text:
My interest in it mainly stems from the fact that it was an attempt to promote St. Augustine's teachings on grace in opposition to the Jesuit Molinists. When I was a Calvinist, I was fascinated by the movement because I saw it as a sort of version of Calvinism held by Roman Catholics in the seventeenth century. I am interested in it now because, having become Catholic, and being very interested in understanding and promoting Catholic, Augustinian understandings of grace, predestination, etc., I am interested in why the movement was condemned. What was wrong with it? A lot of Calvinists take the condemnation of Jansenism as a condemnation of Augustine's views and an embracing of Semipelagianism. But this is not the case, for the Catholic Church has embraced the fundamentals of Augustine's views on these matters. Even the Molinists, who were the Jansenists' archenemies, identified themselves with Augustine's viewpoint; and the other enemies of Molinism, the Dominicans, had many of the same objections to Molinism that the Jansenists had, and they too saw themselves as defending the doctrines of St. Augustine (and St. Thomas Aquinas), but the Church never condemned their position as heretical. Towards the end of my life as a Protestant, I had come to the conclusion that the Catholic Church had contradicted itself by condemning Jansenism while refusing to condemn the Dominican position because it seemed to me that their doctrines regarding grace and predestination were fundamentally the same--both expressing the teachings of St. Augustine.
When I became a Catholic, I still didn't understand why Jansenism was condemned when it was clear that the Church did not condemn Augustine's views. But I decided that if I had reason to trust the Catholic Church, I could trust them on this point. While I may not be able to figure out why Jansenism was condemned, I have reason to assume there was a good reason. Part of the difficulty in researching Jansenism is that Jansen's book, the Augustinus, has never been translated into English. I really wish someone would do that.
Of course, I would never feel fully satisfied to leave the matter at that point if there was further progress that might be made in understanding what was going on there, so I've continued to think about the issues since becoming Catholic. This is my attempt to articulate what the Catholic Church found wrong with Jansenism, and how the condemned Jansenist views differ from the views of St. Augustine and his approved disciples in the Church. I'll also throw in some thoughts regarding Calvinism as we go.
If you have no background in the Catholic doctrines and terminology regarding predestination and grace, you might consider taking a look at this article first.
I want to focus on the five propositions out of Jansen's book that were condemned by Pope Innocent X in his papal bull Cum Occasione. Here are the five condemned propositions as found in the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Jansenism (found on the New Advent website--bullets removed and spaces added):
Some of God's commandments are impossible to just men who wish and strive (to keep them) considering the powers they actually have, the grace by which these precepts may become possible is also wanting;
In the state of fallen nature no one ever resists interior grace;
To merit, or demerit, in the state of fallen nature we must be free from all external constraint, but not from interior necessity,
The Semipelagians admitted the necessity of interior preventing grace for all acts, even for the beginning of faith; but they fell into heresy in pretending that this grace is such that man may either follow or resist it;
To say that Christ died or shed His blood for all men, is Semipelagianism.
Let's take a closer look at each of these propositions.
"Some of God's commandments are impossible to just men who wish and strive (to keep them) considering the powers they actually have, the grace by which these precepts may become possible is also wanting."
The first proposition, from a Catholic point of view, is definitely wrong. God cannot command that which is impossible, for if he did so, the non-performance of such an action would not, per se, be a sin. For example, if God commanded me to flap my arms and fly to the moon, even if I loved God perfectly with my whole heart and fully understood the command, the action would still not be performed, but my non-performance of the action would not be sin because it would not flow from any evil will of mine. When God issues a command, the implication is that obedience lies in doing the commanded action and sin lies in not doing it. But in this case, obedience and sin have nothing to do with it, for the action is out of reach of my will, and so it is impossible to consider this action as commanded by God.
Now, we have to be careful with terminology here. As Calvinist philosopher Jonathan Edwards points out (I discuss this in more detail here), it is possible to use words like "impossible" to refer to something that strictly speaking isn't really an impossibility. Edwards distinguished between "moral" and "natural" inability. A "natural" inability is a real inability in the strict sense--when something is beyond your power such that even if you wanted to do it you couldn't. A "moral" inability is when you simply don't want to do something and so will not choose to do it, though you could do it if you chose to. It is impossible that a person who wants to do A more than B, all things considered, will choose to do B--not because something external to his will is preventing him but simply because of the psychological fact that we always do what we want to do all things considered (and "all things" includes all motivating factors, whether rational, emotional, etc.).
So if all Jansen meant to say is that sometimes people don't want to obey some of God's commandments, well, that is obviously true, and the Church would have no problem with that. But if he meant that there are commandments that a person truly cannot obey even if he wants to, then this contradicts core Catholic teaching. So what did Jansen really mean? Well, the Church obviously took him to mean the latter. I can't go back and check, because I can't read his book. I have, however, read (portions of) another Jansenist writing--the Provincial Letters of Blaise Pascal and some of his other writing on the subject of grace. Pascal wrote this book to defend the Jansenists and to attack the Jesuits. You can see his views on Jansenism and his defense of it especially in Letter XVIII, and also in Letters I and II. (Pascal is a delight to read, by the way, whether one agrees with him in everything or not.) From what I have seen so far, mostly from Pascal, it looks to me like Jansen held the former, orthodox view. But I am not an expert on Jansen. Perhaps his views are different than they have so far appeared to me to be. That is entirely possible. Another possibility is that Jansen's actual views were orthodox, but he expressed them in such a way in his book that they naturally inclined towards error. In that case, the condemnation of his propositions was intended to impose certain language requirements on how we must talk about these issues. We cannot speak in such a way as to convey the idea that there is any true impossibility in obeying any of God's commands (even if we really mean simply that we can obey them but don't want to, and won't ever want to unless grace moves us to do so). In order to comply with the Church, then, all the Jansenists would have had to do is to acknowledge that, in the Church's judgment (which is trustworthy), Jansen said some things that conveyed (whether intentionally or not) certain erroneous views, and that therefore some of his propositions ought to be rejected in order to better further the truth in these matters. They could have acquiesced in the Church's judgment and agreed to abide by the Church's terminological guidelines, perhaps even without (if Pascal is correct) having had to alter any of their substantial views as to their core meanings.
The first condemned proposition also said that "the grace by which these precepts may become possible is also wanting." The Church condemned this saying because it is Catholic doctrine that all men throughout the world have been given sufficient grace by God in order to do all that God commands. This is really just another way of saying the same thing we've been talking about, but the language of "sufficient grace" is particularly important. Catholics are required to affirm that sufficient grace has been given to all (so that obedience to the commandments of God is possible for all). Jansen's proposition does not affirm this, and so it is condemned. Letter II of Pascal's Provincial Letters focuses particularly on the Jansenist resistance to admit the concept of "sufficient grace"--a resistance he defends. This doctrine simply made no sense to the Jansenists. If grace is sufficient, then nothing more would be needed, and yet of two persons to whom sufficient grace is given, one obeys God and the other does not. Why the difference? If the difference results from something produced from the good person himself, then the good will is not itself a gift of God's grace, contrary to Catholic teaching. On the other hand, if God moves the will of the one to obey him, but does not so move the other person's will, then God treats the two differently, giving a grace (efficacious) to one that he does not give to the other, and without which that other person will never obey God. But if without that additional efficacious grace, the second person will never obey God, then he has not been given sufficient grace and so cannot obey God, for no one can do good without efficacious grace. (Or so the Jansenists reasoned.) Here is how Pascal contrasts the views of the Jesuits and the Jansenists on this point (in Letter II):
In one word, then, I found that their difference about sufficient grace may be defined thus: The Jesuits maintain that there is a grace given generally to all men, subject in such a way to free-will that the will renders it efficacious or inefficacious at its pleasure, without any additional aid from God and without wanting anything on his part in order to act effectively; and hence they term this grace sufficient, because it suffices of itself for action. The Jansenists, on the other hand, will not allow that any grace is actually sufficient which is not also efficacious; that is, that all those kinds of grace which do not determine the will to act effectively are insufficient for action; for they hold that a man can never act without efficacious grace.
