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The Bible, of course as we all know who are Christians, sets a very very high pattern for a woman and a very beautiful pattern. In all cases in biblical revelation women are always exalted and usually, well truly all through the revelation of the Scripture it was an exaltation that was totally foreign to the world at the time the Bible was written. Throughout the time of the Old Testament, for the most part, in the cultures that we know about historically, women were demeaned and the same is true in the New Testament.
The Greeks, for example, could serve as an example. They were told by Aristotle that real love is male homosexual love. And that alone can satisfy a man's highest and noblest aspirations. And the love of a man and a woman is inferior, a purely physical impulse for the object of procreation. That was Aristotle.
In Sparta women were breeders, cultivated selectively to produce warriors. And the Greeks prided themselves that they had they called hetaerai for the sake of pleasure, concubines for the requirements of the body and wives to bear legitimate children and guard the house.
Today all we hear about is everybody screaming about Women's Lib and everybody wants to be free. I'm not too sure what they want to be free from. I should say they certainly do want to be free from what they used to know in history, but what they know now today is not quite like that. But the Bible does not treat women in that fashion and that's merely a simple illustration.
I want to draw your attention to several passages. To begin with, Proverbs 31, and this, I'm sure, is a passage you've studied but it is a choice passage and a very definitive passage on the place of a woman. And we'll look at this rather quickly. Proverbs 31 is an important text and from verses 10 to 31 we have the characteristics of a godly women. This is a really beautiful text in the Hebrew, it is so poetic that it is an acrostic. Each verse beings with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet all the way through. And so what it is is like a poem, it's an ode to a godly woman. It's very poetic and very beautiful.
"To you who are married...this is the ideal, to you who are unmarried...this is what you would want to become for the sake of whoever would marry you." Verse 10, "Who can find a virtuous woman," that means a chaste upright and so-forth kind of woman, "Her price is far above rubies," or perhaps could be pearls. Verse 11, "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her." And here you have the idea that the husband is confident that she'll handle things correctly, discreetly, and so forth, when he's gone so that he shall have, and this means no lack of gain.
In other words, here is a woman who does not waste what her husband earns and bring about a lack. One husband complained to me the fact that his wife had overdrawn their bank account $400, and this does not happen in this case. There's no lack of gain with this woman and the husband can go away, working, not have to worry about coming back and picking up the pieces. She doesn't mess up everything.
Verse 12, "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Her pursuit is for the good of her husband. She always pursues his best interest consistently through the spring of romance to the winter of love, that's as prosaic as I'll get, her love knows no change, always selflessly lovingly seeking what is best for her man. It's a beautiful characteristic. She seeks wool and flax and works willingly with her hands, verse 13. And here we enter in to the enterprising woman. This is a woman who is not only involved in the home but she works hard and she loves it. She works willingly with her hands to please her husband, most of all to please the Lord.
And I like this one, verse 14, "She's like the merchants' ships, she brings her food from afar." You know what that means? She chases down the best bargains. She gets the best deal if she has to walk a long way, she's frugal. And I think it's good to remember that...I mean, you don't want to be ridiculous, like the woman who took all the ads out of the paper and went and bought every sale at every store in the county and ate up all the gas money. That's not the idea. But the idea is that every penny you have belongs to God, down to that very penny. And the more careful you are and the more frugal you are with that...and this involves, you know, finding out where the best bargains are. If you like the total better at Alpha Beta, and it's legitimate, go to Alpha Beta. If you like the Karate chops at Von's, you find that you get the slashed prices, go to Von's, this is the Lord's money and you need to be frugal with it. She's like the merchants' ships, she brings her food from afar. She goes a long way for a bargain.
Verse 15, "She rises also while it is yet night." Oh, that's a practical one. "And gives food to her household and a portion to her maidens." She serves...she's up before dawn. She's stirring about, the lamp is always burning in eastern homes at night. It's a small lamp and they always leave it burning so that the careful housewife can see in the dark when she rises. She gets up and she begins her housework by grinding the corn and preparing those things for the needs of the day. This is the woman that is the godly woman, the woman who cares for her family, even to the sacrifice often of her own rest.
Verse 16, "She considers a field and buys it." Imagine that, she's in business. I thought women weren't supposed to work. Well it says she considered a field and bought it, and the fruit of her hands she planted a vineyard. She earned the money to buy the things to plant on her own. It is not wrong for a woman to be enterprising, she wisely saved that which she herself earned, is what the verse is saying. A little business going on the side. That's probably why she had to rise before dawn. But you want to notice all the way through here that none of her enterprises were for any other purpose than the good of the family. And if the enterprise stood in the way of the good of the family, it didn't exist. In other words, the first priority was the husband, then the children. And if she could assist in that priority by business on the side, she did it. If that would take her away from the priority of the husband and the children, she didn't do it. So it was an addition to and for the support of the others.
Verse 17, "She girds her loins with strength and strengthens her arms." In other words, she works energetically, physical labor. "She perceives that her merchandise is good, her lamp goeth not out by night." You say, "What's she doing every night?" Well, it says in verse 19, "She lays her hand to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff." That means the staff to which flax was tied and she spins thread. And then she weaves clothing for her family. And that's how she made a little money on the side apparently doing some of that for others as well as purchasing a field with the money she made from that enterprise.
Verse 20, "She stretches out her hand to the poor." Now you know, this is a beautiful thing. She's earning all of this money and has all this enterprise for two purposes...for the good of the family and the good of the needy. I think that in any woman's enterprise motive is a very important thing. If a woman works for independence, she works in an unbiblical way. If a woman works to aid the family and the needy, she works in a biblical way. Motive. Okay.
Verse 20 then, "She reaches forth her hands to the needy." With all of her success the motive is never selfish and the motive is never luxury. You know, it's the idea, "Well I'm going to work so we can...instead of having a Chevy we want a Buick." Not legitimate. "I'm going to work so that we can have some of the nicer things." You've got the nicer things compared to everybody else in the world, right? Dr. Ryrie was saying the other night that we think about rich people as somebody else and the rest of the world thinks about us as rich people. So we find this godly woman stretching out her hands to the poor. She works to give and that's godly, that's good motive.
Twenty-one, "She's not afraid of the snow for her household." Why? "For all her household are clothed with scarlet." You know, when winter came in those days you didn't just whip down to the local store and buy a bunch of coats. If you hadn't been making them long in advance you wouldn't have them ready for winter, right? She planned ahead. I think it's proper planning in a home for the woman to plan ahead some things. I think part of the budgetary problems that we have and the reason that we always find ourselves in hock to Sears and Penny's and whatever else, Bullocks, Broadway or wherever you happen to go, is because we wait until the moment of need and then we have to get in hock. You know, it's the old story, you know when the best time to buy Christmas presents? Right after Christmas. And the best time to buy your winter clothes, just at the end of winter...summer clothes at the end of summer. You know, frugality and just amazing how much more you'd have to use for the Lord's good.
She makes herself coverings of tapestry, her clothing is...that says silk, it's white linen, it's not silk. And that's unfortunate translation because it's sort of a justification of indulgence, her clothing is white linen and purple. In other words, it's nice. You know, it doesn't say that she goes around never combs her hair and wears rags, not at all. She makes coverings of tapestry, pillows, cushions, rugs, anything, whatever she can make she makes for the good of her family. Her dress is very simple, linen somewhat simple and purple which was...and you could get cheap purple or expensive purple. Remember Lydia? There was the rich kind and there was the common kind. She makes herself tapestry and her clothing is linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates. I like that. You know who her husband is? The husband of the lady. Get that? She's not the wife of him, he's the husband of her. He's the guy with the wife no one can believe. "Oh, you know that guy over there? You ought to see his wife." Old dad is known as the husband of the wife and every guy in town is jealous.
Verse 24, "She makes fine linen and sells it, delivers belts, girdles," meaning belts, "under the merchant." She is really an enterprising lady. It's amazing. "Strength and honor are her clothing and she shall rejoice in time to come." She'll be blessed.
Twenty-six, "She opens her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Chesed, kindness, grace, her speech is tempered with graciousness. You say, "This is a perfect woman." That's the idea. Now you know what the standard is.
Verse 27, "She looks well to the ways of her household and eats not the bread of idleness." No wasted time, the bread of active labor. You know, it's amazing, somebody asked the question, "How do I get everything done that I have to get done?" I think the first thing to do is capture the idleness and get rid of it. All of us suffer from idleness, don't we? And it's a matter of establishing where the idle moments are and maximizing...I think the first priority in trying to organize time, I know we have a lot of things going but most of it is piddly stuff, is to get rid of all of the idleness, all of the busyness. Instead of going shopping five times a week, go shopping once a week and make a list and know what you're doing. And I think these are things that we need...and if you had to walk from here to wherever you go to get your stuff, you'd go once a week. And I think we need to get that kind of planning back in vogue.
"Her children rise up and call her blessed." Wouldn't you like that? That would be the great joy of satisfaction. What do your kids call you when you tell them to get up in the morning? Hers rise up and call her blessed. "Her husband also, he praises her." I guess he would, right? Man..."Oh many daughters have done virtuously but thou excelest them all, favors deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Favor means physical form, beauty has to do with the face. Your figure is deceitful and the beauty is vain, or the face is vain. There's nothing there that really indicate what's going on inside but a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised. "Give her the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates."
You know, all the men used to congregate at the gates. You know who they would talk about? Women like this. See, her own works praise her in the gates where the elders meet and talk about the women.
