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"At this moment, the Vienna State Opera is in Japan. However, in the pit this is not noticeable. The remaining Vienna Philharmonic musicians played brilliantly with superb orchestral sound in the "Repertoire-Performance" of Gioachino Rossini's tale opera "Cinderella" under the baton of Speranza Scappucci.
Rossini's operas sound easy and engaging, however, they provide some of the biggest challenges in the opera repertoire. Rossini achieves atmosphere in putting together delicate phrases and passages that tell stories. Speranza Scappucci takes the term "Music Dramatist" seriously. With economic but clear gestures, she leads the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera through the score.
Already in the overture, it was clear that it was not about effects, but real music making. Precise but nevertheless supple phrases go in and out to achieve the right tension before the curtain comes up. A culmination — and that is with Rossini — mostly the test for each conductor — in the storm scene in the second act. Scappucci shows the drama: she does not let the thunder whisper, but lets it rise threateningly. With her balanced conducting, she allows the excellent soloists of the Vienna Philharmonic, like Daniel Ottensamer on the clarinet, as well as the singers to shine."
As the first Italian woman to conduct at the Vienna State Opera, she will finish the rest of this run on 11/6 and 11/10 and return later this month for Verdi's
La Traviata on 11/19, 11/23, 11/26, 11/29, and 12/1.


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Tag Archives: monkees
Massive Monkees Weekend Is Here!
Posted on May 19, 2017 by frockclothing
This weekend is going to be super lit in Seattle! Come celebrate, and rejoice with us at Massive Monkees Weekend 2017! Today at 7pm We'll be at the Canvas Event Space (SoDo), and tomorrow we'll be at the Showbox (SoDo), … Continue reading →
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Yukon Quest musher adding helmet after 2014 concussion
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Veteran musher Brent Sass had to withdraw from the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race last year after falling asleep, falling from his sled and smacking his head on the surface of a frozen lake.
He's taking precautions against another concussion this year.
Sass tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (http://bit.ly/1z4vysI) that he will wear a helmet in this year's Yukon Quest, which begins Feb. 7.
Sass says he's free of the headaches and other symptoms that lingered after he was hurt, but he intends to take better care of himself.
The helmet already was tested when he hit a tree during a training run.
The 35-year-old Eureka musher and former college cross-country skier won the Gin Gin 200 three weeks ago and will be one of the favorites in the 2015 Yukon Quest.
The annual race runs 1,000 miles, between Whitehorse, Yukon, and Fairbanks.
Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


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In the story, stripes have taken on different meanings, and with them, the people who wore them.
They have been marked by prejudices since the Middle Ages, associating them with evil, the devil.
When quoting the book as "the devil's fabric" as a source, it tells very well how beliefs associated with a striped surface, such as animal mantle or clothing, give a negative perception not only to the eye but also to thought human.
Trying to identify the meaning at that time, we pay attention to the question: who was wearing striped clothes? They were court clowns, crazy people, and those who were not in normality or considered a scrap and so marginalized by the so-called "normal" population.
It was regarded as a form of transgression, a malignant diversity that negatively affected people's judgments, and that is why prisoners always come up with a striped uniform.
As for animals, the zebra was considered a "wild ass", a dangerous and imperfect creature, even impure because of its mantle.
The striped fabrics are also recalled in the French revolutionary motions, in which the lines are widely used, to such an extent that they have become part of the emblematic revolutionary repertoire, so that it has come to demand rows in every place inspired by it : No lines, no revolutionary atmosphere. They even thought of designing a uniform for all the riot supporters who were in stripes and colors of the French flag, also in white, blue and red stripes, colors resumed by the clothes of the peasants and the washers of that time (late 1700).
The American Revolution and the flag with the thirteen red and white rows, of the thirteen colonies of America, appear to be the image of Freedom and the symbol of new ideas.
Stripes rapidly acquires an ideological and political status: adorning it and exposing it can be a means of proclaiming its Anglophobia and its adherence to liberal movements.
It is reported that the striped vest, as a sailor's icon, officially became an integral part of the naval uniform after the great prince and admiral of the Navy Kostantin Nikolaevich Romanov received in 1868 the General Admiral frigate crew and all The sailors praised the functionality and comfort of the boss.
Who, if not Coco Chanel, could unlock that knit in the fashion world? From a typically male uniform, in the 1920s, he re-adapted it as a female cap with pearls and lipstick. Afterwards, other designers followed the footsteps, carrying on the footsteps of the reminiscences of an ever-changing must.
To name a few: Tommy Hildfiger, Dolce & Gabbana and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Ferragamo also made his way by introducing multicolored striped shoes in relief, and the old prejudices were definitively lost. There is no more fear in showing up with striped garments, indeed, at this time they "make fashion". Like him, others showed up the rows, with navy uniforms, pajamas with a reprimanded jacket, or a simple panties in the jackets.
Many properties that the stripes possesses are recognized: it expands spaces, enhances the atmosphere, and illuminates the surfaces on which it is placed.
Nowadays this is the meaning that is attributed to the lines, not only does it show and at the same time hides, but it is also the figure and the background together.
Over time, many celebrities dressed in stripes.


text: My son takes me on crazy adventures in D&D and I foil his every attempt to take it seriously. This podcast contains descriptions of blood and gore because we are killing imaginary orcs... duh. But there is no profanity so it is appropriate for D&D lovers of all ages. We recommend you start with the first episode.


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Monday, July 21, 2008
Trinity vs. Oneness Debate (1999) White vs. Sabin - Part 1
This presentation may be helpful for Oneness Pentacostals who happen to stop by, as well as for Unitarians and the like. It may also be helpful for dealing with Muslims who like to borrow the arguments of the Oneness Pentacostals and (other) Unitarians (Oneness folks tend not to use the "Unitarian" label for themselves).
I hope that additional segments of the debate will become available in time.
To the glory of our Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Labels: Debates, Islam, James White, Pentacostal Oneness, Robert Sabin, Trinity, Unitarians, Video
Published by Turretinfan to the Glory of God, at 4:30 PM
21 comments:
will my anticipation be realized?
Will they post the rest of the debate?
Dr. White, younger, lighter and having more hair!
- Monday, July 21, 2008 8:09:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
I'm told that they plan to post the rest, piece by piece.
- Monday, July 21, 2008 11:45:00 PM
Turretin, You actually think this was a debate? Ask James White to whom I do not believe is much of a debater in the first place, why he debates others three, and four times but Finds a nice man who is no debater either, why he only debates Once the Oneness believers... I would be embarrassed if I were you, and hey, it helps me more if you think white's arguemnts actually work send them to me using those so called arguments.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:45:00 PM
Oh by the way, it is me Manuel Culwell that sent the last message. Trinity doctrine is unscriptural doctrine. Please send those using such arguments to me using the arguments James White used. I know he will not debate because he thinks himself above everyone else(Like a pope) he uses Lame excuses Like;" he wants scholarly debate"(Code for; he thinks himself above everyone else because of his much learning) But he is a physician of no account.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:52:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
a) Yes, it was actually a debate.
b) Dr. White is actually quite an accomplished debater (see this list, which is already out of date, as he has done several additional debates since link to list.
c) I'm not sure why debating Oneness folks has captured such a small percentage of his attention, but his call-in webcast "radio" program provides you with a chance to call in and discuss the matter with him, if you like. I have heard him engage in a discussion in that format with at least one Oneness person within the last year.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:54:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
"Oh by the way, it is me Manuel Culwell that sent the last message."
Then you should recall Dr. White responding directly to you on his radio program, since you called in.
"Trinity doctrine is unscriptural doctrine."
That is both a lie and blasphemy.
"Please send those using such arguments to me using the arguments James White used."
"I know he will not debate because he thinks himself above everyone else(Like a pope) he uses Lame excuses Like;" he wants scholarly debate"(Code for; he thinks himself above everyone else because of his much learning) But he is a physician of no account."
He has proved his willingness to debate people time and time again. He's even taken on your comments on his "radio" program. See the link to the partial list above for more details on the fact that he debates.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:57:00 PM
I debated him twice there and when I got the best of him, he claimed I had "anger issues",it is his show and I know I will not be able to get my points across sucessfully. You better believe I have righteous indignation against false doctrine,I had toilet flushing sounds over layed my voice on another program when the host did not like what I had to say James White is no debater!
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:58:00 PM
Links to trinity vs. Oneness debates
for free.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:23:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
Manuel, if you really believe that you got booted from his show after "getting the best" of him, and not because you were insufferably rude, I suggest you relisten to the show.
It is interesting, though, that you now characterize those events as debates - whereas a minute ago ...
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 6:22:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
And I really was amused by your links - which not only include the White vs. Sabin debate but also two other debates involving James White.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2008 6:23:00 PM
I really wish I could listen to this! However, this video has to buffer for about 7 sec after every third word he says. I did turn down the volume to let it play out/buffer so that when it was done I could listen to it without it having to buffer in between his speaking. I began this process at 530pm and at 845pm when it had only buffered 25min into the debate I realized it was going to take more time than I had to buffer it out to the end! Maybe there is a better media on which the debate can be found? I really would like to hear it. Especially the oneness doctrine. I don't know what they believe really except that they don't believe in the Trinity. I really don't understand how they could miss that teaching which is throughout the Bible. It would be interesting to hear how they twist Scripture.
- Friday, September 26, 2008 2:56:00 AM
TF, was not even honest enough to submit my last posts to him concerning his last replies.
- Friday, September 26, 2008 3:14:00 AM
Here is a link to buy this debate in MP3 form for those who cannot get the video to work
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 12:15:00 AM
why would anyone want to buy that lousy debate when you can get it for free ( at least to listen) on my debate group?
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 3:13:00 AM
- Turretinfan said...
I'm not sure why. There could be a lot of reasons - one would be to support Dr. White's defense of the faith.
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 3:26:00 AM
On my group you can hear White and David Bernard go at it On the Oneness Vs. Trinity questions something he does not offer on his site, plus more Oneness Vs trinity debates, Not Just the single debate he has put up on that issue.
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 3:35:00 AM
Well, I just got through listening to the whole debate. I must congratulate Dr. White. He did an awesome job. I'm not sure who the other guy is, but he would have done better to defend his position instead of telling a story with which everyone is familiar. That story doesn't prove this idea of "oneness". At any rate, I might not agree with how he handled his side of the debate and no one has to agree with me on that issue...it's of no consequence.
I do have a question that I wish I could ask of that man and it is this. Do Oneness folks believe that God is a holy God? Do they believe that when we sin our sin carries an infinite charge of guilt? Do they believe that sin is only a minor offense or do they believe it is an infinite offense against an infinite God? If one truly believes that God is perfectly holy, then that same person must agree any sin committed against Him is infinitely wicked and deserves infinite punishment. Now if sin isn't infinitely wicked, then that means at some point in time people will get out of hell. If there is no infinite price tag to pay for sin, God cannot punish people in hell forever. I don't know if the oneness folks believe that. I'm going to assume they don't. I'm going to assume that they do believe sin has infinite consequences which will be administered to people in hell forever. Considering what I have just said, how is it that they can believe a mere human (who isn't divine and therefore isn't infinite but only a man through whom God manifests Himself) could ever pay an infinite price tag...in three hours no less? If a human could pay for millions of infinite price tags to save those millions of people, then why couldn't God just manifest Himself in those same millions and allow them to pay their own price tag? Why would I need a purely human man at all? Why would God show more favor for this one man (especially since Scripture says God is no respecter of people) and give him the authority and power to pay for everyone of God's children's sins? It indeed would be an honor for a mere man!! That indeed is powerful. To say that a mere man could pay that high of a price tag is great power. Yet we know that Scripture says He humbled Himself and became man to die for our sins. It would be humbling for God the Son to come down here with us and impute our wicked sin upon His innocent and holy Self. Only an infinite God could pay the price an infinite God demands! He is infinitely holy and any sin commented against Him requires an infinite payment. No mere man is infinite. It would have been impossible for Jesus to be merely a man and still pay an infinate price tag. I don't believe the Oneness folks have studied the doctrine of God and His attributes.
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 4:46:00 AM
- Turretinfan said...
Thanks for those thought-provoking questions.
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 12:01:00 PM
"Thought provoking" she simply denied Jesus was a real man and has given us the true colors of the false doctrine of the trinity: that is you deny Jesus humanity and make him a hybrid mixture of God and man!
she wrote:
"Why would I need a purely human man at all?"
Have you not read the scriptures? There is one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus. (Not the God Christ Jesus or you herculean mixture version of a false christ) This reveals how false your doctrine of the trinity is.
I told you this was not a debate she said he told stories that is what I got out of it that is why James White feels satisfied with this debate
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 12:34:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
Your inability to grasp Trinitarian doctrine continues to amaze me.
As you ought to know by now, the Trinitarian position is not that Jesus was a Human-divine "hybrid mixture" but rather both fully God and fully man, two distinct natures in one person.
It is because Jesus is both God and man that the atonement is possible. I do find it interesting, though, that you don't have any answers for Sarah's questions regarding the atonement, though.
Christ is needed as a mediator, but he is also needed as a redeemer, something that it would appear there is no room for in your theology.
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 8:24:00 PM
- Turretinfan said...
"TF, was not even honest enough to submit my last posts to him concerning his last replies. "
MC, I invite you to check out the guide to comments, which may help you see why your comments don't always get published.
- Saturday, September 27, 2008 8:28:00 PM


