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Tuesday, September 25, 2007
MacArthur vs. Pagitt on Christian Yoga
What do you think? Can Christians practice yoga without violating their faith?
27 comments:
- Matt said...
Hrm... our lay leader last year is a yoga instructor....
- Dan Trabue said...
Depends... Are these supposed yoga-practicing "Christians" spitting on the cross and killing their neighbors whilst doing their yoga?
- Dan Trabue said...
Okay, my first answer was brash and not serious. Now that I've listened prayerfully and sincerely to the video, I'm prepared to answer your question: What do I think?
I think John MacArthur is a nut.
MY question is: Can Christians listen to MacArthur without violating their faith...or sacrificing their reason?
- Dale Tedder said...
Calling someone you disagree with (especially someone who has given his life for the proclamation of the gospel) a nut probably isn't the most charitable way to disagree with that person.
Regarding Dan's last question...yes.
Thanks for the video John.
- Dan Trabue said...
Okay, my second answer was brash and not serious. What do I think?
I think John MacArthur is wrong on this and is part of the larger problem in church of finding goofy little "sins" to worry about and ignoring more serious issues.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith."
Unless yoga participants are actively chanting "All hail non-god entities whom we worship!", going on the air to waste time talking about it before a national audience is just plain goofy and embarrassing to me, as a member of the Church.
- John said...
Dan is correct that yoga is a very inconsequential issue when Christians are engaging in far greater sins. MacArthur may be correct that yoga can cause spiritual harm, but only as much as Christmas trees (pagan) cause spiritual harm.
- Nathan Mattox said...
Word up Dan. John McArthur said something like this in the interview: "Christianity is filling your mind with Biblical truths." It is this kind of perspective that is damaging to the faith. The Shema (which Jesus kind of liked) said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength." (The New Testament adds mind). But, needless to say, Christianity isn't a "brain game" it isn't just about saluting doctrines and bowing down to almighty "truths." What are the "truths" that MacArthur is filling his mind with? Doug Pagitt did a good job of commanding the debate, too bad they ended on MacArthur's nonsense. If yoga is the way people are getting their bodies into worship, then hooray yoga. If you think Christianity hasn't borrowed from other religions from the start (Acts 17:28), then you need to look a little more closely.
I practiced yoga for awhile and it is great exercise. I felt rejuvenated after doing it. There is no "worshipping Hindu gods," or whatever. I'm sure you could find a yoga practice that offers that, but most in this country don't. Also, with the stupid reference to the dictionary definition of yoga, that is because yoga is the Hindu word for discipline, or pathway. It is a term that refers to the many paths to God within Hinduism. Adherents of Bhakti Yoga (the largest segment of Hinduism) find God through the expression of devotion to a god as a "face of Brahman." Brahman (nominative brahma ब्रह्म) is the concept of the supreme spirit found in Hinduism. Brahman is the unchanging, infinite, immanent, and transcendent reality which is the Divine Ground of all matter, energy, time, space, being, and everything beyond in this universe. Sound familiar? Did you read that Acts passage? You also have Jnana Yoga (the discipline of intellectual worship), karma yoga is the discipline of action, raja yoga is the discipline of meditation, and hatha yoga is the discipline of body and breath, which we commonly call yoga. The broadcaster, being ignorant of eastern religions, looked up the wrong word to find the definition of what he was talking about. John MacArthur was speaking about something he proudly stated he had never participated in. Why do people buy into such drivel? The paths of yoga are profound and worth looking into. Maybe, as Christians, we'll learn something.
Here is a short video entitled
Can a Christian Practice Yoga?
It may add some insight for you.
Check out the letter to John MacArthur on the home page of this web site http://www.christianresearchservice.com/
- Dan Trabue said...
Oh, great. Bud Press from the Christian Research Institute is criticizing MacArthur for not speaking out strongly enough against Yoga.
In the linked article above, Press says:
Yoga is a cult of self-worship, and self-worship is idolatry, of which God commands the believer to avoid (1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21)...
John, Yoga within the body of Christ is at epidemic proportions, and has infiltrated churches, bookstores, colleges, and universities across the nation. I pray you will prayerfully consider the above and set the record straight immediately and publicly.
What do I think?
I think Bud Press is a nut, too.
I think that nuts are infiltrating the body of Christ at epidemic proportions.
I think that it is self-worshipful to assume you have the wherewithal to speak for others' and that self-worship is idolatry, yada, yada, yada.
That's what I think.
Just another nut's opinion.
Dan Trabue:
I may be a "nut," but I am not a fool. In the future, please quote me properly.
Perhaps spending time reading the gospel of Jesus Christ, as opposed to watching the "gospel" of Monty Python, would serve you well.
Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
Jude 3
- Dan Trabue said...
Those are direct quotes, brother Bud. How did I quote you incorrectly?
And, for the record, I have been studying the Bible for all of my 44 years - and in earnest since I was saved 34 years ago. I don't know that I can study it any more than I've been alive.
You gotta problem with Monty Python? Blasphemy!!
But that's just one Christian nut's opinion.
I'm speaking a bit tongue-in-cheek in all this. I have no problems at all with being concerned that the church doesn't lose her way, that we be wary of being influenced by the culture around us.
But, I see a MUCH (tremendously and infinitely much) greater danger of the church being blinded by corruption, by greed, by the allures of wealth, comfort, nationalism, militarism and consumerism - by all of these sorts of dangers warned of so consistently throughout the Bible - than I do of folk who choose to exercise by twisting themselves up in knots.
I don't, by the way, do yoga. I do walk a lot, though, which was advocated by Gandhi who was, as you know, a Hindu of sorts. But that doesn't mean that I embrace Hinduism.
As Paul noted in his letter to the Phillipians:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Truth is Truth. And if a Hindi or Muslim speaks truth, they speak God's Truth, for there is only one kind of truth. To acknowledge that does not mean that we validate everything about a given faith system. It just means we are acknowledging that which is right, pure, love and admirable as being from God, as is the case.
And, for the record, calling you a "nut" is not necessarily a bad thing, in my book. The world could use some more folk being nutty for Christ. It's just that we should do it in a positive way - walking in Jesus' steps in all that foolishness. Not in holding the church up for ridicule by attacking something as benign as Yoga.
So, apologies for the nut comment. It was brash and not serious.
No apologies though, for holding this concern about yoga up for ridicule. 'tis a bit silly.
On the upside, I think it's cool that an organization such as yours is stopping in at places such as this. Way to be out there!
"Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!"
-Monty Python
- Stresspenguin said...
The same could be asked of any other Asian martial art--hard of soft. Are we talking about pragmatic Americanized yoga, tai chi, kung fu, etc.? Or are we talking about native forms which are intricately tied into the indigenous religious belief systems of the regions of the origin?
I just realized that whenever you ask a question on your blog, John, I tend comment with a slew of further questions.
nathan mattox:
nathan wrote: "If yoga is the way people are getting their bodies into worship, then hooray yoga."
If this were true, what about a "hooray" for Christian Astrology? Christian Kabbalah? Christian New Age? Christian Psychic? Christian Shamanism? Christian Reincarnation? Christian Tai Chi? Christian Wicca? Christian Witchcraft? Christian Zen Buddhism? Christian Mormonism? and Christian Jehovah's Witnesses?
All of these are valid forms of "worship" only because people say they are valid. But the God of the Bible says just the opposite.
nathan wrote: "If you think Christianity hasn't borrowed from other religions from the start (Acts 17:28), then you need to look a little more closely."
When Acts 17 is read in context, we find an entirely different story. The Apostle Paul was preaching to pagans, who worshipped man-made false gods. Paul calls their worship "ignorance" (verse 23). Therefore, Paul "borrowed" nothing, but quoted from their poets. And, in Acts 17:34, we find that some of the men Paul witnessed to became believers.
nathan wrote: "I practiced yoga for awhile and it is great exercise. I felt rejuvenated after doing it. There is no 'worshipping Hindu gods,' or whatever. I'm sure you could find a yoga practice that offers that, but most in this country don't."
Contrary to popular belief, Yoga and its postures ARE specifically designed to worship the Hindu gods. To prove this point, permit me to recommend the following book and article:
"Yoga and The Body of Christ" by Dave Hunt
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/SBCYoga.htm ("Southern Baptist 'Kids' Bowing To Yoga").
nathan wrote: "The paths of yoga are profound and worth looking into. Maybe, as Christians, we'll learn something."
Being a Christian includes trusting in Jesus Christ and relying on God's holy word as the final authority. While the Bible doesn't mention the word "Yoga," it does warn the believer to stay completely away from pagan practices and those who promote them:
"For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners" (Isaiah 2:6).
"But they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them" (Psalm 106:35-36).
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
Yoga (and other forms of the New Age Movement), is designed to draw the believer away from the real Jesus Christ into the web of the counterfeit (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
Nathan, while I love you in Christ, you are misleading innocent Christians and causing them to stumble. Jesus Christ delivered a sober warning to those who cause the innocent to stumble:
"It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble" (Luke 17:1-2).
In Christian love,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
Jude 3
- Dan Trabue said...
But brother Bud, could it not be YOU that is misleading folk, causing them to stumble? From where I stand, that would seem to be the case.
It seems to me that we must differentiate between cultural and other influences that would tend to draw folk away from God - "Christian" militarism, "Christian" consumerism, for examples - and keep way clear of those things... and other influences that are part of being in this diverse world that don't draw folk away from God - and I have seen nor read anything to suggest that Yoga does this - and not make ourselves fools for being afraid of walking or exercise or meditation because some in other faith traditions also do them.
So, again, I agree fully - let's be wary of that which can draw us away from Christian teachings, BUT let's not embarass ourselves by seeing paganism behind every burning bush.
Dan Trabue:
Dan wrote: "Those are direct quotes, brother Bud. How did I quote you incorrectly?"
When I wrote, "please quote me properly," I was referring to my Letter to John MacArthur and his stating:
"Well that would depend on how the yoga is conducted. If it's just purely exercise, and you're a strong Christian, it probably wouldn't have any impact on your faith."
While MacArthur DID speak out against Yoga, his statement caused confusion and controversy. I should have been more specific.
And, I took no offense at your calling me a "nut." But since you mentioned it, I guess I am a "nut" for Jesus Christ, so to say. I love Him with all my heart and soul, and can't wait to see Him and fall at His feet and worship Him, and be with Him forever.
So, no apologies necessary.
Dan wrote: "Truth is Truth. And if a Hindi or Muslim speaks truth, they speak God's Truth, for there is only one kind of truth. To acknowledge that does not mean that we validate everything about a given faith system. It just means we are acknowledging that which is right, pure, love and admirable as being from God, as is the case."
This sounds like the "All truth is God's truth" argument, which advocates tolerance for non-Christian religions and seeking common ground with religions such as Hinduism and the Muslim belief. It also advocates playing nicer than God.
But God's word says there is only one God:
"You are My witnesses, declares the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses, declares the LORD, and I am God" (Isaiah 43:10-12).
God plainly says that Christianity is exclusive to all non-Christian religions:
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:4-5).
In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
And to understand God's truths as revealed in the Scriptures, one must be born again (John chapter 3), and have the ability to discern good from evil:
"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
"But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Corinthians 1:20)
Therefore, God's word destroys the "All truth is God's truth" argument.
Does this mean that Christians can fully understand EVERYTHING about God? No, of course not. However, what God has revealed we can understand through a daily, dedicated study of His word:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
And, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20).
Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press
- Dan Trabue said...
Therefore, God's word destroys the "All truth is God's truth" argument.
? How so?
You offered up some verses suggesting that there's one God and that we can know God. With which I agree heartily.
But it still remains that the only Truth out there is God's Truth, which is what I stated. I feel certain you agree, right?
So, if a Hindi states that we ought to love our neighbors, or even love our enemies, that Hindi is speaking God's Truth, yes?
Gandhi has said:
Hate the sin, love the sinner.
It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
These are all Truth, wouldn't you think? God's Truth? Should we eschew these teachings because they came from a peace-loving Hindu nut?
And, if a Christian uses some exercise and meditation forms used by Hindis, too, how does that take away from God's Truth or following in God's Way?
We need not fear agreeing with other religions on those points that the Others have correct. And we sure don't need to fear practicing Yoga - which for most US practitioners I'm relatively certain has NOTHING to do with Hinduism - merely because it is a method used by Hindus.
We ought to seek after whatsoever things are good, noble, true, etc. If they coincide with another religion, they remain good, noble and true. It's those practices (oppression, child sacrifice, genocide, etc) that are encouraged by those outside the Christian faith that we need to distance ourselves from.
I'm just not getting the reason behind distancing ourselves from good things just because they have a connection to another faith tradition. I don't think that is a biblical concept.
Dan Trabue:
Dan wrote: "But brother Bud, could it not be YOU that is misleading folk, causing them to stumble? From where I stand, that would seem to be the case."
Shall I thank you for answering for nathan mattox? Nevertheless, "misleading folk" and "causing them to stumble" suggests my being ignorant of Scripture and/or the proper application and interpretation thereof. While I have never claimed to be a Bible theologian, I allow the Scripture to speak for itself.
You are correct: "cultural and other influences" do "draw folk away from God." In many ways, that is what they are designed to do. But does this pertain to Yoga? You better believe it does.
Show me one Hindu guru who elevates Jesus Christ over-and-above his gods, and proclaims God's word, the Bible, over-and-above his teachings and writings and as his ultimate authority.
Please allow me to save you the time. There isn't one. While many Hindu gurus recognize Jesus Christ as "a good man" or "a great prophet" or "one god in a pantheon of gods," they flat-out deny that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. Of course, the same is true for all non-Christian religions.
The God of the Bible is exclusive to all other man-made gods. God's word is exclusive to all other man-made religious writings. Jesus Christ is exclusive to all of the counterfeits.
Dan wrote: "...let's be wary of that which can draw us away from Christian teachings, BUT let's not embarass ourselves by seeing paganism behind every burning bush."
I agree. I am not embarassed in the least, due to the fact that I have never seen "paganism behind every burning bush," or demons behind every tree.
However, demonic activity runs rampant throughout Hinduism. And what is the goal of Yoga? Self-realization:
"Honor your Self, Worship your Self, Meditate on your Self, God dwells within you as you" (Swami Muktananda, 1908-1982).
Within Hinduism, there is no need to worship the God of the Bible, because you, according to Hinduism, are "God."
Dan wrote: "...and other influences that are part of being in this diverse world that don't draw folk away from God - and I have seen nor read anything to suggest that Yoga does this"
Teaching and convincing a precious soul for whom Christ died for that he or she is "God" is overshadowed by a demonic influence that is designed to draw them away from the true God of the Bible.
"He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9).
Now you know... ;)
Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press
Dan Trabue:
Instead of confusing you with the facts, please allow me to put things in terms all of us can understand.
I, as others within the apologetics/cult-evangelism camp, have conducted extensive research on Benny Hinn, who I consider to be the most prolific false prophet and false teacher of our day.
Despite Hinn's heresies, false prophecies, and false healings, he is adored and even idolized by untold numbers of professing Christians worldwide.
Why? Why is it that despite the irrefutable documentation, do people go goo-goo and ga-ga over Benny Hinn and virtually trample themselves to be the first in line in his crusades?
God said it first:
"But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron" (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
Although God's word is first and foremost, another thing to consider is the subtle conditioning process:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
For years, many Christians have been conditioned to accept anything that comes down the pike--no matter how far-out or ridiculous. Part of that conditioning process is to lift-up, admire and adore false prophets, downplay their false prophecies with a grin and shrug, brush the false prophecies off as simple mistakes, then concentrate on "all of the good things" the false prophet does.
This is extremely dangerous territory for the Christian to be wandering around in. It opens the door wide open for the acceptance of all forms of deception, and shuts the door on Scriptural commands to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21); test the spirits (1 John 4:1); defend the faith (Jude 3), and proper interpretation of the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15).
Indeed, in and of itself, the term "Christian Yoga" should cause red flags of discernment, and be a term to be rejected immediately. This is why Christians must handle the word of God delicately and with the utmost respect, as opposed to relying on their feelings and emotions:
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).
The world is filled with a giant circus tent full of false prophets, false teachers, and con artists, all of whom--in some way, shape, or form--get their foot into the Christian church by using the name of God.
Of them, Jesus said we would know them by their "fruits." Of them, Jesus will say, "I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matthew chapter 7).
In summary, and to return to the original issue, John MacArthur was wrong in stating that if Yoga is used as "...just purely exercise, and you're a strong Christian, it probably wouldn't have any impact on your faith."
Was it a slip-of-the-tongue, is he simply confused, or is that what he really believes? Only John MacArthur can answer those questions. Whatever the case may be, God has already spoken, and has commanded Christians to:
"Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but expose them" (Ephesians 5:11).
I highly recommend Dave Hunt's book, "Yoga and The Body of Christ," and Caryl Matrisciana's DVD, "Yoga Uncoiled: from East to West".
Finally, I appreciate being given the opportunity to express my concerns and the truths of God's word on Locusts & Honey blog.
Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
Jude 3
- Dan Trabue said...
And so I still wonder: Should we refuse to acknowledge Truth - God's Truth - even when it is spoken by an Other? Should we reject wisdom and beauty and grace if it is offered by a Hindu or a Muslim?
Shall we call that Truth and wisdom and grace "evil," merely because it comes from another faith tradition? Or does God's truth remain God's truth no matter who speaks it?
[and on a positive side, I'm aware of CRS work debunking Benny Hinn, who is much in need of debunking, and for that, I'm grateful. That Benny is a nut, too...and of the worst sort.]
- Dan Trabue said...
My answer to my own question is, No, we ought not refuse to see beauty, goodness, grace and wisdom just because it has sprung forth from a non-Christian tradition. God forbid!
If we reject God's truth, well, then we're rejecting God's truth. And that would be wrong.
- tom ream said...
Dan...thank for being (imho) a voice of reason in this discussion. I was looking on youtube at another video:
In this video, the speak makes a very good analogy to eucharist. He asks if every time someone sits down to a meal that includes bread and wine (whether they are Christian or not) are they partaking of the Eucharist? I hope the obvious answer for folks is 'No.' For those who profess faith in Christ, to gather at the Lord's table and partake of the same elements is to celebrate Christ real presence with us and to believe that in some way God is imparting His grace through the bread and wine. By the same token, for devote Hindu yoga practicioners, there is a religious component to yoga for them. For many people, it is an opportunity to engage in a low impact activity that has proven health benefits. I've had parishioners ask me about this and I tell them if there are seeking enlightenment, oneness with the universe or whatever it is that Hindus are seeking they are stepping outside the bounds of the Christian faith. If on the other hand they are looking to find some relief for their arthritic joints then have at it.
It troubles me as well that so much energy is put into the condemning of activities that by and large are benign. To me it seems to be the kind of thing that Jesus was referring to in Matthew 23:4 when he talked about, 'They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders.'
With so many real problems in this world that need addressed, I'd like to see the time and energy used in better ways than debating if Christians should be honoring God by taking care of the temple of their body with an exercise that just happened to have been developed in the East.
My two cents to the debate.
- John said...
As someone who has actually bowed down before Hindu idols (long before I was a Christian and it's a long, strange story involving a Hindu ex-girlfriend who was maddeningly passive-aggressive), I can tell you that I was unaware that at the same time that I kneeled before an idol of Shiva, that I was engaging in yoga.
Dan's been doing some good arguing in this thread and properly states that a good idea doesn't become a bad idea just because it's advocated by a nonChristian. Example: you like the U.S. Constitution? One of its principle authors was Thomas Jefferson, a nonChristian.
Bud Press is here! I am delighted to have such a leading personage on my humble blog -- even though I am reflexively distrustful of anyone who writes scornfully of Monty Python. Bud has argued that no Hindu guru elevates Christ, or expresses God's truth as it is in the Bible. True. But are the statements of Hindus inherently wrong because they are Hindu? Were the Gandhi quotes that Dan listed incorrect?
As for yoga, it is as Hindu as a Christmas tree is pagan, and just as spiritually dangerous.
John wrote:
"Bud Press is here! I am delighted to have such a leading personage on my humble blog -- even though I am reflexively distrustful of anyone who writes scornfully of Monty Python. Bud has argued that no Hindu guru elevates Christ, or expresses God's truth as it is in the Bible. True. But are the statements of Hindus inherently wrong because they are Hindu? Were the Gandhi quotes that Dan listed incorrect?"
Thank you, John. Although I am nothing and Jesus Christ is everything, I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to express my views.
And I am glad to learn you no longer participate in Yoga.
You asked, "But are the statements of Hindus inherently wrong because they are Hindu? Were the Gandhi quotes that Dan listed incorrect?"
Please permit me to begin with the following Scriptures:
"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully" (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:6-9).
With the Scriptures in mind, obviously, if a Hindu states that the Cascade mountains in Idaho are beautiful in the winter, who would disagree? Not me.
On the other hand, if a Hindu states that becoming one with Brahman and reaching nirvana to escape reincarnation is the best way to go, who would disagree? Me.
Who would disagree if a Hindu rejects Hinduism and its gods, receives Jesus Christ as Savior, and proclaims the God of the Bible? Again, not me. I would embrace him as a brother in Christ and fellowship with him. The same applies to a Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, etc.
So, "But are the statements of Hindus inherently wrong because they are Hindu?" It depends on the subject of discussion. If we are talking about the beauty of a mountain--no problem. But if we are talking about the differences between the Hindu gods and the God of the Bible, we are going to disagree.
To the Christian, God and Jesus means something entirely different than to the Hindu, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, and Buddhist. And this is exactly what the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to point out to the church.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and Galatians chapter 1, Paul warned of the false teachers that roam the landscape preaching a counterfeit "Jesus," which is always followed by a counterfeit "gospel" and "spirit."
And those who preach a counterfeit gospel are under a divine curse ("anathema," Galatians 1:6-9).
Therefore, those who promote beliefs that are contrary to Christianity are doomed to spend their eternity in hell, forever separated from God.
Sound harsh? Read what Jesus, Himself, said in Matthew 13:42; Matthew 25:41; and Revelation 20:15, which teaches,
"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Still sound harsh? Study Matthew chapter 23, where Jesus used the terms "serpents" and "brood of vipers" (NASB) to describe some of the hypocrites of His day.
Therefore, discussing the beauty of a mountain with a Hindu (or the late Mahatma Gandhi), would be one thing. But when the discussion turns to views, opinions, and personal beliefs about one's spiritual and eternal welfare, the God of the Bible has already spoken. This is serious business, and Christians need to take it serious.
Thanks, John. I hope this answers your questions.
In Christ,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
Jude 3
And speaking of Doug Pagitt, you may be interested in reading the following article:
"Emerging Church Leader, Doug Pagitt, Dropped from Southern Baptist Conference" at
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/SBCandDougPagitt.htm .
--Bud Press
- Nathan Mattox said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Nathan Mattox said...
"The one thing that I resolved to use every possible means of preventing was a narrowness of spirit, a party zeal, a being straightened in our own bowels--that miserable bigotry that makes so many unready to believe that there is any work of God except among themselves."
~John Wesley, "A Plain Account of the People Called Methodists," in "Works," VIII, p. 257