So there's a picture of a godly woman. Now you say, "What about the appearance of a godly woman?" We got a little hint of what a godly woman is to wear and she is modest but nice. The question came up and I'll answer it at this point, Deuteronomy 22:5 deals with an important issue at this juncture that needs to be dealt with in regard to the clothing that a woman wears. And there are several interesting things in the Bible about what you wear as a woman. Where is the line drawn when it comes to women and how they should dress? Well that's an important question and the Bible has a few things to say about it.
Deuteronomy 22:5 is one thing it says. "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man." I guess I've said enough, right? I read it and everybody got convicted. How about that. "Neither shall a man put on a woman's garment. For all that do so are an abomination unto the Lord thy God."
I'll just give you one little illustration, a couple of illustrations. Number one, I have a real dislike of men wearing women's clothing. And I'm not just talking about transvestite, that's what a transvestite is and from some statistics, they're rather staggering, you know, some reports have been as many as one out of ten people have that problem. It's a sexual fantasy problem and it may relate to homosexuality and so forth and so on. But transvestite is somebody who wears a woman's clothes. But there's more to this than that. I even react negatively that when it's done in jest or when it's done in a Halloween fashion. I have very negative responses to that. It isn't funny to me. And I guess it's because I'm so biblically oriented, that I don't even like to see a man wearing a woman's clothes in jest, I think it's...I just think it cheapens the whole thing. So that's for your next Halloween party, file that. And I feel strongly about that. Nor the other way around, women dressed like men.
But the verse is saying more than that. The verse says that woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, and there is implied in the phrase "that which pertaineth unto a man," just more than clothing. It can be tools, or implements, or weapons. And I've often wondered how the Israeli army gets by this particular statement in the Old Testament by having women in their army who dress in the same khakis that everybody else dresses in. Obviously they just circumvent this because it is in the Old Testament and it is a part of law. But the statement "that which pertaineth" has direct reference really to the apparatus of a man in terms of clothing, tools, implements, weapons, anything that would tend to change roles. Now a woman is to be distinctly woman. You say, "Does this mean...and this is what people always ask, you ask...does this mean women can't wear pants, slacks, whatever you call them?" Well no, it does not mean that. And the reason it doesn't mean that is this, because in those days men didn't wear pants. They both wore dresses. True? So that is not the issue of this verse. It is not prohibiting men...and I've heard guys say this...the women are never to wear pants because of this verse...men didn't wear pants. So if women had have worn pants it certainly wouldn't have been that which pertained to a woman, it would have been that which pertained to nobody. And in fact, if you were to go to an Arab country today and try to tell a woman from a man, it is very difficult because all they wear is a whole pile of stuff all over them, just all kinds of wrapped up stuff, you know. They wear this great big...well they throw over three or four deals and put a big shawl over their head and it's very difficult to tell. And the women even veiled their faces. And the men very often in the heat or even in the cold kept everything but their face covered. And so we have to be very careful as to how we interpret this.
What it is really saying is that nobody should ever allow themselves to purposefully try to alter their appearance so that they appear like the opposite sex. I believe that what it's saying is that according to the culture the woman should appear in the role that is consistent with her femininity and a man that is consistent with his masculinity and there should never be a willful exchange of those. And really, I think that's an important point to make today because I think there are an awful lot of people today, you don't know who they are until you get around the front of them and then you're not sure. And I think that's bad. And I think this is part of Satan's thing, unisex. I was in Guadalajara, Mexico and there was a big unisex store downtown. You know, you've heard of all that unisex, where you go in and buy all kinds of things that all look alike. And then everybody, you know, that gets their hair kind of either all...well, you know, some women get it short and some long, and some men short and some long. You know, it's very hard anymore. I just think that there needs to be in our own minds the effort to be what we are and not consciously attempting to pattern ourselves after the opposite sex. And maybe this is transvestitism and maybe it's something less than that, maybe it's just the idea of Women's Lib which attempts to make a woman look like a man so that they obliterate any obvious distinction. And I think many of the Women's Lib people have done this. But I do think that there should be something feminine about a woman and something masculine about a man that is evident. Textually we certainly can't make a case against women wearing pants, obviously, as I said, that wasn't even a problem then. But anything that tends to obliterate the distinction, God frowns on seriously. Women, make every effort to be a woman in the way you dress. That's important to appear feminine.
In 1 Corinthians, you know, Paul makes in chapter 11 that big issue about hair, that women's hair should be distinct and men's hair should be distinct. Again, there's no reason to obliterate. Now that isn't saying that everybody is to have short hair, everybody is to have long hair. But the point being this, that there should be a conscious effort on our parts to appear to be what we are.
Let me take you to a passage, Isaiah 3, that really gets down to the nitty gritty. Isaiah 3, we're just going to see how far we get. This gets very very practical. This is a condemnation of Israel's women. Listen to what they get it for. "Moreover the Lord said...this is Isaiah 3:16...moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty," that means proud and the problem was all the females in Jerusalem were dolled up to kill and God was angry and He was so angry He was angry to the point of judgment, back in verses 8 to 11 He says Jerusalem is ruined, Judah is fallen, I mean, He was angry, verse 11, "Woe to the wicked," I mean, He was angry and He was angry about the way they dressed because it reflected their hearts. "Moreover the Lord said, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty or proud and walk with stretched-forth necks..." You know, that shot...see..."And wanton eyes." You know what wanton...you know what that really literally means? Painted eyes. That's what it says, there it is. Have to call up heaven, I didn't write that. "Stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, or painted eyes, literally, walking and mincing as they go."
Here were some women who appeared seductive. Now the idea of their eyes is not so much just that they put some stuff on their eyes but that they did that to appear seductive. I mean, if you need like one old preacher said, "Every barn needs paint now and then," that isn't the issue. But...there are...well I didn't personalize that, you do what you want with it...but the point is that when it was purposely designed to draw attention and to create a seductive response then God frowned seriously on it. Desiring to attract men's attention, shamelessly and immodestly. They were proud, they were vain and they were flaunting.
And, you know, a man reacts...and I speak obviously from my standpoint...but a man reacts physically and a man can be stimulated by the appearance of a woman much more than a woman is stimulated by the appearance of a man. And that is obvious to all of us. If it 's not obvious from just the statement itself that relates to your own mind, it's obvious from the proliferation of magazines with girls pictured in them in all kinds of nude, and all that, all that, just gobs of material and the almost total absence of any equal type of publication in regard to men until recently, I understand there's some kind of magazine that does that now. But basically this is just the way it is, just the way men are. And so for a woman to parade about in an effort to attract the physical interest of men is to be used by Satan to tempt. And it tempts men at the point of weakness. And maybe some women don't understand that because they don't relate that to their own response to men physically.
Look at the phrase "walking and mincing as they go." This is a special walk adopted for effect. See. And it says, "Making a tinkling with their feet." You know what they actually did, these women in Israel? They wanted the attention of the men so bad they put bells on their feet to attract their attention. Listen, if you were dressed like those women were dressed you'd have to have something to attract attention because they wore...they were covered up, you know, they didn't wear form- fitting clothes, they were covered up and so they would put bells on their feet that would make a tinkling sound and that because the trademark of a wanton women. And then they would color their eyes and their face would be...you see, a woman was veiled normally and her eyes were exposed. But when you saw a women with painted eyes and a woman with tinkling bells on her feet-- you knew what kind of woman she was. I mean, we don't...the Bible isn't simply saying to us don't wear bells on your feet, it's saying don't do anything that attracts men purposely to yourself physically. That's wrong. It is wrong to do that. Now that doesn't mean to say that it's wrong to want to look presentable and nice, but it's wrong to dress purposefully to attract the attention of the opposite sex. And there aren't any tinkling bells but there are, you know, super short skirts and low necklines and tight clothes and flashy goodies and all this kind of thing and this is not...you know, this is not consistent with God's standard.
Verse 17, "Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion." Boy, I mean that's a serious statement...serious statement. And he says, "The Lord will uncover their secret parts." God will strip them bare and show the true ugliness. And then God just really talks about all the little things, "In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling anklets and their headbands and their crescents like the moon of the pendants, the bracelets, the veils, the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, the amulets, the finger rings and the nose rings, the festival robes, the mantles, the cloaks, the handbags...the hand mirrors, the linen wrappers, the turbans and the veils, the linen wrappers were the undergarments. That's interesting, wrappers. Twenty-four, "And it came to pass instead of sweet fragrance there should be rottenness, instead of a girdle--a rope, instead of well-set hair--baldness, instead of a robe--a girding of sackcloth and branding instead of beauty...branded.
Now you think God is serious about how women dress? Very serious...very very serious statements.
There's no place for all that vanity. In the Old Testament and even New Testament days it was customary for a woman to be veiled in modesty. And when this occurred, God was very very upset.
The New Testament gives a comparative passage that would be helpful to us. First Peter 3:3, and I'll hasten just so share this with you, 1 Peter 3:3 says, "Whose adorning...it's talking about women here, clothes...let it not be that outward adorning of braiding the hair." Now you say, "Is the Bible against pigtails?" No, that's not what it's talking...what they did was plaiting or braiding the hair, they wove into the hair all manner of jewelry and gold and silver and in other words, they put their treasure on their head and put it on display...vanity, just vanity. And wearing gold and putting on of fancy clothes, but let it be the hidden man of the heart and...I like this...the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. That's what God wants.