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Dear All,
Title of workshop : How to increase h-index "Advertise and disseminate publications"
Date & time : 8/June/2011 9Am-1Pm
Venue: MMU- FOM- AR1002
Speaker: Nader Ale Ebrahim
Registration: for registration students must be send email to firstname.lastname@example.com until 5/June/2011.
Because of limitation in venue space (20 person), priority for meet workshop is for those earlier registered.
Registration fee: 25 RM, registration fee will be taken at the workshop.
Nader Ale Ebrahim is currently a Technology Management PhD candidate in the Department of Engineering Design and Manufacture, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya. He holds a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from University of Tehran with distinguished honors. Besides of his research, he was a Paper & Proceeding Committee member of the 11th Asia Pacific Industrial Engineering & Management Systems (APIEMS 2010) Conference, and he is acting as a Scientific Secretariat of University of Malaya International Students' Association (UMISA). Currently he is local chair of ISDT 2012 conference and Paper & Proceeding director of UMIES 2011.
He is active in sharing his research finding by conducting a series of workshops in UM, UiTM, UKM, UPM, MMU and UTM. Nader developed a new method about using the "Research Tools" which help students who seek to reduce the search time by expanding the knowledge of researchers to more effectively use the "tools" that are available through the Net. He awarded as a Winner of Refer-a-Colleague Competition and received prize from Thomson Reuters.
His research interests focus on managing virtual teams for new product development in SMEs R&D centers. His about 32 papers have presented in the several referees journal and conferences.
Thank You & Best Regards,
Master of Business Administration, Graduate Institute of Management, Multimedia University


text:
It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
-- Mark Twain
Fortune favors those who do the math.
-- 0xabad1dea
The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it
-- Neil deGrasse Tyson
A GOOD man fights for himself and his, a GREAT man fights for everyone else
-- Philip DeFranco
For those days when it seems like you're the only one who understands how things really work.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Hello world!
After years of writing web pages from scratch, I've decided to start using a tool. I've picked WordPress as the tool. I hope you and I like the results.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Happy Ears Hearing Center is an upscale audiology private practice with clinics in Peoria, Surprise, Scottsdale & Mesa, Arizona. Happy Ears Hearing Center has a strong commitment to education and we are passionate about what we do. Our doctorate-level audiologists completed years of study and research to enable them to provide the very highest standards of patient-centered hearing care.
At Happy Ears Hearing Center, we believe that all individuals should have access to high-quality and personalized hearing healthcare.
But when an individual steps into a traditional hearing aid store, the opposite is usually found: high-pressure sales, little to no education on hearing loss, high prices without the expertise of a doctorate level clinician treating their hearing loss, and for some, hearing testing is not even performed in a soundproof booth.
Patients at Happy Ears Hearing Center do not experience this.
At Happy Ears Hearing Center, we define quality hearing care as:
With our state-of-the-art hearing facility, we use our education and experience every day to perform thorough hearing evaluations and educate individuals on hearing loss and the latest technology available to them on the market. We use our live demonstration room to educate individuals on the importance of hearing technology and Bluetooth technology in a real-life situation with background noise. As a result, you are able to make informed decisions about hearing technology and your hearing care.
At Happy Ears Hearing Center, we know how important your hearing is to your life and your relationships. That is why our audiologists pride themselves on being experts on the latest hearing technology. We take pride in educating you and your family about hearing healthcare, options of treatment for your lifestyle and hearing expectations, and we make appropriate referrals as needed. We are constantly striving to set the highest standards for quality hearing healthcare in Arizona.
0 ReviewsDr. Shanna Mortensen-Dewsnup is licensed in Arizona as an audiologist and hearing aid dispenser. Dr. Mortensen-Dewsnup obtained her bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with an emphasis in Deaf Education, from Utah State University. She also studied at the University of... More


text:
Ask Euretos
In a recent study published in The American Journal of Pathology researchers found a novel gene, ADAMTS18 that impacts body fat percentage and fat cell size. Mice that are lacking the gene also showed early metabolic syndrome including hyperlipidemia, blood glucose metabolic disorder, and hypertension.
As the article concludes, the details of the specific molecular mechanism is yet unknown. Using the Euretos AI platform a detailed 'in silico' target validation can be done to explore the underlying molecular mechanism.
Euretos Search confirms that currently no literature exists linking ADAMTS18 to Metabolic Syndrome X. Also the suggested search using synonyms yields no results. The novelty of the gene in Metabolic Syndrome X therefore seems confirmed.
Figure 1: Search confirming ADAMTS18 novelty (source: Euretos AI Platform)
A next step in assessing the involvement of ADAMTS18 is analysing its gene interactome. Using the Euretos Analytics application, the following interactions are found:
Figure 2: Gene interactome of ADAMTS18 (source: Euretos AI Platform)
Especially interesting in the interactome is the relation with the ACAN gene where ADAMTS18 controls the post translational modification of the gene. This warrants further analyses whether the ACAN gene may play a role in Metabolic Syndrome X.
Using the Gene-Disease function, the role of the ACAN gene can be assessed in great detail, taking into account biological 10 aspects of target-disease interaction. For each of these aspects the interactome of the ACAN is assessed only for those interactors that are already associated with Metabolic Syndrome X:
Figure 3: Aspects of gene - disease interaction provided by the Euretos AI Platform
Based on this analysis, the ACAN gene seems likely involved in Metabolic Syndrome X as it has multiple interactions with relevant genes playing a role in relevant phenotypes. This includes, for instance, the key metabolic process of hyperglycemia. The ACAN gene shows interactions with 9 genes, in this phenotypes, including 2 genes from the ADAMTS gene family:
Figure 4: Involvement of ACAN in genes associated with Metabolic Syndrome X and Hyperglycemia (source: Euretos AI Platform)
There are many literature references supporting these various interactions providing many possibilities to validate each specific interaction:
Figure 5: Literature supporting ACAN interactome involvement Metabolic Syndrome X and Hyperglycemia (source: Euretos AI Platform)
Of course further research will be required to fully understand the specific mechanism driving the ADAMST18/ACAN - Metabolic Syndrome X interactions. This initial analysis shows that there are many promising angles that can be investigated.
Read more news articles: Euretos News
About this series - The purpose of the Euretos Research Note series is to provide a data analytics perspective on recent life sciences publications. The series focuses on two types of questions: (1) Did the available data already point in the direction of a discovery? (2) What further research angles does the available data suggest?