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2006 Caddy XLR -V - 55K Miles - Very Nice
This is American luxury hi-performance at its best. The V Series Cadillac was a comfortable competitor to the worlds most famous exotics such as the BMW M5, Jaguar XKR-S, Ferrari 360, Mercedes SL63 AMG, Nissan GT-R, and the Porsche 911 GT2. This Caddy is a 2 owner Carolina car with only 55K miles on it. It has always been garage kept. The color is the beautiful Infrared . It has just had a new set of Pirelli tires installed. It is loads of fun to drive, the power is unbelievable especially from a Caddy. There were only 3,203 SLRVs built in 2006 so they will be a safe investment for years to come. Here is a little tech info on the SLRV: The engine is a special casted 4.4 L Northstar V8 - 32 valve with a GM Roots-type Eaton built Super Charged that produces 443 hp @ 6400 rpm and 414 lbft @3900 rpm Special features include a 6-speed Automatic trans, larger brakes from the Z51 Corvette, and 19 x 8.5 inch wheels with Pirelli run-flats, retractable hardtop convertible, a unique mesh grille, supercharged badges, and four shiny tailpipes that tell everyone this Cadillac is not your average Caddy. The XLR-V was a quite expensive car in 2006 with a base price tag of $98,000. $45,000
P O Box 458 | 920 Inman Rd | Wellford, SC 29385 | (864) 439-0041 |