Now, I think that Pascal has misunderstood the Jesuit view here. See my own views on the Jesuit position here and here. But at any rate that is how he understood the Jesuit position. The Dominicans also understood the Jesuit position in the same way and so opposed it. They maintained that it is God who makes the difference between those who obey God and those who do not. God gives efficacious graces to some that he does not give to others, thus causing differences. But they maintained at the same time, in agreement with the Jesuits and against the Jansenists, that God has given sufficient grace to all men so that all are able to obey God. Pascal found their position absurd and infuriating. He describes his impression of it vividly in a little parable:
"Shall I present you with a picture of the Church amidst these conflicting sentiments? I consider her very like a man who, leaving his native country on a journey, is encountered by robbers, who inflict many wounds on him and leave him half dead. He sends for three physicians resident in the neighboring towns. The first, on probing his wounds, pronounces them mortal and assures him that none but God can restore to him his lost powers. The second, coming after the other, chooses to flatter the man — tells him that he has still sufficient strength to reach his home; and, abusing the first physician who opposed his advice, determines upon his ruin. In this dilemma, the poor patient, observing the third medical gentleman at a distance, stretches out his hands to him as the person who should determine the controversy. This practitioner, on examining his wounds, and ascertaining the opinions of the first two doctors, embraces that of the second, and uniting with him, the two combine against the first, and being the stronger party in number drive him from the field in disgrace. From this proceeding, the patient naturally concludes that the last comer is of the same opinion with the second; and, on putting the question to him, he assures him most positively that his strength is sufficient for prosecuting his journey. The wounded man, however, sensible of his own weakness, begs him to explain to him how he considered him sufficient for the journey. 'Because,' replies his adviser, 'you are still in possession of your legs, and legs are the organs which naturally suffice for walking.' 'But,' says the patient, 'have I all the strength necessary to make use of my legs? for, in my present weak condition, it humbly appears to me that they are wholly useless.' 'Certainly you have not,' replies the doctor; 'you will never walk effectively, unless God vouchsafes some extraordinary assistance to sustain and conduct you.' 'What!' exclaims the poor man, 'do you not mean to say that I have sufficient strength in me, so as to want for nothing to walk effectively?' 'Very far from it,' returns the physician. 'You must, then,' says the patient, 'be of a different opinion from your companion there about my real condition.' 'I must admit that I am,' replies the other.
"What do you suppose the patient said to this? Why, he complained of the strange conduct and ambiguous terms of this third physician. He censured him for taking part with the second, to whom he was opposed in sentiment, and with whom he had only the semblance of agreement, and for having driven away the first doctor, with whom he in reality agreed; and, after making a trial of strength, and finding by experience his actual weakness, he sent them both about their business, recalled his first adviser, put himself under his care, and having, by his advice, implored from God the strength of which he confessed his need, obtained the mercy he sought, and, through divine help, reached his house in peace.
I think we can get a glimpse from this why the Church was concerned about the Jansenist position on this matter. It is imperative that we do not give people the impression that sin is a disease of such a sort that it renders a person unable, by a natural ability, to obey God, that obeying God is beyond his power even if he should choose to obey him. If we give this impression, we undercut people's sense of moral responsibility for their sin, for how can I be responsible for something over which I have no control? I cannot be blamed for failing to do that which is impossible for me. It is true that we must watch out for the other extreme as well and not give people the impression that God's grace is not necessary and that they can produce righteousness from themselves without God's help. Catholic doctrine balances these concerns by acknowledging that the sacrifice and merits of Christ have given to the entire world sufficient grace so that it is impossible to no one to turn from sin and obey God--thus grounding moral responsibility--and at the same time it teaches that when a person does choose to obey God, his good will is entirely a gift of grace--thus making clear that our righteousness is a gift of God and not something produced from ourselves. Grace gives to all the ability to obey God, but only to some the willingness to do so. Thus Catholic teaching preserves all sides of the picture. The Jansenists, by refusing to acknowledge sufficient grace and disputing as Pascal did above, lopped off (at least in their words, if not by intention) one side of the equation in order to promote the other. In order to safeguard the graciousness of salvation, they denied that grace gives to all the ability to obey God. But once that is denied, moral responsibility for sin is denied, and so sin itself is explained away, thus, ironically, undercutting the very need for grace.
Pascal's concern that it makes no sense to talk about a "sufficient" grace that doesn't actually, efficaciously, produce acts of good will is answered by clarifying what "sufficient" grace is sufficient for. If by "sufficient grace" we meant "grace sufficient to produce the act of good will," then Pascal would be right, for we cannot call a grace sufficient to do something if it is not, in fact, sufficient to do it. But that is not what the "sufficient" in "sufficient grace" refers to. Sufficient grace is not sufficient to actually produce the act of good will, but it is sufficient to render the act of good will possible. That is why it is called "sufficient grace," and the name is perfectly fitting. The idea is that God has given enough (sufficient) grace to all men in order to make their obedience possible, but he has not given to all men the grace (efficacious) which makes their obedience actual. There is no contradiction in this idea.
"In the state of fallen nature no one ever resists interior grace."
This proposition from Jansen's book was condemned because it is simply false. It is true that no one ever (at least conclusively) resists efficacious grace intended to produce conversion, because by definition the grace is efficacious--which simply means that it always accomplishes what it is sent to do. So if God gives you an efficacious grace intended to bring about your conversion, you will certainly be converted, and you will not ultimately resist conversion in such a way as to end up not being converted. St. Augustine put it this way (On the Predestination of the Saints, Chapter 13--embedded links removed):
This grace, therefore, which is hiddenly bestowed in human hearts by the Divine gift, is rejected by no hard heart, because it is given for the sake of first taking away the hardness of the heart. When, therefore, the Father is heard within, and teaches, so that a man comes to the Son, He takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh, as in the declaration of the prophet He has promised. Because He thus makes them children and vessels of mercy which He has prepared for glory.
If Jansen had simply said this, there would not have needed to be a controversy. But it is not necessarily the case that every "interior" grace is also efficacious grace, and so the statement is false as it stands. There are no doubt all sorts of interior graces that are regularly resisted by people. Even efficacious graces may be resisted to an extent, although not conclusively.
Perhaps Jansen meant by "interior" grace only efficacious, interior grace, and perhaps he meant only to say that no one ever conclusively rejects an efficacious grace in terms of the intended effect of that grace. If so, then his sentiments on this point were orthodox. But still, his statement, as it thus stands, communicates a false idea.
"To merit, or demerit, in the state of fallen nature we must be free from all external constraint, but not from interior necessity."