In 1 Timothy 2 there's another New Testament passage that hits on this. First Timothy 2:9, "In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel." The word "modest" means with a certain sense of shame. It doesn't mean you're ashamed of yourself, there's a certain sense of...what should we call it...modest shame, just a sort of genteel kind of spirit. You know what a brazen person is, with no sense of shame, just flaunting. Well this is the very antithesis. So in modest apparel with godly fear, not braided plaited hair and pearls and costly array. No sense in spending a lot of money on the same clothes you can get cheap. "But that which becometh women professing godliness with good works." It should be that characterizes the godly women, not the outward fancy clothes, stuff that draws attention but modest apparel.
Now God doesn't want you to look like Wanda Wallflower, obviously. And a little principle that I shared last time that I think maybe fits here at this point is in terms of fashion I think a Christian woman should not be the first to try it, nor the last to give it up...but somewhere in the middle. I think we should be presentable. I think sometimes our good is evil spoken of we come across as so saintly that we look, you know, sickening. You know, there are some people who acquaint spirituality with crummy clothes and out of style and all of this kind of thing. And there are other people who feel there's no relationship and so they're on the leading edge of every new fashion but I think that's an indication of a weakness and certainly spending a lot of money that is needlessly spent. So modesty is a balance between not being the first to try it and not being the last to give it up. And usually the more godless people are the more extreme they are...you know, super glamour and super slop today and you wonder where the median is. I think Christians should be somewhere in the propriety...somewhere in the middle. A godly woman is balanced.
Okay, that covers some of the factors that maybe are sort of basic for us. There are other features of the behavior of a godly women and some of her responsibilities and we'll get into those in a question and answer, okay? That's a foundation and you can go back to those passages at your own leisure.
Let me dive into these questions at this point. The first question I'd like to answer deals with abortion and birth control. Were some of you here when Dr. Ryrie spoke on that? Okay, only just a few. Let me say a few things about abortion and birth control...giving you a scriptural view. Clauss(?) has said this, "Some advocates of change speak about the fetus as just a piece of tissue or an insensible blob of tissue or vegetating unborn matter. The opponents charge them as murderers."
Now in the issue of abortion you have two sides. You have the idea that, first of all, and the whole argument is over whether the person is a person or at what point the person is a person, right? That's the whole thing. Because if it's a...whenever that thing becomes a person, whenever that fetus becomes a person then it's murder morally. And so the issue then must be decided as to whether or not that fetus is a person at any point in time. And if after so many days it becomes a person then it is wrong to abort...at least it's wrong for moral people. For some unethical people it is never wrong. One theologian who says he represents Christianity made the statement that people should have the right to abort their child because that's their prerogative under any conditions. In fact, he's a teacher at a seminary in this area and he made a statement that even if the parents decide after finding out from certain testing that it's a girl and they wanted a boy, they have a right to abort the child, at any point before birth. Well he doesn't reflect the biblical attitude but he reflects what I think is the extreme attitude toward abortion, he's a Christian...which is rather strange.
The other side of the thing is the super conservative view that at no time under no circumstance can that life be taken. Now what does the Bible say about this. Let me define abortion. Abortion is this, and once we get a definition we can work with we'll go from there...the expulsion of a human fetus from the uterus prematurely with the stoppage of life...the expulsion of a human fetus from the uterus prematurely with the stoppage of life. When this occurs spontaneously it is called...what?...miscarriage. And God has a wonderful way of carrying out His own abortions. So miscarriage is abortion spontaneously. Abortion is the expulsion of the fetus from contrived means.
Now the real question is not regarding miscarriages, because that's not anything we can do anything about anyway, but whether or not a doctor or a parent or somebody else has the right to terminate embryonic life using chemical of physical means. Some say therapeutic abortion is legitimate, that there are cases where abortion is all right due to factors that are medical. For example, I'll give you three...when continuation of the pregnancy may threaten the life of the woman therapeutic abortion can be done in the event that the mother may die if the child was to go full term...two, when pregnancy is resulted from rape or incest, this is classified as therapeutic abortion, this you can get done today almost anywhere. But it's interesting, Joe told me today 54 percent of all abortions are married women, that's interesting. Number three, a therapeutic abortion is permitted when continuation is likely to result in the birth of a child with grave physical deformities or mental retardation. So today you can get an abortion...one, if it impairs your health; two, if it resulted from rape or incest...and how in the world could you ever determine that? Unless...you know, you could say anything you wanted and get an abortion, right? You could say it was rape, you could say it was incest. And thirdly, when it's likely to result in the birth of a child with grave physical deformities or mental retardation.
Interesting thing, this gets in to the whole area of eugenics. And there are some interesting things going on nowadays where they are...it's having some children which are actually born, I saw a film on it Sunday night, the child was born, the parents looked at the child, the child was totally a healthy child except that it was a Mongoloid. And it was not what we would call a super severe Mongoloid but it did have Mongolism. Now the interesting thing about it was that the child had a...his stomach was not attached to its intestine. In other words, it was an incomplete connection...a very simple surgical technique would repair that in no time at all. All that needed to be done was the baby needed to be operated on right away, the attachment made and the baby would live a full life. Under the new patterns of eugenics, and this occurred at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, the parents were allowed to decide whether or not to do the operation. And they decided not to do the operation because the child would be a Mongoloid and so they put in the corner and let it die...15 days later it was dead. And the amazing thing about that is this is what eugenics is telling us today, this is what B.F. Skinner says, "If we don't start controlling who is born we're going to lose control of our whole world." So these parents were given the right to choose whether they wanted to even operate on that child...a simple technique. In other words, the child had no right to live because it had a physical deformity.
You want to hear another interesting thing? There are committees now forming in various hospitals to make these decisions. And Al Warren who teaches at UCLA Med Center told me they call these committees "God Committees." That's interesting, God Committees, because that's what they are. So this is the whole area. The early Romans permitted abortion. The early church rejected abortion. If you study the early church history, the first centuries right after Christ, they totally rejected abortion. In the teachings of the Twelve Apostles which was one of the earliest writings, it says this, "Thou shalt not slay a child by abortion nor what is begotten shalt thou destroy." That was early Christianity. And they were close to the Lord, right? They were closer to what the attitude of Christ and the Apostles was. Tertullian said, "To hinder a birth is merely a speedier way of killing, nor does it matter whether you take away a life that is born or destroy one that is coming to birth. That is a man which is going to be one, you have the fruit already in the seed." Now Tertullian was an early church father, so that's the attitude of the early church. The apostolic constitution said, "Thou shalt not slay a child by causing abortion."
Now the Bible says nothing directly about abortion but the Bible does say, "Thou shalt not kill." That's clear, isn't it, in Exodus, a commandment. The question then is to determine whether when you abort you're killing. Right? Now the Bible conveys some definite attitudes toward fetal life. And let me see if I can show you some of those. In Exodus 21 and I don't want to belabor this thing and yet I want it to be complete, but Exodus 21 will give us a shot at it. The Bible doesn't say a whole lot about abortion but there are some passages. Exodus 21:22, "If men strive...that is if people have a fight...and hurt a woman with child...that's a pregnant woman there and somehow she gets mixed in this thing and gets injured...so that her fruit depart from her." In other words, she aborts the child. "And yet no mischief follows, he shall be surely punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him. He shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follows then thou shalt give life for life."
Now this is interesting...mischief...what is that? Well some say, there's two interpretations, that mischief is the death or injury of the mother and gets a much more serious penalty than the death of the fetus. Verse 22 says, you see, the fruit depart from her but no mischief follows. In other words, if she loses the baby but doesn't die herself...then what happens? The husband has to what? Pay. But if mischief occurs, and then they would say this means if the woman dies, then the man dies who did it. So if you take that view then you have a more serious punishment for the death of a living adult then you do for the death of a fetus, right?
But interestingly enough, Keil and Delitzsch, two very astute Hebrew scholars, take the view that the word "mischief" means the death of the unborn child that what it's saying is this, if men strive and hurt a woman with child so that her fruit depart from her, that means not abortion but premature birth. You see what I'm saying? If she gets into a struggle somehow and the baby is born prematurely and it doesn't die, then the man has to pay for the inconvenience and the problem and the whole...in other words, if the baby came prematurely due to some struggle and the woman has the baby and it's such an awkward situation and many extraneous things had to be done to take care of her, that man would have to pay a penalty because that was not cared for in the proper way with the proper people...who knows who would have to be hired and what would have to be done to get her to a place where so forth and so on. But, if that baby dies, if that baby dies, that fetus dies, verse 23, if that's what mischief means, then he loses his life. Now if you take that view then the fetus has equal value to the living man, right? Have you got all that?
So there's two ways to interpret it. And personally I tend to lean toward the second way and I think that that's...it certainly a possibility to go that way with it.
All right, Psalm 139...Psalm 139:13, now here is a picture of God forming the fetus and that I think is very important. You say, "Why is that important?" Because if God formed that fetus then I'm not too sure anybody has a right to do anything with it, right? If God did it. Psalm 139:13 and here is the expression of David, "For Thou hast possessed my inward parts, Thou hast covered me...where?...in my mother's womb, I will praise Thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
Verse 15, "My substance was not hidden from Thee when I was made in secret." See, David is talking about his conception, isn't he? And he relates it to God, "And intricately wrought in the lowest parts of the earth, Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unformed...is that word...yet being unformed." In other words, God made David before he was ever formed humanly. Right? This leads me to believe that God is active in the creation from the moment of conception. If that is true, then I cannot allow for anyone to take that life which God has ordained at conception. The only thing you could possibly do would be to stop the conception.