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San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers news, rumors and injuries
49ers | Tank Carradine expected back this week
Wed, 22 Nov 2017 22:05:36 -0800
San Francisco 49ers DE Tank Carradine (ankle) is expected to be activated from the reserve/injured list later this week, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner.
Comment () | Share: | Source: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
49ers | Wednesday practice report for 49ers
Wed, 22 Nov 2017 17:05:55 -0800
San Francisco 49ers S Adrian Colbert (thumb), LB Elvis Dumervil (non-injury) and OT Joe Staley (non-injury) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 22. RB Raheem Mostert (shoulder), WR Trent Taylor (ribs) and DE Solomon Thomas (knee) were limited during practice. DT D.J. Jones (shoulder), LB Elijah Lee (knee) and FS Eric Reid (knee) fully participated in practice.
Comment () | Share: | Source: 49ers.com
Wed, 22 Nov 2017 17:00:47 -0800
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle (ankle) was limited during practice Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Fantasy Tip: Kittle has had a solid role in the passing game this season but has been held to under 30 yards in each of his last three games. Owners in all leagues should be able to find better options and can avoid Kittle.
Comment () | Share: | Source: 49ers.com
49ers | San Francisco adds Cassius Marsh
Wed, 22 Nov 2017 16:16:56 -0800
The San Francisco 49ers claimed DE Cassius Marsh off waivers from the New England Patriots Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Comment () | Share: | Source: NFL
49ers | C.J. Beathard remains starter
Wed, 22 Nov 2017 13:00:10 -0800
San Francisco 49ers QB C.J. Beathard will start Week 12 over QB Jimmy Garoppolo, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Fantasy Tip: Beathard has actually played really well from a fantasy perspective. His running ability has made him a valuable commodity and a fantasy asset. That being said, he's not a recommended start versus the Seattle Seahawks this weekend.
Comment () | Share: | Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
49ers | San Francisco cut ties with Datone Jones
Tue, 21 Nov 2017 09:49:29 -0800
San Francisco 49ers DL Datone Jones was waived Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Comment () | Share: | Source: Sacramento Bee - Matt Barrows
49ers | San Francisco claims Sheldon Day
Mon, 20 Nov 2017 14:31:22 -0800
The San Francisco 49ers claimed DT Sheldon Day off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars Monday, Nov. 20.
Comment () | Share: | Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Matt Maiocco
49ers | C.J. Beathard thriving of late
Tue, 14 Nov 2017 16:31:56 -0800
San Francisco 49ers QB C.J. Beathard is sixth in the NFL among quarterbacks over the last three weeks with 749 passing yards. In that same span he is fifth with 71 rushing yards and has added two rushing touchdowns.
Fantasy Tip: Beathard has, believe it or not, been an elite fantasy quarterback over his last three games. He is the No. 4 fantasy quarterback in that span, averaging 273 total yards and 1.6 total touchdowns. Needless to say, he is a viable starter following the 49ers' Week 11 bye.
Comment () | Share: | Source: USA TODAY Fantasy Sports
49ers | Adrian Colbert having surgery
Tue, 14 Nov 2017 07:34:00 -0800
San Francisco 49ers S Adrian Colbert (thumb) will have surgery on his thumb Tuesday, Nov. 14, and he'll be questionable for the Nov. 26 game after the bye.
Comment () | Share: | Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Matt Maiocco
49ers | Adrian Colbert has broken thumb
Mon, 13 Nov 2017 18:25:05 -0800
San Francisco 49ers S Adrian Colbert (thumb) suffered a broken thumb on one of the first plays of the game during the team's Week 10 matchup Sunday, Nov. 12, against the New York Giants. He was able to finish the game but he may be out "a little while."
Comment () | Share: | Source: NinersNation.com - Jennifer Lee Chan
49ers | San Francisco undecided about quarterback
Mon, 13 Nov 2017 10:16:25 -0800
San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo will remain around the team facility during the club's Week 11 bye in order to learn as much about the offense as possible from head coach Kyle Shanahan, who suggested he does not have a plan yet when it comes to naming a starting quarterback for Week 12 against the Seattle Seahawks. "I'm going to continue to work with Jimmy over the bye week, here and there. … We'll get a bonus practice next Monday (Nov. 20) … and we'll see where it goes from there. Then we'll start the evaluation Wednesday (Nov. 22), Thursday, Friday. But it's not just about (C.J. Beathard). It's not just about Jimmy. There's a lot of things that go into it," Shanahan said.
Fantasy Tip: The 49ers might be feeling the euphoria of winning their first game of the season Sunday, but it would seem unwise to roll with Garoppolo in an offense he is far from mastering with a lackluster supporting cast before they have to do so. While Shanahan probably needs to make sure Garoppolo gets some starts before the end of the season, it would probably be for the best if he didn't have to make his debut against Seattle's defense.
Comment () | Share: | Source: NBC Sports Bay Area - Matt Maiocco
49ers | Matt Breida rips off long touchdown
Sun, 12 Nov 2017 20:10:04 -0800
San Francisco 49ers RB Matt Breida rushed nine times for 55 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 against the New York Giants and he added one grab for three yards.
Fantasy Tip: Breida put the finishing touches on a 31-21 win with his fourth-quarter 33-yard touchdown run. Before that he hadn't done very much. He remains more of a depth fantasy option just in case one of your starters get hurt.
Comment () | Share: | Source: The Associated Press
49ers | Garrett Celek posts 67 yards, TD
Sun, 12 Nov 2017 20:09:30 -0800
San Francisco 49ers TE Garrett Celek posted four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown on six targets in Week 10 against the New York Giants.
Fantasy Tip: Celek has been getting more involved lately and is jelling nicely with C.J. Beathard. However, he'll need to do this more regularly to re-emerge as a fantasy option. There might not be enough time this season for that to happen.
Comment () | Share: | Source: The Associated Press
49ers | One big play for Marquise Goodwin
Sun, 12 Nov 2017 20:09:00 -0800
San Francisco 49ers WR Marquise Goodwin finished with one grab for 83 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 against the New York Giants on his two targets.
Fantasy Tip: Goodwin had an emotional time after the big touchdown, which came just hours after he and his wife lost their newborn baby son due to pregnancy complications.
Comment () | Share: | Source: The Associated Press
49ers | Carlos Hyde just misses 100 yards
Sun, 12 Nov 2017 20:08:21 -0800
San Francisco 49ers RB Carlos Hyde rushed 17 times for 98 yards in Week 10 against the New York Giants and he added six yards on two catches.
Fantasy Tip: The yardage total was his highest since Week 2 in Seattle when he had his only 100-yard performance of the season. Still, remains more of a RB2 in most fantasy formats. The 49ers are off in Week 11.
Comment () | Share: | Source: The Associated Press
KFFL: Sports Link of the Day
San Francisco 49ers Player News