We are talking here about the requirements for moral responsibility. Obviously, my actions, in order to be properly attributed to me for praise or for blame (merit or demerit), must not be the result of "external constraint," for that would mean they do not flow from my own will. For example, if there is a sign on a fence that says "Keep out," but I am picked up against my will and thrown over the fence, I have not voluntarily or intentionally violated the warning of the sign and so am not to blame.
But do I need to be free of "interior necessity" also in order to be morally responsible for my actions? Obviously, it depends on what "interior necessity" means. Are we thinking of a situation in which I am forced by forces inside of me--say, overwhelming urges or instincts--to do something in such a way that my will is either circumvented or opposed? Or are we simply saying that after a person considers all his options and decides that, all things considered, he would prefer to do A rather than B, he will certainly choose to do A and not B?
The latter idea is unproblematic. It is simply an obvious fact of human psychology. I am perfectly free to choose B. Nothing is forcing me to choose A. The options of A and B are laid before me, and it is entirely up to my will to determine whether I will choose A or B. The fact that I will in fact choose what I most prefer does not create any necessity to choose one option or another in such a way that my will is circumvented or opposed.
The former idea, however, is very problematic. If, for example, my internal urges reach such a pitch that my will is overwhelmed so that I am impelled by something other than my free choice to choose A over B, then, since my will is overwhelmed and thus either opposed or at least circumvented, I am not truly free to choose B, and so I cannot be praised or blamed for choosing A over B. Moral responsibility is obliterated, because free will is obliterated. (This is one reason why we recognize that some forms or levels of addiction or desire can have the effect of eradicating or mitigating moral responsibility.)
So which of these versions of "internal necessity" was Jansen closest to when he affirmed that freedom from "internal necessity" is not necessary for moral responsibility? Again, I cannot go back and check his book to find out. From what I've read in Pascal and elsewhere, I have hope that the meaning he had in mind was innocuous. But even if this is right, the Church judged his expression to be defective, because it has the tendency to convey the impression that moral responsibility is compatible with a person being impelled to an act in such a way that his freedom of will is not adequately safeguarded. In order to be truly morally responsible, our actions must flow freely from our will. We must be free not only from "external constraint" (i.e., forces acting from outside one's inner self), but we must also be free from "internal necessity" (that is, from forces coming from within ourselves that are not simply the free choice of the will itself).
"The Semipelagians admitted the necessity of interior preventing grace for all acts, even for the beginning of faith; but they fell into heresy in pretending that this grace is such that man may either follow or resist it."
The first concern that arises with this statement is that, as a historical matter, it is not clear that the Semipelagians (or at least all of them) granted the necessity of prevenient grace for all saving acts, including the beginning of faith. In fact, one of the major points of opposition made against them by the Augustinians was that at least some of them affirmed that we can begin to have a good will without grace, and that grace only comes in after we have begun to help us continue doing good. This view is often attributed, for example, to St. John Cassian.
(I would agree, though, that the primary error of what is called "Semipelagianism" is the idea that there is something savingly good we can produce from ourselves that is not produced in us by God's grace, as opposed to the idea that all our goodness is a fruit of God's grace. The primary issue is not the timing of when grace comes in, but whether grace is the source of all and not just some of our saving good.)
With regard to whether or not man can resist grace, the Council of Trent had spoken clearly:
The Synod furthermore declares, that in adults, the beginning of the said Justification is to be derived from the prevenient grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that is to say, from His vocation, whereby, without any merits existing on their parts, they are called; that so they, who by sins were alienated from God, may be disposed through His quickening and assisting grace, to convert themselves to their own justification, by freely assenting to and co-operating with that said grace: in such sort that, while God touches the heart of man by the illumination of the Holy Ghost, neither is man himself utterly without doing anything while he receives that inspiration, forasmuch as he is also able to reject it; yet is he not able, by his own free will, without the grace of God, to move himself unto justice in His sight. Whence, when it is said in the sacred writings: Turn ye to me, and I will turn to you, we are admonished of our liberty; and when we answer; Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted, we confess that we are prevented by the grace of God. (Chapter V of Session VI of the Council of Trent [page number removed])
"Neither is man himself utterly without doing anything while he receives that inspiration, forasmuch as he is also able to reject it." It is clear why the fourth proposition from Jansen was condemned; it seems clearly to contradict Catholic doctrine as articulated at the Council of Trent. If I truly cannot reject grace, then grace works by circumventing my will, making me passive rather than active in conversion. Thus, it is not Semipelagian but Catholic to affirm that "interior preventing grace . . . is such that man may either follow or resist it."
But, again, we must ask what was meant and not just what was said. Calvinists often speak of "irresistible grace," and one might (and many do) get the impression from this that Calvinists believe that a person who receives "irresistible grace" is forced to convert to Christ and cannot refrain from it even if he wants to. But Calvinists have always made it quite clear that they do not believe this. For one modern example, take Calvinist author Loraine Boettner, whose work The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Eerdmans, 1932) is one of the most popular and widely-read modern Calvinist books on the subject:
The special grace which we refer to as efficacious is sometimes called irresistible grace. This latter term, however, is somewhat misleading since it does suggest that a certain overwhelming power is exerted upon the person, in consequence of which he is compelled to act contrary to his desires, whereas the meaning intended, as we have stated before, is that the elect are so influenced by divine power that their coming is an act of voluntary choice. (Chapter XIII, 7)
Nor does it follow from the absolute certainty of a person's acts that he could not have acted otherwise. He could have acted otherwise if he had chosen to have done so. Oftentimes a man has power and opportunity to do that which it is absolutely certain he will not do, and to refrain from doing that which it is absolutely certain he will do. That is, no external influence determines his actions. Our acts are in accordance with the decrees, but not necessarily so we can do otherwise and often should. Judas and his accomplices were left to fulfill their purpose, and they did as their wicked inclinations prompted them. Hence Peter charged them with the crime, but he at the same time declared that they had acted according to the purpose of God,--"Him being: delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hands of lawless men did crucify and slay," Acts 2:23.
On other grounds also it may be shown that certainty is consistent with free agency. We are often absolutely certain how we will act under given conditions so far as we are free to act at all. A parent may be certain that he will rescue a child in distress, and that in doing so he will act freely. God is a free agent, yet it is certain that He will always do right. The holy angels and redeemed saints are free agents, yet it is certain that they will never sin; other- wise there would be no assurance of their remaining in heaven. On the other hand, it is certain that the Devil, the demons and fallen men will commit sin, although they are free agents. A father often knows how his son will act under given circumstances and by controlling these he determines beforehand the course of action which the son follows, yet the son acts freely. If he plans that the son shall be doctor, he gives him encouragement along that line, persuades him to read certain books, to attend certain schools, and so presents the outside inducements that his plan works out. In the same manner and to an infinitely greater extent God controls our actions so that they are certain although we act freely. His decree does not produce the event, but only renders its occurrence certain; and the same decree which determines the certainty of the action at the same time determines the freedom of the agent in the act. (Chapter XVI, 2)
In accordance with this we believe that, without destroying or impairing the free agency of men, God can exercise over them a particular providence and work in them through His Holy Spirit so that they will come to Christ and persevere in His service. We believe further that none have this will and desire except those whom God has previously made willing and desirous; and that He gives this will and desire to none but His own elect. But while thus induced, the elect remain as free as the man that you persuade to take a walk or to invest in government securities. (Chapter XVI, 5)
Likewise, if we listen to Blaise Pascal (Letter XVIII), we will come to the conclusion that Jansen and the Jansenists were also fully on board with Trent's insistence that the will has the ability to reject grace:
"To know," say you, "whether Jansenius is sound or not, we must inquire whether he defends efficacious grace in the manner of Calvin, who denies that man has the power of resisting it — in which case he would be heretical; or in the manner of the Thomists, who admit that it may be resisted — for then he would be Catholic." judge, then, father, whether he holds that grace may be resisted when he says: "That we have always a power to resist grace, according to the council; that free will may always act or not act, will or not will, consent or not consent, do good or do evil; and that man, in this life, has always these two liberties, which may be called by some contradictions." Judge. likewise, if he be not opposed to the error of Calvin, as you have described it, when he occupies a whole chapter (21st) in showing "that the Church has condemned that heretic who denies that efficacious grace acts on the free will in the manner which has been so long believed in the Church, so as to leave it in the power of free will to consent or not to consent; whereas, according to St. Augustine and the council, we have always the power of withholding our consent if we choose; and according to St. Prosper, God bestows even upon his elect the will to persevere, in such a way as not to deprive them of the power to will the contrary." And, in one word, judge if he does not agree with the Thomists, from the following declaration in chapter 4th: "That all that the Thomists have written with the view of reconciling the efficaciousness of grace with the power of resisting it, so entirely coincides with his judgement that to ascertain his sentiments on this subject we have only to consult their writings."