Okay, "And in Thy book all my members were written," isn't that good? All of his parts of his body were all planned by God which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. It's the preplanning of God, it's really amazing.
Well that's a good passage to show that God is actively involved in conception in the forming of the fetus initially. Now there are several other passages I call to your attention quickly. Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee." That's pretty great, isn't it? And listen to this, "And before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctify thee and ordain thee a prophet unto the nations." When you would allow an abortion to take place you're tampering with the sovereignty of God. What if somebody had decided Jeremiah should have been an aborted child? God had sanctified him from the time of conception and set him apart as a prophet to the nations. You see, I just don't think that we have the right to take a life that God ordains and I think God ordains that life from the point of conception biblically.
You say, "Are you saying then that there's no justification for abortion?" Yes. There may be in the case of a mother who is going to die if the child is born a justifiable abortion therapeutically. For some would then say that the child constitutes a disease injurious to the life of the mother and you know, there you have a real moral question. You can prevent the death of the mother by taking that unborn child, you can choose between that life and a life not yet lived, it's a difficult question, it would be one that each family would have to really just work over themselves but I do believe that there may be cases in that situation where justifiably a therapeutic abortion could take place, but other than that, not in the case of rape, or the case of incest or anything like that...not certainly in the case of a child that would be malformed or retarded because therein lies the greatest blessing that you would ever know as God would use that life to reshape a whole family. How many times have we heard stories, testimonies about children being born who were not whole children as we think of whole and how blessed they were? And who are we to measure the impact of such a life in the world? So I can't see anybody playing God other than the fact where it is therapeutic to the salvation to the life of the mother.
All right, so Jeremiah was known before he was born. And it's true of John the Baptist as well. He was filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb...that's Luke 1. And the Apostle Paul also, when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb called me by His grace. I mean, I wouldn't want to fool with abortion, I might be fooling with one of God's choice servants, we just don't know. But that's where God is sovereign.
Now I believe, too, and I'm going to give you a little medical shot here. I believe that personhood begins at conception, that's a biblical view. But let me give you just a I think a person is a person at conception. You say, "Well how do you support that?" Listen, I'll read this to you. The basis for human reproduction is the fact that the organs involved, ovaries and testes, produce special gamete cells which contain only half the normal adult number of chromosome. In other words, you've got half and the partner has half, one of each pair. In other words, the whole chromosome thing comes together in pairs but we each have only one and we have to come together to produce the life. Thus each of the many sperms produced in the testes of a man contain a nucleus with a total of only 23 chromosomes. Likewise the egg cell released each month from the ovaries of a woman contains 23. The egg or sperm cells are simply portions of the adult body which are particularly capable of uniting to form a new individual. Before such union has taken place, however, the egg cell or the sperm is not a separate being but it is a cell of the parent's body with exactly half the general number of chromosome.
So, the particular chromosome count, the particular chromosome feature that's in my body is not an individual, it is not a person. It cannot be until it joins with those of a woman, see. Following the process of fertilization, a membrane is quickly formed around the egg cell, this covering immediately renders the fertilized egg impervious to other sperm which still surround it in great numbers. Soon the nucleus of the one sperm unites with the nucleus of the egg at which instant the number 46, twice 23, is restored among the chromosomes. This fertilized egg so formed can no longer be viewed as a mere portion of the man's body or a portion of the woman's body, it is a separate cell for the first time and it is a cell with the usual chromosome number, 46. Therefore it is the first cell of a new human being. From this point on that single cell passes through a sequence of changes that would stagger the wildest visions.
And I think this is basically what we're talking about. Descriptions of these events fill thousands of pages in embryologic textbooks. By repeated division the first cell becomes two then four then eight, finally yields a delicate living sphere of many cells called a blastocyst. Attaching itself to the rich nutritive lining of the mother's uterus the blastocyst continues to grow. A portion of this cell mass becomes the placenta, a nutritive link through which food and oxygen pass in the mother to the developing child. Another cluster of cells in the blastocyst form layers which mysteriously cooperate in the synthesis of organs in the tiny body. A twentieth century knowledge of embryonic growth would have added to the awe which the psalmist felt as he contemplated God's role in governing the formation of a living fetus, and quote Psalm 139.
So the point being that I'm trying to make here is that it is a time when that first cell is formed that that becomes a person on its own. Life is there, identity is there. That's the physical. The theological is God has formed that person who in His own mind is already a person, right? So there are approximately 90 trillion cells in the body of an adult. Different kinds of cells vary in structure but each one is a living sac covered by cytoplasmic membrane surrounding cytoplasm. Although the cytoplasm is a fascinating(??) region of the internal structure, and then he goes on. In the typical human nucleus...let's see...there's actually only 23 different types of chromosomes so that two of each type provide the final tally of 46. And I think that's really a key to this whole thing.
Let me add another little thought on it from a physical standpoint. This is interesting. A Canadian physician has foreseen that abortion is presently practiced in the family by choice may lead to surprising reactions on the part of those who survive such selection. If, you know, if people happen to survive the abortions that are going on and they're killing a lot of them all the time, it says once you permit the killing of the unborn child there will be no stopping. And isn't that what I just told you. Now the next thing is eugenics, gets away from being prenatal and it becomes after birth eugenics, where if you don't want the child when its born you let it die, see. That's the next step.
Following that is what Crick(?) and Minot(?) and Skinner are talking about where you make everybody impotent. Instead of everybody taking birth control pills, just as you will, everybody is mandatorily commanded to take birth control pills and they select who breeds. See. And that's not so far away.
So once you start permitting the killing of the unborn child, there's no stopping. There will be no age limit. You're setting off a chain reaction eventually making you the victim. Your children will kill you because you permitted the killing of their brothers and sisters. Your children will kill you because they'll not want to support you in your old age. Your children will kill you for your home and estate. If the doctor will take the money for killing the innocent in the womb, he'll kill you with a needle when paid by your children. This is the terrible nightmare you are creating for the future. Whether or not a particular child in a marriage was decidedly planned it has a right to live. Family planning is one question, but to kill a developing embryo in deference to this plan or simply out of convenience to the parents is an entirely different matter. One can easily visualize the ridiculous extremes to which the logic of abortion by choice would lead if they were constantly applied. Although euthanasia was proposed long before therapeutic killing, mercy killings of all imaginable types could be planned. Irresponsible social schemers might ultimately recommend for such groups as the aged, the infirmed, for anyone who appeared to face on-going difficulties. Therapeutic abortion rulings may just possibly have served as the door to the frightening Pandora's Box of legislation against which may eventually affect all Americans
Congressman John G. Smitz(?) of California has announced a recent attempt in Florida to legalize the killing of older people. If the unwanted young are to be killed and the unwanted mothers sterilized, the unwanted old are next on the list. This was introduced in 1969 in the legislature of the state of Florida, HR 3184 bill, if passed this would have established as a matter of law that all natural persons are equalled before the law and have inalienable rights, among them the right to enjoy and defend life, liberty, to be permitted to die with dignity and that in the event any person is unable to make such a decision to die because of mental or physical incapacity, a spouse or person or persons of first-degree kinship shall be allowed to make that decision.
So that's just a little idea of where that whole kind of thing leads. Well, that will give you some idea of where we feel about it.
This sermon series includes the following messages:
Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource.Publisher Information


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Margaret G. Kaye
CROSSLAKE — Margaret G. Kaye, Crosslake, passed away Feb. 12, 2012, after her courageous battle with cancer. She was born April 1, 1931, and was preceded in death by husband Richard Kaye, son-in-law Robert Haukland and grandson Mark Haukland. She is survived by children: Christine Hayes, Charlotte Haukland, Carol (Richard) Irish and Allen (Sheila) Hayes; and grandchildren: Jackie and Jaimee Bellfield, Mackenzie (Ben) Sailer, Julie Hayes and Josh Bolken.
Margaret loved her church and her travels and was active in golf, Mahjong, 500, Lions, American Legion and many other clubs, organizations and charities throughout her life. She was deeply loved and will be missed by all.
Services will be held Feb. 25 at 11:30 a.m. at Crosslake Presbyterian Church, 14444 Daggett Pine Road. Visitation will be one hour prior to service. Memorials are preferred to Crosslake Presbyterian Church.

subset: commoncrawl


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From the BlogBecome a Member
Amy May brings a new fitness opportunity to Bernheim with Yogalates, a six-week series that combines yoga and Pilates into one rewarding workout. Hosted at the Visitor Center, classes will take place Tuesday evenings, August 13 through September 17, from 6:00-6:45 p.m.
The first 30 minutes of classes focus on strengthening and toning the core muscles, therefore improving posture, flexibility, and range of motion. Classes conclude with a 15-minute gentle yoga stretch, bringing the body and mind into focus by using breath with movement to relax.
Cost is $45 for Bernheim members and $60 for non-members.
Participants must be able to get on and off the floor with ease, and are asked to bring a thick yoga mat to each class.
Class size is limited. Registration and payment is due prior to the first attended class. Students can join this series any time prior to the second class, but program fees will not be pro-rated.