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The objective of the LMU National Alumni Association shall be to foster a desire on the part of graduates and former students to promote the growth and development of Lincoln Memorial University; to serve as good will ambassadors for the university, to assist in the growth of the university through financial aid, student recruitment, and/or other volunteerism; to provide information to alumni and friends; and to increase involvement in academic and financial support of the LMU campus and surrounding communities.
Elections are held during homecoming each fall. Nominations should be submitted to the Office of Alumni Services or by phone at 423.869.6353.
2017-2018 Alumni Board Officers
Cynthia S. Peters '72
Kingsport, TN
1st Vice President
Dr. Gary McCann '95
Rose Hill, VA
2nd Vice President
Dr. Wandaleen Adams '07
Jonesville, VA
Summer Widner '03
Clinton, TN
Rep. to the Board of Trustees
Sherrie Nevils Claiborne '69
Harrogate, TN
Judy Hounshell '69
Rose Hill, VA
Jerry Loftice '71
Commerce, GA
Okie Wolfe
Harrogate, TN
Gary Giles '76
Spring, TX
LMU-DCOM Representative
Dr. David Heath '03, '11
Canton, OH
LMU-DSOL Representative
Adam Bullock JD '14
Caryville, TN
Graduate Student Rep.
Lacey Carver Massengale '15
Harrogate, TN
Undergraduate Student Rep.
Julia Koogler
Morristown, TN
Past President
Roger Hansard '73
Tazewell, TN


text:
You must put it on attachment
So Mystical released the cource a while ago.
Since I'm lazy to continue this stuff I'll just open the source to public:
If you have a subversion client, like TortoiseSVN just checkout the link above.
You must put it on attachment
its not working bro.
blame mystical D:
You know the rules, post virus scan for each of the items.


text:
Legacy of Blood Trailer (1978)
"Think of your worst nightmare... It's about to happen again!" 05 May 1978 Horror 82 mins
Horror movie about three wicked sisters and their equally unsavory husbands who all arrive at a remote inn where they mean to attend the reading of their uncle's will. One by one, the heirs are dispatched by an unknown killer.
Watch the official Legacy of Blood 1978 trailer in HD below or find more Legacy of Blood videos on Vidimovie.


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Unified Operation Arrow headquarters team to bolster jamboree experience
In addition to Operation Arrow's primary program areas, the Order of the Arrow will enhance the overall jamboree experience with small recreation, program, administrative services, Summit Center exhibit, aerial sports and non-emergency medical transportation staffs.
As part of our unified headquarters team integrating programming and logistics, the recreation, program and administrative services teams will work alongside one another on a myriad of projects and tasks vital to the daily success of Operation Arrow. The responsibilities of these teams include:
- Recreation will support jamboree staff, international Scouts, Explorer and Venturing participants in managing nightly activities and entertainment in Basecamp Echo
- Program will enrich the OA staff experience through staff socials, daily communications efforts, gatherings, as well as reflections that emphasize our commitment to service
- Administrative Services will provide behind the scenes support managing logistics to ensure the entire OA team is running smoothly on a day-to-day basis
Indeed, the organized coordination of these three integral teams will both cultivate a unique staffing experience and interaction with the broader jamboree program. As next summer approaches, staff members should expect to learn more about the internal staff program and how the headquarters team will strengthen their jamboree experience.
We look forward to serving with you as we #FuelScoutingsAdventure in 2017!
Last revised on


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We are at the show in New York and are really excited about the positive response we are receiving! We have an amazing line of solution bras and accessories, including a complete Full Figure Assortment. New and noteable this month – our Strapless U-Plunge Bra. Featuring a seamless, plunging neckline and mesh styling, this could be our sexiest bra yet! Come see it in person, or ask us for details. Interested in talking to a representative? It's not too late! Book your appointment today, or stop by our booth for more information.
Email us at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Check out our booth: No. 513
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Howto Raytracer: Ray / Plane Intersection Theory
In this tutorial I will derive how to calculate the intersection of a ray and a plane.
As already stated in my ray / sphere intersection howto, a ray can be represented by a point on the ray and the ray's direction : . The set of all points on the ray is then given by:
Similarly, a plane can be represented by a point on the plane and by its normal . So how do we characterize the points on a plane? The main insight is that given any two points on the plane, the vector from to , i.e. , lies itself inside the plane and is thus by definition of the plane's normal perpendicular to it. To check for perpendicularity, we check if the dot product is . The set of the plane's points is then given by
To find the intersection of the ray and the plane now, we have to find the points that are in both sets. So we check if a point on the ray also fullfills the plane equation:
So we just calculate , plug it back in the ray's equation and end up with the hit point, unless the denominator is in which case there is no intersection. Geometrically this corresponds to the ray and the plane being parallel.
Here's some sample code that implements this collision test:
public override RayTracer.HitInfo Intersect(Ray ray)
RayTracer.HitInfo info = new RayTracer.HitInfo();
Vector3 d = ray.direction;
float denominator = Vector3.Dot(d, normal);
if (Mathf.Abs(denominator) < Mathf.Epsilon) return info; // direction and plane parallel, no intersection
float t = Vector3.Dot(center - ray.origin, normal) / denominator;
if (t < 0) return info; // plane behind ray's origin
info.time = t;
info.hitPoint = ray.GetPoint(t);
info.normal = normal;
return info;
All in all, ray / plane intersection is rather easy if you 're working with inifinitely long planes. If your planes have a width and height, it gets drastically more complicated using just a normal to represent a plane, because this representation is ambiguous to rotations around the normal. However for planes with finite width/height this orientation is important and you would be better suited representing the plane by the (orthogonal) vectors that span it.


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Traveling Luck for Adair Chapel, Alabama, United States
Where is Adair Chapel?What's around Adair Chapel?
Wikipedia near Adair Chapel
Where to stay near Adair Chapel
The timezone in Adair Chapel is America/Iqaluit
Sunrise at 08:29 and Sunset at 18:41. It's Dark
Latitude. 34.1528°, Longitude. -87.2961°
Weather near Adair Chapel; Report from Haleyville, Posey Field Airport, AL 40.4km away
Weather :
Temperature: 0°C / 32°F
Wind: 3.5km/h North
Cloud: Sky Clear
Weather :
Temperature: 0°C / 32°F
Wind: 3.5km/h North
Cloud: Sky Clear
Satellite map around Adair Chapel
Loading map of Adair Chapel and it's surroudings
Geographic features & Photographs around Adair Chapel, in Alabama, United States
- stream;
- a body of running water moving to a lower level in a channel on land.
- Bull Branch (1.2km)
- Penitentiary Branch (2.5km)
- Cane Creek (3.1km)
- Mill Creek (3.5km)
- Alford Spring Branch (4.6km)
- Buck Branch (5.2km)
- Hullett Branch (5.6km)
- Mile Creek (6.4km)
- Brindley Branch (6.5km)
- Grindstone Creek (6.8km)
- Sandy Creek (7.9km)
- North Creek (7.9km)
- Glover Creek (8km)
- Inman Creek (8.3km)
- Rockhouse Creek (8.6km)
- Hoghouse Creek (9km)
- Cow Creek (9.2km)
- Chimney Branch (9.2km)
- Slipoff Branch (9.2km)
- Curtis Mill Creek (9.6km)
- Yellow Creek (10km)
- Burns Branch (10km)
- Farley Branch (10.1km)
- Local Feature;
- A Nearby feature worthy of being marked on a map..
- Adair Chapel (0km)
- Barnett Chapel (2.7km)
- Beasley Bend (3.3km)
- Natural Bridge Recreation Area (3.9km)
- Houston Recreation Site (4km)
- Corinth Recreation Area (7.3km)
- Wilburns Mill (historical) (7.9km)
- Horseshoe Bend (8.6km)
- Partridges Mill (historical) (9.2km)
- Slick Ford (9.8km)
- Moody Bend (10.4km)
- Coles Mill (historical) (10.5km)
- church;
- a building for public Christian worship.
- Memorial Church (4.6km)
- Houston Church (4.7km)
- Houston Union Church (4.7km)
- Corinth Church (6.3km)
- Pine Grove Church (6.6km)
- Pleasant Hill Church (7.8km)
- Fairview Church (8km)
- cemetery;
- a burial place or ground.
- Williams Chapel Cemetery (5.2km)
- Pisgah Cemetery (6.1km)
- Old Houston Cemetery (7.3km)
- Avery Cemetery (9.5km)
- Curtis Cemetery (10.2km)
- school;
- building(s) where instruction in one or more branches of knowledge takes place.
- Barnett School (historical) (2.8km)
- Centerdale School (historical) (6km)
- Holly Grove School (historical) (7km)
- Pleasant Hill School (historical) (7.7km)
- populated place;
- a city, town, village, or other agglomeration of buildings where people live and work.
- Barnett Chapel (1.4km)
- Houston (4.7km)
- Fairview (7.4km)
- airport;
- a place where aircraft regularly land and take off, with runways, navigational aids, and major facilities for the commercial handling of passengers and cargo.
- building(s);
- a structure built for permanent use, as a house, factory, etc..
- Fairview Work Center (8.5km)
- post office;
- a public building in which mail is received, sorted and distributed.
- Houston Post Office (4.8km)
- dam;
- a barrier constructed across a stream to impound water.
- Lake Galoria Dam (10.2km)
- reservoir(s);
- an artificial pond or lake.
- Lake Galoria (10.2km)
- forest(s);
- an area dominated by tree vegetation.
- second-order administrative division;
- a subdivision of a first-order administrative division.
- Winston County (8.3km)
Wikipedia entries close to
Adair Chapel
- Winston County (Alabama) adm2nd adm2nd
- Double Springs, Alabama city city o
- Arley, Alabama city city o
- Addison, Alabama city city o
- Nauvoo, Alabama city city o
- Lynn, Alabama city city o
- Delmar, Alabama city city o
- Natural Bridge, Alabama city city o
- Haleyville, Alabama city city o
- West Point, Alabama city city o
- Jasper (Alabama) city city i
- Bremen (Alabama) city city m
- Carbon Hill, Alabama city city o
- Moulton, Alabama city city o
- Kansas, Alabama city city o
- Walker County (Alabama) adm2nd adm2nd
Airports close to Adair Chapel
Redstone aaf(HUA), Redstone, Usa (102.8km)
Birmingham international(BHM), Birmingham, Usa (105.3km)
Columbus afb(CBM), Colombus, Usa (153.3km)
Anniston metropolitan(ANB), Anniston, Usa (187.6km)
Mc kellar sipes rgnl(MKL), Jackson, Usa (276km)