Such being the language he holds on these heads my opinion is that he believes in the power of resisting grace; that he differs from Calvin and agrees with the Thomists, because he has said so; and that he is, therefore, according to your own showing, a Catholic. If you have any means of knowing the sense of an author otherwise than by his expressions; and if, without quoting any of his passages, you are disposed to maintain, in direct opposition to his own words, that he denies this power of resistance, and that he is for Calvin and against the Thomists, do not be afraid, father, that I will accuse you of heresy for that. I shall only say that you do not seem properly to understand Jansenius; but we shall not be the less on that account children of the same Church.
Here Pascal quotes directly from Jansen's book, and seems to show pretty clearly that Jansen held that the will can reject grace. So did Pope Innocent X wrongly attribute the sentiment of the fourth condemned proposition to Jansen? Not necessarily. As with the previous propositions, we may take the condemnation as not necessarily implying that Jansen intended a heretical sentiment, but only that some of his statements, whether by his intention or not, in fact tend to convey heretical sentiments. Just as the Calvinist language of "irresistible grace" is meant (much of the time, at least) in an orthodox manner and yet it carries with it the connotation of an unorthodox meaning (as even the Calvinist author Boettner admits in the quotation above), so the Church judged that Jansen's book contained statements that carry in them the connotation of unorthodox sentiments; and the selected propositions are condemned according to that connotation and not necessarily according to the meaning intended by the author. So far as I know, no one was ever required by the Catholic Church to believe that Jansen necessarily meant heretical sentiments in his propositional statements, but the Church did require it to be acknowledged that Jansen's propositions conveyed, in some way, heretical sentiments such that they were worthy of being censured by the Church.
(Ironically, at the same time that Pascal and other Jansenists were protesting that the Church had misunderstood and thus wrongly condemned Jansen's statements, they themselves were ignoring protests from Calvinists that their statements were being misconstrued and unjustly condemned by the Jansenists and other Catholics in precisely the same ways. For example, while Pascal in the quotation above argues strenuously that Jansen did not reject the idea that grace can be resisted like Calvin did, the Calvinists were at the same time arguing that Calvin and themselves did not reject the idea that grace can be resisted either--at least in the Trentian sense that would imply that consent is lacking in the conversion of a soul. Personally, from what I have seen, I suspect that Calvin and Jansen and Trent were all in agreement on this point in substance, and that what the Church condemned, as I argued above, was not necessarily the internal sentiments of either Calvin or Jansen but the sentiments conveyed by connotation by their published propositions--although I should add that, unlike with Jansen, I'm not aware of the Church ever formally condemning any statement explicitly attributed by her to Calvin.)
"To say that Christ died or shed His blood for all men, is Semipelagianism."
Pope Innocent X's bull provided a qualification on the condemnation of this proposition. It is condemned "if understood in the sense that Christ died only for the predestined."
As with all the other condemned propositions, there are ways in which the proposition can be taken that are orthodox, and there are heterodox ways to take it. Obviously, the Church has condemned the proposition as conveying a heretical sense.
There is no doubt that, in a sense, God wills all men to be saved. It is equally true that, in another sense, he only wills some to be saved. St. Thomas Aquinas (along with many others) distinguished between the "antecedent" and the "consequent" will of God. The "antecedent" will of God refers to what God wills all things being equal. The "consequent" will of God refers to what God wills all things considered. (I discuss this further in this article.) God wills the salvation of all men, in that the salvation of a person is inherently pleasing to him while the damnation of a person (in terms of the suffering of the person per se) is inherently displeasing to him. But in his eternal plan, God sees that it is better overall, all things considered, that efficacious grace to bring about conversion and perseverance not be given equally to all men, and so God chooses some to whom to give that grace and some to whom not to give it (resulting in some people converting and persevering and some people not).
So, in light of this, did Christ die for all men? It depends on what we mean. If "Christ died for all men" means that Christ made an atonement sufficient for the sins of all men, which made the salvation of all men possible, and which is sincerely offered to all men, then yes, Christ died for all men. If "Christ died for all men" means that Christ intended his atonement to actually accomplish effectively the eternal salvation of all men and that, through it, he intended to give the same efficacious grace of conversion and perseverance to all men, then no, Christ did not die for all men.
My guess is that Jansen intended his proposition in the latter sense. In other words, he was probably simply intending to reject the idea that God has the same eternally salvific intentions towards all men and that he has intended the same, fully efficacious graces for all men. If this was his meaning, then his meaning was orthodox. However, as with the previous propositions, the Church saw in his proposition a natural connotation towards a heretical viewpoint--such as one in which Christ does not sincerely offer his death for the salvation of all men, or one in which some people who want to be saved will be rejected because Christ's death was not for them, or one in which Christ has not provided sufficient grace to make possible the salvation of all men. And thus she condemned the proposition in light of this connotation.
Similarly, Calvinists have historically affirmed the doctrine of "limited atonement"--that is, that Christ died not for all men but only for the elect (the predestined). They have often been misunderstood to be affirming the sorts of heretical ideas mentioned above, because the connotation conveyed by "limited atonement" seems naturally to suggest those ideas to many people. And yet Calvinists have always made it clear that they do not intend to affirm such ideas. Here, again, is Loraine Boettner, speaking of "limited atonement" (footnote references added to text):
This doctrine does not mean that any limit can be set to the value or power of the atonement which Christ made. The value of the atonement depends upon, and is measured by, the dignity of the person making it; and since Christ suffered as a Divine-human person the value of His suffering was infinite. The Scripture writers tell us plainly that the "Lord of glory" was crucified, 1 Cor. 2:8; that wicked men "killed the Prince of life," Acts 3:15; and that God "purchased" the Church "with His own blood," Acts 20:28. The atonement, therefore, was infinitely meritorious and might have saved every member of the human race had that been God's plan. It was limited only in the sense that it was intended for, and is applied to, particular persons; namely for those who are actually saved. (Chapter XII, 2)
While the value of the atonement was sufficient to save all mankind, it was efficient to save only the elect. It is indifferently well adapted to the salvation of one man to that of another, thus making the salvation of every man objectively possible; yet because of subjective difficulties, arising on account of the sinners own inability either to see or appreciate the things of God, only those are saved who are regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The reason why God does not apply this grace to all men has not been fully revealed. (Chapter XII, 3)
Will any one contend that God cannot sincerely offer salvation to a free moral agent unless in addition to the invitation He exerts a special influence which will induce the person to accept it? After a civil war in a country it often happens that the victorious general offers free pardon to all those In the opposing army, provided they will lay down their arms, go home, and live peaceable lives, although he knows that through pride or malice many will refuse. He makes the offer in good faith even though for wise reasons he determines not to constrain their assent, supposing him possessed of such power.
We may imagine the case of a ship with many passengers on board sinking some distance out from shore. A man hires a boat from a near-by port and goes to rescue his family. Incidentally it happens that the boat which he takes is large enough to carry all the passengers, so he invites all those on the sinking vessel to come on board, although he knows that many of them, either through lack of appreciation of their danger, or because of personal spite toward him, or for other reasons, will not accept. Yet does that make his offer any the less sincere? "If a man's family were with others held in captivity, and from love of them and with the purpose of their redemption, a ransom should be offered sufficient for the delivery of the whole body of captives, it is plain that the offer of deliverance might be extended to all on the ground of that ransom, although specially intended only for a part of their number. Or, a man may make a feast for his own friends and the provisions be so abundant that he may throw open his doors to all who are willing to come. This is precisely what God, according to the Calvinistic doctrine, has actually done. Out of special love to His people, and with the design of securing their salvation He has sent His Son to do what justifies the offer of salvation to all who choose to accept it." [136--Hodge, Systematic Theology, II., p. 556.]
When the Gospel is presented to mankind in general nothing but a sinful unwillingness on the part of some prevents their accepting and enjoying it. No stumbling block is put in their way. All that the call contains is true; it is adapted to the conditions of all men and freely offered if they will repent and believe. No outside influence constrains them to reject it. The elect accept; the non-elect may accept if they will, and nothing but their own nature determines them to do otherwise. "According to the Calvinistic scheme," says Dr. Hodge, "the non-elect have all the advantages and opportunities of securing their salvation, that, according to any other scheme, are granted to mankind indiscriminately. Calvinism teaches that a plan of salvation adapted to all men and adequate for the salvation of all, is freely offered to the acceptance of all, although in the secret purpose of God He intended that it should have precisely the effect which in experience it is found to have. He designed in its adoption to save His own people, but consistently offers its benefits to all who are willing to receive them. More than this no anti-Calvinist can demand." [137--Systematic Theology, II., p. 644.] (Chapter XXI, 2)
Evaluation of the Jansenist controversy can be tricky, because so much rides on nuances and connotations, and the same phrases can often be given contradictory meanings. Hopefully my analysis above has been helpful. My own views on this matter are clearer than they were when I first began to convert to Catholicism.
I think it is worthwhile at this point to point out two lessons that I think can be learned from examining this controversy. One of those lessons is that we have to be very careful to understand the meanings of the words and phrases people use, and be wary of assuming the worst interpretations of what is said by those whom we consider to be our "ideological opponents." Many Catholics, I'm sure, simply take it for granted that Calvinists and Jansenists held and hold many things that turn out to be mere caricatures of their real views. We do not act with appropriate charity when we do not do what we can to avoid negative misconstruals of what others think and say. In addition, a tendency to be sloppy in our efforts to understand other people's points of view often results as well in a weak and superficial understanding of the true doctrine. If more Catholics would take more time and effort to understand Jansenists and Calvinists, one result would be that they would gain a clearer and more profound understanding of the Catholic doctrines on the topics of predestination and efficacious grace (which, when one gets beyond the superficial, may end up seeming a lot closer to what those awful Jansenists or Calvinists said or are saying than we may be comfortable with).
On the other hand, Jansenism was condemned. This can teach us that even when we mean well, we need to be careful how we speak. Are our words and phrases and forms of speaking conveying the fullness of the truth in a balanced way, or, despite our good intentions, are we so imbalanced in our speech that we are conveying imbalanced and erroneous impressions through what we say? There is also a lesson of humility here. Both the Calvinists and the Jansenists ultimately refused to listen to the admonitions of the Church. They chose to value their own cherished phrases and ways of saying things and peculiar ideas over obedience to the authority Christ gave to his Church. The Jansenists in particular continued for decades to resist the Church while at the same time professing submission to her. This is made even more ironic when we recognize that the Jansenists (and the Calvinists, at least on these points) could probably have preserved the substance of their sentiments on these topics without needing to produce a breach with the Church, since the problems seem to have lain more in the connotations of their propositions than with the real substance of what they were wanting to affirm. We have a conscientious duty to preserve the truth and to avoid agreeing to falsehood, but we do not have a duty to maintain our pet phrases and doctrinal forms unnecessarily and stubbornly at the cost of obedience to and unity with the Church of Christ.
For more on the general Catholic teaching regarding predestination and efficacious grace, see here.
Published on the feast of St. Ephrem
Published on the feast of St. Ephrem


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Steve's new "Station Base" for the torsion bar key
Many thanks to Steve (W1SFR) who writes: Hi Tom, Here's a pic of the new "Station Base" for the portable torsion bar key. The rubber feet unscrew and can then be attached to the key base. It's really solid on … Continue reading
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I recently purchased the KX3 helper from W1SFR and can report that I've been very pleased with this simple, affordable, non-slip tilt pad. While I like the built-in tilt legs on the KX3, I prefer slightly more angle on my desktop. The … Continue reading
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W1SFR offers an array of products for the QRPer
Steve Roberts (W1SFR) has recently informed me about his new website, KX3helper.com where he sells an array of products for QRPers. Steve's product line includes: KX3/KX1 Helper: A foam stand lined with non-slip material to hold the KX3 at a high … Continue reading
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Initially seat pads may not seem like a vital addition to the kitchen; however the comfort and style that these items can add to a chair cannot be overlooked. These discreet seat cushions slip neatly on to most dining room chairs and will provide your guests with an extra layer of sumptuous comfort. Many people choose to coordinate their seat pads with the main colour themes or designs in their kitchen; this will help to make the room really pull together with the addition of a vibrant set of seat pads.


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Dementia in ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Topic Guide
Dementia in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig Disease): Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects the voluntary nervous system that causes muscles to weaken, leading progressively to paralysis and death, usually within five years of the first symptoms. ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, usually doesn't cause cognitive impairment, but is sometimes accompanied by dementia due to destruction of cells in the frontal lobe of the brain.
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Electromyography (EMG) Electromyography, or EMG, involves testing the electrical activity of muscles. Often, EMG testing is performed with another test that measures the conducting function of nerves, called a nerve conduction study. There is minimal pain and discomfort associated with an EMG.
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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Nov 3, 2009
|Filing date
|Aug 17, 2006
|Priority date
|Aug 17, 2006
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Donald Frank Brockhage, Erik Dylan Evans, Mark Leo Gneiting, Adam Weiss
|Original Assignee
|General Electric Company
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (35), Referenced by (2), Classifications (6), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This invention relates generally to data acquisition systems and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for transmitting self-describing data packets to change configuration parameters on the fly.