text:
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text:
Trends tend to be fascinating — I think most of us are inherently interested in what other people are buying — and if you're paint-obsessed like me, it's fun to keep an eye on Benjamin Moore's bestsellers page.
The company updates this list frequently, and colors jostle for position. Two months ago, for example, Benjamin Moore Merlot Red and Moroccan Red were bestsellers; today, they've been pushed aside in favor of Deep Rose and Hodley Red.
Some warhorse colors remain perennially popular, though, including straight-up Benjamin Moore Red 2000-10.
I couldn't find any good interior shots of Red, but the color is very to similar to Benjamin Moore Million Dollar Red.
Another bestseller is Benjamin Moore Raspberry Truffle, which is used in the upper left portion of this bookcase, below. The center stripe is Benjamin Moore Arroyo Red:
The right corner of the bookcase is painted two shades: Benjamin Moore Exotic Red in the lower part, and Benjamin Moore Million Dollar Red in the upper. The vintage Paul McCobb chairs are painted Benjamin Moore Aruba Blue.
Arroyo Red is very similar to Benjamin Moore Dinner Party, another bestselling red:
Below is Benjamin Moore Spanish Red, from a photo shoot I produced (!!):
Benjamin Moore Moroccan Red (which I wrote about here) is beautiful. In the room below it was applied in lacquer:
More Benjamin Moore Moroccan Red:
Benjamin Moore Caliente:
Benjamin Moore Merlot Red:
Benjamin Moore Deep Rose (similar to Merlot Red):
Benjamin Moore Garrison Red:
Three bestselling reds — Benjamin Moore Hodley Red, Sweet Rosy Brown, and Boston Brick — are all very similar. Here's Boston Brick in a kitchen, paired with Benjamin Moore White Dove (which I wrote about here) on the columns and trim in the foreground:
Boston Brick is a close match to Benjamin Moore Burnt Russet, below:
A few of my favorites
Benjamin Moore Heritage Red was a designer favorite
and unfortunately has been discontinued, but if you ask for it at the paint store, they might still have the formula stored electronically. [Update: Alert reader Dennis informed me that Benjamin Moore has brought back Heritage Red, and it's true! Find it here.]
The closest matches to Heritage Red I can find among Benjamin Moore's offerings are Ruby Red and Vermilion.
Designer Ken Fulk used Benjamin Moore Heritage Red on the front door of this San Francisco Victorian:
Designer Christopher Maya used Heritage Red on the bookcase in this dining room, below. The fabulous blue velvet is Nigel by Ralph Lauren.
Designer Miles Redd used Benjamin Moore Heritage Red in high-gloss oil on these closet shelves:
This kitchen island, below, is painted Heritage Red; the cabinets are Benjamin Moore Homestead Green, and the ceiling is Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue:
Another favorite of mine is Benjamin Moore Salsa. I've had a thing for this color ever since seeing it here:
|Credit: Lonny
Benjamin Moore Rhubarb looks terrific on this door:
Benjamin Moore Bull's Eye Red is another favorite of mine:
|Credit: Lonny
Another photo of Bull's Eye:
Below, chairs are painted Benjamin Moore Vermilion and the walls are painted Benjamin Moore Iron Gate:
And finally, Benjamin Moore Salsa Dancing:


text:
By Eric Johnson
- See a PowerPoint PDF of this used by Eric in church meetings by clicking Sharing the Good News with Mormons presentation pdf
- See the new book Sharing the Good News with Mormons, co-edited by Eric Johnson and Sean McDowell, with a whole chapter in the book dedicated to how to use this evangelism approach
- To answer the question "Is The Miracle of Forgiveness nothing more than Spencer W. Kimball's opinion?" go here.
Perhaps you are someone who has received a copy of this book from us in a public venue. We are often ask why we do this. Our answer? We think every Latter-day Saint ought to read this important work for themselves. It lays out the traditional LDS position that true repentance brings forgiveness, but this repentance is a complete forsaking of all sins. Allow me to give some background to this book and by the end of this article you will hopefully understand our motives.
Introduction to The Miracle of Forgiveness
In 1969, then-Mormon Apostle Spencer W. Kimball wrote a book addressed to Latter-day Saints titled The Miracle of Forgiveness. Later, Kimball became Mormonism's twelfth president. For many years, this book has been widely read by the membership and even recommended at two different general conferences.
In a website article titled "The Story of The Miracle of Forgiveness,"Mormon Scott Woodward gives some background to how this book came to be written:
For years he had said he intended to write no book, that there were books enough by others who had more talent. And for fifteen years he stuck by that resolve, despite the urgings of many who wanted him to write. Numerous addresses at general conference and at BYU had been reprinted, sometimes in thousands of copies, but they had been written as speeches and not as books. The experience which impelled him finally to write a book was the day-by-day counseling of people in trouble, the week-by-week interviewing of members being considered for responsible Church positions, the interviewing of missionaries as he toured the missions.
Kimball spent more than a decade putting the book together. Referencing his father's presidential predecessor, Edward Kimball wrote in a biography he wrote on his dad:
Elder Kimball passed the manuscript to Harold B. Lee, who pleased and embarrassed him by praising it in a meeting of the Twelve. Elder Lee said that on the basis of the half he had read "it was factual and heavily documented and adequate and covered the field beautifully." [Fellow Apostle] Delbert L. Stapley, who had read the manuscript, echoed those sentiments" (Spencer W. Kimball: The Early and Apostolic Years, p. 384)
In the preface to the church manual Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, it reads:
In addition to numerous addresses, he [Kimball] authored the book The Miracle of Forgiveness. This book arose from Elder Kimball's long experience as an Apostle, counseling those who had yielded to serious transgression. In the book he outlined the Lord's expectations of us, our divine potential, and the pathway we must follow to repent and obtain the assurance of complete divine forgiveness. (xxiv)
According to Edward Kimball,
[T]he book filled a need, as evidenced by the printing of half a million copies in English and sixteen other languages between its publication in 1969 and his death in 1985 …. By 1998 the total in all languages was roughly estimated at 1.6 million copies. (Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005, 79).
President Thomas S. Monson, who served as a member of the First Presidency under Kimball, wrote,
President Spencer W. Kimball has always been a prolific worker. He spent several summers working on a book which he later entitled The Miracle of Forgiveness. As one reads the book, particularly the first portion, one wonders if anyone will make it to the Celestial Kingdom. However, in reading the final portion, it is apparent that, with effort, all can qualify" (Thomas S. Monson, On the Lord's Errand: The Memoirs of Thomas S. Monson, 1985, p. 342).
We would disagree with Monson's sentiments about how "anyone" can make it to the Celestial Kingdom if following the teachings as found in Kimball's book. Yet other leaders and church publications have also offered up great praise for this book and its portrayal of Mormon "doctrine." For example:
Apostle Richard L. Evans (the year after its publication): "Many of you would be familiar with President Spencer Kimball's wonderful work on the miracle of forgiveness. I witness to you that God is a loving Father who will forgive and help us find peace and self-respect as we repent and show our sincerity by the lives we live. And there is nothing he asks of us that we cannot do; there is no requirement we cannot keep-if we are willing, if we want to. Repentance is a miracle, if it is sincere" (Conference Reports, April 1970, p. 16).
Seventy Bruce C. Hafen: "Some of us make repentance too easy, and others make it too hard. Those who make it too easy don't see any big sins in their lives, or they believe that breezy apologies alone are enough. These people should read President Spencer W. Kimball's The Miracle of Forgiveness, which reviews many sins of both commission and omission. And while forgiveness is a miracle, it is not won without penitent and strenuous effort" ("Beauty for Ashes: The Atonement of Jesus Christ," Liahona, April 1997, p. 41).
Apostle Richard G. Scott: "In The Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball gives a superb guide to forgiveness through repentance. It has helped many find their way back" ("Finding Forgiveness," Ensign (Conference Edition), May 1995, p. 76).
He also said in the October 2000 General Conference, "I suggest that you read President Spencer W. Kimball's inspired book The Miracle of Forgiveness. It continues to help the faithful avoid the pitfalls of serious transgression. It likewise is an excellent handbook for those who have committed serious errors and want to find their way back. Read the last two chapters first to appreciate the full miracle of forgiveness before reading anything else" ("The Path to Peace and Joy," Ensign, November 2000, p. 26).
Apostle Boyd K. Packer: "President Kimball himself is an experienced surgeon of sorts. Not a doctor of medicine, but a doctor of spiritual well-being. Many a moral cancer has been excised, many a blemish of character has been removed, many a spiritual illness of one kind or another has been cured through his efforts. Some on the verge of spiritual oblivion have been rescued by him. He has written a book—literally years in preparation—The Miracle of Forgiveness. Many have been protected by the counsel he has written. Countless others have been inspired to set their lives in order and have experienced that miracle" (Ensign, Mar. 1974, 5)" (Presidents of the Church Student Manual Religion 345, p. 209).
An LDS Church manual: "If available, hold up a copy of The Miracle of Forgiveness, and tell students that reading it has helped many people feel the merciful forgiveness of the Lord" (Presidents of the Church Teacher Manual Religion 345, p. 172).
From a church manual: "President Kimball taught extensively the principle of repentance. His teachings have positively influenced many. Elder Boyd K. Packer recognized this great influence and wrote the following: 'President Kimball himself is an experienced surgeon of sorts. Not a doctor of medicine, but a doctor of spiritual well-being. Many a moral cancer has been excised, many a blemish of character has been removed, many a spiritual illness of one kind or another has been cured through his efforts. Some on the verge of spiritual oblivion have been rescued by him. He has written a book—literally years in preparation—The Miracle of Forgiveness. Many have been protected by the counsel he has written. Countless others have been inspired to set their lives in order and have experienced that miracle' (Ensign, Mar. 1974, 5)" (Presidents of the Church Student
Manual Religion 345, 2003, p. 209).
Ezra Taft Benson became the 13th president when Kimball passed away. He was also a fan:
"In clearing our channels and keeping them clear, we would admonish all of you to read and reread President Spencer W. Kimball's book The Miracle of Forgiveness. The sooner you can read it, the greater blessing it will be for you" (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 250).
"Repentance was the cry of our late and great prophet, Spencer W. Kimball. This theme permeated his talks and the pages of his writings, such as his marvelous book The Miracle of Forgiveness. And it must be our cry today, both to member and to nonmember alike—repent" (Ezra Taft Benson, Sermons and Writings of President Ezra Taft Benson, p.281).
If these are not enough, the LDS Church put together a 2006 church manual that all members were supposed to read in 2007. Titled Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, the editors for this manual referenced The Miracle of Forgiveness in the historical summary and cited the book 22 times in chapter 4, which was titled "The Miracle of Forgiveness." In the church manual's endnotes, The Miracle of Forgiveness is quoted 69 times, which makes up an incredible 12 percent of all citations found in the manual!
Also consider that under Spencer W. Kimball's portrait located on the second floor of the Church History Museum (across the street from Temple Square in Salt Lake City), there is a hard copy of The Miracle of Forgiveness on display. (This picture was taken during the October General Conference in 2015.)
Finally, in 1998 the First Presidency gave out special bound editions of the book to employees and general authorities of the church with this explanation included with the book:
We are pleased to present to you this classic edition of President Spencer W. Kimball's book The Miracle of Forgiveness. President Kimball's enlightening teachings on the Atonement of Jesus Christ are a precious treasure for all who would follow the Savior.
With more than million copies that have been printed, there is no doubt that most faithful Mormons have at least heard of this book. Let's take a closer look at Kimball's words and see why his instruction is so difficult to follow.
The sins that derail
If there is anything that can be said about The Miracle of Forgiveness, it goes into overdrive to describe the variety of sins that can derail a person. On page 25 Kimball laid out more than 80 sins that he said needed to be abandoned:
Murder, adultery, theft, cursing, unholiness in masters, disobedience in servants, unfaithfulness, improvidence, hatred of God, disobedience to husbands, lack of natural affection, high-mindedness, flattery, lustfulness, infidelity, indiscretion, backbiting, whispering, lack of truth, striking, brawling, quarrelsomeness, unthankfulness, inhospitality, deceitfulness, irreverence, boasting, arrogance, pride, double-tongued talk, profanity, slander, corruptness, thievery, embezzlement, despoiling, covenant-breaking, incontinence, filthiness, ignobleness, filthy communications, impurity, foolishness, slothfulness, impatience, lack of understanding, unmercifulness, idolatry, blasphemy, denial of the Holy Ghost, Sabbath breaking, envy, jealousy, malice, maligning, vengefulness, implacability, bitterness, clamor, spite, defiling, reviling, evil speaking, provoking, greediness for filthy lucre, disobedience to parents, anger, hate, covetousness, bearing false witness, inventing evil things, fleshliness, heresy, presumptuousness, abomination, insatiable appetite, instability, ignorance, self-will, speaking evil of dignitaries, becoming a stumbling block; and in our modern language, masturbation, petting, fornication, adultery, homosexuality; and every sex perversion, every hidden and secret sin and all unholy and impure practices.
In case anyone thought the absence of a particular sin meant there was freedom to commit it, Kimball added a postscript:
These are transgressions the Lord has condemned through his servants. Let no one rationalize his sins on the excuse that a particular sin of his is not mentioned nor forbidden in scripture.
Anyone who reads this list will surely find 3, 5, 10, or more sins that they personally battle. The Bible agrees with this assessment, stating in Romans 3:23 that "all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God." This, Paul adds in Romans 6:23, will end in "eternal death." The solution? Kimball spends plenty of time in his book detailing the plan according to Mormonism.
Keeping promises
The road to eternal life "is a cooperative program," according to Kimball, as he says man has
the potential to perpetuate the race, to subdue the earth, to perfect himself and to become as God, omniscient and omnipotent. (2)
This is an incredible statement. After all, only God can be omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful)! It would be impossible to have a second "omnipotent" being. Consider this: If the two "omnipotent" beings had an arm-wrestling match (in a facetious way), who would win? Yet Kimball lifts up the potentiality of men who can somehow attain full obedience. As he writes on page 3, a person has "within him the seeds of godhood and thus being a god in embryo, man has unlimited perfection for progress and attainment."
On page 7, Kimball likens salvation to a train fare or a tuition payment. He stated that "God's eternal rewards will similarly be dependent upon man's compliance with the required conditions." Procrastination is not allowed. As Kimball writes,
One Church member of my acquaintance said, as she drank her coffee: [a no-no according to the Word of Wisdom] "The Lord knows my heart is right and that I have good intentions, and that I will someday get the strength to quit." But will one receive eternal life on the basis of his good intentions? Can one enter a country, receive a scholastic degree, and so on, on the strength of good intent unsupported by appropriate action? Samuel Johnson remarked that "hell is paved with good intentions." The Lord will not translate one's good hopes and desires and intentions into works. Each of us must do that for himself. (8)
Kimball makes a distinction between sins of commission (doing the wrong thing) and omission (not doing the right thing). Both are just as wrong, he said. He wrote on pages 94-96:
The covenants we make with God involve promises to do, not merely to refrain from doing, to work righteousness as well as to avoid evil. . . . . In the baptismal waters we give a similar undertaking and we repledge it in the ordinance of the sacrament. Not to honor these pledges, to refuse to serve or to accept responsibility and do less than one's best at it, is a sin of omission. . . Melchizedek priesthood holders and those who have received their temple endowments have made further and specific pledges to do, to work righteousness. . . One breaks the priesthood covenant by transgressing commandments–but also by leaving undone his duties. Accordingly, to break this covenant one needs only to do nothing. (Also quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 127.)
Many Mormons apparently think their baptism and membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be sufficient for admittance to the Celestial Kingdom. According to Kimball, such an attitude is wrong! He wrote,
It is true that many Latter-day Saints, having been baptized and confirmed members of the Church, and some even having received their endowments and having been married and sealed in the holy temple, have felt that they were thus guaranteed the blessings of exaltation and eternal life. But this is not so. There are two basic requirements every soul must fulfill or he cannot attain to the great blessings offered. He must receive the ordinances and he must be faithful, overcoming his weaknesses. Hence, not all who claim to be Latter-day Saints will be exalted. (p. 9. This is also quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 9)
On page 57, Kimball describes what it means to be a "covenantbreaker":
Akin to many of the other sins is that of the covenant-breaker. The person baptized promises to keep all the laws and commandments of God. He has partaken of the sacrament and re-pledged his allegiance and his fidelity, promising and covenanting that he will keep all God's laws. Numerous folks have gone to the temples and have recovenanted that they would live all the commandments of God, keep their lives clean, devoted, worthy, and serviceable. Yet many there are who forget their covenants and break the commandments, sometimes deliberately tempting the faithful away with them.
In the end, there will be many Mormons who think they are doing everything necessary but end up being "disappointed," as Kimball writes on page 246:
Exaltation is available only to righteous members of the Church of Jesus Christ; only to those who accept the gospel; only to those who have their endowments in holy temples of God and have been sealed for eternity and who then continue to live righteously throughout their lives. Numerous members of the Church will be disappointed. All will fail of these blessing who fail to live worthy lives, even though the temple ordinances have been done for them.
If you are a Latter-day Saint, is it possible this LDS General Authority might be talking about you who might end up "disappointed" in the end? Are you someone who keeps breaking covenants—making promises to God regularly at Sacraments and in the temple —by disobeying commandments and failing to live up to your end of the bargain? As the July 2012 Ensign magazine explains the bargain:
A covenant is a two-way promise, the conditions of which are set by God. When we enter into a covenant with God, we promise to keep those conditions. He promises us certain blessings in return. When we receive these saving ordinances and keep the associated covenants, the Atonement of Jesus Christ becomes effective in our lives, and we can receive the great blessing God can give us—eternal life (see D&C 14:7). Because keeping our covenants is essential to our happiness now and to eventually receiving eternal life, it is important to understand what we have promised our Heavenly Father ("Understanding our Covenants with God," Ensign, July 2012, p. 22).
Most Latter-day Saints understand how difficult (even impossible) it is to keep their covenants, as D&C 25:15 says this must be done "continually." It doesn't matter how difficult it might be, though, for anyone who breaks covenants is still called a "covenantbreaker" by Kimball. Still, I have found that many Latter-day Saints have ready-made answers (excuses) that go something like this:
- This is what repentance is for
- I'm trying
- I'd doing my best
Perhaps you've used these at times in your life. Are these good excuses for not keeping covenants by breaking commandments?
Delaying obedience and the definition of repentance
At the beginning of the book, Kimball quotes Alma 34:32, which says that "this life is the time for men to meet God." He even mentioned D&C 132:7 to say that "all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead." Quite clearly Kimball taught that everything necessary to attain the "celestial kingdom" can be accomplished in this life. (For other places where he says that "this life is the time to prepare," see pages 10, 117, 210, and 248.) In the book's first chapter, Kimball makes it clear that there are "dangers of delay." On pages 9 and 10, he writes,
Because men are prone to postpone action and ignore directions, the Lord has repeatedly given strict injunctions and issued solemn warnings. Again and again in different phraseology and throughout the centuries the Lord has reminded man so that he could never have excuse. And the burden of the prophetic warning has been that the time to act is now, in this mortal life. One cannot with impunity delay his compliance with God's commandments.
Alma 34:21-34 is then quoted on page 10. This Book of Mormon passage says, among other things, that
- "now is the time and the day of your salvation"
- "this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God"
- "the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors"
- "after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed"
Referring to the evil people who rejected God's message during the days of Noah and would never get another chance, Kimball explained,
Too late! The terrestrial for them! It could have been the celestial, and it could have been exaltation! But they procrastinated the day of their preparation. The same lamentable cry of "Too late!" will apply to many of today's Church members who did not heed the warning. . . . The Lord's program is unchangeable. His laws are immutable. They will not be modified. Your opinion or mine does not alter the laws. Many in the world, and even some in the Church, seem to think that eventually the Lord will be merciful and give them the unearned blessing. But the Lord cannot be merciful at the expense of justice. (249)
In other words, the Mormon is commanded to be successful in the abandonment of sin in this life, not the next. Of course, Kimball talks about repentance, saying that because "no unclean thing can enter" God's presence (19), repentance is necessary. However, Kimball explained that "there is one crucial test of repentance. This is abandonment of the sin." (Also quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 39.) To support his case, he quoted D&C 58:43, which says, "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them."
On page 203, he explains,
Repentance must involve an all-out, total surrender to the program of the Lord. That transgressor is not fully repentant who neglects his tithing, misses his meetings, breaks the Sabbath, fails I his family prayers, does not sustain the authorities of the Church, breaks the Word of Wisdom, does not love the Lord nor his fellowmen. A reforming adulterer who drinks or curses is not repentant. The repenting adultery who drinks or curses is not repentant. The repenting burglar who has sex play is not ready for forgiveness. God cannot forgive unless the transgressor shows a true repentance which spreads to all areas of his life. (Also quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 43.)
Desire, he says, "is not sufficient. There is no "real repentance until one has abandoned the error of his way and started on a new path." (163) He added, "Nor is repentance complete when one merely tries to abandon sin. To try with a weakness of attitude and effort is to assure failure in the face of Satan's strong counteracting efforts. What is needed is resolute action." (164)
As Seventy John B. Dickson put it,
Simply feeling remorseful is not repentance. True repentance leads to a new and righteous pattern of life. ("After the Manner of Happiness," Ensign, February 2008, p. 17).
Kimball provides a poignant story on page 164 to explain what he meant:
An army officer called a soldier to him and ordered him to take a message to another officer. The soldier saluted and said, "I'll try, sir! I'll try!" to this the officer responded: "I don't want you to try, I want you to deliver this message." The soldier, somewhat embarrassed, now replied: "I'll do the best I can, sir." At this the officer, now disgusted, rejoined with some vigor: "I don't want you to tryand I don't want you to 'do the best you can.' I want you to deliver this message." Now the young soldier, straightening to his full height, approached the matter magnificently, as he thought, when he saluted again and said: "I'll do it or die, sir." To this the now irate officer responded: "I don't want you to die, and I don't want you merely to do the best you can, and I don't want you to try. Now, the request is a reasonable one; the message is important; the distance is not far; you are able-bodied; you can do what I have ordered. Now get out of here and accomplish your mission.
The following commentary is offered on pages 164-65:
It is normal for children to try. They fall and get up numerous times before they can be certain of their footing. But adults, who have gone through these learning periods, must determine what they will do, then proceed to do it. To "try" is weak. To "do the best I can" is not strong. We must always do better than we can. This is true in every walk of life.
Kimball referred to the adulterous woman in John 7:53-8:11; on page 165 he questioned whether or not Jesus could bestow forgiveness on such a vile sinner. Could he forgive her? There seems to be no evidence of forgiveness. His command to her was, 'Go and sin no more.' He was directing the sinful woman to go her way, abandon her evil life, commit no more sin, transform her life. He was saying, Go, woman, and start your repentance; and he was indicating to her the beginning step—to abandon her transgressions.
To think that "forgiveness" can come about by asking God is a ridiculous notion, according to Kimball, as he explained on pages 324-325,
Your Heavenly Father has promised forgiveness upon total repentance and meeting all the requirements, but that forgiveness is not granted merely for the asking. There must be works—many works—and an all-out, total surrender, with a great humility and "a broken heart and a contrite spirit."
Kimball quoted from Alma 11:37 ("Ye cannot be saved in your sins") and made the following comment on page 166,
The Lord cannot save men in their sins but only from their sins, and that only when they have shown true repentance. . . . We may be sure that the Savior's instructions to the thief on the cross were comparable to his instructions to the woman caught in adultery: "Go your way and transform yourself and repent."
It appears doing this in this life, not the next, is what Kimball says God expects.
Overcoming: The requirement for forgiveness
In Mormonism, the word "forgiveness" is oftentimes used–just consider the title of Kimball's book. But is there ever a time when a Latter-day Saint could claim this as his or her own? According to Kimball, "forgiveness (is) cancelled on reversion to sin." He wrote:
Old sins return, says the Lord in his modern revelations. Many people either do not know this or they conveniently forget it. "Go your ways and sin no more," the Lord warned. And again, ". . . Unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God." (D&C 82:7) (69)
He explained,
To return to sin is most destructive to the morale of the individual and gives Satan another hand-hold on his victim. Those who feel that they can sin and be forgiven and then return to sin and be forgiven again and again must straighten out their thinking. Each previously forgiven sin is added to the new one and the whole gets to be a heavy load. (170)
In chapter 15 ("Keeping God's Commandments Brings Forgiveness"), Kimball said that a "repentant life seeks perfection." He wrote on pages 208-9,
Eternal life hangs in the balance awaiting the works of men. This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us. In his Sermon on the Mount he made the command to all men: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.) being perfect means to triumph over sin. This is a mandate from the Lord. He is just and wise and kind. He would never require anything from his children which was not for their benefit and which was not attainable. Perfection therefore is an achievable goal.
"Perfection," he added on page 210, "really comes through overcoming" and
only as we overcome shall we become perfect and move toward godhood. As I have indicated previously, the time to do this is now, in mortality.
The individual must act on his own accord and attain this state:
The Spirit is powerless to compel a man to move. The man himself must take the initiative. He must himself desire to repent and take the specific steps. . . . Without such effort repentance too is incomplete. And incomplete repentance never brought complete forgiveness. (212)
According to Kimball's argumentation, some may protest and say that achieving this is impossible, a lofty ideal only available to the untouchable saints. Balderdash, says Kimball in a section he titled "It can be done," as he likened those who can obtain forgiveness as "supermen" on page 286:
"Yes," I said, "but we are commanded to be supermen. Said the Lord, 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' (Matt. 5:48.) We are gods in embryo, and the Lord demands perfection of us." (Also quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 96.)
Are you the "superman" to whom he refers? In fact, the only "Man" I know who even stands a chance has a name beginning with J and He's known as "Christ" or "Messiah." To think any other human could do what Kimball taught is a silly notion. Not even Kimball himself could have done what he commanded.
Doing good works in the next life
Some Latter-day Saints make it appear that, somehow, it will be possible in the next life to finish the necessary work of "perfection." This idea is diametrically opposed to the teaching of the twelfth LDS president. For instance, on page 315 Kimball writes,
The terrestrial kingdom will not be enjoyed by the very wicked, for they shall obtain only the telestial. Neither will the terrestrial be given to the valiant, the faithful, the perfected, for they will go into the celestial kingdom prepared for those who live the celestial laws. But into the terrestrial will go those who do not measure up to the celestial. Speaking of one category of terrestrial people, the Lord says: "These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God." (D&C 76:79.) The "unvaliant" Latter-day Saint will find himself there. It is true that repentance is always worth while. But spirit world repentance cannot recompense for that which could and should have been done on earth.
The answer is doing the work now. Kimball explains on page 321,
Fortunately, we have time to pay off our debts before that awesome day of judgment arrives. By repenting now, in this life, and living a life of righteousness thereafter, we can appear before God clean and holy.
What is frightening is what Kimball says on page 325 regarding forgiveness:
It depends upon you whether or not you are forgiven, and when. It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you. That depends on your humility, your sincerity, your works, your attitudes.
I don't know about you, but while I may very well have weeks ahead of me, it is doubtful I have many "years" (let alone "centuries"!) left. (And even if I did have centuries, is there any way I could still fix myself?) What about you? How much time is there left?
Read the rest of the book
I have been told more than once that The Miracle of Forgiveness is indeed a difficult book to read. However, I have been told, I need to read the rest of the book and then I will see "the rest of the story" (as Paul Harvey used to say) and understand how "God will forgive" (the title of chapter 22). I find it fascinating that Kimball's presidential predecessor, Harold B. Lee, only read half the book and claimed "it was factual and heavily documented and adequate and covered the field beautifully" (Spencer W. Kimball: The Early and Apostolic Years, p. 384).
I have read the "rest" of Kimball's book–five times now. I would like to be directed to the section that supposedly nullifies the rest of the book and offers any type of realistic hope. For instance, Kimball described a woman he once knew who had confessed how she had committed adultery. His reply to her?
"My dear sister, you do not know the scriptures. You do not know the power of God nor his goodness. You can be forgiven for this heinous sin, but it will take much sincere repentance to accomplish it." . . . I reminded her of the Lord's words in our own dispensation to the effect that whoever repents and obeys God's commandments will be forgiven. (D&C 1:32.) My visitor looked bewildered but seemed to be yearning as though she wanted to believe it. I continued: "Eventually forgiveness will come for all but the unpardonable sins to that transgressor who repents sorely enough, long enough, sincerely enough."
Kimball then quoted D&C 58:42, which says,
Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.
Of course, he failed to quote verse 43 (which he had quoted earlier at the beginning of chapter 12). According to this verse, how can it be known if someone truly repents of sins? "Behold," it says, "he will confess them and forsake them." On page 343, he quotes D&C 1:32-33:
Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; and he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received. (This is also quoted on page 201)
Yes, there is "forgiveness" in Mormonism, but only through complete obedience to God's commandments! This is the message taught throughout The Miracle of Forgiveness. The role of Jesus and His payment on the cross is all for naught to the person who fails to do what he or she has been commanded. Kimball wrote on page 145:
When we think of the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and the sufferings he enduring for us, we would be ingrates if we did not appreciate it so far as our power made it possible. He suffered and died for us, yet if we do not repent, all his anguish and pain on our account are futile. (Quoted on page 29 of Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 29)
He also wrote,
Setting the will is the key. There must be resoluteness and determination. Discontinuance of sin must be permanent. The will to do must be strong and kept strengthened. (176)
How can a person know that forgiveness has been obtained? It's quite simple, as chapter 15 announces that "keeping God's commandments brings forgiveness." Based on D&C 1:31-32 ("he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven"), Kimball said this involves the following process:
First, one repents. Having gained that ground he then must then live the commandments of the Lord to retain his vantage point. This is necessary to secure complete forgiveness. (Also quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 43.)
It seems straightforward and simple. Repent. Keep the commandments (continually, as D&C 25:15 says). Receive forgiveness.
Glad that is cleared up. So we see, the price of admission to the forgiveness party is complete (not partial) obedience. But there's more, as Kimball said that even the urge to sin must be purged. Quoting Alma 13:11-12, Kimball explained on pages 354-55 that
repentance which merits forgiveness . . . is that the former transgressor must have reached a "point of no return" to sin wherein there is not merely a renunciation but also a deep abhorrence of the sin—where the sin becomes most distasteful to him and where the desire or urge to sin is cleared out of his life.
This, he says "is what is meant, in part at least, by being pure in heart!" Joseph Smith apparently "gave assurance that the totally repentant one will see the Lord; and this means forgiveness, for only the pure in heart will see God." He quoted D&C 93:1, which says,
Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am.
While Kimball did say "the Lord will indeed forgive," he added that "he will not tolerate repetitions of the sin." He then quoted Ether 2:15:
. . . And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe, ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. . . .
Finally, Kimball writes these hard-to-fathom words:
We can hardly be too forceful in reminding people that they cannot sin and be forgiven and then sin again and again and expect repeated forgiveness.
He once again quoted D&C 82:7, which has these words that provided comforting words to no one:
And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.
Where is the promise of forgiveness through the grace of God, as Christianity has taught for 2,000 years? It is nowhere to be found.
The Straw Man argument
An informal logical fallacy called the "straw man argument" thrives on inventing the opponent's position and then crushing this fictional argumentation. (We get accused regularly of practicing this.) If the position that is offered by the opponent differs in good measure from what the original argument teaches, then it is not a worthy argument.
Kimball creates this fallacy this when he described Christianity's view of grace and forgiveness. After quoting Ephesians 2:8-9 ("For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, let any man should boast."), Kimball wrote on page 206-7:
One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation. Along with all the other works necessary for man's exaltation in the kingdom of God this could rule out the need for repentance. It could give license for sin and, since it does not require man to work out his salvation, could accept instead lip service, death-bed "repentance," and shallow, meaningless confession of sin.
Kimball then quoted 2 Nephi 25:23, which says that "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
How many times I have heard Mormons suggest that accepting grace for salvation (and minimizing good works) will lead to licentiousness and a free-for-all sinfest. This is far from the case! Paul said in Philippians 2:12 that believers need to work out (not for) their salvation with fear and trembling. But this happens after justification, not before. This is the part of salvation that we call "sanctification."
This still doesn't make sense to many hard-working Mormons. Why shouldn't a person sin if his salvation has already taken place? Thinking like this was condemned by the apostle Paul. Listen to what he says in Romans 6:1-14:
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
As far as Ephesians 2:8-9 is concerned, notice what Paul says in verse 10 right after he finished saying that believers are saved by grace through faith:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
While claiming that salvation (justification) is provided by grace through faith and is therefore a gift, Paul makes it clear that good works should be a part of a believers' lives since this is what they were created to do. Nobody should misunderstand grace and somehow come to the conclusion that good works are unimportant.
An illustration I like to give seems appropriate here. A young man was celebrating his birthday with his family and friends. As he opened up his presents, he came upon a card from his grandfather who was sitting in the corner. The young man picked it up and read the words aloud: "Grandson, I love you so much. I have put 10 into your bank account. Enjoy! Love, Grandpa." The young man swallowed hard, looked up, and waved to his grandfather. "Thanks," he said, though he really didn't mean it. He considered it as nothing more than a cheap gift from someone who he thought had the means to be more generous.
A few weeks later, the boy needed gas for his car and didn't have any money. Then he realized that he could go to the bank and collect his $10, good for at least another 100 miles on his car. He handed his passbook to the teller, who looked at her computer screen, wrote into the passbook, and handed him a crisp new $10 bill.
As the boy walked out of the bank, he glanced at the page. All of a sudden, he became livid. Running back inside, he bumped the customer standing where his tell had just given him the money. "What's the meaning of this!" he exclaimed. "Is this a cruel joke?"
The teller looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?" The boy replied, "Why did you write "$9,999,990" into my book?" "Well," she answered, "you had $10 million, but you took out $10, so that's what's left."
All of a sudden, the boy understood something that he didn't before. He had received a gift he could never earn on his own. While entertainment stars and sports figures can make this figure in a single year, it would require the average person to make $250,000 for 40 years, an impossible sum for most of us!
What do you think the reaction of the boy will be? Will he go to his Grandpa's house and throw lye in the grass, spray paint graffiti on the garage door, and kick the man's dog? I doubt it. At the very least, I bet he will send a thank you card. But $10 million is a pretty sizable gift. No, I think he will go over to Grandpa's house and thank him in person.
After hugging his Grandfather and thanking him, he looks at the yard and realizes that the grass needs mowing. "Why is your grass so long?" the boy wondered. Grandpa replied, "Well, I pretty much gave you everything I had, so I don't have the funds to pay the gardener any more."
The grandson had an idea. Why, he could mow the grass.!He took his grandfather's mower out and, two hours later, completed the job. It made him feel good to do something for someone who has done something as nice as a $10 million gift.
In fact, it made him feel so good that he decided to come back for the next 51 weeks, mowing the grass each week. What a nice gesture! But wait. What if, at the end of the year, the boy went up to his grandfather and said, "I'm all paid up." What do you think Grandpa's reaction would be? No doubt he would be confused. After all, what he gave his grandson was a gift, something that was not meant to be paid back. Imagine if you gave someone a birthday present and the person took out his wallet, asking how much the gift had cost so you could be repaid. This isn't the protocol! A gift is received, not paid for.
Yes, it's natural to want to do nice things for someone who has blessed you so much, but it would be a mistake to think that somehow the gift is being paid back. In the grandson's case, he apparently thought he was "earning" approximately $200,000 every time he mowed the grass. That's not what the grandfather intended.
In the same way, good works are what we do in response to what God has first done for us. To think we are even paying a portion back is silly. How can you measure the cost of eternal life? And what could a person ever do to ever "earn" a portion of it back? This is the mistake in Mormon soteriology. To think we are paying anything for our salvation—even 67 cents for a bicycle and the father pays the rest, according to Stephen E. Robinson's famous analogy—is faulty logic. As the hymn goes, Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. A Christian's good works is the mowing of the grass in gratitude for what has been given.
Finally, 2 Nephi 25:23 doesn't help. After all, what does that mean, "after all we can do"? Perhaps you mowed your neighbor's grass yesterday. Wonderful. Couldn't you have done that last week too? Or suppose you gave the homeless man $5. Couldn't you have given him $10? Or you prayed 20 minutes yesterday. Why not 30 minutes? Do you get the picture? No matter how hard you try, there is no way to accomplish "all you can do."
How contrary to the message of Christianity!
Kimball concludes his book on page 368 by saying:
Those laden with transgressions and sorrows and sin may be forgiven and cleansed and purified if they will return to their Lord, learn of him, and keep his commandments.
At the beginning of this review, I quoted page 25 of the book with Kimball's list of more than 80 sins. And lest anyone think it is possible to have gotten away with something, he let it be known that his failing to list that particular sin didn't mean that is was justified.
Christianity has a much better offer. The Bible says that humans come to the table with nothing but sin-stained motives and behaviors. Even though we had nothing to offer, the believers are able to be forgiven of their sins. As 1 John 1:9 puts it, "if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sin."
It is only through faith in Him, not anything we can do, that provides for this forgiveness. Romans 10:9-10 says,
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 3:28 says,
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
And the Book of Galatians assures us in 3:11-12 that
no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Verse 24 adds,
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Spencer W. Kimball places a big burden on the shoulders of the Latter-day Saint people. According to him (and other LDS leaders), repentance comes with an asterisk. As long as you are sincere in your repentance and overcome the sin, you are fine. Falling short, however, is a problem. Doing the best you can is not good enough if you had the ability to do better.
When we understand that the only Person who could do what Kimball (and ultimately the Mormon religion) commands is Jesus Himself, we really can understand that what is offered in Mormonism is the impossible gospel.
If you have any questions about this very important topic, please don't hesitate to ask them. Just write us ([email protected]).
- To see reasons why you ought to consider biblical Christianity, click here.
- Check out The Miracle of Forgiveness is now out of print–why?
- To see the highlighted quotes marked in each book, click here
- Read this blog, Only "After All We Can Do"
- Read Bill McKeever's review of Kimball's book by clicking here.
- See a "Redi Reference Sheet" here.
- See the sections highlighted in the copies of this book that are given away
- See the miracle of forgiveness tract pdf handed out with free copies of the book
To hear a complete Podcast review of this book, chapter by chapter, click on these links: Intro Chapter 1 Chapter 2a Chapter 2b Chapter 3 Chapter 4a Chapter 4b Chapter 4c Chapter 4d Chapter 5a Chapter 5b Chapter 5c Chapter 6 Chapter 7a Chapter 7b Chapter 8 Chapter 9a Chapter 9b Chapter 10a Chapter 10b Chapter 11 Chapter 12a Chapter 12b Chapter 12c Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15a Chapter 15b Chapter 15c Chapter 15d Chapter 16 Chapter 17a Chapter 17b Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20a Chapter 20b Chapter 20c Chapter 21a Chapter 21b Chapter 22a Chapter 22b Chapter 23a Chapter 23b
Is Forgiveness Likely According to the LDS Standard Works? In a less-than-4-minute video, Carissa Johnson shares seven verses a Mormon should consider regarding the issue of forgiveness in Mormonism.