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Strangely Warm
Published by NarcissusShrugged in the blog NarcissusShrugged's blog. Views: 144
It was actually hot here today in Minneapolis. Normally in early October, I'm thinking about the arctic air that will dip south to spend its winter vacation draped around me, along with its brood: snow, slush, the amnesia that seemingly only attacks the winter driving abilities of unprepared Minnesotans, myself included — lulled into complacency by fickle summer; unwelcome but familiar visitors.
The Twins had lost once again, tossed from the playoffs with a bare whimper the night before, all too compliant victims in yet another three-game post-season sweep. It was a sad, sudden but not unexpected turn of events. The bums were getting used to being flicked off to irrelevance -- like a dried out booger from the finger of a giant, or a Yankee. I was beginning to grow used to it as well.
Serious questions would need to be addressed this off-season., and I knew I would follow them in the papers. I used to have a few friends that liked to talk hot-stove league on snowy days in December, but not so much now.
I had run down to Cub to pick up some few things. On my way home, I drove past a small throng of people in a parking lot nestled between a storefront and a post office, both normally closed on Sundays. It looked every bit like a small street fair that had suddenly, inexplicably popped into existence out of the thin, warm fall air.
Vaguely aware of it being Sunday, I at first thought of a church rummage sale, although I'm not sure why. Needing to be nowhere special, on a whim I turned two blocks past and drove around the street behind. All parking spaces on both sides of the block were filled. I felt a twinge of resentment at having to perhaps walk so far, before I realized how ridiculous that was. It wasn't winter yet, after all. I wheeled around and tried the block the side opposite of the street the throng had gathered on.
Now only a mile or so away from my house, I drove past nevertheless unfamiliar storefronts. A small restaurant promised hot tacos and Dos Equis beer inside. A smiling pepper wearing a sombrero and a Pancho Villa moustache waved a white gloved hand cheerfully from the window. In the other hand he held a soaped picket sign guaranteeing me freshness.
Across the street from the taco place a black man in a black tie and a pressed white shirt held open a large oak door for a woman, bent and frail with age, who had somehow managed to climb the flight of concrete steps leading to it. I knew without seeing a sign it was a church and realized, despite its proximity to my home, I had never seen the church before, had never even been down this street before.
There was suddenly, happily, a parking spot up the far side of the street opposite the crowd that had first caught my attention, and I took it. A few smiling young families; yuppies and hippies alike, walked happily up and down the sidewalk, in and out of the deserted parking lot turned bustling marketplace, baskets in some hands, hempen bags in others.
I'm not sure how I'd missed it before, having lived in the neighborhood for the past year and some odd months. But I had.
I crossed the busy street and walked in, stopping at the first stand I saw. There a cheerful, rawboned woman was holding court over a booth decorated with posters that proudly extolled the virtues of Wisconsin. She was busily explaining the many health benefits of cheese to two young women, who seemed wrapped in awe and who nodded in agreement whenever prompted.
Cheese, raw milk cheese, a sign promised me it was cave aged. I remembered writing a paper on the subject back in an introductory class at the culinary school I have been attending for the past year. I spotted a wedge that looked likely. 10 bucks for a half pound or so chunk, about what you'd pay for really good imported Gruyere around here. She offered me a sample quickly cut from a block with a cheese-smeared knife, almost without looking at me, still involved with her earlier customers.
It was rich and nutty, cream colored on the inside. The flavor growing sharper, the texture firmer the further I got as my teeth slowly marched up to the dark brown rind. It was delicious. I bought the wedge, happy now that I had stopped to investigate, and moved on.
At the next stand over a girl of about 12 stood behind a fold-out banquet table covered with mason jars and bright with colors. Pickles. Peaches, something called krak; a home canned light green and white flecked vegetable puree of some sort.
And there were jams.
Pint jars upon pint jars of brightly colored jam, some dark enough to be almost foreboding Some bright like jewels, some of these even yransparent enough to read a newspaper through. All looking like round glass treasure boxes, vibrant with the preserved summer that lay waiting, trapped inside.
I overspent a bit, I fear. The girl informed me, despite the same information being on a dozen signs behind her as she pushed up her glasses, that the small jars were four dollars, the large jars five. I grabbed 2, 3, 4 pints of jellies. Blackberry, Raspberry, the Strawberry twins; Rhubarb and Pepper. ****. Apple. Golden apple, yellow tinged and opaque - as clear as a thrifty man's lemonade.
7, 8, 9, a red one, a black one, another red. And here… Orange Marmalade, with thin curls of sweet/bitter rind suspended tantalizingly within; and a large jar of peaches - to be turned into pie on a cold winter day sometime soon - to boot.
My arms now quite full, I had my salesgirl's full attention and she began hunting for plastic bags, bonuses the grower had procured by shopping at Cub and Target. We looked at my loot, and decided the bags would not do - even doubled, she wanted to make sure there were no sad scenes involving me, the jellies and the hard macadam of the parking lot market.
She thought hard about our problem a moment or two before deciding I should have a box. Almost nervous, at the weight of her decision, she glanced at her father, or uncle or whoever the man was who stood on the other side of the stand. He was busy with another customer, so she solemnly made up her own mind, ready to defend her decision to allow me one of the cardboard boxes the grower had used to pack his wares in.
Time to settle up. She pulled out her cell phone and hurriedly typed on the keypad, she was excited and telling me how good they all were, especially the raspberry, which she assured me was her personal favorite. 28 dollars she announced. Plus the pickled beans. 33 dollars. I suddenly realized that all I had left was a One Hundred Dollar bill, I asked her if she could break it, half expecting her to be unable, but she looked at me quizzically. A Hundred isn't what it was 30 years ago, I guess.
Weighed down by my booty, I decided to leave, the other stands looked good, but I had two pounds of store bought carrots sitting in the crisper in my fridge at home, I would come back next week for the fresh ones. Sweet, fresh carrots, tasting slightly of loam, ones that hadn't sat in plastic bags in warehouses for the last month or two would be nice, I thought.
Aware that two stands in, I was already bogged down, I turned to leave, suddenly noticing as I did so, there, in the back of the lot, a sign over a large picture of a small fishing boat. The word Alaska clearly visible.
I thought suspiciously of boxes labeled 'Fresh Gulf Shrimp' sitting on flatbeds of trucks. The trucks, with Louisiana plates, were occasional visitors on Midwestern highways. They promised earnestly that the contents of their crates were only three days old despite being slightly ripe with the smell of ammonia.
It was salmon? . But not the weak-orange, farm raised filets I was used to seeing in butcher's cases around town. I had fished salmon with my grandfather on one of the two cross country trips to mountainous Oregon I had taken with my mother and brother as a child.
My grandpa was estranged from all in my family save the three of us, after the hunting death of his son, his youngest child, and the subsequent divorce from my grandmother. All this before I was born.
The fish looked like those fish, hard fought and won by my grandfather, my brother and me.
Salmon alright, its flesh firm and as red as a fire truck. The filets on display, sockeye, I learned, had been caught by the stand's proprietor and flash frozen on the boat by his son. They looked like they might have just been cut from the fish that morning.
I smelled one, he urged me to. Holding a freshly knifed, vacuum-sealed bag under my nose and grinning proudly. "It smells like the ocean" he whispered as if we were part of a conspiracy.
I smelled only the smells of the alley beyond the chain link fence that stood at his back, and ran the length of the small lot.
I smiled and nodded yes, lying. It didn't matter. His word was as good as the fish — it smelled of nothing to me. Like a fresh fish should.
I bought three fresh packages and a smoked one as well, all frozen solid as planks.
I came home giddy, and unpacked my haul. Owen, one of my roommates — this one a small, quite trusting Yorkshire terrier with a fondness for hamburger dills — and I shared a pickled green bean. The smoked salmon thawed in the refrigerator as we munched thoughtfully.
Winter was coming, but the Twins would battle next year.
It was a good day in Minnesota.
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Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor".
Even as the Son of God, as a perfect human being, Jesus would not have been able to accompany his mission of liberation without the presence of the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, upon Him.
Today we have plenty of people trying to liberate themselves and others through the power of their mind, or of the human spirit, or through a political or social philosophy.
We've had classic communism, which has largely proven a failure after taking millions of people down to a very low level and inspiring a lot of war and destruction. Now many are trying Islam, or New Age philosophies, or various forms of humanism. All these philosophies will also prove the be failures in the end also.
The results of these efforts will always fall short of the desired standard, because like it or not, God has made us in such a way that we are in need of His Spirit.
And the Holy Spirit lifts up Jesus Christ and draws people to Him, to recognise the importance of HIS sacrifice for the guilt of our sins and failures.
Without this effective connection with the Creator God through the Holy Spirit and through faith in the Son of God, we are left in the hands of the spirits behind the various counterfeit philosophies and religions in the world today.
These spirits are real and are referred to as "principalities and powers, and spirits of wickedness". People who embrace the occult contact these spirits, as do people who have spiritual experiences through various religions which deny the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for sins.
These spirits are liars, and seek to enslave people, rather than to set them free.
Ironically freedom is not found in independence and separation from God, but in being close to our Creator and united with Him in His purposes for our lives.
The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus to bring people and God together, and He is upon the obedient servants of God today for the same purpose.