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Espresso Machines
Shop the Best Espresso Machines
Are you in the market for cafe quality espresso shots at the push of a button? We have many superautomatic espresso machines for a quick morning latte fix. Or maybe you enjoy the ritual of espresso and are in pursuit of the perfect shot. If that's the case, we have one of the largest selections of semi-automatic espresso machines around.
Read detailed espresso machine product descriptions and user reviews, watch YouTube videos with Gail and Kat and learn about the care and maintenance of your home espresso machine.
Learn More about Espresso Machines
DeLonghi EC 860.M Espresso Machine - Stainless SteelThe DeLonghi EC860 Espresso Machine combines the control of a semi-automatic with the freedom of a superautomatic, all in one compact, stainless-steel machine. Unlike other entry-level espresso machines, the EC860 incorporates an automatic cappuccino system that froths your milk and pulls your shots right into your cup. Then when you're ready to upgrade to creating your own frothy drinks, the EC860's interchangeable traditional steam wand will make you feel like you're a home barista. Learn More$499.95
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Engberg, Siri. "Kiki Smith." In Bits & Pieces Put Together to Present a Semblance of a Whole: Walker Art Center Collections, edited by Joan Rothfuss and Elizabeth Carpenter. Minneapolis, MN: Walker Art Center, 2005.
© 2005 Walker Art Center
Since she emerged in the early 1980s, Kiki Smith has been a fascinating and inventive presence. Her provocative meditations on the human body and the realms of myth, spirituality, nature, and narrative have resulted in works of extraordinary power and uncommon beauty. Smith's attitude toward working methods and materials is decidedly nonhierarchical. She has explored an eclectic array of media, including sculpture, multimedia installations, prints, drawings, photographs, multiples, artist's books, and film and video works. Her influences are rich, from Edgar Degas to Eadweard Muybridge to Lewis Carroll, and her work falls in the lineage of artists such as Lee Bontecou, Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, Carolee Schneemann, and Nancy Spero, all of whom advanced feminist ideas in their work.
Born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1954, Smith and her family returned to the United States in 1955 to reside in New Jersey. Art was central to her childhood: her grandfather had been an altar carver; her mother was an actor; her father, sculptor Tony Smith, encouraged her participation in his work; and family friends included Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Despite these influences, it would be years before she would consider herself an artist in her own right. In 1976, after a brief enrollment at the Hartford Art School, she settled in New York City and turned to art wholeheartedly.
Her work in the early 1980s was concerned with themes of mortality and regeneration—a response, in part, to her father's death and to the rapidly growing AIDS crisis.1 In the years that followed, she began to develop an elaborate visual vocabulary around the forms and functions of the human body and its metaphorical and physical relationship to society. Her visceral sculptures in plaster, paper, and wax as well as intricately constructed drawings of ink and collaged paper explored the body both as a whole and as fragments, internal and external.
Banshee Pearls, a tour de force print series made in 1991, shows Smith's dual interest in the body and narrative. The work is a fragmented self-portrait, a quiltlike composition of twelve printed sheets. Most of the imagery derives from photographs and photocopies of the artist's face, transferred in positive and negative, in a range of scales and orientations.2 Also woven through the work are childhood photographs and enlarged details of body parts, such as hair and teeth. Prior to printing, the artist embellished the lithographic plates with her own drawings and gestures, resulting in a remarkably personal, almost diaristic work with a powerful presence.
By the mid-1990s, Smith was engaged with themes of a more religious and mythological nature, creating sculptural works related to the imagined physical bodies of such biblical figures as the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Lilith. More recently, she has considered fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood), legends, (the French tale of Sainte Geneviève), and stories (Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures Underground of 1864) as subject matter, and has developed a growing menagerie of work concerned with animals and natural phenomena. Her fascinatingly varied body of work has established her as a virtuoso printmaker, an explorer of the startling possibilities of paper, and a reinventor of figurative bronze sculpture. Above all, she is an artist who revels in an exploration of the human condition.
Smith's underground reputation in New York in the early 1980s grew alongside her involvement with the artists' collective Collaborative Projects, Inc. (Colab) and exhibitions of her work at such alternative spaces as the Kitchen, where she presented her first solo exhibition in 1982. ↩
This print was made in collaboration with Universal Limited Art Editions, a workshop with which Smith has forged a long and productive relationship. For a discussion of her activities in printmaking throughout her career, see Wendy Weitman, Kiki Smith: Prints, Books and Things, exh. cat. (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2003). ↩
Engberg, Siri. "Kiki Smith." In Bits & Pieces Put Together to Present a Semblance of a Whole: Walker Art Center Collections, edited by Joan Rothfuss and Elizabeth Carpenter. Minneapolis, MN: Walker Art Center, 2005.
© 2005 Walker Art Center


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Transfer Courses
Credits earned at other regionally accredited American institutions of higher education may be transferred to Western Kentucky University and applied toward a degree. All credit is recorded in semester hours. Plus and minus grades will be recorded as the letter grade only.Students are responsible for sending official transcripts from previous institutions to the Office of Admissions for courseworkto be articulated. Copies will not be accepted.
Before a degree can be awarded at WKU, the following residency requirements must be met:
- Twenty-five percent of the coursework must be earned through instruction at WKU.
- At least 1/3 of the hours used in the major and minor must be earned through instruction at WKU.
Students must complete at least 16 hours of coursework in residency after the semester in which 90 cumulative hours of coursework were earned.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Transfer Courses
- What is transfer articulation?
Transfer articulation is a term used to define the process whereby courses taken elsewhere are assigned an equivalency at WKU. Course equivalents can be assigned as a specific catalog number at the university (e.g. Eng 100), as a generic equivalent (ENG B2-L or ACCT EL-L), or as a general elective (TRAN EL-L).
- What if certain transfer courses are not showing?
This may mean transfer credit has not yet been processed. Contact the Office of Admissions.
- What if military credit is not showing?
This may mean military credit has not yet been processed. Contact the Office of the Registrar.
- What if transfer courses are not being assigned to requirements?
This is probably because the WKU equivalencies are not specific enough to apply to major requirements. If the course does not fulfill a major or minor requirement, questions or concerns should be directed to your advisor. The department may need additional information on the course(s) before allowing the course to fulfill requirements. If the course does not fulfill a General Education/ Colonnade requirement, contact the Office of Admissions.
- Why is my transfer work showing as TRAN CONV with my grades showing as "?"?
The transfer work was recorded before the implementation of our latest student information software. Your transfer work must be entered into the new system. Please contact the Office of the Registrar.
- What courses from other institutions transfer to WKU?
Students can visit the following website to view courses from other institutions that transfer to WKU:
Why is my transferred coursework showing under the wrong term on my iCAP audit?
Transferred coursework is displayed under the term it was articulated at WKU, not the term in which the coursework was taken.
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Salmon Salad
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 2Servings
- 3/4 pound skinless salmon fillets
- 1 large cucumberpeeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 large red bell pepperystemmed, seeded and chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Place the salmon in a medium baking dish and bake, covered, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let stand until cool. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, scallions and lemon with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add the baked salmon, flaking the meat with a fork, and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper.


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Would love to get a friendship group going here in the East Denver Metro area. My Aurora, CO zip is 80011. Hope to hear from some of you.
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Would love to get a friendship group going here in the East Denver Metro area. My Aurora, CO zip is 80011. Hope to hear from some of you.
I was lucky enough to meet up with PBobbins a couple of weeks ago. She lives in Mississippi, but came to Huntsville to bring her DH to HAM radio convention. I think it's a great idea!
This is exciting... so far we hwve three hopefully more for next satturday.
lunch and a lqs and meeting at joanns.
Im hoping we can get tog. Att leastt once a month. I'll host.
I live in Hawthorne 90250 and would love to meet with other quilters. I can host when necessary also :)
Anyone in Northern Illinois? I'm 60404...southwest suburbs of Chicago.
Anyone in North Central Washington? I'm in 98856 but how about Oroville to Wenatchee and Waterville Plateau area?
Sounds good to me too. my zip is 77084
I know there are other southeast TN people on here, my zip is 37341. Would love to have a get together with other quilters.
We've been doing this for a while in the "north of Sacramento" area of California. We all meet at the same place because one of us has access to a large "craft room" in a barn. It is something I really look forward to. We try to meet once a month, but it doesn't always happen. It's a wonderful idea and if you get stuck with a project you have advice right there! Our range is more than 20 miles. Go for it, quilters! What does that one gal's sign-off say.... Quilters untie!


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Honour Britain's Forgotten Army on 65th anniversary of VJ Day - Monday, 9 August 2010
A free day of commemorations to pay tribute to the gallant efforts of Britain's Forgotten Army will mark the 65th anniversary of Victory in Japan (VJ) Day at Fort Nelson on Sunday, August 15.
Uniformed "soldiers" will fire two, 25-pounder field guns simultaneously in an explosive tribute to mark the poignant anniversary, at 12noon and 3pm.
Both gun firings will be followed by live performances from the Royal Armouries' team of resident actors. They will present the Second World War story of the 'Chindits' – British and Commonwealth soldiers who staged some of the greatest raids behind enemy lines of the entire War.
The Royal Armouries is one of the few organisations to regularly mark the anniversary, highlighting the nation's immense debt of gratitude to those who endured enormous suffering in the Far East.
The programme will include guided tours and a chance to view the museum, which houses the national collection of historic cannon and big guns. The museum has one of the world's finest collections, with over 350 cannon dating back over 600 years. The collection originated from HM Tower of London and has been on display in Hampshire since 1995.
Museum entry is free and there is a whole range of attractions, designed to appeal to young and old alike, including secret underground tunnels and chambers to explore.
For details of all the Royal Armouries' Dangerously Entertaining programme of exciting events, visit www.royalarmouries.org
Media contact
Joss Loader
Primary PR Ltd.
Tel: 07838 379599
Email: email@example.com
Notes to editors
Reporters and photographers are welcome at the event, please call in advance if possible. The fort is steeped in history and a tailored guided tour can be arranged. If you would like copies of photographs of past activities please email or call using the details below.
- The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson houses the national collection of historic cannon and big guns. The museum houses one of the world's finest collections with over 350 cannon dating back over 600 years. The collection originated at HM Tower of London and has been on display in Hampshire since 1995.
- The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson also tells the story of the Palmerston Forts, built to protect Portsmouth from a feared French invasion in the 1860's.
- Every day, visitors can see one of the big guns fired in salute, watch our resident actors bring to life characters from 1,000 years of history, explore secret underground tunnels and enjoy incredible views from the ramparts. An extensive programme of special event spectaculars takes place throughout the year.
- Fort Nelson is open every day except 24-26 December. April to October 10am –5pm (Wed 11am-5pm), November – March 10.30am – 4pm (Wed 11.30-4pm).
- Admission to the Royal Armouries is FREE.
- Admission charges apply to some events.
- Information line: 01329 233734
- Website: www.royalarmouries.org
- Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- The Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour with sites at Fort Nelson, Leeds, HM Tower of London and Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
- The Royal Armouries Museum should not be confused with Royal Armouries International plc, the private sector corporate hospitality business.
Download the PDF press release.


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Japanese security policy is at a crossroads, shifting from a traditional pacifist security policy to a more assertive security policy. As part of this shift, Tokyo is steadily moving toward the deployment of a more robust missile defense system, which the Japanese government doesn't think contradicts the country's "exclusively defensive defense" policy anyway. And while the debate about U.S. missile defense installations in Eastern Europe remains contentious, in East Asia, political debate about missile defense installations in Japan seems to be fading away.
Under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, U.S.-Japanese security ties were enhanced post-9/11. His friendship with President George W. Bush also augmented the two countries' bond. As such, it was under Koizumi that Japan officially decided to deploy missile defense in collaboration with the United States.
In fact, Koizumi made missile defense a cornerstone of the country's security policy. He wasn't alone in this thinking; many Japanese government officials perceive missile defense as a more realistic option in responding to regional threats such as North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. In addition, Japan's 2004 National Defense Guidelines, for the first time, stated concerns over China's military modernization.
History of missile defense in Japan
U.S.-Japanese cooperation on missile defense dates back to the 1980s and the Reagan administration's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). At that time, Japan's participation in SDI was merely symbolic of U.S.-Japanese security cooperation and helpful to mitigate economic and trade disputes with Washington.
This changed in August 1998 when North Korea tested its Taepodong-1 ballistic missile. Even for the Japanese people, who are generally considered pacifists post-World War II, the Taepodong-1 flying over their heads was an alarming wake-up call. Immediately afterward, Tokyo joined Washington in cooperative research and development of a ballistic missile defense system.
On the basis of seemingly positive results of missile defense tests and the U.S. decision to deploy an initial national missile defense capability in December 2002, the Japanese government determined that ballistic missile defense had high technological feasibility. In addition, the revelation that North Korea had continued its work on nuclear weapons development and Pyongyang's subsequent withdrawal from the NPT in 2003 convinced Tokyo to officially acquire a ballistic missile defense capability. Thus, on December 19, 2003, it issued the cabinet decision "On Introduction of Ballistic Missile Defense System and Other Measure." Ever since, establishing a robust missile defense system has been a top national security priority.
To implement its new agenda, Tokyo altered its National Defense Program Guidelines in 2005 to indicate that the country's Three Principles on Arms Export and related provisions could be modified as necessary for the deployment of ballistic missile defense. The "Three Principles," a hallmark of Japan's pacifism policy, long barred Tokyo from jointly developing and producing weapons or transferring weapon parts to foreign countries, including the United States.
Tokyo's surprisingly determined and quick adoption of these decisions in order to be ready for the actual deployment of ballistic missile defense seem to be influenced by North Korea's actions. In particular, since North Korea's July 2006 missile launches, which ended its 1999 missile test moratorium, and Pyongyang's October 2006 nuclear test, Tokyo has accelerated its missile defense deployment.
Japan's current missile defense capabilities
As of January, Tokyo has deployed a multilayered missile defense system that consists of sea-based midcourse missile defense (the Aegis ballistic missile defense system); and ground-based terminal phase missile defense (Patriot Advanced Capabilities-3, or PAC-3). With the accelerated process, a PAC-3 installment in the Tokyo Metropolitan area has been completed. By March 2011, PAC-3 missiles will be deployed at 16 fire units around Japan's major cities.
The Aegis system features a three-stage missile (SM-3) with a range of 1,000 kilometers designed to intercept a short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile in outer space. At its first flight test in December 2007, the SM-3 launched from Kongo, a Japanese Aegis ship, and detected, tracked, and destroyed a mock missile that resembled North Korea's Nodong outside the atmosphere at an altitude of approximately 100 miles. With its mission accomplished, Kongo was deployed at Japan's Air Self Defense Force (MSDF) Sasebo base in Nagasaki on January 4, 2008.
As the first country other than the United States to succeed in intercepting a mock missile with the Aegis system, Japan might have been overconfident in its technical feasibility. Moreover, at its first test-firing of the PAC-3 interceptor, MSDF successfully shot down a mock ballistic missile at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico last September. This sequence of successful tests might have brought somewhat more optimistic prospects to Japan's defense ministry. Therefore, the failure of a second Aegis test in November significantly disappointed both U.S. and Japanese missile defense proponents. While officials said the failure won't affect the program's future--The Ministry of Defense plans to deploy four Aegis-equipped destroyers by March 2011--some setbacks will be unavoidable.
Impediments to missile defense in Japan
"Basic Space Law." Japan's long-standing, self-imposed restriction on the military use of space has impeded it from enhancing its missile defense capabilities. However, in August 27, a new law, the "Basic Space Law," entered into force, lifting the ban on Tokyo's use of space for defensive purposes. Thirty years earlier, when Japan's Space Agency was established, the Diet unanimously adopted a resolution committing the country only to using space for peaceful purposes, which has been interpreted as non-military.
The Basic Space Law changed that interpretation to nonaggressive, meaning the MSDF now can manufacture, possess, and operate its own satellites to support military operations such as ballistic missile defense. Thus, the MSDF plans to procure reconnaissance satellites, early warning satellites, and tracking and communications satellites--all areas in which Japan had been relying on the United States. (See "Japan Enters New Space Age.") For instance, it was the U.S. Defense Support Program satellites that detected the North Korean missile launches in July 2006.
The Japanese Constitution. Under the current Japanese government's interpretation of Article 9 of its Constitution, Japan's participation in collective self-defense is prohibited, as is using missile defense capabilities to defend a third country--even an ally such as the United States.
Therefore, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a strong advocate of changing Article 9, formed the Council on Reconstruction of a Legal Basis for Security in April 2007 to provide recommendations on the right of collective self-defense. "Whether it is appropriate for Japan to use its missile defense to intercept ballistic missiles targeting the United States" was one of four scenarios he tasked the council to answer.
The council was supposed to submit recommendations to the Cabinet by September 2007, but after the devastating defeat of Abe's ruling party in the upper house election in July 2007 and his abrupt resignation two months later, the council's members delayed making their recommendations. Abe's successor, Yasuo Fukuda, wasn't as enthusiastic about changing the constitutional interpretation. So even though the council submitted its recommendations stating that Japan should have the right to exercise collective self-defense last June, nothing has changed. Taro Aso, the country's third prime minister in two years, is more supportive of the right to collective self-defense, which might revitalize debate over the issue.
Technologically, Japan currently doesn't have the capability to shoot down a missile heading toward the United States even if it legally could. But the two countries are currently developing SM-3 Block II A missiles that could potentially intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles. (See "Japan Test Fires Its First Raytheon-Built Standard Missile-3.") As technological capabilities improve to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, the argument that Japan isn't allowed by its constitutional interpretation to shoot down a missile heading toward the United States might be perceived as unacceptable.
Technical limitations. Although both the Japanese and U.S. governments have highlighted successful flight tests, all flight intercept tests have been conducted under highly structured conditions with information about the missile attack. In a real missile launch, it's highly unlikely that the launch location, timing of launch, and flight trajectories will be known, making it almost impossible to predict the percentage of success of an intercept in a real-world attack. (See "Technical Realities: National Missile Defense Deployment in 2004.")
The Japanese people. The socio-cultural reticence in Japan to any military engagement hasn't made the country's populace fully tolerant of missile defense. Nevertheless, the recent threats from North Korea have dimmed opposition. A 2006 public opinion poll conducted by the Cabinet Office indicated that 56.6 percent of respondents supported missile defense; similarly, a Yomiuri-Gallup public opinion poll [in Japanese] conducted in December 2006 showed that 60 percent of respondents supported it.
For those against it, cost seems to be a primary reason why. According to the Ministry of Defense, the missile defense program is estimated to cost Japan $7.4 billion to $8.9 billion through 2012. And since Tokyo plans to pursue still more advanced technologies, costs are likely to increase.
China's response
Regionally, China has been disturbed by the accelerated progress of the U.S.-Japanese missile defense cooperative. Specifically, China is worried that U.S.-Japanese missile defense could thwart Beijing's limited nuclear deterrent, encourage Japanese militarization, protect Taiwan, and trigger a regional arms race. Chinese opposition to the U.S.-Japan missile defense cooperation isn't as vehement as that of Russia to the U.S. missile defense deployment in Eastern Europe, but if China perceives that the missile shield will shift the balance of power in the region, its opposition will intensify.
Future prospects for missile defense in Japan
The current security environment in East Asia and the Bush administration's interest in missile defense have helped bring the U.S.-Japanese missile defensive cooperative to where it stands today. That said, President-elect Barack Obama has a different view on missile defense; moreover, he has repeatedly stated that strengthening the nonproliferation regime should be a priority. Thus, it's likely that changes in U.S. security priority will alter Japanese missile defense plans somewhat. Nonetheless, Japan's already scheduled system deployment date of 2011 probably will be met.
More generally, a robust Japanese missile defense capability isn't conducive to sustainable peace in East Asia. That's why it's particularly important that Japan and the United States avoid building a structure that looks confrontational to China, which would obviously decrease stability in the region. Therefore, President-elect Obama should shift U.S.-Japanese security cooperation to matters of arms control and nonproliferation while inviting other countries in the region such as China to join in this endeavor.


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COCC's Middleton to step down next year
Early announcement kicks off successor search
BEND, Ore. - Dr. James E. Middleton, president of Central Oregon Community College since 2004, announced Monday he plans to retire as of June 30, 2014.
Middleton said he is making this early announcement – 14 months in advance of his retirement date – in order to help the COCC Board plan for a thorough search.
"President Middleton has been strong leader for Central Oregon Community College during some very difficult years," said Don Reeder, a member of the COCC board of directors for the past 16 years and the current chair.
"His vision has allowed COCC to extend access of college programs to Jefferson and Crook counties, and to expand opportunities on both the Bend and Redmond campuses," he added.
"He has kept COCC moving forward and in great fiscal shape despite the tough economy of the past several years, and the doubling of enrollment," Reeder said. "He will leave this college in a strong position."
Middleton siad, "Serving as president of Central Oregon Community College is an honor and a wonderful opportunity. I am confident the innovation, community support, strong staff and board and overall stability of the institution will allow this college to attract exemplary candidates for the position."
"It is truly a pleasure to serve the students, faculty and staff of COCC, and the residents of the COCC District," he added.
"I am looking forward to the upcoming year as we continue our work on strategic planning, begin new initiatives to help improve the success of our students, and finalize planning and construction of the Redmond Technology Center," he said. "I am committed to assuring that COCC remains positively positioned in a fiscal environment increasingly shaped by student success outcomes."
Middleton encouraged innovation on campus and in college, community and statewide planning.
On campus, he championed and supported a faculty-led redesign of math instruction strategies through individualized computer learning melded with face-to-face classes and individual tutoring. He also supported faculty, staff and infrastructure to expand online learning and hybrid courses, where some instruction for a class is live and some is online.
During his tenure, COCC added instructional programs in aviation, pharmacy technician, veterinarian technician and business entrepreneurship – all in cooperation with and the support of local businesses.
Working with the COCC Foundation, Middleton helped with the fundraising and planning for the expansion of the Cascade Culinary Institute and the building of the Jungers Culinary Center into a "best in the west" program. The construction was funded primarily by a Foundation fundraising effort and ongoing costs are partially covered by the first-ever program endowment.
In the community, Middleton worked closely with local school district superintendents and COCC faculty, resulting in four times as many high school students earning COCC credits while taking classes in their high schools.
He also worked hand-in-hand with Becky Johnson, vice president at OSU-Cascades, and community leaders to ensure a successful expansion of the state's only branch campus. Middleton currently serves as an elected member of the Bend Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
Statewide, he is one of two Central Oregonians to serve on the State Board of Higher Education where he continues to advocate for expansion of higher education offerings in the region. He has regularly been tapped for key committee assignments in Oregon, including serving on the executive committee of the Oregon Community College Association, and as a member of task forces working on achievement compacts, outcomes based funding and enrollment management.
"President Middleton has been a significant contributor to state level policy during his tenure as COCC president," said Camille Preus, commissioner of the community colleges in Oregon. "His sharp intelligence and focus on increasing student success have enabled Oregon to make solid steps forward in achieving our educational attainment goals. These attributes are the reason he was often called upon for significant involvement on a variety of critical committees and work groups."
During Middleton's tenure, COCC was recognized three years in a row as one of the 50 fastest-growing community colleges in the country, with enrollment doubling in four years.
During the recession, voters in the COCC District passed a bond measure that allowed the college to open new campuses in Madras and Prineville, build new Health Careers and Science Centers on the Bend campus and, under construction shortly, build a Technology Education Center in Redmond that will be a cornerstone for training in industries important to economic development in Central Oregon.
Middleton has served more than 30 years as a community college administrator and 10 years as a teacher in high schools and community colleges. Prior to coming to COCC, he was president of the College of Marin in California - from 1993 to 2003.
Subsequently, he served one year as a visiting scholar at the Community College Leadership Development Initiatives at Claremont Graduate University in California. Prior to moving to Marin, he spent 11 years at Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport (formally Williamsport Area Community College), first as the director of Integrated Studies for two years and then the dean and vice president of academic affairs for nine years.
In Williamsport, he helped guide the college in its transformation from a local community college to a regional four-year college while retaining a strong community college program of associate degrees and short-term technical certificates. Prior to that, he taught English to high school students in Jamaica and then taught and ran a writing center at a community college in Maryland.
Middleton earned a bachelor's degree in European literature and thought from the University of Iowa; a master's degree in English literature from the University of Leeds in England; a master's degree in English and an educational specialist degree in community college education from the University of Iowa; and a doctorate of arts in English language and literature from the University of Michigan.
He and his wife, Susan, have two grown children.
Bruce Abernethy, board member and next year's board chair, said this early announcement will allow the board to begin work now on planning for the search and a smooth transition.
"We appreciate Dr. Middleton's many years of service to community colleges and particularly to COCC and this region," Abernethy said. "We are in a position of strength and well positioned for the future. We can use this time now to begin to plan for a new president while continuing to move forward on a number of important initiatives. This spring, we will appoint a search committee and begin communicating with constituents on and off campus. We can then get an early start in the fall in order to maximize our applicant pool and position ourselves for success."
Middleton is only the fourth president in COCC's 63-year history. He replaced Dr. Robert L. Barber, who served as president from 1990 to 2004. Dr. Frederick H. Boyle was president from 1967 to 1990. Dr. Don P. Pence was the first president of COCC, serving as director from 1950 to 1957 and president from 1957 to 1967.


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The Empire State Honey Producers Association Inc Fall Meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16 and 17. For a look at the Fall Newsletter and more info about the meeting go to eshpa.org.
The speakers are Tom Rinderer, Steven Coy, and Michael Bush. Friday's talks will be about Breeding Resistant Bees from three different perspectives.
Saturday's sessions will feature three talks by Michael Bush, while there will also be a session of the Bee Wellness Workshop which has been working this year to teach beekeepers across the State of NY about disease, disease identification and managing their bees. ESHPA was granted monies from the USDA which we had to match to pay for this program. More info on the website.
There will be a display room for many vendors such as Dadant, Brushy Mountain, BetterBee, and Kelly Co.
I hope to see many of you there.


text: This is my fourth build in the last four years and my first since becoming a member here. It's the first that I will document. Also, it's the first where the finished product isn't going to really resemble what I started with. It's very possible that the only thing I use from the donor bike is frame - maybe the front sprocket, too. The plan is to do it in the style of a board track racer with flipped bars and a leather seat that sits low and back a bit. I change my mind a lot, but right now, I'm looking to have the frame and monarch springer powder coated in a medium gray, and the S-2 rims I'll be using in a dark blood red with off-white or gray pinstripes on either side of the spokes. Before the frame goes to the powdercoater, I'm going to stop by my dad's place and weld up the holes in the frame that won't be used - fender mount holes in the rear dropouts, etc., and a hole in the right seatstay that was for ?? I've been told it's a mid-50's middleweight, but 2.125 tires fit with plenty of room to spare. One thing I'm missing is a tank. I've seen Monarch Rockets with tanks that look like they'll fit my frame. If any of you have one of those or another tank that will fit sitting around, I'd love to buy it. Here's the donor bike- Someone beat the crap out of this thing. You may be able to see that the forks are bent. And, upon pulling the cranks, I discovered that they were tweaked by around 10 degrees.


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Hot-smoked salmon is flaky and very moist and does not slice like cold smoked salmon. There seem to be two varieties of endive commonly grown in New Zealand. Here, we're not using the tight-leafed French endive, or witloof, but curly endive, also known as frisée, which is more like its relative the lettuce. It's great to grow, as you can pick the leaves as needed. If you can't find curly endive, use another green lettuce, but I admire endive's mildly nutty, firm leaves.
Makes 24
260g hot-smoked salmon
285ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp + 1 tsp) Sandwich Mayonnaise
1 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
½ tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
18 slices white sandwich bread
200g butter (softened)
30g (about 20 leaves) curly endive (washed and dried)
1. Remove skin from salmon. Place salmon in a bowl and break into chunky flakes. Add 3 tbsp of the mayonnaise, the horseradish, chives, salt, pepper and lemon juice and gently combine. Check for seasoning.
2. On a clean work surface, place bread slices in 3 rows of 6. Butter all slices then spread with Sandwich Mayonnaise. Generously spread first row of slices with salmon mixture. Season with salt and pepper and cover each with a second slice of bread, buttered side down.
3. Butter top layer of bread and spread with mayonnaise. Top with endive then final slices of bread, buttered side down.
4. Using an electric knife, remove all crusts then cut sandwiches into 4 squares or triangles.
Recipe reproduced with permission from Ruth Pretty Cooks At Home by Ruth Pretty (Penguin Group NZ, RRP $65).


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Is the pressure of goal kicking too much for Shaun Johnson? Justis Kamu looks at the halfback's kicking woes and the other key issues in the NRL from the latest round.
1. Johnson comes up short in the clutch
Shaun Johnson's conversion attempt in the 76th minute to tie the game at 16-all against the Sydney Roosters underlined the importance of having a tested goal kicker in the NRL. His dreadful effort skewed wide right and headed in the direction of the corner post rather than the uprights.The young halfback was kicking goals in only his second game of his first grade career after being given the goalkicking duties during his time in the Holden Cup (formerly Toyota Cup). However as was seen on Saturday night he is unaccustomed to the increased mental pressure that comes with kicking penalties and conversions that can decide the outcome of NRL matches.
Unlike days gone by in the game when adding the extras was just a bonus for teams, in this era coaches are expectant of their kicker to secure six points when stepping up to convert.
With Johnson's goalkicking under the guidance of kicking maestro Daryl Halligan in 2013 he will need to develop quickly under his instruction if this part of his game is to become an advantage for the side. If this development doesn't come to fruition, Warriors fans are in for more dire attempts this season.
2. Player draft proposed for doping crisis
A player draft has been proposed by the NRL as one of their contingency plans to assist clubs who are under threat from the doping investigation. 10 players from each NRL team will be put forward into a player pool allowing for affected clubs to take their pick on players ranked 16-25 from other sides. The Cronulla Sharks are a club who may fall into this category with as many as 14 players said to be facing suspension in the investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority. The draft system would give them and any other club who may lose players the opportunity to rearm their playing ranks.
Whilst it may be disappointing for clubs and players to see key squad members leave if the concept is instigated. The opportunity that it offers for fringe NRL players may be a good thing for those that aren't getting time on the field. Also the standard of play wouldn't dramatically drop if players from rival teams are acquired. They too are elite athletes who would understand the expectations of the NRL.
The competition is the best in the world and its strength is in its competitiveness between the top teams and those at the bottom. That standard would decline if weakened sides are not able to seek assistance from other clubs.
3. Three teams still searching for maiden win
Three teams have yet to register a win in the NRL after two rounds, here's a quick rundown of their season so far:
NZ Warriors - 14th
Form: Loss to Parramatta Eels in round one and Sydney Roosters in round two.
Need to improve: Defence outwide. Last weekend against the Roosters they were defensively soft outwide in all three tries. Konrad Hurrell and Glen Fisiiahi failed to number-up for Anthony Minichello's try. After the halftime break Dane Nielson fell off the tackle of tryscorer Mitch Aubusson and minutes later Bill Tupou misread SKD's run as he skipped past him to score.
Standout player: Jacob Lillyman. Against the Eels Lillyman played 39 minutes managed to dot down for a try, run for 110m and made 23 tackles. He saw more playing time (50 mins) against the Roosters and ran for 123m and completed 31 tackles.
First 'w' this weekend?
The Sharks are an aggressive side whose forward pack have transformed into a super unit with Luke Lewis and Chris Heighington. The Warriors meet a side that is facing plenty of heat off the field but making life difficult for opponents on it.
St George Illawarra Dragons - 15th
Form: Lost to Melbourne Storm in round one and Brisbane Broncos in round two.
Need to improve: Attack. Their attack hasn't had much spark with Nathan Fien out of position at halfback and out of touch with his outsides. Fien should be playing at hooker where his playmaking skills would be better utilised.
Standout player: Trent Merrin. Although Trent Merrin is on the bench behind Dan Hunt and former junior Warrior Leeson Ah Mau, he's certainly having the desired effect of making an impact off the interchange. He had 22 hit-ups, 160 running metres, one tackle break and 30 tackles on Friday night.
First win this weekend?
The Dragons face the Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium. They will be sure to capitalise on their possession this week after frustratingly stuffing up on numerous occasions against the Broncos.
Canberra Raiders - 16th
Form: Loss to Penrith Panthers in round one and Gold Titans in round two.
Need to improve: Go-forward. The Green Machine needs the forward pack to make more metres if they are to have a chance of winning games this season. After two rounds Tom Learoyd Lars has been the only forward to cross 100m.
Standout player: Shaun Fensom. The Raiders lock is hugely underrated and if he was in a more fancied side would be in the mix for representative honours. He has stood out in a forwards unit that has been second-best on consecutive weekends.
First 'w' this weekend?
The Dragons visit Canberra Stadium this weekend and traditionally it is not a happy hunting ground for many teams in the competition. Even with this jinx hanging over their opponents; without many metres being created by the forwards and lack of star power in the backline the Raiders will come out with an 'L' against the Red V.
4. Raiders will struggle without star fullback
Fair play to the Canberra Raiders for giving Josh Dugan the sack after the young fullback repeatedly broke club's code of conduct. The Raiders had given him too many chances to change his off-field behaviour with the now infamous photograph of Dugan drinking while injured the last straw.
His lack of respect for club rules was hurting the organisation, teammates, coaches and fans who felt disrespected at his behaviour after their opening weekend defeat. The club did the right thing in getting rid of a player with a poor attitude that could potentially rub-off on other players.
However Dugan's sacking will affect the club short-term. It's likely that without his presence in the side they will need a couple of weeks to readjust without his firepower from the backfield. If Terry Campese returns and can stay healthy their chances may improve however until he does get back on the field the club a going to struggle to win games without an X-Factor player in their lineup.
Prior to last season Dugan was regarded as the competition's best young fullback - Ben Barba now wears that crown. Whichever side Dugan ends up with he will make them a better side from day one. It will be off the field though where his future team will have to keep close tabs on their half a million dollar plus investment.
5. Your comments
From @ajvincent:
"Why no mention of Thomas Leuluai to fill the hooking position? He's played a bit there in the Super League. And where's Alehana Mara? I think the #1 hooker should be Godinet, in the absence of Friend. He's creative, quick off the mark, and seems to push the pack around quite nicely. Put some faith in him and see what you get back. Taylor was sorely missed in the middle of the park. His key is impact with the ball, not distribution of ball."
Agree that Leuluai is a hooking option and should be playing there in N Friend's absence. Godinet had another lively stint off the bench and is pressing for a starting spot. However when Friend eventually returns Taylor could be the odd man out and face time on the sidelines due to Godinet's form. Elliott has made it clear that Mara is not rated as a hooking option by using Taylor. Mara turned out for the Auckland Vulcans in their 24-12 win over the Newton Jets in the NSW Cup on Saturday afternoon.
From @ AC
"I agree with most of this article, except item 3) about the Sharks. The club seems to admit that the players have breached doping rules, by suggesting the accept bans. You seem to suggest they take an innocent until proven guilty approach. If it is clear the players have broken the rules, then I would be much more disappointed if the club just said "Oh yeah? Prove it!" Yet, that seems to be what you suggest they do. Now, I do admit the club hasn't handled it the best, but lets not defend doping."
I was not defending doping in point three of last week's column. If a reverse onus approach was to be taken as you suggest this would conflict with the fundamental legal rights of a person i.e section 27(1) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights. At this stage it is not clear that players have broken the rules with regards to doping. The process could have been better handled by the Australian Crime Commission from the beginning had they presented hard evidence to prove that 'X' player(s) have been doping before anything was said.
From @John
"How can you say the Tigers looked worse than the Warriors? The Tigers were playing Newcastle who played near perfect football for 70 minutes, the Tigers didn't get a look-in apart from the first few mins when they scored. Whereas the Warriors played the wooden spoon side from last year who could barely complete a set themselves without turning it over. The gulf in quality between the 2 games was monstrous."
Yes the Eels were the wooden spoon side from last year and the Warriors finished 14th out of 16 teams. The Tigers finished 10th last season with the Knights in 12th. On that basis, all sides were somewhat evenly matched going into their respective games. The Knights have recruited well and were on top of their game in the first round and absolutely belted the Tigers. But the Tigers didn't help themselves by making a number of errors plus their attitude was found wanting along with their ball handling.
6. Team of the week - round two
1. Fullback - William Zillman (Titans)
2. Wing - Jorge Taufua (Sea Eagles)
3. Centre - Blake Ayshford (Tigers)
4. Centre -Will Chambers (Storm)
5. Wing - Marika Koroibete (Tigers)
6. Five-eighth - John Sutton (Rabbitohs)
7. Halfback - Cooper Cronk (Storm)
8. Prop - Ben Hannant (Broncos)
9. Hooker - Andrew McCullough (Broncos)
10. Prop - Aaron Woods (Tigers)
11. Secondrow - Tohu Harris (Storm)
12. Secondrow - Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles)
13. Lock - Corey Parker (Broncos)