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A visualization-based environment for top-down debugging of parallel programs
Enter Abstract Here
- Designed for debugging inter-process communication
- method involves running the process once in order to record the order in which events take place. Later runs will be restricted by this information to make sure that everything happens in the same order.
- The order information is used to distribute a breakpoint across processes. If a breakpoint is set in one process, then all other processes are break-pointed at the event that comes immediately before the target breakpoint.
- Break-points are set using a timeline visualization that depicts inter-process communication using horizontal lines for each process, and slanted vertical lines for the communication between them.
- Presents guidelines for using visualizations in debugging. They recommend call-graphs, timelines, stack traces, and source-code listings.
- Provides data visualization as well, as text, or as special visualizations for arrays. Arrays can be visualized as hystograms.
- Due to the state of hardware, only one visualization can be displayed at a time.
BibTeX Reference
title={A visualization-based environment for top-down debugging of parallel programs},
author={Sharnowski, J.L. and Cheng, B.H.C.},
journal={Parallel Processing Symposium, 1995. Proceedings., 9th International},
abstract={This paper describes a parallel debugging environment that applies visualizations in a top-down, structured approach for debugging. This environment, referred to as GOLD, uses visualization in the traditional way for examining a program state, but it also extends the use of visualizations in two directions. First, a technique is described for using visualizations to guide the operation of setting a causal distributed breakpoint for a set of processes. Second, a strategy is introduced for coordinating the use of different types of visualization when examining a program state},
keywords={ data visualisation, parallel programming, program debugging GOLD, causal distributed breakpoint, parallel debugging environment, parallel programs, program state, structured approach, top-down debugging, visualization-based environment},
page revision: 2, last edited: 20 Apr 2009 18:52