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Create Your Own: Custom Paint Deck from Wooden Paint Stirrers
I take a strange sense of pride in saving the paint chips from all of the colors on my wall. They're filed in a home folder, and I can always refer to them when I need to. But this little DIY is a brilliant way to take your paint colors with you in the most accurate way---I'm making one ASAP!
It's always hard to tell exactly what a paint color will look like from a small swatch. That's why you're supposed to test it in a small area first. This little custom paint deck idea from Natty by Design seems to me to be a fantastic way to bring the real paint color with you.
"Natty" (her childhood nickname carried over into her blog) gives a simple step-by-step to assembling a $2 custom swatch book. Simply paint portions of the stir sticks they provide at hardware stores, drill some holes, and use a large binder ring to secure them. It would be simple to include any wallpapers you might have, wood stains or colors, and fabrics you'd like to match.
If you're like me, constantly adding projects to your list and bringing home new ideas for furniture and curtains and anything else imaginable, this is a fantastic and useful tool!
(Images: Natty by Design)


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LawPivot: The Google-Backed, One-Stop Shop for Startup Legal Advice
(Page 2 of 2)
firms of all sizes in and around the Silicon Valley. At this point, all of the lawyers are California State Bar certified and can give advice to companies based in the Golden State, or companies from other states that are dealing with legal issues in California.
Signing up for LawPivot is free for both attorneys and companies until at least the end of March. The company is still trying to figure out what kind of payment model it will use, both for the startups and the lawyers. According to Gupta, they're still debating whether they will charge a subscription or per question for the companies, or if they will charge the lawyers a premium for upgraded profiles or a subscription.
So far, though, the company is in a good spot financially. After bootstrapping initially, LawPivot raised $600,000 a couple of months ago, much of it coming from Google Ventures and angel investors including Allen Morgan, David Austin, and Deep Nishar. Three weeks ago, LawPivot moved into new offices on the Google campus, where Google Ventures has created a kind of incubator for some of its portfolio companies. "We're super excited about that," Gupta says. The Google backing also comes with benefits like PR and product support.
LawPivot isn't the only Q&A site out there—Quora is an obvious example—but because they aren't targeted in the same way that LawPivot is, Gupta doesn't see them as direct competitors. He also points out that the basic LawPivot algorithms matching lawyers to company questions were developed by engineer Steven Kam, who has bachelor's degrees in computer science and economics as well as a law degree. "Our VP of engineering looks at everything from a legal standpoint," he says. "From a product perspective, that's how we differentiate ourselves."
Gupta is pleased with the response so far, both from the startups looking for advice and from the lawyers who have joined the network. He says the company has been getting a lot of positive feedback, particularly from the lawyers, who appreciate how the network allows them to "market themselves in a target crowd by creating robust profiles."
LawPivot may be helping lawyers on its network spend less time in the office working to increase their client lists, but Gupta, who isn't currently practicing, is working as much as ever. "It's a different kind of work," he says. "And I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur."
Trending on Xconomy
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STARmeterSEE RANK
Down 9,788 this week
Jack Stauffer
Jack Stauffer was born on December 3, 1945 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for All My Children (1970), The Young and the Restless (1973) and Alex and the Doberman Gang (1980). See full bio »
Born:in New York City, New York, USA


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Laurie Norton
Listed by Keller Williams Metropolitan - Hooksett
Ready to move right in?? GREAT condition, with many upgrades including (2006) kitchen, bathroom, floors, carpeting, heating system, roof, windows, shed, deck, lighting fixtures and more. GORGEOUS backyard with patio, retaining walls, irrigation, swing set area. 2 bedrooms upstairs with master suite in lower level with walk in closet. Wood Fireplace in Living Room. Well maintained home.
Date Showings Begin:
Delayed Showing: Unknown


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Charitable Scratch Off Cards
Lotto Love
This variant is currently sold out
The first ever scratch off card with a social mission and the only lotto that makes everyone a winner! Make giving back part of everyday gifting with scratch off cards that give charitable gifts.
For every card purchased LottoLove donates to their Non-profit partners to fulfill their social mission of helping people receive: clean water, solar light, nutritious meals or literacy tools.
Each 'Basic Needs' card gives one of the following:
- 3 weeks of clean water
- 4 months of solar light
- 3 sets of literacy tools
- 3 nutritious meals
Cards are 4" x 5.25" and fit great in an A2 card or envelope. All paper & packaging is FSC certified.
About Lotto Love:
Laura Beck, founder of LottoLove, would be lying if she didn't admit that her family was a huge part of the inspiration. Growing up Laura and her family volunteered in Central America. "Giving back was part of our lives at a very young age. We saw what poverty looked like and that memory doesn't go away", says Laura. During Holidays and birthdays it was common to exchange scratch off tickets between family members. Many of them particularly loved giving scratch off's to their Grandmother! It became a family affair as they all watched to see if she won big.In 2012, Laura started Tiny Rebels, a branding shop in New York. Her team has been building brands for several years. Most of the companies are innovative in some way and she has enjoyed creating a visual and written brand for them. Laura wanted to get back to helping people in need and saw an opportunity to use her branding/design experience.
The idea of LottoLove came about on a road trip just after buying two scratch off tickets somewhere off I-95. She spent the rest of the time brainstorming and at the end of the trip the company had a name, LottoLove. Laura is originally from a beautiful, tiny town in Northern Michigan. She graduated from the University of Michigan and Chicago Portfolio School. Currently, she lives in Brooklyn, but her Midwest pride is as strong as ever. The two original and winning scratch off tickets are still on her desk.


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Silvio Berlusconi is sort of like the southern European version of Quagmire from Family Guy: he's so earnest in his sleaziness and profound lack of decorum that there's something almost kind of lovable about his antics, so whenever he says or does something breathtakingly offensive you just kinda wanna chuck him on the chin and go, "Oh… you." There are, however, two main differences between Berlusconi and Quagmire from Family Guy: a) one is real, while the other is a cartoon character, and b), Quagmire did not serve three terms as the prime minister of Italy. These two seemingly marginal, unimportant distinctions must make Italians pretty damn relieved that Berlusconi is no longer in power when he's quoted saying things like, "girls… women are by nature exhibitionists" while on trial for his infamous "bunga bunga" parties.
While making a rare appearance at his trial last Friday, the former Italian prime minister/unofficial spokesperson for middle-aged man-bronzer argued that the strippers dressed as nuns who allegedly frequented his lavish sex parties (a detail that emerged from the trial earlier this week) couldn't help themselves in his presence, because ya know how it is with the ladies and them wanting to flash their goods at you all the time. He then winked and nudged at male reporters saying, "Amirite? Amirite? Amirite?" before failing to get a reaction and disdainfully clucking, "Whatever, screw you guys, you're probably all gay or something."
After helpfully explaining why science makes all ladies crave his lil' Silvio, Berlusconi then quickly backtracked, telling reporters that the young women dressed in sexy cop uniforms at his mansion were only there for the purpose of "burlesque games." He then went on to insist that reports of wild orgies at his mansion were false, delivering a quote so hilariously absurd that I can only pray to the Lord in Heaven above it's not a byproduct of poor translation:
He insisted that he had hosted "only elegant dinners, and after dinner sometimes we went down to the theatre, my children's former discotheque, where there was an atmosphere of good cheer and affection."
Did you catch that? His evenings with buxom women dressed as nuns and policewomen were merely "elegant dinners," with the occasional "atmosphere of good cheer and affection" at his "children's former discotheque" afterwards. If that isn't the best euphemism for motorboating five or six underage strippers at a time, I don't know what is. Seriously, I challenge you to come up with one. I take back what I said before. Italy, you were damn lucky to have this man in office. The well-documented misogyny, misuse of party funds, and running his country into horrific debt aside, he is a veritable delight.


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Do Securities Class-Action Suits Help Stock Performance?
Plaintiffs' lawyers have long justified shareholder securities-fraud suits, at least in part, with the argument that they're good for the defendant-company in the long run (and by extension, the shareholders).
On its face, the argument makes some sense. With greater accountability comes more attention to detail, more attention to regulatory and legal duties, more focus on transparency and good governance.
But does it really play out that way? According to a new study in the Financial Analysts Journal (PDF here), the answer is no.
Daniel Fisher's Full Disclosure blog over at Forbes has the details on the study. (Hat tip: the AmLaw Litigation Daily). Writes Fisher . . .


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Open Thread: Step Away From Your Computer To Be More Productive...On Your Computer
Everyone makes mistakes when it comes to technology. Some are terrible at doing regular data back-ups because it's not a high priority (you know who you are). Many have hundreds (thousands?) of emails sitting in an inbox right now. And, as I've mentioned before, there are those who skip using any form of virus protection -- which means, you're living on a razor's edge.
Yet, there's one mistake you're probably making right now that is much more serious. It's one that could be causing serious health problems like depression and anxiety. And, someday -- in the not too distant future -- it could play a role in workplace lawsuits, new employment laws and technical restrictions.
The problem: You're not taking enough breaks from the computer.
This is something I have been actively working on recently. I have been on the road doing stand-up for almost all of my adult life and never had to worry about regular workplace things too much. In the past year, I began doing a lot of freelance writing which means I am staying home working at my computer.
A host of nagging orthopedic ills immediately presented themselves, so I began forcing myself to get up and move around more. That helped...a little.
I was still spending far too many hours staring at the computer. When you're self employed it's easy to make excuses for living at your desk. So I have been setting strict time limits for how long I should be there each day (while keeping up the breaks to move around). As if by magic, I am getting my work done in around half the time.
Full disclosure: giving up all non work related social media for Lent has helped a lot.