In at least some known data acquisition systems a detailed description of all electrical hardware and data display parameters is defined prior to actual data acquisition. Typically, such configuration parameters are defined prior to data acquisition, and then remain constant for the duration of data acquisition. Configuration parameters are not typically permitted to change during data acquisition. If the system permits changes to configuration parameters on the fly, it is difficult to correlate acquired data to the set of configuration parameters used while the data was acquired. The difficulty requires significant processing overhead to accomplish. At relatively slow data rates, known processors may be able to process the acquired data and the configuration parameters in use when the data was acquired. However, for data transfer rates commonly in use and for data rates expected in the future, faster methods of correlating data with the configuration parameters in use when the data was acquired are needed. Additionally, configuration and control interfaces generally do not permit configuration parameters to be modified individually.
In one embodiment, a method for transmitting data between elements of a data acquisition system includes receiving, at a first element, a self-describing control packet including a first configuration parameter, the first configuration parameter controls first data acquisition by the first element, acquiring first data by the first element in accordance with the first configuration parameter, generating a self-describing data packet including an identifier for the first configuration parameter and the acquired first data, and interpreting the acquired first data using the identifier.
In another embodiment, a data acquisition system includes an interface element configured to receive first configuration parameter information from at least one of a user at said interface element and a software generated rule. The interface element is further configured to generate a self-describing control packet including the received first configuration parameter information, The data acquisition system further includes a first element configured to receive the self-describing control packet and to control acquisition of first data by the first element using the first configuration parameter information, and a second element configured to interpret the acquired first data using the first configuration parameter information.
In yet another embodiment, a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for controlling data acquisition on a machine includes a code segment that controls a data acquisition system to receive, at a first element, a self-describing control packet including a first configuration parameter, the first configuration parameter controls first data acquisition by the first element. The code segment also controls the data acquisition system to acquire first data by the first element in accordance with the first configuration parameter, generate a self-describing data packet including an identifier for the first configuration parameter and the acquired first data, and interpret the acquired first data using the identifier.
In the exemplary embodiment, a configuration and control protocol is used that is flexible to allow single or multiple configuration parameters to be changed using a single configuration packet such that on-the-fly configuration changes are supported. A message can be comprised of any number of objects. In the exemplary embodiment, an individual object contains an individual configuration parameter. Because of this a single or any number of configuration parameters can be supplied to any input card 108 at any time. Additionally, to mark a beginning of a configuration sequence and an end of a configuration sequence, multiple messages are bundled together in a packet. By bundling the messages together special enter configuration and exit configuration tokens do not need to be passed from system component to component.
Configuration and control message packet 200 includes a protocol field 202 is used to identify the protocol used with the message packet. Various protocol types are configurable and future protocols may be generated without affecting existing protocols. A packet 204 includes a packet header 206 and one or more messages 208. Packet header 206 supports providing the entire configuration of any input card 108 using a single configuration packet. A message header 210 includes a message ID field that identifies the operation, a message overall length field that identifies the length of entire message, including the message header, and an operator such as a set operator, a get operator, a response, and a trap. A trap is an unsolicited event or message that informs the SBC of asynchronous events. Each object 212 included in a message 208 includes an object header 214. Object header 214 includes an object identifier (OID) and a length field that describes an overall length of object 212. Each object also includes a data field 216 that includes the individual configuration parameters.
An object header 306 includes an object identifier (OID), and an identifier that varies for a given object type. For example, for some objects the identifier indicates physical channel, for others a group ID. For some objects the identifier is not used. A cause field indicates why a sample was taken and if the data is pre-trigger or post trigger. In the case of an event notification the cause field is used by firmware to indicate to the system computer if the group has transitioned in or out of the triggered state. The cause field is used to indicate the reason why the data was collected such as due to an amplitude event, delta time event, rpm event, or some other external event. A length filed describes the overall length of the object including the header in bytes. A data field 308 includes both acquired data and all the configuration parameters that can change on-the-fly for the specific object type.
A spectral data sample information field 406 includes, for example, a number samples that describes the number of raw samples included in the object. A time stamp is generated by a high resolution, 100 microsecond (μs) resolution hardware timer that indicates when the first sample was acquired. A data type field describes the type of sampling used, for example, asynchronous, synchronous, true zoom asynchronous, or true zoom synchronous. A spectral data samples field 408 includes the acquired data described in for example, an unsigned 16 bit value.
A static data object field 408 includes the acquired data configuration. In the exemplary embodiment, the following information is included:
Transducer Scale Factor
Can be changed on the fly and is used by software
to determine how to display the data.
Range of values 0.05 [V] to 0.6 [V]
0.16 format, value/2**16.
Transducer Full Scale
Can be changed on the fly and is used by software
to determine how to display the data
Signal Gain
Can be changed on the fly and is used by software
to determine how to display the data.
x1, x5, x10 or x20 . . .
Slope (filter)
Number polls for band pass filter
1X Bandwidth Filter
The width of the filter will stay the same, however
2X Bandwidth Filter
it's center frequency change depending on the
Bandwidth Filter_0 (nX)
speed of the machine.
Bandwidth Filter_1 (nX)
Bandwidth Filter_2 (nX)
Bandwidth Filter_3 (nX)
Center Frequency_0 (nX)
The center frequency will move with the
Center Frequency_1 (nX)
synchronous speed of the machine.
Center Frequency_2 (nX)
16.16 Format.
Center Frequency_3 (nX)
The first 16 bits are used for the whole number
the second 16 bits are used for the fractional
portion of the number.
Corner Frequency (Low Pass)
Channel low pass filter corner
Corner Frequency (High Pass)
Channel high pass filter corner
Indicates what type of integration this channel is to perform,
if any.
Indicates the sampling mode
Reference Direction
Echoed back to SBC, used for forward and
reverse vector calculations
Shaft Rotational Direction
Echoed back to SBC, used for forward and
reverse vector calculations
Transducer Orientation
Echoed back to the SBC, used for forward and
Angle and Direction
reverse vector calculations
Echoed back to the SBC, used to indicate units
(pressure, distance, velocity etc)
The above-described on-the-fly configuration method is cost-effective and highly reliable. The method permits configurations to be changed "during" data acquisition and display and also permits the data to be quickly and efficiently interpreted and individual parameters to be changed individually such that correlating configuration parameters that can change on-the-fly to specific units of data is performed using configuration information contained in each message packet. Accordingly, the on-the-fly configuration method facilitates the interpretation of acquired data in a cost-effective and reliable manner.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
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|Data acquisition messaging using special purpose registers
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|U.S. Classification
|710/5, 710/20, 710/7
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Aug 17, 2006
Owner name: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, NEW YORK
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BROCKHAGE, DONALD FRANK;EVANS, ERIK DYLAN;GNEITING, MARK LEO;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:018126/0790;SIGNING DATES FROM 20060815 TO 20060816
|Oct 19, 2010
|Certificate of correction
|Mar 14, 2013
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|May 3, 2017
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8


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Seen and Heard Around the NAPT Summit Trade Show
- Posted By: Robb Snyder
- Category Featured, Industry News
More than 140 companies exhibited at the 42nd Annual NAPT Summit Trade Show on Tuesday, setting a record for the event.read more
More than 140 companies exhibited at the 42nd Annual NAPT Summit Trade Show on Tuesday, setting a record for the event.read more
From Student Transportion News January 2, 2015By Art Gissendaner There is no doubt that school violence is a hot-button topic. The Columbine and Sandy Hook shootings serve as exclamation points in a tragic narrative on contemporary society that could be titled: "Education Should Not Be a Life-Threatening Activity." At the outset, many educators, law enforcement officials and security experts focused their attention on making classrooms more secure. This approach is [...]read more
'HERE COMES THE BUS' By Gregg Obren, Clinton (Iowa) School BoardAugust 21, 2014 The Clinton Herald, Clinton, IA As part of the Clinton School Board's series of informational items to our community, it was my privilege to interview Scott Clark, the new transportation director, about how the students get to and from school safely every day. I was very impressed with the thoroughness of the operations of the Transportation Department. Let me tell you why. To [...]read more
By Megan Rogers, Albany Business ReviewPosted: 06/10/14 Troy, N.Y. --Transfinder recruiter Patrick Longo discovered a major roadblock when he attended a recent job fair in search of talented students from Albany, New York area colleges. Students weren't familiar with Transfinder, the Schenectady bus routing software development company. Many were headed to speak with representatives from more well known companies down the aisle. "You have to pitch [students] on why they should be here," [...]read more
Keshia ClukeyReporter- Albany Business ReviewJune 13, 2014 Though Antonio Civitella's father died two years ago, the CEO and president of Schenectady-based software developer Transfinder Corp. still vividly remembers his papa's sayings, and even runs his business by them. "You just heard these things. I loved it, they were riddles with deep meaning," said 45-year-old Civitella. "Some of these things when you got older they made a lot of sense." Many of the sayings are [...]read more


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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Haematology PS
Email from Professor JM at King's:
As requested, I have spoken to Professor H today to ask her opinion regarding your prognosis.
She said that you could expect a normal or near normal lifespan provided you had no complications.
She also added that having the MPL gene mutation would not be expected to result in any different behaviour of your myelofibrosis, compared to other patients with a more common mutation or without a mutation.
What I had actually asked was how long I could expect to be able to continue with normal activities apart from travelling outside the EU, not what my lifespan was likely to be. But perhaps its best to leave this to be clarified at the next haematology appointment, less than three weeks ahead.
Posted by Eric Avebury at 11:10 AM
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The White River Partnership (WRP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that brings together people and local communities to improve the long-term health of the White River and its watershed.
The WRP formed in 1996 as a group of local people who shared common concerns and interests in the watershed. That same year, we organized a series of public forums to identify the concerns shared by the larger watershed community. More than 150 community members participated in the forums, and the most prevalent concerns for the White River watershed were streambank erosion, water quality, declining fish populations, and public access to the river.
Since 1996, the WRP has worked to address these concerns by uniting individuals, schools, businesses, towns, local and regional organizations, and state and federal agencies to implement on-the-ground programs designed to evaluate the health of the watershed, to raise awareness about watershed issues, to protect and restore watershed health, and to coordinate watershed stewardship opportunities.
The WRP Board of Directors adopted a 2014 Strategic Plan in August – follow this link to learn more about our plans for the next 5 years: WRP_strategic-plan_2014.


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So I've planned a trip to Shinjuku Tokyo for 12 days, to see my beloved. We are both in our 20s and love food and all that nightlife jazz...
She's been living there for a few months, I will be staying near the shinjuku central station.
Any advice on good food and things to check out? I wanted to know from the people that have actually been there, so here I am on the japanese board (I usually post on the Toronto sidE)
Any sort of culinary help will be most appreciated, and I shall return the favour should you ever come to Toronto!


text: Chocolate crackles are a staple of Australian school fetes and are generally popular with the kids. The recipe below is the most common, but my kids prefer my adjusted recipe. Unfortunately, I have temporarily misplaced my recipe book. When I locate it, though, I will post the better recipe as well. Continue reading


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News of the World
21 reviews from the community
Review of "News of the World"
Boys completely frozen out of Product of the Week competition then after 11 straight weeks of female cosmetic stuff
"Fergie with her fat face in the pig swill again!"
Whatever you think of the tabloids the News of the World has come up with some fabulous stings and scoops over the years. Their team of fake sheiks and seedy businessmen have nailed some big names and recently they are on a roll. A tabloids job is to uncover hypocrites by being hypocrites and it works to a treat. After the John Higgins scoop it was just fabulous to see the rather ridiculous and some what sad Sarah Ferguson greedily grasping at a bag full of money in that NY hotel room on a promise to offer access to her ex husband. She is clearly not very bright and a pile of loot placed on the table in front of her for a covert photo opportunity as she stuffs it into her briefcase must have raised some alarm bells. But oh no, not our Fergie, her grasping claw taking 40k up front and off she went into the night time.I'm sure Prince Andrew knows nothing of his pathetic ex-wifes actions here but he, too, is in the same line of work, paid £500,000 a year by the government in expenses as a fixer for Gordon Brown [the] to grease foreign businessmen at lavish parties at the embassies to help British business. At the moment his currently project is to help BP and other multinationals to get influence in Azerbaijan, a grubby little oil and gas banana republic run by a seriously dodgy dictator, all part of the planned oil and gas infrastructure to pass from the old Russia Republics through Afghanistan and into Pakistan and Turkey to the west. That's the real story there and we all know the News of the World doesn't do real investigative stories of national importance, guffawing Fergie the way to sell their newspaper. I can just imagine what Murdoch said about Ferguson when he saw the tape. If you think she is skint then forget it. She donated her fee for the patronising ITV series about the Hull housing estate to her socialite friend's school fees! She is a rather sad individual yet carries on with her charity work regardless in America. They love here. I wonder if Fergie draws 'expenses' from that charity work through freebies?
On the snooker scoop it was right to set up Higgins as it exposed the bigger picture of possible wide spread fixing in the sport. The sting took three months to set up and involved intricate fake websites and many meetings. Higgins and his manager Paul Mooney were bang to rites. It's right to do these stings if they expose hypocrisy. I felt a little sorry for the England rugby captain Lawrence Delagio when he got done for admitting cocaine abuse and so losing the job but most of the time the scams work well. The secretive Mazer Mahmood was the man behind the earlier scams and Sven Goran Erickson was one of the best ones. Poor old Prince Edwards misses also got done and some of that one has been locked down under the official secrets act as it was that damaging to the royal family.The paper its self is pretty dire and that's how it makes its money, aimed purely out a tacky working-class readership so under increasing pressure to get these celebrity scoops through nefarious and devious methods to keep them reading. There are few profits to be had through the printed press these days as advertising has moved online and so newspapers have to have online content and be 24.7 to keep going, which is expensive and also not producing profits. My local paper newspapers website is run by just two journalists who cut n paste the content up all day, spellchecking not on the agenda.
There just doesn't seem to be an easy way to generate the required revenue online and when Murdoch charged for his papers online content it was purely to force people to buy his printed papers. Why would you pay for the Sun online if you can get the Daily Star free online? The days of the broadsheet are nearly over. And when people go for their news online they go to the BBC first, an organisation drowning in money. My local paper in Northampton that I write for sells 21,000 copies a week which is pretty good but has seen its advertising revenue collapse by 40% in recent years. Its core earn is the housing and jobs edition. Enjoy your local and national papers while you can guys.The content of the News of the World is predictable, brash and celebrity over genuine important news content. An up skirt shot of Jordan is more appreciated than the North-South Korea tensions to its readership. The website, like the paper, is stuffed full of this self-perpetuating celebrity nonsense that's almost a reciprocal deal to make the papers like this exist, the celebrities that moan about press intrusion and the paparazzi surely unlikely to exist without these rags and websites.
Menu wise for the website its able to be interactive of course and so can send readers elsewhere, the big attraction of websites to advertisers. Obviously you have all your celeb stuff and healthy sport, news, music, movies, travel, money and lifestyle. You then have the interactive bits like gaming, gadgets, mobile, video, bingo, casino, poker, and fantasy football, here the Suns very popular DreamTeam.Some aspects of the site are more socially aware like campaigns to go green, find Madeline McCann and Sarah Payne's push for exposing paedophiles locations more. They have some noisy columnist (my dream job) and one or two agony aunt columns. I don't read any of them and only go here to try and get that dream columnist job and read up on these clever exposé's, my second dream job. One plus here is the nature of online and real-time news which allows you and me to sell newspapers stories and information much easier to them and effectively become a freelancer by default.
Their search facility for the online version isn't great and navigation fairly simple for it's likewise readership. Sadly, whether people want to admit it or not most are obsessed with celebrity and these 'news' sites carer for that. The most popular video searches here support that and sex and the need to be part of that world the heart of celebrities appeal. The only reason to visit the online redtops is limited as this news and type of content is syndicated around the web and so nothing new. But at least with the News of the World they are trying to catch the hypocrites with their reporters and as long as people like the rather pathetic Sarah Ferguson salivates over money then they always will exist. The only good news here is that they have tried to sting many famous people over the years and many of those covert tapings came to nothing as the people were not up for being naughty like John Higgins.Summary: The end of the tabloid?
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Comments on this review
catsholiday published 06/06/2010I didn't think there would be many takers but obviously costas is tempted!
rosebud2001 published 06/06/2010Can't say I am a huge fan but there's something a bit more honest and down to earth about it then any of the "Mail" titles. I saw Sarah Ferguson in Harrods when my daughter was a baby - a fair assessment of her would be "hatchet faced".
thedevilinme published 06/06/2010suprisingly good legs for a heffer
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offers "News of the World"
News of the World Football Annual 2001/2002
Continuation of the well-known football annual that started out as the Athletic News. Paperback. 16mo. 480pp. Illustrated covers, lightly rubbed. A good copy...
Shipping Costs : + £ 2.80 | Availability : refer to website
Product Information : News of the World
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Listed on Ciao since: 23/07/2000


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Identifier: N04779
Title: South Broadway Cut Price Drugs. 1401 Broadway.
Description: Horizontal, black and white photograph of a row of commercial buildings. The building on the right is a three story building with dormer windows and store front on the ground level. Signs above the store front advertise for "South Broadway Drugs" and "Prescriptions Liquor Toys Gifts Cosmetics". The central building is a three story brick building with dentilling a the top, pilasters spanning the sides of the building, and a fire escape on the front of the building.
Dates: 1940-1959
Type(s): Snapshot
Maker/Creator: Swekosky, William G., 1895-1964
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic
Kosciusko (Saint Louis, Mo.)
Disclaimer: We are working to create a web-based collection index. Information available through this website should be considered "draft only."


text:
The Capco Institute video series brings together leading academics and senior financial executives to discuss pertinent issues impacting the world of financial services.
Leading experts in global banking operations discuss the industry's readiness for the transition from T+3 to T+2 settlement cycle.
Panel members:
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I am so PUMPED UP about what THE LORD is going to do in and through HIS
CHURCH in 2016! In case you haven't heard heres four of the things we will
be stepping up and doing in 2016. GRANITE WILL BE...
Launching our GREAT LOWELL CAMPUS in February.
Launching our iCampus by EASTER.
Opening up our CHAMPIONS CLUB - Ministry to the special needs and medically
fragile community.
Planting a NEW CHURCH - Paradox Church
Thats just four of the many things we will see GOD do in and through us
this year! I'm glad Christy and I can say "I KNOW"!
We also know that nothing comes easy and its going to take a lot of prayer,
work, and sacrifice to do what we are called to do. But at GRANITE we are
ALL IN for JESUS and others! Lets keep the main thing the main thing, LOVE
JESUS, LOVE OTHERS, COMPLETE OUR MISSION all the while PROTECTING and
GUARDING THE VISION. Theres to much at stake! Im so glad we get to do this
Im reminded of what PAUL told his pastors in Acts 20...
Acts 20:28-31, "28 "So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd
God's flock--his church, purchased with his own blood--over which the Holy
Spirit has appointed you as elders. 29 I know that false teachers, like
vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the
flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the
truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years
I was with you--my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my
many tears for you." NLT
Love you GRANITE the best it yet to come!
-- Posted By Blogger to AnthonyMilas.net at 1/26/2016 09:12:00 AM


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LWV Miami-Dade Positions
About LWV's Positions
The League of Women Voters takes positions and advocates on select policy issues at a local, state and national level after careful consideration by its members. Every member of the League is encouraged to participate in the process of "study and action" in its entirety, from the adoption of a study, through the achievement of a consensus, to its ultimate conclusion with action.
League program and advocacy positions include issues facing Florida and the Unites States as a whole, including government, education, justice, social policy, sustainability and natural resources. Furthermore, the Miami-Dade League has studied and achieved consensus on relevant and timely local issues such as the form of local government, local services, land use in the county and amendments to the county charter.
Local League Positions
Local Government
- Support of local government which is efficient and economical, with competent personnel, the clear assignment of responsibility and adequate financing.
The Charter
- Support of a county charter that conforms to League positions.
- Proposed charter amendments should be placed on the ballot either by a resolution adopted by the County Commission or by petition. The Florida Legislature should not be given the authority to place proposed Charter amendments on the Miami-Dade County ballot.
County Commission
- Support of a representative Commission which is elected by the people in nonpartisan elections.
- Support of staggered terms for County Commissioners.
- Support of removal of specific figure for salaries from the charter, with salaries set as recommended by state scale.
- The County Commission should have the power to organize itself. The Chairperson should be selected by the County Commission. Committees of the Commission should be established by the Commission, and committee members selected by the Commission.
The Budget
- Support of formal mechanisms for citizen input into the Dade County budget prior to printing of the proposed budget document.
Initiative, Referendum and Recall
- Support of a uniform base for signatures on initiative, referendum and recall petition.
- Support of a higher percentage of signatures on recall petitions than on initiative and referendum petitions. Support of procedures for recall requiring:
- A statement of grounds on the petition;
- A statement of grounds and a rebuttal on the ballot.
- Opposition to recall during the first year and the last six months of a commissioner's term.
- Support of a county-wide library system.
- Support of mass transportation which acts as a tool to improve the quality of urban life by protecting the environment and providing access to housing, including:
- Support of a balanced, unified transportation system.
Land Use
- Support of Comprehensive Master Land Use Plan based on equitable, realistic, comprehensive and flexible criteria including:
- Support of a planning process that ensures governmental coordination, citizen input, and up-dating and enforcement.
- Support of planning in which population growth and distribution are constrained by the ability of the ecosystem to support that growth while at the same time maintaining a quality of life beneficial to the total community.
- Support of planning policies which encourage and give priority to redevelopment and/or upgrading of existing areas and neighborhoods.
- Support of Urban Development Boundary line in effect on June 14, 2005.