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I was in St. Louis during November 21-23, 2010, having traveled from Springfield, Missouri (where I spoke at the third annual Skepticon), courtesy of Kathleen Kelly of the Rationalist Society of St. Louis, to give a talk on "Hunting for Ghosts and Spirits." I also did some research on the same at the Missouri Historical Society Archives, (whose Dennis Northcott generously accommodated me on a day the facility was otherwise closed). Appropriately enough, I also stayed at a haunted inn. Well, maybe not really haunted, but therein is a story.
Kathleen checked me into the English Tudor-style Cheshire Lodge (a setting for the George Clooney movie, Up in the Air ), and suggested we look at a room to make sure it was satisfactory. As we passed through a great room with paneling, fireplace, real oil paintings, and examples of the taxidermist's art (including a giant standing grizzly!), I so appreciated the step back in time that I volunteered to forego the room and just sleep on one of the big couches there. But I was given a room anyway, and its décor was in keeping with the rest of the place—four stories of hallways and rooms studded with antiques, old prints, drapery valences, flickering gas lamps (as with the antiques, some real and some faux), and more. It's one of those places with such ambience that (as I like to say) if it isn't haunted, it ought to be!
As it happens, spooky phenomena have been reported here and there, from time to time. Trouble is, the place seems to be run by skeptics. The bellman, Melvin, has worked at the Cheshire for a dozen years but hasn't had a single ghostly encounter. The desk clerk, Thomas, who has been there even longer, calls himself a "doubting Thomas." General Manager Donald Hubbard is likewise bereft of experiences of an otherworldly nature, as is a charming housekeeper. What's wrong with these people?
How do we explain, for example, occurrences on the fourth floor, where a former housekeeper had seen a woman with luggage leave a room that was then found undisturbed? Well, the traveler might simply have decided not to take the room, or perhaps the housekeeper was mistaken—given the long, multi-door hallways—as to which room the woman exited. As to the luggage itself, why would supposedly living energy extend to inanimate objects like suitcases, not to mention shoes, clothing, and so on? Doors were also reportedly heard closing on the fourth floor when no one was there, but perhaps a guest in a room simply changed his mind after opening the door and let it close automatically with a customary resounding sound. There are other possible explanations—of a non-ghostly kind.
Then there is the painting of a woman whose eyes follow anyone walking past. Actually there are several such pictures in the lodge, but the most talked-about one is in room 217, for which Mr. Hubbard gave me the passkey. As with all such images, the effect simply occurs with any two-dimensional portrait (photo or artwork) in which the eyes are gazing directly at the viewer (i.e., when the picture was made, the subject was looking into the camera or at the artist). Such a portrait will always appear to look at the viewer, regardless of the viewing angle (see Joe Nickell, "The Haunted Plantation," Skeptical Inquirer Sept./Oct. 2003). The woman in the picture in room 217 is rather bug-eyed, which adds to the eerie effect.
Finally, there was the seventeen-year-old who had a room on the second floor; he heard knocking at his door when nobody was there, and the sounds of piano music—even though, he said, "I didn't see a piano in the hotel" (see https://www.travelpost.com/hotels/Cheshire_Inn_Lodge/hid9282 ). Could the rappings have been on an adjacent door? Certainly, piano music comes from the bar, which is located directly below the window of the teenager's room!
All in all, I enjoyed my stay at the Cheshire Lodge—ghosts or no ghosts.