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Last weekend of June. Wife and 2 foodie girls (11, 12)
Friday - lunch at Mercato centrale - This is possibly 1-1:30 so hopefully Nerbone will not run out of stuff. Will pass Mario on the way to check the line
Friday Dinner - Del Fagioli or Sostanza. Leaning toward Sostanza
Saturday lunch - Trattoria Mario or Nerbone depending on the day before
Saturday Dinner - La Pentola (not clear if they are closed on sundays. Would rather do it sunday to free this night)
Sunday lunch - Trattoria Ruggero after morning at the pitti palace. If dinner is better here please advise.
Sunday dinner - Ristorante Accademia. Very close to our hotel. Good reviews but getting a slightly touristy vibe. One of the few I see open on Sundays.
Possible snacks along the way: Procacci, Gusta pizza, Mariano,
I Fratellini


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As well as the usual 10 and 25 player raid instances, Blizzard have announced the new 5 player dungeon, The Frozen Halls (source). There will be a normal version which drops 219 iLevel gear and a heroic version which drops 232 iLevel gear, the same as Trial of the Crusader 10 player. They have said players will follow Jaina Proudmoore and Lady Sylvanas through the dungeon to complete an epic quest to infiltrate the Citadel from an alternative entrance, depending on your faction of course.
The dungeon spans across 3 wings, which on heroic will have separate lockouts. The first wing is called The Forge of Souls, you have to complete this to be able to unlock the Pit of Saron, which then unlocks The Hall of Reflections, where you meet Falric and Marwyn, Arthas's captains in life, and finally.. Arthas himself. Jaina wanting to find some remaining humanity in Arthas, and Sylvanas, well, she wants to bitch slap him for what he did to her. I'm going to have to do this dungeon both on my Horde and Alliance just to see the awesome lore from both sides!
With Arthas being in the 5 man, I can't imagine him not being in the raid instance, so the last boss in Icecrown Citadel is either going to be Kael'thas himself "Tempest Keep and Magister's Terrace were merely a setback!" Except now he's Arthas's gimp. Or the more serious, Arthas won't die in The Frozen Halls. Perhaps we'll see another shade boss, shade of Ner'zhul. Also, if one of the bosses doesn't drop a Frostwyrm mount I'm going to be a little disappointed.. ooh, maybe the quest line gives a reward of "Lil KT"!


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Chat with Bruce Levine, Doug Padilla
Welcome to ESPNChicago.com! Baseball beat reporters Bruce Levine and Doug Padilla stop by Tuesday to chat.
Levine has covered sports in Chicago for over 28 years and hosts "Talkin' Baseball," heard Saturday mornings on ESPN 1000. Padilla covers the White Sox for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.
Send your questions now and join the chat Tuesday at noon CT/1 p.m. ET!
More Chicago baseball coverage: Cubs blog | White Sox blog | Levine bio
Bruce Levine (1:03 PM)
Welcome to the chat room from Houston. It's 82 and warm as I look at Minute Maid, but it will be a lot warmer for James Russell making his first start. Let's go.
Eric (Iowa)
With Russell on a pitch count tonight is there anyone out of the bullpen that Mike WON'T use?
Bruce Levine (1:05 PM)
Most likely Marshall and Marmol. Marmol for maybe an out or two, but if Cubs are lucky enough to be in the game at the end, it's probably Kerry Wood.
ESPNChicago.com (1:06 PM)
Sorry guys, Bruce had to pursue a story tip. He'll be back in a minute. Thanks for your patience.
Brandon N. (Las Cruces,)
Whats up with Pena? I see he's getting on base via BB's but not with the bat.. Any chance Colvin starts to see more playing time at 1st?
Bruce Levine (1:10 PM)
Maybe Colvin with more time but more likely Baker against lefties. Quade will have to find a spot for Baker other than 2B, becuase Barney continues to be productive.
Bill (Chicago)
Wouldn't Blake DeWitt be better served by playing everyday in Iowa while trying to improve at second base? Also, wouldn't the Cubs be better served by having someone like Augie Ojeda as the backup infielder, since he can play shorstop as well?
Bruce Levine (1:11 PM)
Ojeda still is recovering from back problems in the spring. That's why they signed him and why teams need veteran backup infielders. Ask the Dodgers who lost Furcal for a month. Some scouts believe DeWitt is good as he's going to be 2b.
Eric (Superior, WI)
Bruce,Samardijza has been a huge disappointment. I know he has no options left, but what else does this guy have to do before it's time to dump him and his salary? He is awful.
Bruce Levine (1:12 PM)
It will take a while, especially for a peripheral pitcher, and don't be surprised to see him get 2-3 innings tonight.
J.R. Van Houghton (Chicago)
What happened to Quade's aggressiveness? I know he doesnt have alot of team speed, but this is basically the same team he had last year, but he stole more and had more hit and runs. What gives?
Bruce Levine (1:13 PM)
Last night he had a hit and run and a stolen base that worked. What you need before aggressiveness is runners on base. With Castro and Barney at the top of the lineup, the Cubs have a chance to have a better fucntion at the areas you talk about.
Dustin (STL)
Any chance they name barney the everyday second baseman? Seems like him and castro do well defensively and have been getting on base alot. your thoughts?
Bruce Levine (1:14 PM)
Ideally if Barney plays like he has, he should be your everyday 2b, that said Baker has to play agaisnt lefties because he's hitting them at a .400 clip. He can play rf, 1b and 3b, so Quade has some areas of versatility.
Shep (Chicago)
Hi Bruce... any chance that Tyler Colvin has an opportunity to win the RF, or is he simply a fill-in for Kosuke? I know 21's not an All-Star yet, but it seems like no one is until they have an opportunity to be one.
Bruce Levine (1:15 PM)
Colvin is out of synch right now, at bat and in the field. He needs some consistent playing time. And with Fukudome out, it would be nice to see him get 30-40 bats in a row. That's what he needs to get straightened out.
Hack Wilson IX (Boulder, CO)
Bruce, Is there a great deal of embarrassment in the organization now about choosing Mateo over Silva? Essentially we paid $10 million to fit an erratic rookie on the team, and now we don't have enough pitchers. I heard we just signed Ramon Ortiz for Iowa, the kind of thing you might see the Royals or Pirates do.
Bruce Levine (1:16 PM)
Here's something you never heard before, you never have enough starting pitching. I just came with that line. I'm pretty smart, right? The Yankees select other people's useless pitchers, and to their credit, some of them can still get people out. Freddy Garcia comes to mind. Silva was addition by subtraction.
Steve (Chicago)
Which Chicago team needs more bullpen help?????
Bruce Levine (1:17 PM)
Right now you'd have to say the Sox. Thornton is not throwing the way he has in the past. It's not that he's afraid, just doesn't seem to have same velocity or command.
Cheesehead Sports Nut (Chicago, IL)
I don't normally like to jump to conclusions this early in the season but the Chicago Cubs looked like a flawed, overpaid team to me. What are your thoughts on the Chicago Cubs?
Bruce Levine (1:18 PM)
Overpaid is an interesting way to look at a team that lost $14M in payroll from last year. If you want to talk this early, nobody is more overpaid than the Red Sox. But this is not the NFL. Give it about 45 days.
Angel (Miami, FL)
Hi Bruce, love your work. What do you think of some of the at bats Starlin Castro had last night? In his 4th at bat, the Astros were clearly not going to let him smack another ball and seemed determined to throw him garbage around the strike zone. He fouled off about 10 pitches of which 9 were clearly balls(which prompted me to say "TAKE THE WALK KID!" out loud). Len Casper then commented that teams might look at that at bat in which he ultimately struck out and might start pitching him that way. What are your thoughts?
Bruce Levine (1:20 PM)
His plate coverage is so good and he has such a quick bat that teams will have trouble striking him out. He had 13 pitches in that at-bat and saw more pitches than any other player last night, averaging 6.2 per at-bat. If you want him to walk, you're going to lose his aggressiveness.
Jay (Chicago)
If the Carlos Pena Experience doesn't get a lot better, could this be the $10 million that finally sinks Teflon Hendry?
Bruce Levine (1:21 PM)
Lot of people are on that bandwagon, blame Hendry for having three owners in four years. Sam Zell is the one who wanted the $150M payroll, not Hendry.
Brian W (StL)
Why does it seem that Q is keeping the status quo on pitchers staying in games like Lou did? After the 6th inning Demp should have been out and time for the bullpen. Is there fear with the bullpen or is Q thinking too much about the next games?
Bruce Levine (1:27 PM)
I think you're right on, and Quade admitted as much after the game.
ESPNChicago.com (1:27 PM)
Sorry guys, busy day with the Cubs. He had to pursue something. Will be back shortly. Thanks for patience.
Bruce Levine (1:29 PM)
Doug Davis has signed a minor league deal with the Cubs. He's coming off elbow surgery last year. He'll pitch in Mesa and get his pitch count up before the Cubs send him on assignment. There's no commitment to him.
Bruce Levine (1:30 PM)
The best-case scenario is Davis is ready in a week. A source told me he's already up to 70 pitches and he can be a nice stopgap between the time Wells and Cashner return. The best case scenario for Wells is 3 1/2-4 weeks. More cautious with Cashner, maybe 6 weeks.
Bruce Levine (1:31 PM)
Should be an interesting evening with the bullpen pitching against the Astros. Let's see if Quade uses the daily double of Castro and Barney to lead off. See you next week. Time for Doug Padilla and your White Sox questions.
Doug Padilla (2:28 PM)
I missed my chat window. Let's answer some of your inquiries now.
Doug Padilla (2:32 PM)
Pierre has been a solid outfielder (minus the throwing arm) up until now. He made some great plays on the run last year, even harder than the ones he has botched so far. Despite what it looks like the White Sox don't figure to replace him late in games just yet. The LF options are Pierre, Lillibridge and Teahen. They'd probably still be more comfortable with Pierre.
patrick (hegewish)
will the sox start using a defensive replacement for juan pierre in tight ballgames. its getting scary!
Doug Padilla (2:32 PM)
The answer above if for Patrick's question.
Scott (Chicago)
I'm really disappointed in Pierre's performance defensively. Do you think it's right to sit him for a game or two?
Doug Padilla (2:34 PM)
While disappointed, nobody is that down on Pierre to sit him. He's a solid leadoff man and has helped set the table to get the offense off to a hot start. Sadly for Pierre, his miscues have come in high profile spots.
Derek (Country Club Hills)
How much is Thornton to blame for all these blown saves?
Doug Padilla (2:36 PM)
He hasn't looked good, that's for sure. But because of the bad defense it certainly looks far worse. It would be interesting to know how he would have done without the errors. But he still is far from dominating.
Gordon (Elgin, IL)
Time for Ozzie to give more opportunities fro Sale to be the closer?
Doug Padilla (2:38 PM)
While Ozzie said last night that Thornton will continue to get chances, it will be interesting to hear him on the subject again today. As brash as Ozzie can be, he sometimes waits a day to commit to major decisions like changing his closer. But expect others to get more chances at the end of games.
Chris (IL)
I was so excited about the start but the bullpen has taken the wind out of my sails. The Sox are playing well and need to take advantage of that as there will be bad stretches. Starting 6-4 is a big disappointment when they should be 8-2. All the games count. Your thoughts?
Doug Padilla (2:41 PM)
Chris, don't let the negatives ruin your enjoyment of the game. The White Sox have one of the best offenses in baseball and their starting pitching has been solid. The bullpen has the talent, we just need to see it come through. (Same with the defense.) It's better they go through this now instead of September with a playoff spot on the line. Without Jenks there was going to be an adjustment period, it's just that nobody thought it would be this harsh.
ken (Murfreesboro Tn)
How long before Dunn comes back?
Doug Padilla (2:42 PM)
I'm guessing today or tomorrow. He was crushing balls in BP yesterday. Dunn had his bating gloves on in the late innings yesterday but Ozzie said he wasn't going to use him.
andre (victorville)
Any chance Phil Humber stays consistent with his curve and is in the rotation when Peavy comes back?
Doug Padilla (2:43 PM)
Coop has hinted at getting Humber a start here or there in what would amount to a six-man rotation at times. We'll have to see on that though. If everybody is healthy, Humber is the long man.
Christian (Washington DC)
With Peavy coming back, do you see the Sox sending Gray, Humber, or Ohman down to get his spot back? I'd love to see Humber as a guy outside of long relief....I think he would be much more helpful than Ohman....
Doug Padilla (2:44 PM)
Gray would be the long man out in this scenario.
Jason (Bmore)
Doesn't it seem that Santos should be the favorite to get the saves, given his success this year and the fact he's a hard throwing righty? It was always odd Ozzie never got him in the mix more for this.
Doug Padilla (2:46 PM)
I think Santos is a possibility but remember he's not only a young guy, he's also new to pitching. He's looked good both this spring and in the early going, no doubt. But he could still use time as a setup guy before making such a big leap to closer. But if things continue on this same route he may end up getting a chance anyway. He's certainly a closer candidate of the future, though.
Dennis (Portland, OR)
Who do you think the 1st person to get called up from AAA is?
Doug Padilla (2:48 PM)
Jeff Gray was the first. Viciedo will be tempting to recall, but he'll need a place to play on an every day basis.
Dan (Chicago)
Go to love the hot start Paulie has been on! This club could be one of the best offensive clubs in mlb.
Doug Padilla (2:49 PM)
One thing you can count on with Konerko is that he brings it every day. For anybody that thought he was digging deep last year because it was a contract year, well he got his money and he continues to push himself. PK is one of the real pros in the game.
Matt (Chicago)
Why not leave Buehrle in to finish last night? He only had 99 pitches through 8 and the bullpen has been blowing leads left and right. Any explanation from Ozzie as to why he pulled him?
Doug Padilla (2:51 PM)
I would have liked to see Buehrle stay out there in a batter-by-batter situation. If he puts a guy on then go to the bullpen. But because the 'pen has been struggling that would have put them in an even tougher spot than coming in with the bases empty.
Dennis (Portland, OR)
Do you think Beckham can keep up this pace for an entire season? He has seemed to be crushing the ball and getting on base alot.
Doug Padilla (2:55 PM)
Don't worry Dennis, your fantasy team should be fine with Beckham producing well all season. It's gonna be hard to keep this pace, but he looks to be in store for a solid season if he stays healthy.
Mike (Schaumburg)
Does Gavin Floyd = Javier Vasquez? Great stuff, but interesting mental makeup & seems to fall off at end of the season.
Doug Padilla (2:56 PM)
Yes, Gavin needs to show up for an entire season. It's why he dropped a bunch of weight in the offseason in the hope that it helps his full-season stamina. Everybody knows about his late season drop off. Nice to see him do something about it.
Erif (Schaumburg)
Is Jordan Danks the possible replacement for Juan Pierre next year?
Doug Padilla (2:58 PM)
Could be. He looked ready for the spot this spring when he was hitting the ball all over the place. It'll be interesting to see if he gets recalled at any point this season.
Ryan (Joilet, IL)
Edwin Jackson looks like he will have a nice payday in the upcoming free agency period. Any chance the White Sox try to keep him? This is assuming he pitches well enough to incite the question.
Doug Padilla (2:59 PM)
It would be Jackson or Buehrle to re-sign, but not both.
Sara (Elgin, IL)
Has Coop lost weight? He looks good...
Doug Padilla (2:59 PM)
I think he just has a better tan this year.
Doug Padilla (2:59 PM)
OK folks. Sorry I was late. Talk to you on time from Tampa next week.
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2014 may not be hottest year on record: ReportPublished On: Mon, Jan 19th, 2015 | Climate Change | By BioNews
In a twist to the claim that 2014 was the hottest year on record, NASA climate scientists now reportedly say that the likelihood that 2014 was the warmest year since 1880 is just "38 percent".
It is now emerging that the analysis by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) is subject to a margin of error, Daily Mail reported.
This means the space agency is far from certain that 2014 set a record at all.
Last week, NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a preliminary analysis claiming that 2014 was the warmest since record-keeping began in 1880.
The findings were based on globally averaged temperature data collected from a network of land and water surface sensors.
The news made headlines the world over.
Now, according to Daily Mail, GISS's director Gavin Schmidt has admitted the likelihood that 2014 was the warmest year since 1880 is just 38 percent.
"The NASA press release failed to mention that the alleged 'record' amounted to an increase over 2010, the previous 'warmest year', of just two-hundredths of a degree – or 0.02C. The margin of error is said by scientists to be approximately 0.1C – several times as much," the report added.
Another analysis, from the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (BEST) project concluded that if 2014 was a record year, it was by an even tinier amount.
"Numerically, our best estimate for the global temperature of 2014 puts it slightly above (by 0.01C) that of the next warmest year (2010) but by much less than the margin of uncertainty," the BEST report said.


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Is unnecessary noise making it difficult for students to understand everything the teacher and other students say? Does noise from outside the classroom distract the students, making it difficult for them to concentrate? Is the teacher constantly straining to hear and be heard, due to reverberation and activity noise generated within the classroom? Does the noise from computers, printers, lights, air conditioning, heating units, and other classroom equipment force the teacher to work harder and speak more loudly in order to be heard?
With our school noise control products we can help you solve your acoustic needs.
In order for the students to hear and understand what is being said, the teacher's voice must stand out above any background noise produced by the activity. The louder the activity, the louder the teacher is required to speak. In the classroom, the activity noise and the teacher's voice are reflected off of blackboards, tile floors, walls, and windows, and each echo interferes with the next spoken word. Although these reflections occur only milliseconds apart, the sounds continually crowd in on one another producing a layering effect that blurs the original sound. It is similar to the effect produced in a busy grocery store when a message is called out over the PA system. The message is loud enough to hear, but you may not understand what is being said.
What is the connection between today's teaching techniques and reverberation?
Reverberation, the reflection of sound waves off of hard surfaces, is a very common acoustic problem in older school buildings. In days gone by, when these buildings were constructed, students were expected to come in, sit down, and not speak unless spoken to. However today's teaching techniques encourage group participation, discussion, and hands-on activities. Students are less likely to spend the day sitting silently, writing in workbooks, and more likely to be talking with their peers, moving from group to group, doing experiments, and working on computers. All of these activities can make the classroom a very noisy place, especially if the noise produced bounces around without being absorbed.
How does reverberation affect students' learning?
Reverberation makes listening difficult for all students but especially so for younger students who have shorter attention spans and are not as skilled at listening. Consonant sounds in particular (d or t? b or p?) become smeared and studies show that even for children with normal hearing, one word out of every four may be indistinct or even unintelligible. Students are forced to expend more energy simply trying to hear, or figure out what the teacher said, rather than thinking about the actual message. By the end of the day, both teacher and students have experienced considerable stress from the constant noise and continuous admonishments to "Keep the noise down."
Can reverberation be detected simply by looking at a classroom?
You can do a quick assessment by simple observation. Here is a checklist to help you determine if a classroom may need acoustical remediation. Reverberation may be a problem if:
|SOFT SOUND™ Acoustic Panels
|SOFT SOUND™ Foam Panels
|Pyramid Melamine Foam


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Nice Things Reviewers Have Said About PAST TIME!
"...wildly funny... The five-character ensemble are a marvel to watch under Jeremy Aldridge's smooth direction...the ensemble are a dream team...A triple threat production: great writing, great direction, great acting! Bravo!" -Broadway World
"... a brilliant play from Padraic Duffy, exquisitely directed by Jeremy Aldridge, and superbly acted by a wonderful cast...Julia Griswold as Meredith entertains us with her great comic chops...Past Time is one of those shows you just sit back and experience. Don't miss it." -Discover Hollywood
"Deeply emotional even in its whimsy, every single element of this production, every character, is perfectly crafted, staged and presented. One of the most emotionally satisfying plays you will experience this year – bar none." -Gia on the Move
"Poignant and funny...it is the magical skills of the cast, fast-paced direction by Aldridge, and often foul-mouthed but totally modern and realistic language by Duffy, that make each moment so true to life that no doubt you will see a bit of yourself in each of their emotional struggles... And who can't use some great laughs along the way?"
-Culver City News
"The company has a hit on its hands." -Paul Myrvold's Theatre Notes
"Duffy has written a charming, hilarious, yet ultimately gentle play, his rapid-fire, idiosyncratic sense of humor a lovely match for director Jeremy Aldridge and his endearing band of actors." -Arts in L.A.
"WOW... deliciously quirky, often side-splittingly funny, ultimately heartwarming... Griswold's delightfully deadpan Meredith grows as well...Abundant laughter and charm (plus enough heart to provoke a tear or two before it's over), Past Time has them all... a delectable winter treat." -StageScene L.A.