Jesus (or God) still requires some fairly detailed explanation.
I would like to thank all of those who are commenting on this thread. I find much to think about. I also envy those of you who experience this "personal friendship" with Jesus. If it were simply a matter of choosing to be in such a relationship, I most certainly would do so! But I am very much where David Nickol finds himself. I do want to believe - for quite selfish reasons - it's very consoling to believe there is a God who loves us and is with us through hard times; but I'm afraid it's harder and harder to believe this all the time. I read and read (and even pray!) including boards like this, hoping for a spark, for some insight from somebody that would rekindle my former belief. I think many believe because they were taught belief from birth, and as they navigate through the challenges of life, believing is a great comfort. I long practiced centering prayer, at one time was a daily communicant as my schedule permitted (I really have never liked the Sunday liturgies anyway). I like simplicity and silence and maybe should try the Quakers!However, all this talk of a "personal relationship" with Jesus (who was a human being who died 2000 years ago) seems a bit like wishful thinking to me. As someone noted, there may be some kind of "relationship" between human beings and the divine, but describing it as a personal friendship seems like a redefinition of both words. Saying that Jesus "speaks" to us through certain scripture passages, through the gentle wind on our face or the might of a storm is lovely and poetic and I too have been overwhelmed at times by feelings of humility and of awe for the gifts of the divine through these kinds of experiences, even moved to tears at times. But I think that most of those who are spiritual "seekers" (including those who are not christians) experience these things - due to study and reflection and internalizing "wisdom" literature, which certainly includes the bible but also includes the work of countless others who are not Christian or Jewish, and who live their lives with awareness and mindfulness. If they believe in God or at least have some perception of a creator or the divine, they can easily "see" God (the divine presence) in the gentle breeze and the powerful storm. If they have read widely and deeply from wisdom teachers, and their minds quietly work on these ideas in the subconscious as well as the conscious mind, then they too may have "feelings" of the presence of the divine in their minds, in their consciousness, and of an internal voice providing "guidance" or reassurance or consolation. They also see the work of the divine creator in nature, in the universe, in love, in human relationships. All of these things may be experienced by those who are not christian and woud never couch these things in terms of a "personal friendship with Jesus." Although I believe in God, I don't know that there is a "personal" relationship between God and human beings, nor can I say that I feel "loved" by God in any personal way - perhaps in an abstract, intellectual definition of love, but not in terms of "personal friendship" or any other kind of personal, intimate love relationship as normally understood by human beings.Crystal, I would love to hear some concrete examples of how you have experienced Jesus's friendship through the practice of Ignatian Spirituality.
Like everything else that has to do with speaking of God, friendship also must be understood analogously, which means that there are elements of similarity and elements of dissimilarity; and one of the Lateran Councils even said that there is always more dissimilarity than similarity. I do not believe that apart from revelation one would dare to believe that friendship is possible between God and human beings, but there are in the words and deeds of Jesus and in the writings of the Apostles more than a few indications that we may, indeed, must dare to believe precisely that. On the basis of such faith it will be possible then to understand certain experiences as signs of such friendship, but it does not always nor necessarily follow that on the basis of such experiences it will be concluded that God and humans are or can be in a friendship.There is a long and rich spiritual and theological literature on charity as friendship with God. It is also clear that what is often meant by "friendship" today in our society differs from what it was taken to mean in the ancient and medieval world. See, for example, Daniel Schwartz, Aquinas on Friendship, available on-line at http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/Z5265V.pdf
OK -- so what does "friendship/friend" mean? I'd say that on the surface a friend is someone you feel comfortable with, but that doesn't tell us much. Jean gets deeper into te subject and says a friend is an "encourager". What else?How do you know a friend when you find one?
David N. -My friends and I tell each other what to do, and not do all the time. To me that is one of the great benefits of friendship -- a friend sees you as you are, loves you and doesn't hesitate to help you see the world aright and help see you yourself aright as well. One cherishes advice from friends, even when one doesn't like it :-)
Anne,I didn't grow up thinking God loved me - I wasn't brought up in any church. My grandmother was a non-church-going Christian, a Presbyterian, and the idea I got about God from her was that he was scary, distant, and mean, but I grew up to not believe in him at all, especially because all the suffering I saw around me.At one point in my life I was so lonely that I decided to join a church (Catholic) - I still didn't believe in God but I thought I could make friends, be part of a community. It didn't really work out and I eventually stopped going after a few years.A few years after that I was exposed to Ignatian spirituality and was intrigued enough to try a retreat. It was one you can take online at any time and it lasted about 30 weeks (it's here at Creighton University). A Jesuit spiritual director offered to help me with it via email. It was hard because I went into it not believing and every week all the bed feelings I had about God came up. Eventually I did start hoping and appreciating it, but still it seemed so subjective. At one point, though, I had an "experience". It was a very strong feeling - it was as if I could feel how God felt about me. No words or visuals, just feelings, and the love I felt from God for me was so strong it made me cry. It wasn't long after it happened that I started doubting it, worrying that I had made it up, but at the time when it was happening, there was no doubt at all, I just knew it because I could feel it.So now, I hang on to that - it hasn't happened again, but I practice Ignatian prayer and I do feel a sense of friendship from the Jesus I talk to and who seems to talk back to me. I don't know anything for sure but I love and I hope and maybe that is what people mean when they talk about faith?
My take on Weigel et al: hahahahahahahahah....................
My take on JPII's possible canonization: nononononononono.....................
Crystal ==Yes, knowing whether or not we have "made it up" is the big question. If we didn't have an unconscious mind that could be the source of these experiences, I wouldn't think this is a problem. On the other hand, the unconscious (at least according to Freud) is the origin of aggression and self-serving feelings, feelings which are at least sometimes the opposite of the religious ones, though religious feelings can also be self-serving ones, I guess.The metaphysical/ epistemological question is: how can we know that the Other is other than ourselves? Back to the problems of consciousness. Yes, complexity, complexity. Also sigh. And double sigh.
Ann,Yeah. I guess when people like Ignatius or Teresa of Avila or John of the Cross (or even Aquinas) had a religious experience, their worry wasn't if it was real or not but whether it had come from a good or bad place. We don't have that kind of certainty anymore, which I think is basically a good thing. Maybe then it comes down to a choice. I think Kant said we make choices about what we believe even when stuff like God's existence can't be proven - it's just too hard to live life without taking a stand, so we live as if we do believe or do not believe, even though we haven't been intellectually convinced.
Jim P said: I dont think we would be very good at going door to door, ringing doorbells and inviting people to accept Jesus as their personal savior. For whatever reason, thats not really our style of spirituality. Maybe that is one reason why LDS missionaries, who do almost exactly that, are so very successful with lukewarm to non-practicing Catholics.In the 1960s I lived in London and went almost every Sunday to Speakers Corner in Hyde Park. There were a variety of speakers on virtually on any topic, including religion. One of the most successful was the extremely erudite Methodist minister and member of the House of Lords, Donald Soper. The Catholic Truth Society, which was founded (I think) by Vincent McNabb, OP, also took on all comers and gave as good as they got. Todays US Catholic would shrink in horror from the rough and tumble of those talks.In the late 1940s and 1950s my little rural parish had an annual parish mission conducted by either Paulists or Passionists. They were highly successful (and very entertaining!) revival meetings without the tents. Granted, in those days, we Catholics werent so smugly satisfied that we knew all we needed to know about our religion ..http://wquercus.com/faith/history_mission.htm(snip)The Redemptorists sent Hecker to Europe for his formation; he then returned to America to preach missions. He also faced the personal task of integrating the Catholic culture into which he had been immersed in Europe with the Americanism in which he had been raised.22 Heckers mission band included four other American converts (Clarence Walworth, Nathaniel Hewit, Francis Baker, and George Deshon) and two European "cradle Catholics," Alexander Czvitkovicz and Bernard Hafkenscheid. Heckers enthusiasm for the work shows in letters to friends; following one of his first missions, in Loretto, Penn., he wrote to Brownson that after a slow start, the whole town eventually turned out, and many experienced dramatic conversions. "Some time[s] the scenes were such as to excite laughter," he said. The mission closed with the standard raising of the mission cross. They began inside the church at 3:30 p.m. with the rosary, then they assembled outside for the grand procession. First came the processional cross with the boys; then the men carrying a large cross 41 feet long entwined with garlands of flowers born by 60 of them; on each side of the cross was a file of soldiers with a band of music; then came 20 or 30 Franciscan brothers of the 3rd order with their cowls; then the clergy; after them the missioners in their habit, followed by the Sisters of Mercy, & then by the girls & women. The number of the procession was about 4000. We marched through the village to the site of the cross with music, and there we blessed & erected the cross in a most conspicuous place. The farewell sermon was preached at the foot of the Cross & the Papal Benediction given. The soldiers fired a salute as the finale. It was a novel scene for america [sic] . . . which never will be forgotten by those who witnessed it. The band was successful. From 1851-1858 they preached 85 missions throughout the eastern United States, from New York to Georgia, and as far west as Michigan. In town after town, thousands attended, and were revived, and received the sacraments.I doubt that what appears to be an insipid New Evangelization attempt by Catholicism will be as remotely successful and these efforts of past years.
My friends and I tell each other what to do, and not do all the time.Ann,As I said, I think of friendship as being reciprocal. You and your friends tell each other what to do. But if Jesus is your friend, surely you don't tell him what to do! And would you really say to a friend, "You are my friend if you do what I command you"? Fr. Komonchak, as usual, is helpful. Might we think of friendship with Jesus in much the same way we think of nuns being betrothed to Jesus? They are not really betrothed to Jesus. I can see these kinds of things as metaphors, or maybe even something more than metaphors, but not really literal truths. The problem is, many people speak as if they do have a personal relationship with Jesusas if he answers their questions and tells them what to do andin the case of people like Pat Robertsontells them how to run other people's lives.
Jim P - it seems some Catholics are going to go the door-to-door route.http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/catholics-try-their-hand-old-fash...
Men and women who have advanced farther in these fields than I ever have tell us, I think, that in times of dryness, amid feelings of separation and doubt, to go back to basics. Reread the words and actions of Christ in the Gospels, and then, as he told the lawyer in Luke, go and do likewise.We know nothing about the Good Samaritan's inward spiritual condition, whether he had a close personal relationship with God or no faith at all. All it says is that he took pity on the fallen man, and that he acted. He was at that moment, without any necessary reference to the supernatural, the best natural human being he could be. When every other motive fails, that remains. And it is hard enough, too hard for the experts sometimes.In another place, Christ says that the Heavenly Father knows, better than human fathers, how to give good things to his children. Even earthly fathers, if they are wise, go easy on the sweets.
About the Author
Dominic Preziosi is Commonweal's digital editor.


text:
Having a personalized hanger to hold your wedding dress is becoming a new trend that makes a great gift for a bride to be! However, if you want to have a unique hanger this can get pricey and is an unnecessary added expense. Here is an inexpensive and quick way of creating your own personalized hanger:
-14 gauge galvanized wire (available at any home improvement store)
-Wire cutters
-Needle nose pliers (you can find a 2-in-1 tool that cuts & bends wire)
-Wooden hangers
-Drill with drill bit about the size of your wire
-Glue gun or strong gorilla glue
-Pen and paper
Step 1: Pre-plan your font
We suggest writing or printing out exactly how you want your font on a piece of paper before you start to bend your wire, this will make it easier to see how your finished product will look!
STEP 2: Measure & Bend your wire
Start to measure out how much wire you will need for your hanger, allow approximately 10 to 12 inches of wire per letter plus a little more so you can attach it to your hanger.
Tip: Cut a few extra practice pieces of wire, it will take a couple tries to get your bending just right but be patient!
Step 3: Drill!
Drill two holes in the bottom inside of the hanger but don't go all the way through, you may want to just go in a 1/2-inch or so.
Step 4: Attaching the wire
On both sides of the wire put a small amount of glue, be careful not to put too much since the wire will not fit nicely into the hanger and you will see the excess glue.
Step 5: Accessorize (optional)
You can decorate your hanger by tying a bow around the hook or gluing on rhinestones to the wood. This is your chance to make it even more personalized and creative!
For updates on Liz Fields newest lines like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!


text:
Find hotels in Somerville using the list and search tools below. Find cheap and discounted hotel/motel rates in or nearby Somerville, MA for your personal leisure or group travel. We list the best Somerville Massachusetts hotel rooms. Review the Somerville hotel list below to find the perfect lodging. We also have a map of the Somerville hotels. Booking 5+ Rooms? Find Somerville Group Hotel RatesThe Somerville center is approximately the area of Cambridge Hospital and the area of Spaulding Rehab Hospital.
Somerville Hotels/Accommodations
Next 20 Somerville Hotels > [1 - 20 of 50]
Next: See My Somerville Hotels with Pricing >


text:
This is probably NARS least pigmented blush, but I don't see this as a bad thing, in my NC20 skin it can be easily built to a natural color that defines my cheekbones like no other. This is my go-to blush when I want to look polished. It pairs beautifully with a red lip. I like to apply it with MAC 109 or 168, I find them good to build the color. And when I want the no make-up look, I can pretend I have cheekbones by using it lightly.
2 out of 2 users found this review helpful
Was this review helpful? Yes No
NARS Douceur Blush ($28.00 for 0.16 oz.) is described as a "soft pink brown." It's a subtly warm-toned light-medium brown with a pinky sheen. It does look a bit pinker in the pan than on my skin tone (which has yellow undertones), so if you have pink undertones, you might see those pink undertones come through on you more than they did on me. Tarina Tarantino Neopolitan Lane is similar, though a bit more pigmented and matte in finish. MAC Pressed Amber is darker, browner. MAC Darkly My Dear is darker, slightly more plum. Tarte Exposed is pinker. MAC Her Own Devices is lighter, kind of peach. MAC Prim & Proper is darker and more plum.


text:
From the Manufacturer's Label:
Moisture Rich
Benefits Dry, Curly, Textured Hair
Sweet orange revitalizes follicles. Omega rich Argan oil deeply penetrates each strand, repairing and restoring moisture, elasticity and strength, minimizing split ends and frizz with amazing luster and shine.
Andalou Naturals Advanced Fruit Stem Cell Science improves hair follicle longevity and vitality for healthy hair from root to tip.
Manufactured by Andalou Naturals.Paraben Free; Cruelty Free