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I think this is the part where I'm supposed to discuss why I got into blogging and what this blog is about.
Unfortunately, there are several topics which I'd prefer to write about first and which I feel are a more pressing concern, so if you're passionately curious you'll just have to wait until I have the time to come back and edit this. But don't worry, I'll let you know when this gets updated (and please bear with me in the meantime as I figure this whole thing out).
In general, though, I've played a shadow priest in World of Warcraft for roughly the past six years (and have been playing since about a month after release overall), though I had a two year hiatus from WoW during that time period. I raided 25 mans in BC up to about halfway through Sunwell and currently lead <Despotism> (despotism.enjin.com), a two night a week 10 man heroic raiding guild.
Pretty much anything is fair game on this blog, though typical topics will be shadow priests, raiding, things happening in WoW, game design philosophy, and possibly random stuff about a few other games.
Any tips/suggestions are welcome as are any ideas for topics you'd like to see discussed.


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Rubio leaves Spurs seeing triple-double
MINNEAPOLIS — Maybe it was a hangover from the Spurs' resounding win over Oklahoma City the night before. Maybe it was the expected result of an older team, playing without three starters, on the second night of a long-distance back-to-back.
Maybe, given the way the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA went suddenly unconscious from beyond the arc, it was exactly as Stephen Jackson said it was.
"It shines on a dog's ass every now and then," Jackson said.
Whatever excuse one could muster to explain the Spurs' 107-83 loss at struggling and short-handed Minnesota on Tuesday night, Manu Ginobili was there to swat it away.
More Information
See a photo gallery of the Spurs' setback at Minnesota.
"Bottom line is we played a bad, bad game," Ginobili said.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, played their best game of the season.
Led by precocious Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio and his first career triple-double, Minnesota — loser of 24 of its previous 28 games — used a 29-10 second quarter to demolish the Western Conference-leading Spurs.
Rubio recorded 21 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, as the Spurs followed up Monday's chest-thumping victory over the Thunder in San Antonio with a face-first pratfall at the Target Center.
The Timberwolves, who came into the game shooting 29.3 percent from 3-point range, made a season-best 12 of 20. The Spurs committed 17 turnovers, giving rise to 30 Minnesota points.
Those two developments combined to make for another long night for the Spurs, four days removed from absorbing a 136-106 beating from Portland on Friday.
"It's happening too often now," Ginobili said. "That should worry us. We can't let this happen again."
The Spurs (49-16) played without All-Star forward Tim Duncan and starting small forward Kawhi Leonard, both of whom stayed home nursing sore left knees. All-Star point guard Tony Parker missed his fifth consecutive game with a left ankle sprain.
Color Minnesota unimpressed with the star power of the Spurs' inactive list.
The Timberwolves dressed only nine players, not one of which was All-Star forward Kevin Love, still out with a broken hand.
Minnesota (22-39) scored 12 consecutive points to start the second quarter, on two 3-pointers apiece from J.J. Barea (17 points) and rookie Alexey Shved (16 points), to seize control of the game.
"We gave them confidence," said Jackson, who scored 14 points starting for Leonard. "You give any team in the NBA confidence, they're going to play well."
Rubio's length-of-the-court scramble to get a 10-foot bank shot at the halftime horn not only sent the Spurs into the locker room facing a 53-38 hole, it also illustrated an energy deficit between the teams.
"Minnesota was more aggressive than we were for more of the 48 minutes," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose team matched a season scoring low. "They were physical. They kicked our butt."
What Rubio lacked in physicality, he made up for in sheer will. His triple-double was the Timberwolves' second since 2007, joining Barea's last season against OKC.
"He is playing with such resolve trying to get us over the hump," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said.
When talking about the Spurs' "bad, bad game," Ginobili pointed a finger first at himself.
Unable to raise his game with the other two-thirds of the Spurs' Big Three shelved, Ginobili finished with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting. He missed all four of his 3-point tries and contributed two turnovers.
Second-year point guard Cory Joseph, filling in for Parker, did most of the Spurs' scoring with a career-high 15 points.
Afterward, Ginobili was asked if his problem was physical or something else.
"I'm feeling great," he said. "Just played bad."
Team-wide, excuses were there for the taking Tuesday night.
The Spurs refused them all.
"This is a game we shouldn't have lost," Jackson said. "Point blank."
jmcdonald @express-news.net Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN
Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN


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Asanti wheels have an Italian design aesthetic solidly in mind. There is just something about this aftermarket wheel design line that has all the charm, appeal, and intriguing mystery of black-and-white sleek fashion magazine photos. In short, Asanti wheels command respect. They don't hit you over the head with over the top and flamboyant street glamor. Instead, Asanti wheels are more subtle. They highlight the sleek design of your car as a whole package. Sadly, even the most well-known brands in the automotive industry come with stock wheels that do such cars a disservice. Why? Stock wheels don't highlight the sleek, smooth elegance of these cars. This is really quite sad. You have spent your hard-earned money on the best vehicle you can get but as your eyes glide over the smooth curves, the sleek paint job, and the art museum like ambiance your vehicle gives off, the experience is thrown off track when your eyes settle on your car's stock wheels. It's like going through all the expense, effort, and bother of coming up with an awesome looking outfit and then heading out with your cheap, worn sandals. It just doesn't make sense. You want the whole package to fit. You want each and every part of your car's total package to truly shine and make a solid impression. This is what Asanti wheels do so well. They round out your car. They don't take away from it. They add to it and take your car's overall ability to make an awesome first impression to a whole new other level.
Asanti wheels show a remarkable diversity in design and personality. They have to. After all, Asanti wheels end up decking out a wide range of vehicles from Ferraris to BMWs and everything in between. Let's put it this way, your car's maker is known for a long history of producing nothing but the best engineered vehicles in the world, why ruin your car's overall brand by settling for basic stock wheels or, worse, aftermarket wheels that take away from your car's overall perceived class, value, or breeding? Asanti wheels helps add to the mystique, power, and class of your car. By highlighting the value your car already has, these wheels help turn heads and direct people's attention to the overall value and package of your car. In short, Asanti wheels works had to put your car's best foot forward and make a great impression. Just like in the professional world, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. With Asanti wheels, the next time you step up to the plate, you are sure to connect and hit the ball right out of the park.


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(CBS News) Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker did not skirt the question nor pause for a moment when asked if he had aspirations for higher office. Booker said he is considering running for either the New Jersey Senate seat or governor.
"I am absolutely considering running for governor, as well as giving other options some consideration." Booker said on CBS News' "Face the Nation." He added that he is also considering a run for Senate.
Booker, should he be the Democratic nominee for governor, would run against current governor Chris Christie, who's approval ratings reached 67 percent in a Monmouth University poll last week.
Booker, however, said he needs to decide "in the next few weeks" if he is going to make the move. "[T]here are a lot of very good candidates for governor in New Jersey on the Democratic side and I have to give my party and be a part of my party's push forward, whether me as a candidate or supporting other candidates for that office."
If he instead chooses to run for Senate, it would be for current Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg's seat. Lautenberg is the oldest sitting senator and would be 90 years old on Election Day in 2014, but he has not announced plans to retire.
Democrats consider Booker a rising star - a young African-American politician who has made national news for a range of reasons, including his efforts to turn around crime in his city and for running into a burning building to save a neighbor. He is also an avid conversationalist on Twitter, which led him to a food stamp challenge in which he is currently living off $30 dollars worth of food for one week, the amount the average 46 million food stamp recipients receive. He called it "very challenging."
"I had an apple for breakfast. I burnt a sweet potato and couldn't go out and buy another one because it wasn't on my budget so I cut around the burned part and had a sweet potato around lunch time and made a casserole with broccoli, cauliflower, beans, and peas and nursed that over a couple hours. I found I could stave off hunger if I ate a spoonful and came back to it," Booker said.
"Even going to Starbucks and buying a cup of coffee is more than my daily food allows right now," Booker said. "I'm thoroughly uncaffeinated right now. And it's a terrible state of human existence. I don't see how people do it."
As for the "fiscal cliff," Booker said there's "an immediate fear" among people in his city that their taxes could go up by $2,000 for the middle class if Congress doesn't act. "For many families, not only in my city, but across our state, a couple of thousands dollars could be the difference between making that mortgage payment, being able to afford food and making critical investments during every month," he said.
"This is not time for the Republicans to hold the country hostage again, really at this point, holding it hostage to protect a couple of percent of our population."
Booker, whose city and state was impacted by Hurricane Sandy, said the country can't afford serious cuts in investments to things such as infrastructure. "This is not a time to be penny-wise and pound-foolish," he said.
Sandy "really exposed how vulnerable and unprepared our infrastructure is in this country," Booker said "And you have storm systems and even heavy rainfalls right now are causes of incredible economic damage. To not invest the pennies now to asset dollars later is also a bad thing to do."


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Is Work-Life Balance Even Possible?
Is it possible to work at creating and preserving space in our lives for the things that matter most? A balance will not just happen. We have to work on it and be intentional about establishing margin in our lives. Recovering balance to work and life takes awareness, courage, and might involve risk. Swenson suggests the following:
- Learn to decline with gratitude. Before you agree to something, don't check your calendar—check your goals. Only say "Yes," out of genuine interest.
- Defend boundaries. Having clarity around our core priorities and what matters most gives us the courage needed to defend our boundaries.
- Have several gears. In many workplaces, there seems to be only one speed, and that is fast. There are times when we need to shift to "park" or "neutral" to be mindful, which can lead to better decisions and healthier relationships.
- Obey the speed limit. Everyone might be "speeding," but you know yourself. When you are going "too fast," you are likely to break down.
- Seek solitude. Find time to "unplug and disconnect" to remember your priorities. Consider a silent retreat to stop thinking about work.
- Maximize our energy. Energy, not time, is the main component of high performance. According to Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book, The Power of Full Engagement, "Full engagement begins with feeling eager to get to work in the morning, equally happy to return home in the evening, and capable of setting clear boundaries between the two."
- Take care of yourself. While it is common sense to get sufficient sleep, nutrition, and exercise, as a result of progress, this is not often the case. Our body is a system, and just as with automobiles, we have to take care of maintenance if we want the vehicle to operate properly.
- Cherish the home. Swenson says it best: "If we wish to have a work/life balance, we first need a 'life' and 'home' to occupy that side of the equation." While not everyone has a spouse and children, at the end of the day, we each have some type of family in broad terms—people who care about our wellbeing. "The family, traditionally, is the great shock absorber of society… The shock absorber itself has been shocked." Credit: Jann Freed for Training.
Read Infographic Here: